• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

The New Board Game Thread (Newcomer Friendly)

Status
Not open for further replies.
Z

Zalasta

Member
Gryphter said:
My gaming group is thinking of making the trip from Philly to Gencon this year, 11 hour drive. Do you guys have any thoughts, feelings, tips for Gencon? My main concern is that we're so late to the decision that hotels options are probably slim, and you can't check to see what's available until you register for a badge.
Click to expand...

Kind of depends on why you want to go to Gencon. If it's for the open gaming, specifically for boardgames, then you can probably do better by going to Origins or even the WBC at Lancaster, which would be much closer. I would only consider Gencon if it has something you want that won't be offered at other conventions. Personally I've only been to Gencon once and it felt like unless you're into D&D role-playing, it's nothing too special to go out of your way to attend.
 
U

UpperCaseN

Member
Zalasta said:
Kind of depends on why you want to go to Gencon. If it's for the open gaming, specifically for boardgames, then you can probably do better by going to Origins or even the WBC at Lancaster, which would be much closer. I would only consider Gencon if it has something you want that won't be offered at other conventions. Personally I've only been to Gencon once and it felt like unless you're into D&D role-playing, it's nothing too special to go out of your way to attend.
Click to expand...

thanks for the advice. hard to speak for the entire group, but I'd say we're interested in vendors, publisher/game creator presence and open gaming madness; not only our own that we bring, but games to check out/rent as well.
 
C

Cathcart

Member
Yeah I mean you're right next door to WBC. I guess GenCon is better for the vendor stuff but I don't know if it's two 11 hour car rides better. Jeez. Tons of open gaming and you can get into tournaments or sit in on a learning game at WBC.
 
K

kiryogi

Banned
Woo, just picked up Tanto Cuore.
tanto-01-01.jpg


http://www.tantocuore.com/index.php?page=product&id=01

Apparently it's a card deck building game like dominion, except with maids drawn by famous/popular japanese artists. (Which appealed to me, considering how plain Dominion is) Saw it premiered @ the SakuraCon anime convention, but didn't get around to buying it then. Went straight to CardHaus games today right before work and picked up a set. Haven't had a chance to try it yet, but most reviews have been positive. Supposedly the most popular deck building game in Japan.

Anyone else picked it up yet or interested?
 
B

BomberMouse

Member
kiryogi said:
Woo, just picked up Tanto Cuore.
tanto-01-01.jpg


http://www.tantocuore.com/index.php?page=product&id=01

Apparently it's a card deck building game like dominion, except with maids drawn by famous/popular japanese artists. (Which appealed to me, considering how plain Dominion is) Saw it premiered @ the SakuraCon anime convention, but didn't get around to buying it then. Went straight to CardHaus games today right before work and picked up a set. Haven't had a chance to try it yet, but most reviews have been positive. Supposedly the most popular deck building game in Japan.

Anyone else picked it up yet or interested?
Click to expand...

I'm neither a dominion nor anime fan, but it's nice to see a deckbuilding game with more theme.

You might want to check the promos too http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/651133/new-bgg-geek-store-promo-tanto-cuore
 
K

kiryogi

Banned
J

joeyjoejoeshabadoo

Member
Artadius said:
There's currently a fairly large Math Trade shaping up that's got a few more days of left to add items before you make your want lists. http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/67203/math-trade-playoffs-edition

Last time I did it, it was a big success for me.

I put up:
  • Descent
  • Descent Road to Legend
  • Descent Quest Compendium
  • Settlers of Catan Card Game
  • Nuns on the Run
  • Fury of Dracula
Click to expand...
Joined as well here's what I have up there:
Neuroshima Hex + Family Business
Red November + Cold War: CIA Vs. KGB
Small World + All Expansions minus the shitty card one
 
J

joeyjoejoeshabadoo

Member
eastmen said:
is there an online place to play house on haunting hill ? I really want to pick it up but want to see how it plays
Click to expand...
WotC has a demo online, it goes through a couple turns.
http://www.wizards.com/avalonhill/hoth_demo/hothdemo.asp

Mechanically there is really nothing special you move through the house, draw cards, and roll dice. It's the social aspect that really makes the game shine. If your group is willing to go with the craziness then it's a blast.
 
A

Askani

Member
I got to play my first ever game of Puerto Rico last night. I pretty much got destroyed. We played 5 player and the winner ended up having something on the order of 71 points. I think second place had like 63. I was told that was a pretty high scoring game and most of the time the scores are half that.

Now that I've been in a game I see where my mistakes were and how I could have prevented some pitfalls. Basically stop myself from being my own worst enemy.

Anyway, I really like it and I want to play some more. What's the best online portal for this? TropicEuro? I would prefer to have a clean interface and lots of players, but if it comes down to it I'd rather have more available players than clean graphics.
 
N

Neverfade

Member
Askani said:
I got to play my first ever game of Puerto Rico last night. I pretty much got destroyed. We played 5 player and the winner ended up having something on the order of 71 points. I think second place had like 63. I was told that was a pretty high scoring game and most of the time the scores are half that.

Now that I've been in a game I see where my mistakes were and how I could have prevented some pitfalls. Basically stop myself from being my own worst enemy.

Anyway, I really like it and I want to play some more. What's the best online portal for this? TropicEuro? I would prefer to have a clean interface and lots of players, but if it comes down to it I'd rather have more available players than clean graphics.
Click to expand...

Don't take craftsman. There's half the game for you right there! :D
 
P

platypotamus

Member
Good job Shabadoo, I thought I was going to take that one :\

Just sent out a bunch of invites on yucata, since my game count was getting unacceptably low. Included in this round of invites: Oregon, because I thought it looked interesting. I've never played it, so we'll see I suppose!
 
P

platypotamus

Member
That was a good game of Campaign Manager, Astro. I actually thought I might be you again for awhile there. You manage to use those key demographic vote getter cards so well all the time, I never get nearly as much out of them as you do.
 
A

AstroLad

Hail to the KING baby
platypotamus said:
That was a good game of Campaign Manager, Astro. I actually thought I might be you again for awhile there. You manage to use those key demographic vote getter cards so well all the time, I never get nearly as much out of them as you do.
Click to expand...
That was really good. Came down to you not pulling a Shift 2 card at the end.
 
A

Artadius

Member
I've only ever been in one other Math Trade... and I don't remember it being this large... this one's going to probably hit around 2500 games by deadline. Impressive.
 
Y

Yaboosh

Super Sleuth
Hey, I actually won a game of Vikings. Hooray. I still have very little idea what I am doing in either that or Stone Age though.

In Stone Age I am buying cards and am not sure what the hell they do.
 
B

BigAT

Member
Yaboosh said:
Hey, I actually won a game of Vikings. Hooray. I still have very little idea what I am doing in either that or Stone Age though.

In Stone Age I am buying cards and am not sure what the hell they do.
Click to expand...
I'm glad I'm not the only one that doesn't have a clue what is going on in Stone Age.
 
A

AstroLad

Hail to the KING baby
Stone Age is easy! (Once you get the rules :p).

Basically you have little cavemen that you send out to do stuff every turn. They can either make a baby caveman, increase your food track (which gives you a set amount of food each turn), get a tool (which you can use each turn to add to your die rolls for resources), get resources (die rolls), get cards (which you pay for with 1-4 resources), or get huts (which you pay for with resources and get points). The trickiest part is probably how the cards work -- you get the top-half reward immediately, and the bottom half is some sort of end-game bonus, either a multiplier of something you have like huts or cavemen, or a little symbol which you get X times X points for (X being the number of different little symbols you have).

That's about as simple as I can put it offhand, but really once you play 2-3 games it becomes very simple and is a great intro to worker placement, which is one of my favorite game mechanics (Carson City, Agricola, Le Havre, Kingsburg, Alien Frontiers, etc. etc.).
 
S

sneaky77

Member
AstroLad said:
Stone Age is easy! (Once you get the rules :p).

Basically you have little cavemen that you send out to do stuff every turn. They can either make a baby caveman, increase your food track (which gives you a set amount of food each turn), get a tool (which you can use each turn to add to your die rolls for resources), get resources (die rolls), get cards (which you pay for with 1-4 resources), or get huts (which you pay for with resources and get points). The trickiest part is probably how the cards work -- you get the top-half reward immediately, and the bottom half is some sort of end-game bonus, either a multiplier of something you have like huts or cavemen, or a little symbol which you get X times X points for (X being the number of different little symbols you have).

That's about as simple as I can put it offhand, but really once you play 2-3 games it becomes very simple and is a great intro to worker placement, which is one of my favorite game mechanics (Carson City, Agricola, Le Havre, Kingsburg, Alien Frontiers, etc. etc.).
Click to expand...

That helps a bit actually.. lol.. I am not too sure how the scoring works but is cool. Vikings I understand mostly, except the endgame scoring oh well is fun to play and learn anyway.. damn Astro is like some kind of boardgame savant though
 
C

Cathcart

Member
I like Stone Age, it's a great straight up worker placement game and the art is pretty cool. Even the back of the board looks great! Plus, my mom and sister like it so that's a bonus.
 
C

Cathcart

Member
Troyes became available right after I bought a bunch of games and decided to try and play the stuff I have for a bit before buying more stuff. Crazy, I know. It looks really cool, though. I totally would have bought it if I was buying stuff.

Awesome game of Arkham last night. Got a new friend into the game so it was a little long but the three of us had a good time. It was easily the closest win we've had yet. We ended up with 3 annoying rumors during the game that really slowed us down so on the very last gate seal we were at 13/14 on doom and 10 on the terror track (one of the rumors bumped us up terror several times). Anyway, the new guy got to roll the dice for the very last seal and won the game for us. Woot.
 
B

BomberMouse

Member
Cathcart said:
Troyes became available right after I bought a bunch of games and decided to try and play the stuff I have for a bit before buying more stuff. Crazy, I know. It looks really cool, though. I totally would have bought it if I was buying stuff.
Click to expand...

Yep, exactly my case too. Although I must admit that I'm offput just by looking at the board, it looks so boring.
 
J

joeyjoejoeshabadoo

Member
Neverfade said:
I find the lack of Troyes in this thread disturbing...
Click to expand...
I'm on a new game buying freeze. I do have it on my want list for the math trade I'm in but I'm not holding my breath.

Alien Frontiers is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. I played it again last night at the game group and it was a hit yet again. The game ended up really close with some interesting plays being made for first place.
 
U

UpperCaseN

Member
joeyjoejoeshabadoo said:
Alien Frontiers is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. I played it again last night at the game group and it was a hit yet again. The game ended up really close with some interesting plays being made for first place.
Click to expand...

I saw this on the Totally Rad Show podcast, am somewhat interested. Is it easy/hard to learn how to play? How long is a typical playthrough with 4 players? This is a major deciding factor for my group because of the sheer variety of games we tackle on gamenight.
 
J

joeyjoejoeshabadoo

Member
Gryphter said:
I saw this on the Totally Rad Show podcast, am somewhat interested. Is it easy/hard to learn how to play? How long is a typical playthrough with 4 players? This is a major deciding factor for my group because of the sheer variety of games we tackle on gamenight.
Click to expand...
The game is super easy to play and teach. We played a four player game last night, I was the only one who played before, so with rules explanation it took roughly 90 minutes possibly a little bit more. Quick and dirty rules explanation, the object of the game is to place your colonies onto a planet in the middle of the board. The planet is split in to 7 areas, and you get a point for every colony you place plus an additional point for every area you control. The main gameplay involves placing your dice in various "orbital facilities" around the board. These facilities all do different things such as gather you resources, allow you to get another die, and launch a colony to the planet. There is some more nuanced rules, obviously, but nothing too hard to understand or get across to new players. Just a note, there is a lot of player interaction and some actions are actively antagonistic. For example, there is an orbital facility called the raider's outpost where you can steal goods or an alien tech card. It's an aspect that can frustrate some players but luckily it's not too hard to get your resources back.

I played the game with 2, 3, and 4 players now and I can say there felt like there was more interaction with four but the 2 and 3 player games still played pretty well. I prefer the 4 player game but I wouldn't turn down a game with less players.
 
U

UpperCaseN

Member
^nice, thanks for the info. I'll keep an eye out for a lower price at Gencon, it's currently $50 at Amazon which is just a pinch too high for me.
 
M

Mashing

Member
Alien Frontiers seems to a lot of downtime though (after first game with 3 new players). You cannot work your moves out ahead of time so you spend a lot of time trying to figure how to work the dice to get a colony onto the planet. The game is still good though, but that can be a turn off for some (doesn't bother me).
 
J

joeyjoejoeshabadoo

Member
Mashing said:
Alien Frontiers seems to a lot of downtime though (after first game with 3 new players). You cannot work your moves out ahead of time so you spend a lot of time trying to figure how to work the dice to get a colony onto the planet. The game is still good though, but that can be a turn off for some (doesn't bother me).
Click to expand...
I can see AP prone players take a long time with their turns but in my experience the game moved along fairly quickly.
 
N

Neverfade

Member
I certainly enjoyed AF a bit, but the dice mechanic in Troyes blows it out of the water. There's so many more options with the dice and you're never stuck. Tons of paths to victory. You guys know how tough I am on Euros, and this gets my highest recommendations. :)
 
P

platypotamus

Member
Flynn said:
I'm falling head over heels in love with Innovation. I really want to play it with more than two.
Click to expand...

It is really good. Seems like every game I play, someone discovers a new way to use a card to great benefit.
 
F

Flynn

Member
platypotamus said:
It is really good. Seems like every game I play, someone discovers a new way to use a card to great benefit.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the game "breaks" in fascinating ways, but not so thoroughly that they can't be countered.
 
M

MichaelBD

Member
joeyjoejoeshabadoo said:
I can see AP prone players take a long time with their turns but in my experience the game moved along fairly quickly.
Click to expand...
My experience also has been that the game moves pretty quickly.

And for those people looking to roll dice, make sure you check out Lords of Vegas. It's awesome.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

With the rejection of some games, and the embracing of others what is the 'modern audience' and what does it want?
2
55
2K
Dr.Morris79 replied
  • Poll
Would Helldivers 2 have been better served as an Extraction Shooter?
2
51
2K
wipeout364 replied
Xbox officially launches Game Pass Standard
2
88
4K
Nydius replied
  • Locked
People bitching and whining about "controversial" game design decisions... STFU and enjoy the game, and if you can't, play something else
2 3
134
9K
EviLore replied
Tom Henderson - Ubisoft's Board is Launching an Investigation Into The Company
3 4 5 6 7
312
17K
Boss Man replied
Top Bottom