Trashdome - Galaxy Trucker VS RoboRally

Okay. I've got to step in here and defend Galaxy Trucker being protrayed as a "stupid jig-saw euro". As some who has played the game many times, there is definitely more to the game than one or two plays would suggest. At the end of the day it still may not be your cup of tea, but it's definitely not a puzzle, nor is it "stupid".

During the building phase, you're balancing several factors:
- Build fast, to find and use the tiles you need, and to start the race in front. However, how do you know if you should grab lots of engines (only useful for Open Space/Combat Zones), cargo holds (only useful for Planets/Abandoned Stations), cannons (enemies/Combat Zones), etc. You can't build lots of everything, so just building fast doesn't really help you. Also, starting the race in front won't help you either, if you didn't build what you need to take out the enemies you'll have to face first, or take advantage of the good things you'll have first choice of (Abandoned Ships, Planets, etc).
- Spend time looking at the card stacks, which represent 75% of the cards for the journey. Knowledge is power, because you can "tune" your ship to take advantage of what you see. However, don't spend too long, because those ship tiles are going fast.
- Building a larger ship allows for more flexibility, but it also makes you a bigger target for meteors and cannon fire. Sometimes it's best to leave a row or column empty, because more damage = more penalties.
- It's easy to connect the tiles, but it's harder to build a smart ship. Putting crews cabins and cargo holds on the exterior of your ship leaves them vulnerable to getting nailed by a meteor/cannon. It's useful to put a side-facing cannon near row 7, as it will protect 3 high-probability rows from large meteors. Balance battery comsuming components with battery capacity. Look at the cards to determine where meteors/cannon fire will come from, then orient your shield for maximum benefit. Don't build adjacent crews cabins if Epedemic is in the cards. And so on. There are many factors to go into building a useful ship, not just one that is connected properly.

During the race, I agree you are on autopilot for the most part. However, there are several key decisions:
- When to give up crew to Abandoned Ships. This can be one of the most agonizing decisions, based on when these cards come up, how many men you have left, what else you know is still in the deck, how you're doing moneywise, etc.
- When to spend your batteries. Sometimes you have no choice, as it's either fire those double cannons, or get whacked by Slavers. Other times, you may want to hold some batteries back for a nastier card you know hasn't shown up yet.
- Positioning yourself in the race. Most cards affect the relative position of the ships. Bypassing Planets, or not firing all your double engines during Open Space, can position you properly for upcoming cards.

Also, for those who found the base game a little too "sit back and enjoy the ride", the ship components in The Big Expansion allow for a lot more ship management during the race:
- Stasis Chambers with sleeping crew members, ready to re-stock your crew after Abandoned Ships/Slavers/etc.
- Engine Booster, which allows you to jump into hyperspace for the remainder of the current card and the next card. We call it the "get out of jail free" component.
- Cannon Booster, when your cannons need to "go to eleven".
- Battery Recharger, which converts cargo into batteries.
- Shield Booster, to avoid those nasty large meteors/cannon fire.

I hope thise gives you a sense that there's a lot going in in Galaxy Trucker. While this style of game may not be for you, it's certainly more than a stupid puzzle followed by a mindless race.

Excellent post, mvettemagred.

It is a good post, but if we're talking about people who play games with any regularity, it doesn't take more than one trip to figure out everything you've mentioned.

Doing it well is a challenge. So is learning to use a toilet, but that doesn't mean what you're doing is in either case is particularly fun.

mjl1783 wrote:

Doing it well is a challenge. So is learning to use a toilet, but that doesn't mean what you're doing is in either case is particularly fun.

Oh I don't know. The feeling of relief after you've been really desperate is quite something.

The feeling of relief after you've been really desperate is quite something.

It's a lot more enjoyable than a game of Galaxy Trucker, that's for sure.

mvettemagred wrote:

I hope thise gives you a sense that there's a lot going in in Galaxy Trucker. While this style of game may not be for you, it's certainly more than a stupid puzzle followed by a mindless race.

Nope - no holds barred in Trashdome, and that crappy jig-saw euro needs it poncey little head ripped off so I can have a decent shit down its neck.
THEN it can be swept out of the dome.

Southernman wrote:

mvettemagred wrote:

I hope thise gives you a sense that there's a lot going in in Galaxy Trucker. While this style of game may not be for you, it's certainly more than a stupid puzzle followed by a mindless race.

Nope - no holds barred in Trashdome, and that crappy jig-saw euro needs it poncey little head ripped off so I can have a decent shit down its neck.
THEN it can be swept out of the dome.

Sounds like you're harboring some resentment against the game or something...

Let me guess, your ship got torn apart by asteroids, then you lost everyone to slavers, you ended up losing by 50 points, so you declared the game a crappy jig-saw and rated it a 3?

Columbob wrote:

Michael Barnes wrote:

Guess there's more pocket protectors among the F:ATties than I thought, if you know what I mean.

Galaxy Trucker = Cult of the new to me. Haven't had the time to check it out, it's been out, what, a year or so? I don't really hang out at a weekly games club anymore so I don't get the chance to try out new stuff as much.

Yeah, because all new games have to be bad. You hear me, BSG lovers?

Aarontu wrote:

Southernman wrote:

mvettemagred wrote:

I hope thise gives you a sense that there's a lot going in in Galaxy Trucker. While this style of game may not be for you, it's certainly more than a stupid puzzle followed by a mindless race.

Nope - no holds barred in Trashdome, and that crappy jig-saw euro needs it poncey little head ripped off so I can have a decent shit down its neck.
THEN it can be swept out of the dome.

Sounds like you're harboring some resentment against the game or something...

Let me guess, your ship got torn apart by asteroids, then you lost everyone to slavers, you ended up losing by 50 points, so you declared the game a crappy jig-saw and rated it a 3?

Oh dear - I hit a nerve.

I declared the game a crappy jig-saw because it is a crappy jig-saw - simple as that .... and it's bloody carcass will be dragged out of the Dome with the word JIG-SAW carved into it for all the world to see.

Southernman wrote:

Aarontu wrote:

Southernman wrote:

mvettemagred wrote:

I hope thise gives you a sense that there's a lot going in in Galaxy Trucker. While this style of game may not be for you, it's certainly more than a stupid puzzle followed by a mindless race.

Nope - no holds barred in Trashdome, and that crappy jig-saw euro needs it poncey little head ripped off so I can have a decent shit down its neck.
THEN it can be swept out of the dome.

Sounds like you're harboring some resentment against the game or something...

Let me guess, your ship got torn apart by asteroids, then you lost everyone to slavers, you ended up losing by 50 points, so you declared the game a crappy jig-saw and rated it a 3?

Oh dear - I hit a nerve.

I declared the game a crappy jig-saw because it is a crappy jig-saw - simple as that .... and it's bloody carcass will be dragged out of the Dome with the word JIG-SAW carved into it for all the world to see.

No nerve hit here; just making a conjecture. ;P

Conjecture is allowed in Trashdome - although it will get its head ripped off too.

Southernman wrote:

Conjecture is allowed in Trashdome

Conjecture sounds like the name for some new party game.

We need less followers of the guy with 200+ posts who can't figure out how to remove the paper bag from his head and the other guy who doesn't game anymore.

If people need to get their crappy robot thrill.. Here are some links for robots that are better than RR plays.

Mr MOTO wrote:

We need less followers of the guy with 200+ posts who can't figure out how to remove the paper bag from his head and the other guy who doesn't game anymore.

There's only one rule in Trashdome ...

Sounds like someone is getting the Barnes nervous twitch.

Mad Dog wrote:

Southernman wrote:

Conjecture is allowed in Trashdome

Conjecture sounds like the name for some new party game.

Next TrashDome:

Conjecture vs. Imaginiff