So what can you tell me about OUTPOST?

Just read a GoF report and a guy was going on about a session of this. Looked up his review of it and really liked the sound of this OOP game.

So I question those wise sages who've played this: Is it just auction mania? Not crazy about lots of auctions and immediately thought to myself "wish there was some kind of area control on a board or something." That said, it seems kinda cutthroat and the theme's got me suckered into being interested.

Comparisons to Power Grid? havent played but the theme doesnt do much for me.

Thanks to all out there!

It's an auction/building/Return of Investment balancing type of game. It's easy to find out how this grail game play's as Phoenicia and The Scepter of Zavandor are practically the same game as Outpost, without the runaway leader problem.

It's not very much like Power Grid, but maybe more like Age of Steam or Merchant of Venus?

Outpost is one of my lowest rated game on BGG. I rated it 3. Endless auctions. One of the first of the Euro efficiency games. Terrible crappy components.

Great game, always enjoyed it, wish I could play it more. But yes, it has the runaway leader thing and takes several hours. Never thought to compare it to Euros, but then it predates them, which is why I tend to think of it as AT. A friend said that Zavendor is most similar and wasn't impressed by Phoenicia.

Yeah, ZAVANDOR is basically OUTPOST in fantasy drag. Very, very chintzy and clumsily applied fantasy drag. It's some claptrap about fairy dust and magic jewels, and then at the end you bid on some frog statue or something.

ZAVANDOR was a game I played for six hours once with a crowd of Eurogamers. It is, in fact, endless auctions. You bid on everything using two different kinds of currency. You get different gems to make what you produce chaes;;;;;fje;ihee;riisirhsers;eeeeeee

Oh, I'm sorry, I just nodded off.

So a vote of no confidence for OUTPOST. It's ZAVANDOR with crusty old timeyness and an even longer playtime. Theme? HA! It's purely a numbers game.

If you want to play this kind of game (pure economics), PLANET STEAM. It probably costs less than a copy of OUTPOST and it doesn't bore you to death.

Michael Barnes wrote:

PLANET STEAM. It probably costs less than a copy of OUTPOST and it doesn't bore you to death.

It bored me to death.

It was like playing Container but cost $50 more.

Well, if nothing else, at least the game is called PLANET STEAM, which is infinitely more interesting than CONTAINER.

I mean, who sees a game called CONTAINER and says "that looks fun!"

Michael Barnes wrote:

Well, if nothing else, at least the game is called PLANET STEAM, which is infinitely more interesting than CONTAINER.

I mean, who sees a game called CONTAINER and says "that looks fun!"

Just wait for them to complete the CONTAINER Trilogy.

First came CONTAINER,
the next blockbuster......... BOX,
followed by the creme de la creme........ BROWN PAPER BAG

Michael Barnes wrote:

Well, if nothing else, at least the game is called PLANET STEAM, which is infinitely more interesting than CONTAINER.

I mean, who sees a game called CONTAINER and says "that looks fun!"

You're perilously close to pissing off the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.

Sag.

Zavandoor is actually to my mind the better game. Even over Phoenicia (which is another take on Outpost, but has perhaps a little too much stuff removed. )

Outpost is still playable, and has some nasty traps and pitfalls. It really does run on perhaps an hour over its desired length.

Outpost has crucial auctions and there are a lot of them. Zavandoor trims down the number of auctions, and frequently makes them the sort where only one person bids. Zavandoor can also be finished in 30-45 minutes per player with actual humans, 3 is a good number for it for that reason.

Huh. Thanks a lot guys for the opinions and insights.

Just rechecked SoZ. Yep - still looks DULL AS DIRT. Sweet Jebus! I remember this game coming out and I was excited by the description, then looked deeper and was immediately turned off. No further exploration necessary.

But even thought it does seem incredibly similar to Outpost (with tweaks) - it's got me wondering why the difference in theme shifts my gut feelings so much. I'm a guy who loves both Fantasy and Science Fiction. Maybe it's just that I can see mega corps bidding on factories, but wizards auctioning gems or whatever seems counterintuitive.


So looks like I wont be searching out my own copy of this OOP beast, but I think I'd sit down to a game if asked. Just to see for myself.

Michael Barnes wrote:

Well, if nothing else, at least the game is called PLANET STEAM, which is infinitely more interesting than CONTAINER.

I mean, who sees a game called CONTAINER and says "that looks fun!"

Container has those cool ships though....

Although, I see a game like container and I imagine a U-boat lurking off the coast somewhere....

If I put Container on the table I'd get laughed at.

NeonPeon wrote:

If I put Container on the table I'd get laughed at.

.....by me

Michael Barnes wrote:

Well, if nothing else, at least the game is called PLANET STEAM, which is infinitely more interesting than CONTAINER.

I mean, who sees a game called CONTAINER and says "that looks fun!"

CONTAINER?

I barely know her!