joeyjoejoeshabadoo
Member
Good call. I always forget Ticket to Ride shares a lot of rummy traits.
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New Board Gaming |OT2| On Tables, Off Topic
- Thread starter Karkador
- Start date
I love Mystery Rummy: Jack the Ripper. One of my all-time underrated games. Play it a lot with my wife. My game group wasn't really into it though. Think it's probably better as a 2p though I liked it even with more.
antiquegamer
Member
I just finished playing Legends Of Andor, Legend 2. I am not sure how I feel about the game.
After playing 4 times (2 wins, 2 losses, one of us had a science win, the other had a military win), I took the time to write up some more 7 Wonders Duel thoughts. I posted these to my boardgamegeek review thread as well.
General
Overall, I feel 7 Wonders Duel is a bit like Splendor on steroids. For the unfamiliar, Splendor is a 2+ player game, compared to Duel's 2 players, that mostly involves buying cards and collecting tokens. Owned cards help discount further purchases. In Splendor, you can sometimes block your opponent(s) in some fashion, and you watch them in order to decide your own moves. In Splendor, sometimes luck is against you, and your actions may reveal cards your opponent(s) want.
Similarly, 7 Wonders Duel involves collecting cards and money, which in turn allow you to collect more cards, more money, and some other bonuses. You can block your opponent by taking cards they need, and you should pay attention to what they are doing, but sometimes you can still have bad luck and reveal something they want.
Should you buy the game?
I feel nearly all games depend on the players involved, and this is no exception. There are at least four aspects that could be either pros or cons for you. If you are okay with these, I recommend the game.
1. As the name suggests, this game is a duel. The original 7 Wonders was a bit like multiplayer solitaire with occasional neighbor interaction or card removal. I actually did not like the Cities expansion because of the gold-taking mechanic. Duel focuses the players against each other, and you can hurt your opponent in a variety of ways (starving them of resources, raising prices, taking cards before they can, making them lose money, etc.). This is good if you like attacking your opponent, and bad if you prefer solitary gameplay or become frustrated easily. Takeaway: Both players need to be okay with being attacked and losing.
2. As with the original 7 Wonders and Splendor, this game is not pure strategy. On average the more skillful player should win, and there is a mechanic to help the losing player, but sometimes you may simply have a bad deal. Some cards are hidden, and your opponent may turn over good ones. Each game is played with 13 cards (3 from each age, 4 guilds) randomly removed, and you will not know which ones until it is too late. One game, 2 out of 3 wood resources had been removed, making wood surprisingly scarce. This is good for variety, and bad if you prefer pure strategy. Takeaway: Both players need to be okay with some luck.
3. If you want to win, you cannot marry yourself to a strategy. No matter how cool progress tokens and science are, you will want to look at the board layout and carefully consider your options. One game, you may be able to starve your opponent out of resources early. Another game, you may both have lots of resources, and need to adjust your strategy to focus on wonders or military. Otherwise, if you always focus on military for example, you may end up getting destroyed by certain card/wonder/progress combinations. This is good for variety, and bad if you really like certain strategies. Takeaway: The best strategy can vary, and both players need to be okay with this.
4. There are several things to keep track of, and the game can be stressful and tight. Sometimes a single card mistake can lose you the game. If you ignore military, your opponent may win the game early, or at minimum cause you to lose money. If you ignore science, your opponent may win the game early, or at minimum gain valuable progress tokens. This is good if you like balancing game aspects, and bad if you prefer a simpler focus. Takeaway: Both players need to be okay with juggling different game aspects.
Overall, I like the game. I hope this helps you decide for yourself.
General
Overall, I feel 7 Wonders Duel is a bit like Splendor on steroids. For the unfamiliar, Splendor is a 2+ player game, compared to Duel's 2 players, that mostly involves buying cards and collecting tokens. Owned cards help discount further purchases. In Splendor, you can sometimes block your opponent(s) in some fashion, and you watch them in order to decide your own moves. In Splendor, sometimes luck is against you, and your actions may reveal cards your opponent(s) want.
Similarly, 7 Wonders Duel involves collecting cards and money, which in turn allow you to collect more cards, more money, and some other bonuses. You can block your opponent by taking cards they need, and you should pay attention to what they are doing, but sometimes you can still have bad luck and reveal something they want.
Should you buy the game?
I feel nearly all games depend on the players involved, and this is no exception. There are at least four aspects that could be either pros or cons for you. If you are okay with these, I recommend the game.
1. As the name suggests, this game is a duel. The original 7 Wonders was a bit like multiplayer solitaire with occasional neighbor interaction or card removal. I actually did not like the Cities expansion because of the gold-taking mechanic. Duel focuses the players against each other, and you can hurt your opponent in a variety of ways (starving them of resources, raising prices, taking cards before they can, making them lose money, etc.). This is good if you like attacking your opponent, and bad if you prefer solitary gameplay or become frustrated easily. Takeaway: Both players need to be okay with being attacked and losing.
2. As with the original 7 Wonders and Splendor, this game is not pure strategy. On average the more skillful player should win, and there is a mechanic to help the losing player, but sometimes you may simply have a bad deal. Some cards are hidden, and your opponent may turn over good ones. Each game is played with 13 cards (3 from each age, 4 guilds) randomly removed, and you will not know which ones until it is too late. One game, 2 out of 3 wood resources had been removed, making wood surprisingly scarce. This is good for variety, and bad if you prefer pure strategy. Takeaway: Both players need to be okay with some luck.
3. If you want to win, you cannot marry yourself to a strategy. No matter how cool progress tokens and science are, you will want to look at the board layout and carefully consider your options. One game, you may be able to starve your opponent out of resources early. Another game, you may both have lots of resources, and need to adjust your strategy to focus on wonders or military. Otherwise, if you always focus on military for example, you may end up getting destroyed by certain card/wonder/progress combinations. This is good for variety, and bad if you really like certain strategies. Takeaway: The best strategy can vary, and both players need to be okay with this.
4. There are several things to keep track of, and the game can be stressful and tight. Sometimes a single card mistake can lose you the game. If you ignore military, your opponent may win the game early, or at minimum cause you to lose money. If you ignore science, your opponent may win the game early, or at minimum gain valuable progress tokens. This is good if you like balancing game aspects, and bad if you prefer a simpler focus. Takeaway: Both players need to be okay with juggling different game aspects.
Overall, I like the game. I hope this helps you decide for yourself.
toddhunter
Member
Thanks for the thoughts. My copy of 7WD arrived today and those pros sound just about right for me and my partner.
Awesome, post back with your results after a couple games.
BattleMonkey
Member
The room situation killed Gencon for my friends and me. It just seems to get worse, the prices are ridiculous, and the system they are using with the lottery can burn in a fire.
Some of us are gonna go to Origins instead
Some of us are gonna go to Origins instead
We have enough people in our group that aren't there for primarily board game stuff that Gen Con is still the one that makes sense. That and we've always had a really fun time, of course. Hotel thing sucks but we can deal.
Also doing Origins with a smaller group for the "sit down, play games from the library the whole weekend" experience.
Also doing Origins with a smaller group for the "sit down, play games from the library the whole weekend" experience.
This is what is turning us away. GenCon is becoming the hotspot for all things nerd culture. I just want to talk to industry people about new games and play games.
BattleMonkey
Member
We are mostly all married couples, and rather not be all sharing rooms together, it gets odd, and the girls kinda don't like it. If it was mainly a group of us dudes wanting to hang and play games I could see it working, but it doesn't work for us. So getting rooms is extra tough.
So...Star Wars: Imperial Assault. It's currently selling on Amazon.com for $60.45: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1616619902/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Here's the thing: I'm Canadian. Cheapest I've been able to find it - ANYWHERE - is $104.95.
Now, my question: is the Amazon price a sale price? I'm only recently getting into board games, and this game has piqued my interest, but I don't know what it typically sells for. Is $60.45 just a really great deal for the game right now, or is the price for the game in Canada just incredibly unreasonable (given that $60.45 USD currently converts to $86.79 CND)?
Here's the thing: I'm Canadian. Cheapest I've been able to find it - ANYWHERE - is $104.95.
Now, my question: is the Amazon price a sale price? I'm only recently getting into board games, and this game has piqued my interest, but I don't know what it typically sells for. Is $60.45 just a really great deal for the game right now, or is the price for the game in Canada just incredibly unreasonable (given that $60.45 USD currently converts to $86.79 CND)?
That price is about $8/10 cheaper than other US online boardgame retailers... So it's a good price, but not a really good price, if that makes sense.
antiquegamer
Member
That has been Amazon price for that game in the US for the last year. I think I got it for even cheaper than that (not by much like $56.00). Amazon price are going to be better than your local store (and most on-line retailers) just like any other products.
The deep discount though might end this year because the publisher (owner of Fantasy Flight) are putting limit on the on-line sale.
edit: Check the price I paid last year it was $58, I would grab it soon I think all FFG game will see less discount this year.
I also noticed that prices have been creeping up quite a bit on Amazon on many of the board games.
Anyone try Tharsis on the PC/PS4? People have made parallels to Pandemic with it. Anyway, just cross posting here as we don't get many original board game video games.
Here is the OT:
http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1162319
Here is the OT:
http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1162319
Heh, funny you say that because in my experience in Canada, this is almost always not the case. For example, check out Imperial Assault on Amazon.ca: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/1616619902/
$25 more expensive than 401 Games and Meeplemart here in Toronto. Now, maybe because I live in a big city with some pretty excellent board game shops, I'm the exception to the rule. Not really sure!
antiquegamer
Member
Amazon prices are usually higher than Cool Stuffs and Miniature Market so I am sure it's the same way with 401 and Meeplemart.
platypotamus
Member
Played Gravwell for the first time yesterday. I don't think I like it. It's kind of cool and thematic and what not, but it's probably a bit too chaotic and difficult to predict where everyone will be relative to one another and what not. Maybe that chaos is part of the charm?
401 Games (Canada) has Blood Rage available for preorder now if anyone is interested. Looks like a reprint is coming next month: http://store.401games.ca/catalog/6396377/blood-rage-core-box-pre-order-022016
antiquegamer
Member
Playing these two games the last few days and they are quite difference but also very similar. Legends of Andor was fun but I don't know how I feel about playing game that I know I could not win because you can pretty much do the math and see if you are going to fail. The game is interesting and you constantly have to walk the fine between engaging and letting enemies through the gate. As for Warhammer Quest I am up to quest 4 and really digging this game the more I played. I switch to Priest and Waywatcher and they are easier to play than Warrior and Mage. The heal really help (barely) won quest 2, quest 3 ended before we even start because I didn't pay attention to the Peril track. I think they really got a good system going with very modular design and so much could be done with expansions.
I'd really like this OT to be in Gaming Community. Especially with digital board games becoming much more of a thing since when this OT was made (whether it's a port of a cardboard game, or an original videogame that's obviously boardgame-inspired).
The runaway success of stuff like Hearthstone should be a big indicator that this type of gaming is relevant to their interests, too.
It might be too late for this OT, but I really hope that OT3 makes a big splash on Gaming side.
Hey Kark where is this OT3 ? Is it not yet created?
So I made the digital board games thread, and I generally try to keep an eye on the space -- but what's most surprising is that it was shockingly quiet in 2015. Yeah some stuff came out, but nothing that made near the splash of Carcassonne and Ascension back in the day. Hope it bounces back in 2016.
Half way there...
lol
Maybe do it like a seasonal thing. New board game thread for the new year, to cover all notable releases from last year, and new upcoming stuff as well, with a larger focus on iOS and other digital board games. I mean the existence of Tabletop Simulator alone kinda changes everything.
Edit: Or we hijack Astrolad's thread.
Or make a stealth thread for Talisman on Steam.
lol
Maybe do it like a seasonal thing. New board game thread for the new year, to cover all notable releases from last year, and new upcoming stuff as well, with a larger focus on iOS and other digital board games. I mean the existence of Tabletop Simulator alone kinda changes everything.
Edit: Or we hijack Astrolad's thread.
Or make a stealth thread for Talisman on Steam.
platypotamus
Member
In prep for a tournament I might be playing in, I just finally picked up Lords of Waterdeep (and am going to grab Small World). Lords of Waterdeep is pretty good
200 pages. (100 posts per page)
JetBlackPanda
Member
Played more Warhammer Quest ACG.
its REALLY good.
very clean system that lends itself well to expansions.
its REALLY good.
very clean system that lends itself well to expansions.
I've slowed down on game purchases, which is a good thing since I am tight on space. This year, the main things I can think of are:
1. Scythe already backed, will hopefully arrive late this yea.
2. Tzolk'in: Tribes and Prophecies expansion at some point
3. News of a Robinson Crusoe GOTY edition reprint, so I can finally buy it
4. Maybe the first Race for the Galaxy expansion since I don't have any
1. Scythe already backed, will hopefully arrive late this yea.
2. Tzolk'in: Tribes and Prophecies expansion at some point
3. News of a Robinson Crusoe GOTY edition reprint, so I can finally buy it
4. Maybe the first Race for the Galaxy expansion since I don't have any
Yeah, they will forever be hated on because of the Unsung Story 'debacle' but Playdek games are universally pretty fantastic, including Agricola for sure.
RaySpencer
Member
Im tempted to pick this up, but I own the Pathfinder card game already, and I havent gottent to play that much yet.
Is there a big difference between Warhammer Quest and Pathfinder?
BomberMouse
Member
I wouldn't go as far to call them fantastic, they are serviceable. I just think other board game apps are absolute shit.
They're totally different games
RaySpencer
Member
Really? They seem so similar! haha.
It's weird that they used the same "Adventure Card Game" name (despite being different companies, even), but Warhammer is a much better game (also much more grueling).
platypotamus
Member
I think maybe the only digital ones I have that comes close to a Playdek game in terms of polish are Galaxy Trucker and Carc. Everything else feels like a solo effort by a colorblind designer with mediocre code skills. I can say this with confidence because I am a colorblind designer with mediocre code skills who has did a solo digital implementation of a board game in the past (never released).
BattleMonkey
Member
Pathfinder is essentially trying to simplify the rpg experience into a card game/rpg hybrid.
Warhammer is more like LOTR, which is straight up coop card game experience.
The card count is just too different. Warhammer's pretty much a short dungeon crawl, while Pathfinder crams alot more into the game.
BomberMouse
Member
Carc one is actually REALLY good and way better than anything Playdeck has put out. I just can't get over how even basic stuff, like main menu is so hideous and badly done. I mean why tf the main screen on agricola scrolls vertically, that makes no sense. GT I found to be a mess, but I partially blame the source material.
Everything by codito looks like a weekend effort done by a colorblind coder with mediocre design skills. I can say this with confidence because I am a colorblind coder with mediocre design skills.
Playdek has async multiplayer, generally really good in-game UI (Agricola arguably being the exception, but again that game itself is a challenge to capture in both an appealing and functional manner), good art, etc. They're top-notch imo. Forgotten great implementation of theirs is Summoner Wars. Though yeah I guess it's all relative. They could probably have better front-end UI, stat-tracking, and things like that -- I actually think that was in the plans that they were going to roll out a whole platform with tournaments and the like but I'm not sure where the company is at right now. :/
RaySpencer
Member
Cool. Once I play through some Pathfinder I will look into grabbing Warhammer Quest then!
antiquegamer
Member
Hmm, what made you think that? Aside from the term Adventure Card Game the two are so far apart.
Warhammer Quest is so much better, each quest is difference, easy set up and most importantly not boring.
RaySpencer
Member
Class based coop rpg with cards? I honestly didnt look into it that much. haha.
I watched a couple videos and I can see the differences now.
antiquegamer
Member
Yes, I am not sure why the Adventure Card Game, I think it was confusing and misleading. Not sure if it's licensing thing or they just don't want to call it LCG. As Monkey said, Pathfinder is trying to distill the feel of RPG into a card game while Warhammer Quest is more like LOTR and Space Hulk card game. I find Pathfinders game to be boring and while I love the idea of character leveling the game just fell flat. We went through the first two scenarios and never touch it again. My in-law really want to try it so I might give it another go but it's going to be hard knowing I can play Warhammer Quest instead. In Warhammer Quest, the quest set up card really help make each quest difference.