Countdown to final FFG Mystery Box

Michael Barnes wrote:

They branch out...some.

FFG has yet to publish an entry in the Steam/Age of Steam/Volldampf/Railroad Tycoon/Railways of the World family of completely redundant train games. Maybe the mystery game is Blood Rails for the Blood Train God, in which players move little chaos markers around a hexagonal grid. Choo choo!

Probably the biggest disappointment of the AT movement to me has been that the ideas of big theme, big narrative, meaningful interaction have been taken by most to mean strictly fantasy and science fiction. We've worked this over elsewhere from time to time, but it's disappointing that few designers or publishers are putting these ideas to use in games that DO NOT feature "nerd" genre themes. TWILIGHT STRUGGLE is a top example of a game that has these elements, but it's a totally different (and realistic) theme. Of course, it has a foot planted in the wargame camp, so that may explain a lot. But a game like GREED INC. or RAILWAYS OF THE WORLD shows that you can have those things in a business setting (for example).

I mean, seriously...is no one out there capable of designing a thematic crime game on a big scale like a typical FFG production? FAMILY BUSINESS is a simple card game, BOOTLEGGERS was a flop and GANGSTERS was decades ago. Or a western game? Again, we've gone through this plenty, but the point is that I'd really like to see FFG apply their talent and production capacity to something that's not SF or fantasy.

REINS OF POWER, anyone?

I agree regarding genre. There should have been a great espionage game by now. And a great superhero game. At least there have been attempts to make a good superhero game, but they keep missing the mark. And though it falls within the science-fiction genre, recent discussion here indicates that the cyberpunk genre lacks a definitive game, unless you count Netrunner. And what about kung fu? Or at least ninjas? Hell, I still haven't seen a great game about even samurai. Or Hell.

How about a US version of Liebe and Intrigue?

I'd really like to see a good western boardgame. Never played that Gunfighter game, and hear terrible things about Cowboys. I've got Bang! but that leaves me underwhelmed.

The problem with westerns is I'm afraid they'd go for another 'shoot-out' game. I think a western expansion game with railway rivals, boomtowns, comanches, cowboys, migrating settlers, through in some end of the civil war events, etc would be awesome. Sure it might be treading into DoAM territory, but I'm unaware of a title like this.

As much as I'd like to see a new DungeonQuest. I've been having second thoughts on whether I'd buy it. I had lots of fun with DungeonQuest, but I sold it and moved on. It's a great game and I'm glad other folks will get to play it, but you can never go back ya know. I guess I'd like to spend my $60 on a new experience.

Michael Barnes wrote:

the point is that I'd really like to see FFG apply their talent and production capacity to something that's not SF or fantasy.

definitely, but they have their talent and production capacity because they release SF and fantasy. that's what the "mass market" demands. how many people want a sexy looking game about town planning? not many. euro gamers would huff and puff at the 40 page manual and lack of wood, trad AT gamers would sneer at the euro theme, war gamers would decry that the buildings failed to meet the legal standards as decreed by the 1994 government act covering building regulations, and then there would be just 10 PROGRESSIVE GAMERS sitting around playing this crazy game having a blast. you probably know all this anyway, but i just wanted to write it.

I forgot FFG is publishing that Eagle and Lion Napoleon game. I don't have any interest in it and sure they're just publishing it, but we should give them some props for that (and WoW, and many of the other titles Barnes mentioned).

We should be finding out within 10 mins or so what the mystery game is going to be. The FFG website says it will be unveiled at 6 pm central time at the Realms of Terrinoth event.

Juniper wrote:

Maybe an extra superdeluxe version of Hey! That's My Lederhosen!

Want.

Thanks for putting this on my radar.

Lots of folks looking at this thread right now. Shouldn't one of us go outside the cave and get the answer? We're waiting...

(and laid up sick in bed...)

The Kingdom of Loathing card game.

Schweig! wrote:

The Kingdom of Loathing card game.

Damn you! You actually made me Google that.

Found this:
thehopelessgamer.blogspot.com/2010/02/da...-next-big-board.html

A Game of Thrones BattleLore game? I couldn't be less interested.

Scoop!

Sneaky FFG - they buy the Battlelore system and make their own game out of it (with Fire&Ice theme). Who expected that?

If you look at the box, game design is NOT by Richard Borg.

I just saved $260. Not a single one of the mystery boxes appealed to me.
Oh well, there'll probably be surprises throughout the year...