Front Page

Content

Authors

Game Index

Forums

Site Tools

Submissions

About

KK
Kevin Klemme
March 09, 2020
35165 2
Hot
KK
Kevin Klemme
January 27, 2020
20836 0
Hot
KK
Kevin Klemme
August 12, 2019
7428 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
December 19, 2023
3981 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
December 14, 2023
3507 0
Hot

Mycelia Board Game Review

Board Game Reviews
O
oliverkinne
December 12, 2023
2079 0
O
oliverkinne
December 07, 2023
2587 0

River Wild Board Game Review

Board Game Reviews
O
oliverkinne
December 05, 2023
2257 0
O
oliverkinne
November 30, 2023
2499 0
J
Jackwraith
November 29, 2023
3021 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
November 28, 2023
1973 0
S
Spitfireixa
October 24, 2023
3696 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
October 17, 2023
2626 0
O
oliverkinne
October 10, 2023
2462 0
O
oliverkinne
October 09, 2023
2291 0
O
oliverkinne
October 06, 2023
2509 0

Outback Crossing Review

Board Game Reviews
×
Bugs: Recent Topics Paging, Uploading Images & Preview (11 Dec 2020)

Recent Topics paging, uploading images and preview bugs require a patch which has not yet been released.

× Talk about whatever you like related to games that doesn't fit anywhere else.

Edition Wars: What sides are you taking?

More
27 Sep 2017 14:47 #254890 by Space Ghost

MattDP wrote:

Gregarius wrote: [Mare Nostrum: Empires. This is what game development should be. The original was a good game, mired by some finicky components and rule imbalances. With some polish and tweaking (and if you're lucky, poker chips), the game really shines.


Sure. But it lacks the monsters from the mythology expansion. Every game benefits from monsters.


That's my issue -- I even kickstarted the new version hoping that the mythology monsters would get added in. Now, I have to decide whether to keep the new version or not.

They really dropped the ball on this one.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
27 Sep 2017 15:06 #254892 by barrowdown

MattDP wrote: Every game benefits from monsters.


Ticket to Ride: Alvin & Dexter begs to differ.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
27 Sep 2017 15:08 #254893 by Shellhead
I prefer the 3M edition of Acquire to all subsequent versions, but I know that I am biased. It's like asking a cultist if they like the taste of the cult Kool-aid.

Although 1st edition AD&D was a big part of my early rpg experience, I prefer 3.5 for having a more logical if overly complex set of rules, especially for combat. That said, I find different editions have different advantages. My favorite D&D adventures are all 1st edition AD&D. Second edition was better for variety of campaign settings. Third was ambitious but it took 3.5 to fix many of the mistakes made in 3.0. I barely acknowledge 4.0 as being D&D at all, and I haven't tried 5th yet.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
27 Sep 2017 16:41 - 27 Sep 2017 16:43 #254897 by Colorcrayons
I prefer AH version of Nexus Ops over the FFG version simply because of the graphic design of the board. Its a train wreck in the FFG version and a damn shame as it could have been the best version of the game otherwise.
The added content of the FFG version is welcome, but even though they play identically, the playability of the ffg board makes it a non starter.


Hmmm what else?

I prefer Arena of the Planeswalkers over vanilla Heroscape. The card play is engaging, and I don't really miss the order markers at all. Both great games and have benefits to each, but AotP is a good refinement.

Marvel Heroscape is also better than vanilla Heroscape as well. The assortment of community designed characters is often well done and its pretty easy to create your own.
Last edit: 27 Sep 2017 16:43 by Colorcrayons.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Matt Thrower, southernman

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
27 Sep 2017 16:50 #254899 by Erik Twice

barrowdown wrote: Oh... I really like auctions so that might be slightly skewing my thoughts.

Note that I play Steam with the auction, not with the auctionless variant. Without the auction the game is still fun, but it's significantly less interesting.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
27 Sep 2017 16:52 #254900 by Erik Twice

Jexik wrote: Like back in the alara block (circa 2007), they made colored artifacts. Up to that point, I thought that the colorlessness is what made them Artifacts.

I thought that was weird, too. I mean, after that the only practical difference between artifacts and enchantments is that some of them can be tapped.

Of course this all goes back to the original rules for turning artifacts on and off and them having to remove that because the actual design of the cards made no sense.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
29 Sep 2017 09:05 #254999 by Legomancer

Erik Twice wrote:

barrowdown wrote: Oh... I really like auctions so that might be slightly skewing my thoughts.

Note that I play Steam with the auction, not with the auctionless variant. Without the auction the game is still fun, but it's significantly less interesting.


I find this weird because to me the auction always was a boring, rich-get-richer affair. If you're doing well you can easily win the auction and do even better. If you're not, ha ha fuck you buddy. Which makes the game just focus on the auction. If that's the game, I'll just play Medici or For Sale and not fuck around with some trains.

The non-auction variant, to me, is more interesting because now you have to really think; if I want to Urbanize, I'm going to go last next turn. Is that okay? It makes me focus on more of the game. If I'm playing a train game, I wanna run a damn railroad, not win a stupid auction 6 times.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
29 Sep 2017 18:49 #255044 by Erik Twice
The way I see the auction in AoS/Steam is that it turns a game about finding the best moves to one about pricing those moves. In other words, there are better and worse moves but if the best move is too expensive you are better off playing less for a less flashy one.

Consider this: If you are doing well, you don't need anything in the auction. If you have a good railroad, with good cubes and a good outlook you don't need to place more cities or go first. Remember, you are burning victory points each time you get a loan and they are extremely limited. 10 bucks spent on the auction are two victory points and the game can be lost and won on those two points. Even worse, the auction makes you lose money now and you have to pay to build, for your trains and to cover the interests on your loan.

Generally speaking, players who do well can bid on a more relaxed manner while losers are forced to "win" each auction. In fact, with the exception of Locomotive, which is meant to drive up the bids and is pure advantage, the auction is a lose-lose situation. Mathematically, the cost of each item is higher than their value to you because they not only give you an advantage, they deny the opponent of an advantage as well.

But that's theory, here's a practical example: Who benefits the most? The player who bid 9 to use Urbanization or the guy who bid 6, lost only 3 and then used First Shipment to steal the cubes the first plater wanted to use? Or using your example, if I want to Urbanize, I have to pay 8-11 for it and slighty benefit other players, is that ok?

In my experience if the auction is allowing the rich to get richer there's a large skill gap in the game. Players should bid more agressively, specially for Locomotive which is the best role.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Moderators: Gary Sax
Time to create page: 0.147 seconds