Comments for FFG's Winter Releases Scouting Report at http://fortressat.com , comment 1 to 53 out of 20 comments http://fortressat.com Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:51:30 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7632 I love 3rd edition Talisman too, even if Wayne England did go a little skull-crazy in the artwork. If you have all of the 3rd edition stuff, 4th edition will seem a little weak at first, but I think its design is an improvement overall. Once the expansions are out, it will no doubt seem superior. And I like not having that goddamned tower blocking the action. - Mr. Bistro Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:58:24 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7513 Couple of things: Like everyone, I'm intrigued by Android and will definitely be getting it. Unfortunately, I have the feeling that my group will try to avoid it because of the amount of involvement. It's not that they don't like long absorbing games, since we play Arkham Horror and the like pretty regularly. But I have a few other games that are disdained by a portion of my group because of the level of detail involved. I hope it doesn't turn out that way. As for CE, I'm thrilled with the new release. I only ever got a chance to play the AH version and it was pretty mundane, so I traded it and never looked back. With 50 aliens, Flares, and the new technology, this new version sound excellent. Granted, the graphics in the AH version were quite nice, but I'm willing to lose a little flash for more substance. I owned a copy of Talisman 2nd Ed. with all of the expansions except Dragons. We played it for 20 years until I 'traded' it to a BGGer in exchange for a bunch of games from Thoughthammer (Descent, Runebound, Hammer of the Scots, couple others.) Since Runebound was part of that trade, I've never regretted replacing one fantasy adventure game with another. When BI basically reprinted 2nd Ed. with all of the inherent flaws that it held (many of which we had house ruled, like barring the Prophetess from play), I was unenthused, to put it mildly. Now that FFG has done their usual clean-up, added Fate, and have created expansions like the Reaper (who doesn't remember Gauntlet? "Death in a box! Run!!!"), I may reacquire it... but my wife may kill me first. - Jackwraith Wed, 10 Dec 2008 11:11:50 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7468 Depends...if you like 3rd, then you probably ought to stick with 3rd. 4th is basically "revised 2nd" so the FFG edition is like "revised revised 2nd". I like 3rd a lot, unlike some folks...but I'd say that the new one- if its expanded properly- will be the one to have. - Michael Barnes Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:53:26 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7466 Is it worth upgrading from 3rd edition to 4th? - Mr Skeletor Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:44:15 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7464 Thought I'd follow up on the FFG TALISMAN...I played it last night and it's pretty much exactly what you'd expect- which is, of course, awesome. There are no major changes, new characters, or new encounters and it is by and large exactly like the BI edition other than the component/card quality now matching up with FFG's standards, the miniatures are back, and more importantly those stupid little number tiles are replaced by...those old timey plastic cones! Whoo ha! There are some slight changes and fixes throughout, and for all I could see there wasn't any errors, miswordings, or anything like that so those disatisfied with the QC of the BI edition will be pleased. I think the printing looks a lot better, actually. It seems like it's printed a little darker. I miss that fancy velour box try though. There is a new mechanic, this whole "Fate" thing. Each character gets a number of fate tokens at the beginning of the game- it's another stat on the card. Each token can be used to reroll one die that the character rolls, but not creature rolls and only once per roll (so you just reroll one die in a 2d6 roll). As a TALISMAN Veteran, I thought "that's for cowards and weaklings" at first. But playing with it, I actually really liked it. It's kind of a decision to gamble or not on a second roll, and I think that actually adds to the suprise and it's totally in the spirit of the game. It's nice to have the reroll in pinch situations where you really, really need to roll a six. There are a few changes in the card and board text to accomodate fate- the Witch, for example, now replenishes fate on a six. if you don't like it, just play without it. But I suspect pretty much everyone will play with it from now on if they weren't already house-ruling something similar. So again, if you have the BI edition then the FFG upgrade kit will do exactly what you want it to. If you don't have the BI edition, then the FFG is the one you want. Unless you want to buy my BI edition on the cheap to upgrade! - Michael Barnes Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:41:33 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7437 "what was it like after you got through the first day?" Each player's turn went faster, but some of the players were grumbling about the fact that the game is complicated and they wanted to uncover a mystery, not build a story. I'm working on a full review of the game. - philreed Sun, 07 Dec 2008 07:50:20 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7436 yes, yes, so you played it... but what was it like after you got through the first day? - Jur Sun, 07 Dec 2008 07:42:17 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7435 We had two games of Android yesterday. The first session -- which I didn't sit in, because I was playing other stuff -- lasted about six hours and they didn't finish the game. The second game, which we started just before seven, wrapped up after 10. Having someone there who played in the first session really helped us. This is a big, complicated adventure game that -- like Arkham Horror -- looks intimidating and scary when you first look at it but -- again, like Arkham Horror -- starts to make perfect sense before the first day passes. I don't think we got everything right, but I do think that we came close enough that I got a pretty good feel for the game. - philreed Sun, 07 Dec 2008 07:23:03 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7423 Android,I know I'll never get anyone to play this, but I'll probably buy it for coolness alone.;) Just messing around with the rules & componets are worth the price. Barnes just sell out & get a govt.job,your probably already dammned so get some job security for the effort. Well it workes for me;D OD - Old Dwarf Fri, 05 Dec 2008 19:36:16 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7417 The [i]Talisman[/i] Upgrade Pack is indeed shipping with the FFG Revised 4th Edition box. Both should be in US stores beginning Monday, along with [i]Android[/i] and [i]Cosmic Encounter[/i]. - 433 Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:15:00 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7410 "And this from a tourist just returning from an imaginary trip to Z Gameland: Something tells me that Android will provide that same feeling you get from playing Magic Realm where , once you finsh playing, it's as if you snap out of this trance and think "wow, that was fucking cool." That's about comparing it to getting laid. Fine by me *once you have played the game*. Enough time to drool over it." Hunh? You're beefing over the fact that I have a good feeling about ANDROID being a really cool "experience" game? Which is something I think Kevin W. was shooitng for to begin with? Look, I'm in no way trying to hype the game- all I'm saying is hat I really look forward to trying it out and that, much like MR, all that "fiddlyness" will probably be worth it once it's all said and done. The last time I took any kid of imaginary trip involved a blotter of acid, a few grams of Jamaican Gum hash, and watching Akira 5 times in a row on my buddy's dad's kick ass home theatre. It was, like, '93 or something, so I can't confirm or deny whether a precognitive awareness or ANDROID's awesomeness was part of the trip. Now go and give ANDROID a 10 on TOS or I'll boil your fucking bunny. - billyz Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:08:45 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7409 "It is also fairly complex, with a lot of rules and a hell of a lot of text. ......there's more flavor text, fluff, and background than I think I've ever seen in a board game." Well you obvious haven't played any of the games GW published from 1985 to 1995. Dark Future hade a rulebokk of 96 pages, of which more than half was fluff/background. The same goes for most of their BigBox games like Adeptus Titanicus, Advanced Space Crusade, Space Hulk, Advanced HeroQuest, Blood Bowl, Man O' War, Mighty Empires, Necromunda, Tyranid Attacks and more games that I have forgotten. Surely it's nice the FGG also brings us games with a deep background, but it's nothing new in the gaming industry. - Larsine Fri, 05 Dec 2008 03:31:21 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7370 And that, I think, is why I really like FFG's decision to materialize the game out of thin air. There was no snowball of hype, no internet parrots chirping about it well in advance due to their privileged positions as members of the Gathering of Friends or whatever, and there was no backlash. The game is released, and it is what it is. The internet- across all mediums- has really ruined the simple surprise of seeing a trailer for a movie that you had no idea was coming out or walking into a game store and seeing a brand new game you've never heard of. We know MONTHS in advance what some freaking internet forum junkies think about something, and all too often that colors the opinions of people to follow. CASTLEVANIA: JUDGMENT is a good example...if it were 1988, the game would have been bought and loved by most fans of the series with no complaints. In 2008, everybody knew about the game months in advance and in the forums and on websites internet pundits were already complaining about it before the game was _even finished with development_. Horacio- I'm not sure if it's actually out yet or not...I suspect it will ship with TALISMAN, so probably in stores next week? Dragonstout- the cards add TONS of what you're looking for. It's a simple thing, but what those "good" and "bad" tokens actually represent are given context by the current plot of the character. So a story may mean that they are "shame" or "cowardice" or whatever and there is a narrative reason that they are given/received. It makes a difference. - Michael Barnes Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:43:01 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7369 Jur, when you clip out only the positive parts then yes I agree it looks pretty Z'd. I still think there's more excitement for what it could be than hype of what it will be though. And remember, it is available now (or close to now) unlike Agricola, Dominion, and Race which were hyped as being the next greatest games months before they were readily available to the masses. You can pick up a copy next week and post a bad review if you want before people start fanatically believing the game must be good since nobody has said otherwise. - Mad Dog Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:50:25 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7368 [quote]It's pretty rules heavy with lots of stuff going on. In a way it kind of reminds me of Marvel Heroes. [/quote] I thought of the exact same thing, especially with how abstract the Marvel Heroes mechanics are! Reading the new article about dealing with your inner demons that Kevin W. posted at FFG.com, though, I'm seeing just what I was hoping for: that the cards provide a lot of flavor that was missing from the cold hard rules. - dragonstout Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:57:50 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7366 No, Steve. Because Long Live the King is bad. Pity. There's a really good game hiding in there somewhere--they just didn't find it. - moofrank Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:58:23 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7365 Android is sounding Insanely cool. Anything that brings boardgames closer to RPG's is a good thing in my book! "Long live the King" anyone???" Steve"RPGer"Avery - Stephen Avery Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:26:30 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7364 For those of you who haven't already, download the rulebook for Android just to view the eye candy. http://new.fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/Android/android-rule-book.pdf It should come with a Vangelis CD. Sag. - Sagrilarus Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:15:22 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7362 Also if you need a job come down to Australia. The welfare cheques here are probably bigger than a writer in the US would earn, but if your too proud for that just write up some bullshit about the Abouriginal plight and you'll have the government throwing grants at you left and right, even if you only sell 1 copy. - Mr Skeletor Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:39:59 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=813:ffgs-winter-releases-scouting-report&catid=82&Itemid=100068#comment-7361 I haven't yet read the rules, but I love the theme of Android. I see it's for a minimum of 3 players. Hope it can be played with 2 because else it's going to be the second consecutive FFG release with a theme I really like (Science Fiction is my favorite theme) that I won't be able to play... - maka Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:34:03 +0100