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Firefly the game

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24 Dec 2013 22:06 - 24 Dec 2013 22:06 #168492 by KingPut
Firefly the game was created by KingPut
I know a few of you are getting a shinny new copy Firefly the game for Christmas.

Here's a few things to remember when playing Firefly.

1. There's not a whole lot of interaction in Firefly. Firefly is more like MoV or an adventure game like Runebound. So don't try to play Firefly with 5 players. Firefly and other adventure games with minimal interaction are better played with 2-3 players.

2. The First Time in the Captains Chair isn't included as story but it's a pretty good learning scenario. The only problem with this scenario is that you won't get the full flavor of the game.

3. House Rules - Which reduce the playing time for the regular scenarios.
a. I've increased the starting money to for the regular stories to $4,000 to start things off faster.
b. No getting boned rule. This might be a little controversial but I've been playing that if you get a warrant while working a job you can still complete the job. There's nothing worse than flying across the galaxy on a job then you blow 1 dice roll on Misbehaving and you get a warrant and you're totally boned in the game. Yes, I know it's thematic to totally get boned in Firefly but it also can add a lot of time onto the game.
c. If players are shopping, let the next player start there turn.
Last edit: 24 Dec 2013 22:06 by KingPut.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Ska_baron, scissors, Gary Sax, Dr. Mabuse, Sagrilarus, wice

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25 Dec 2013 11:21 #168503 by Shellhead
Replied by Shellhead on topic Re: Firefly the game
I haven't played Firefly (yet), but I know that there are two expansions on the way in 2014, and one of those puts direct player interaction into the game.

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25 Dec 2013 21:24 #168517 by flim_flam
Replied by flim_flam on topic Re: Firefly the game
The Firefly board game rocks my socks. Top 5 of the year for me.

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26 Dec 2013 18:25 #168556 by Gary Sax
Replied by Gary Sax on topic Re: Firefly the game
Very excited to play this, thanks for the tips and the intro link. Will definitely use the intro scenario.

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27 Dec 2013 00:26 #168563 by engineer Al
Replied by engineer Al on topic Re: Firefly the game
I've only played FIREFLY a few times and it is fantastic, but I agree it may need a few adjustments. Some kind of rule preventing the end game target from being blocked, maybe. I need some more plays before I say for sure. I agree with Pete about using the on line intro scenario first time through, and REALLY, REALLY never ever play with five.

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27 Dec 2013 09:47 #168582 by Sagrilarus
Replied by Sagrilarus on topic Re: Firefly the game
"Two expansions in 2014" moves this into the get-in-trade category for me. I'll wait until everything is out.

S.

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27 Dec 2013 11:17 #168592 by Gary Sax
Replied by Gary Sax on topic Re: Firefly the game

engineer Al wrote: Some kind of rule preventing the end game target from being blocked, maybe.


Explain?

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27 Dec 2013 11:20 - 27 Dec 2013 14:50 #168595 by mikecl
Replied by mikecl on topic Re: Firefly the game

KingPut wrote: b. No getting boned rule. This might be a little controversial but I've been playing that if you get a warrant while working a job you can still complete the job. There's nothing worse than flying across the galaxy on a job then you blow 1 dice roll on Misbehaving and you get a warrant and you're totally boned in the game. Yes, I know it's thematic to totally get boned in Firefly but it also can add a lot of time onto the game.


I think you make some good points but I've played this game a lot and wouldn't change a thing. The warrant penalty on a job is not as random as it seems and it makes you a lot more cautious about attempting certain jobs or taking the option on the Misbehave card (you usually have a choice) that results in a warrant.

Pushing your luck is one of the exciting elements of a race game and Warrants punish the reckless. I think they're good and there are ways to mitigate them. If everyone's using this rule you won't be the only player getting boned. And making the roll, with that much on the line makes for exciting game moments.

Changing the game's "fuck you" elements just means you don't have to think as hard or play as carefully. I don't think it makes the game any better. There's nothing more satisfying than watching a greedy player who put themselves in the lead by continually pushing their luck blow a critical roll late game, giving you the edge. In a race game with little player interaction, that's an element you want.

"First Time in the Captain's Chair" is the best introductory scenario but it's not included with the game. You have to download it. The recommended scenario in the rule book is overly long and complex for your first time out and can actually put you off the game entirely.

And yeah the next player if he's shopping should start looking through the cards well in advance because that's one of the few really time consuming elements in the game.
Last edit: 27 Dec 2013 14:50 by mikecl.

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27 Dec 2013 13:18 - 27 Dec 2013 14:59 #168607 by mikecl
Replied by mikecl on topic Re: Firefly the game

Gary Sax wrote:

engineer Al wrote: Some kind of rule preventing the end game target from being blocked, maybe.


Explain?


The only thing I can think of is positioning the Reaver Cutter on a player's last job. But I don't think that's a problem either. The Cutter moves often. You just have to dance around it. Sooner or later either you or another player will pull a card that moves it. It's just another little fuck you element in the game. In a game with little player interaction you need these.
Last edit: 27 Dec 2013 14:59 by mikecl.

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27 Dec 2013 13:45 #168609 by cdennett
Replied by cdennett on topic Re: Firefly the game

Sagrilarus wrote: "Two expansions in 2014" moves this into the get-in-trade category for me. I'll wait until everything is out.

S.

I believe they have something like 8 mini-expansions planned for the game, so be prepared to wait a bit longer.

The first one is out, and apparently it's just a bunch of extra jobs with some slightly new mechanics (variable pay on the jobs based on your specialties or soemthing like that).

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27 Dec 2013 14:39 #168615 by MattFantastic
Replied by MattFantastic on topic Re: Firefly the game

mikecl wrote: Pushing your luck is one of the exciting elements of a race game and Warrants punish the reckless. I think they're good and there are ways to mitigate them. If everyone's using this rule you won't be the only player getting boned. And making the roll, with that much on the line makes for exciting game moments.

Changing the game's "fuck you" elements just means you don't have to think as hard or play as carefully. I don't think it makes the game any better. There's nothing more satisfying than watching someone who puts himself in the lead by continually pushing his luck blow a crucial roll late game, giving you the edge. In a race game with little player interaction, that's an element you want.


Trish got so utterly fucked the first time she played and it was perfect. I'd always rather lose spectacularly than win boringly.
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27 Dec 2013 14:46 #168616 by repoman
Replied by repoman on topic Re: Firefly the game

Gary Sax wrote:

engineer Al wrote: Some kind of rule preventing the end game target from being blocked, maybe.


Explain?


In the last game I played, with Al, there was a situation where the last objective was in the "red" zone. Al made an attempt to win and failed on some misbehave roll or other. Then another player got the card that lets you teleport the Reaver ship where ever you like (or perhaps it was two cards, teleport then move?). In any case, the Reaver ship got moved onto the objective space, fucked up Al and pushed him off.

So now you have the reaver ship parked on the final space needed to win. It occurred to us that it would be possible to pull a shitty move if all the other players actively avoided pulling red cards by not traveling in the red or coasting if they needed to. This would keep the reaver ship parked on the objective, Al had no fuel left to burn so he couldn't blast through red space hoping to get a card that would move it, and was thus jammed out of winning. His only option would have been to coast over to a supply point and buy some more fuel, then blast around trying to get a card to move the ship.

That would have delayed him very significantly and perhaps allowed us to catch up. It's perfectly legit as far as the rules go but certainly against the spirit of the game AND lengthens and already longish game.

I think we decided that a good house rule would be that if the Reavers move onto an objective on one turn, they must move to an empty space the following turn regardless of cards drawn.

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27 Dec 2013 14:57 - 27 Dec 2013 15:02 #168619 by mikecl
Replied by mikecl on topic Re: Firefly the game

repoman wrote: That would have delayed him very significantly and perhaps allowed us to catch up.


How is that a bad thing?

#1 it doesn't happen a lot. #2 you should never be in Reaver space without fuel (there's that penalty for pushing your luck to make up time. you should be punished.) #3 all he had to do (if he had the fuel) is dance around the Cutter pulling cards. I've found myself in the exact same spot. I think when you house rule away the parts of a game that fuck you over you never have to adapt your play accordingly and miss a big part of the game experience.

This game was obviously play tested far more than you guys have had plays and this mechanic survived that. Maybe there's a reason.
Last edit: 27 Dec 2013 15:02 by mikecl.

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27 Dec 2013 15:42 #168623 by repoman
Replied by repoman on topic Re: Firefly the game
That's why it's called a house rule. Doesn't need to be for everyone.

I'm not saying the game wasn't play tested thoroughly. What I'm saying is that the situation left a bad taste in our mouths. (I speak for all of us because I think we were all in agreement at that time that something didn't feel right)

The thing is that he WAS punished by suffering the reaver attack, losing some of his crew and being bumped out of the space.

I guess the sticking point is in whether you felt that punishment was enough or, through arrangement with other players, conspiring to artificially lengthen the game was justifiable and within the spirit of the game.

For a game that is borderline overlong to begin with I don't think it was.
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27 Dec 2013 17:39 #168628 by ChristopherMD
Replied by ChristopherMD on topic Re: Firefly the game
If someone placed the Cutter there knowing it would keep Al from winning I'm not seeing the problem. I would do it to him too so I could have time to catch up.

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