Black Gold - FFG Reprint of Giganten

Here's the news: http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=1996

Looks like they've made it a 5-player game which is awesome.

Is this definitely a reprint or just similar theme?

Looks like Giganten. I'm not sure why anyone bothered.

moofrank wrote:

Looks like Giganten. I'm not sure why anyone bothered.

I used to like Giganten until after a few plays it got a bit samey and my interest went - great pieces though
Needs something extra added to the game for it to have enough zing for most people around here.

There Will Be Boredom

I'm more interested in this than most of the shit they've been announcing and releasing lately. Look, at least it's not anything to do with Terrinoth and you get a complete game in the box. That being said, once again...where the fuck is Dune, a Runewars expansion, Reigns of Power...I guess Giganten takes priority, huh?

Giganten is one of those games that is _almost_ good but it's lacking enough to make it not worth more than a couple of plays, as Tom suggested. I really like the oil theme and I like the layers of the game (prospecting, drilling, transporting, selling), but it just isn't enough.

Believe it or not, this is a case where FFG's "if ain't broke, fuck it up" reprint policy could actually be beneficial. For one thing, the addition of a fifth player was ALWAYS something this game needed to increase the friction, especially in the auctions. Some event cards or something would be good too. That being said, I hope they don't repeat their mistakes with Dungeonquest and preserve the original game AS PUBLISHED so those who did like it that way aren't forced into the FFG revisions.

I do really like the change in setting, it's obvious they're going for more a There Will Be Blood-era tone and I like that a whole, whole lot.

I'll actually probably buy this. The Hellfire Club boys will probably dig this a lot and we can rip TWBB jokes on it all night. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm an oil man".

moofrank wrote:

Looks like Giganten. I'm not sure why anyone bothered.

No doubt. I've seen copies of Giganten languish on game shelves for many years now. I didn't think there was a need for a reprint.

It's likely part of FFG's plan to try to buy the rights for all hobby games just so they can keep anyone else from them. See: Battlelore.

It's kind of weird thinking about it this way, but most of FFG's fanbase won't know about Giganten in its previous form. The people who got into FFG through AH, Descent, or whatever are less likely to have been around when everybody was "meh-ing" Giganten. For most FFG fans, this will appear as an all-new FFG game. They can release a ho-hum game like this and get sales just because of their logo being on it.

Black Gold?!? They should have called it GIANT GUSHER.

Actually, Giganten has this weird and loved reputation. It was pretty, and not awful. But they only finished so many copies and only in German. And so it has been fairly hard to find. I have seen people oohing and aahing over copies.

...except that they had several thousand sets of PIECES and boards and things for the game. Enough that the salvage operation that bought the remnants sponsored TWO game competitions to come up with a new game for the pieces. Because obviously the original game didn't sell them.

That's a game I'm just absolutely dying to own....yippee.

FFG needs to announce an expansion with a plastic milkshake token.

"I DRINK IT UP!!!"

The artwork and bits look quite Days of Wonder-ish. DoW failed to establish themselves in FFG territory (BattleLore), we'll see how it goes the other way around.

As far as I can remember, this will be the first unequivocal "euro" from FFG (big box, not a card game, not fantasy or sci-fi).

Is it just me, or does it look like the "Dust Games" artists are now on staff at FFG? That box art looks like the same guy as Adventurers or Cadwallion. Maybe I'm seeing things.

The artwork and bits look quite Days of Wonder-ish. DoW failed to establish themselves in FFG territory (BattleLore), we'll see how it goes the other way around.

FFG established themselves in that territory long ago with Citadels, Through the Desert, Kingdoms, Condottiere, Ingenious, and I can keep going, but you get the idea.

Hell, they've probably got as many Knizia games in their catalog as Rio Grande do.

As far as I can remember, this will be the first unequivocal "euro" from FFG (big box, not a card game, not fantasy or sci-fi).

I would say Tribune and Constantinopolis satisfy those conditions. I'm counting Kingsburg too. Fantasy or no, if the words "impress the king" appear anywhere near a game, it's a Euro.

mjl1783 wrote:

The artwork and bits look quite Days of Wonder-ish. DoW failed to establish themselves in FFG territory (BattleLore), we'll see how it goes the other way around.

FFG established themselves in that territory long ago with Citadels, Through the Desert, Kingdoms, Condottiere, Ingenious, and I can keep going, but you get the idea.

Hell, they've probably got as many Knizia games in their catalog as Rio Grande do.

I mean specifically DoW territory: some complexity, some theme, cute bits. I honestly can't imagine them publishing a Knizia.

mjl1783 wrote:

As far as I can remember, this will be the first unequivocal "euro" from FFG (big box, not a card game, not fantasy or sci-fi).

I would say Tribune and Constantinopolis satisfy those conditions. I'm counting Kingsburg too. Fantasy or no, if the words "impress the king" appear anywhere near a game, it's a Euro.

Granted.

In any case, I guess they haven't really *established* themselves in the family market – they lack a truly successful game in comparison to other companies (maybe Kingsburg?). And it doesn't seem that Black Gold will change that.