Kingdom Builder!

I thought AGRICOLA referred to the Roman general that stomped all over Britannia. Is that game not about what I think it's about?

ubarose wrote: Agricola just means farmer in about three different languages. So Spanish speaking gamers are all like, "Hey let's play Farmer."

But Uwe Rosenberg doesn't speak Latin, and neither do I. Why not call it Bauer? Or translate it to Farmer here? Patel in India?

Because Latin is more pretentious. I've heard at least three different ways to accentuate Agricola, because no one here speaks Latin every day.

I'd also hazard a guess that more American gamers took German in high school than Spanish or French.

Anything worth saying is worth saying in plain English (or whatever your native language is). Otherwise you're just dressing it up.

Well, one reason to gussy it up is because you can't trademark ordinary English words.

It's why instead of "Crazy Cup" brand cups, you get "Krazy Kups" instead.

That doesn't at all explain "Kingdom Builder". Either it's a specific combination of easily identifiable phrases, or they aren't concerned with trademarking the name (relying on the board gaming community to self-police itself by heaping ridicule on a would-be competitor who stole the name.)

Come to think of it, that's probably why we have multiple "Shogun" and other games with the same title that crop up from time to time.

Ken B. wrote: Well, one reason to gussy it up is because you can't trademark ordinary English words.

Ah, that makes quite a bit of sense. I hadn't thought of that.