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[Stumpokapow]

Here's why I think Lost Cities (the card game) is an excellent game:
- Great theme and art, good quality materials
- Great distillation of risk/reward, which is a common mechanic but boiled down to its essence here
- Great implementation of game speed mechanic; by drawing discarded cards, you slow the game down. By drawing from the draw pile, you speed the game up.
- Quick rounds, easy to explain

 

[Neverfade]

Played some 7 Wonders again over the weekend -- I initially got rid of this during the insane demand period shortly after its launch because it didn't blow me away. Much to my chagrin, I really enjoyed it now, a year later. Amazon had it cheaper than CSI, so Prime'd that up. Will probably just go ahead and nab Leaders, seems a simple enough addition, hopefully the strategic payoff is worth it. Cities looks to be the shitjustgotreal.gif jump off, though. Hyped.

 

[joeyjoejoeshabadoo]

Played some 7 Wonders again over the weekend -- I initially got rid of this during the insane demand period shortly after its launch because it didn't blow me away. Much to my chagrin, I really enjoyed it now, a year later. Amazon had it cheaper than CSI, so Prime'd that up. Will probably just go ahead and nab Leaders, seems a simple enough addition, hopefully the strategic payoff is worth it. Cities looks to be the shitjustgotreal.gif jump off, though. Hyped.

I actually really like the Leaders expansion. It helps "pre-plan" a strategy for what you are going to do with your cards during the game. It also adds maybe five minutes (if that) to the game length.

 

[shrimpjive]

Played some 7 Wonders again over the weekend -- I initially got rid of this during the insane demand period shortly after its launch because it didn't blow me away. Much to my chagrin, I really enjoyed it now, a year later. Amazon had it cheaper than CSI, so Prime'd that up. Will probably just go ahead and nab Leaders, seems a simple enough addition, hopefully the strategic payoff is worth it. Cities looks to be the shitjustgotreal.gif jump off, though. Hyped.

Leaders is mostly great. I felt that the original game lacked a way to form a cohesive strategy from the outset--which many will argue is why the game is so good to begin with--but the expansion helps to cultivate your strategy for that particular game. It manages to do this with negligible amounts of additional playing time and complexity.

 

[joeyjoejoeshabadoo]

Leaders is mostly great. I felt that the original game lacked a way to form a cohesive strategy from the outset--which many will argue is why the game is so good to begin with--but the expansion helps to cultivate your strategy for that particular game. It manages to do this with negligible amounts of additional playing time and complexity.

Whelp, it appears we are of one mind on this thing.

 

[BattleMonkey]

Leaders is mostly great. I felt that the original game lacked a way to form a cohesive strategy from the outset--which many will argue is why the game is so good to begin with--but the expansion helps to cultivate your strategy for that particular game. It manages to do this with negligible amounts of additional playing time and complexity.

Group really was luke warm about 7 Wonders, but introducing Leaders made them really change their minds for the game. They felt it did put more focus on a strategy to the game, which base alone is kinda about wandering around aimlessly till you figure out something.

 

[Xater]

Hmm maybe I should have kept my 7 Wonders after all. I sold it as well. After my initial excitement I became tired of it and my usual gaming group did not like it at all.

Also has everyone else seen how the Game of Thrones game is climbimg up the BGG charts?

 

[timetokill]

Guys, I might just be the best BSG player of all time (of all time).

I'm still undefeated at the game. In the last game we played with the Pegasus expansion (5 players total). I was a Cylon to start with, and the first player. My first Crisis Card is something where, if we pass the vote, I get to look at another player's Loyalty Card. I do so, and who should I find? The other Cylon.

> Let's just say the humans didn't make it.

 

[AstroLad]

Played some 7 Wonders again over the weekend -- I initially got rid of this during the insane demand period shortly after its launch because it didn't blow me away. Much to my chagrin, I really enjoyed it now, a year later. Amazon had it cheaper than CSI, so Prime'd that up. Will probably just go ahead and nab Leaders, seems a simple enough addition, hopefully the strategic payoff is worth it. Cities looks to be the shitjustgotreal.gif jump off, though. Hyped.

Kinda feel the same about 7W. On my last vacation played a ton of 7W+Leaders and it was a huge hit. It's one of those games that was just so hyped, but it really is a nice quick light group game.

 

[Xater]

What are your guys thoughts on Formula D? Is it fun? How do you think the the balance between rolling dice and actually making decisions?

 

[besada]

What are your guys thoughts on Formula D? Is it fun? How do you think the the balance between rolling dice and actually making decisions?

You can get seriously boned by a bad die roll, but generally it's because you've decided to drive too aggressively. I think the balance between the two is pretty good.

I'll note, though, if you're playing with people used to not being eliminated in a game, Formula D can be a cruel, cruel surprise. The first game I played saw only two people get all the way around the track out of five. Some people spent the majority of the game not playing.

 

[Zalasta]

What are your guys thoughts on Formula D? Is it fun? How do you think the the balance between rolling dice and actually making decisions?

I generally do not care for racing games. With that said, I think Formula D's use of different dice to simulate the gears is an ingenious mechanic. There is definitely strategy involved in how fast you want to enter in a turn and the risk involved in that decision. I know for the more advanced players you can even factor in weather (and road condition I think). It's a decent game that can accommodate a lot of players, not hard to teach either.

 

[UpperCaseN]

What are your guys thoughts on Formula D? Is it fun? How do you think the the balance between rolling dice and actually making decisions?

I like it, that game never hits the table with my group though. I've contemplated getting rid of it because of that several times now. The game board is damn big, people have absolutely nothing to do during other peoples' turns, and the game takes longer than it is welcome; people are usually ready to be done by the time the last turn comes up.

I haven't tried the Advanced rules yet because I'm both intimidated (it's not hard at all, I just get used to things) and I'm also not sure if I want a game like this to be more complex; the beginner rules are simple so everyone gets it and plays a little more recklessly, which is where the fun comes from.

But to answer your question, making the choice on shifting gears is a hefty decision making moment, for this game at least. You've got to weigh your damage, what dice results are on that gear, what turn is coming up, who is in front of you... it can make you nervous

 

[XShagrath]

Tried out Castles of Burgundy last night. We played the first 7 or so (of 25 turns) a little incorrectly. Once we found out the mistake, things went more smoothly and the game turned out pretty awesome. I'm already ready to play this one again!

 

[flashburn2012]

Yeah, I had a lot of fun playing Burgundy. Definitely want to play it again soon.

 

[Xater]

Hmm the overstaying it's welcome problem and player elimination make it less attractive to me. I'll probably skip it then. Then I guess I'll continue my wait for the re-prints of Jaipur and Samurai.

 

[shrimpjive]

Hmm the overstaying it's welcome problem and player elimination make it less attractive to me. I'll probably skip it then. Then I guess I'll continue my wait for the re-prints of Jaipur and Samurai.

It can be a fun and thrilling experience, but, as the others pointed out, it's not without its flaws. In addition to the surprisingly grueling player elimination, this game suffers from one of the worst cases of a "runaway leader" I've ever encountered. Whatever individual is lucky enough to break from the pack early on is most likely going to win.

With that being said, though, the game can still be a blast, especially if you're a fan of push your luck type games.

 

[UpperCaseN]

It can be a fun and thrilling experience, but, as the others pointed out, it's not without its flaws. In addition to the surprisingly grueling player elimination, this game suffers from one of the worst cases of a "runaway leader" I've ever encountered. Whatever individual is lucky enough to break from the pack early on is most likely going to win.

With that being said, though, the game can still be a blast, especially if you're a fan of push your luck type games.

starting positions can really muck up a person's game, too. You know what, I think I've decided to trade this one away next math trade.

 

[BattleMonkey]

It can be a fun and thrilling experience, but, as the others pointed out, it's not without its flaws. In addition to the surprisingly grueling player elimination, this game suffers from one of the worst cases of a "runaway leader" I've ever encountered. Whatever individual is lucky enough to break from the pack early on is most likely going to win.

With that being said, though, the game can still be a blast, especially if you're a fan of push your luck type games.

I think the advanced rules make it less about who gets ahead early in the game, lot more player flexibility and chance involved for all.

 

[AstroLad]

I sold Formula D because it's one of those games that's too kind of long and boring and slightly complex (with proper rules) to be a good party games but not meaty enough to be a real game. I like Snow Tails more because it streamlines the concept a lot, so falls much more clearly into the former category.

That said, I've considered rebuying it because it does reasonably accomodate 5+ and is a good game, which is a rare combo.

 

[joeyjoejoeshabadoo]

I've played Formula D once and while it is fun, the game can really drag. We did a three lap race but I think two laps is plenty. By the third lap is started to drag and our cars were on their last legs.

 

[UpperCaseN]

anybody here use poker chips instead of the paper or cardboard money that comes with games? did you go for a good or cheap set?

 

[fenners]

anybody here use poker chips instead of the paper or cardboard money that comes with games? did you go for a good or cheap set?

Regularly. My friend that usually hosts our game nights has a set of "mini chips" that we use for substitute money in a bunch of games & especially any Age of Steam/train games...I've no idea where he bought them from, but this link on BGG shows what they look like.

They're small, but work well.

 

[Neverfade]

anybody here use poker chips instead of the paper or cardboard money that comes with games? did you go for a good or cheap set?

The poker chip set I bought at Target is pretty damn solid.

Going forward though:

I backed Realm Coins on Kickstarter. This is how they turned out. Hoping they'll be here next week-ish. I think they look pretty damn cool.

 

[Ubersnug]

Being a huge fan of Last Night on Earth, and buying every single expansion that came out for it, I decided to buy Fortune and Glory based on the fantastic review by Robert Florence (of Video Gaiden and Consolevania fame). He has a knack for making every game he plays sound awesome and loves to emphasise when a game is heavy on the theme. Can't wait to play this with friends.

 

[Xater]

I have to say that I am already getting tired of Smallworld. It is not a bad game by any means, but it never feels like you are really fighting over the land. Stuff is just happening and at the end you hopefully have enough coins. So my main problem is it doesn't feel as competitive as I hoped it would feel. For me it is a good 6 and I will probably get rid of it again.

 

[Cathcart]

Yeah I've never really liked Smallworld. I guess that means I'm broken but I just don't get why everyone loves it so much.

anybody here use poker chips instead of the paper or cardboard money that comes with games? did you go for a good or cheap set?

Check out pokershipping.com. I got a really nice set of 13.5g clay chips that I love using for games. I went with the blank chips because I figured I could just adjust the value depending on what the game calls for but the 500pc was probably overkill. A 300pc set should be plenty for most games.

 

[StoOgE]

I hate paper money, but hate explaining how much each boker chip is worth over and over again.. so I use the paper money. It's only really annoying in Power Grid since so much changes hands.

Also, I have a website! According to the artist my game should have a logo/boxart over the weekend and hopefully the rest of the cards by the end of next week. Which is pretty much all the kickstarter is waiting on at this point. Unless Game Salute puts the brakes on things.. they have a copy of my game in "playtesting"... I've heard they are really really slow at approving games, so I may just go it alone and see if they'll distribute after the fact.


http://pandasaurusgames.com/

Any feedback on layout would be appreciated, I sort of suck at web design, and this is my first foray into WordPress.

I'm going to be adding some facebook/twitter/mail list crap to the bottom of every page. The facebook code isn't playing well with my layout though.

 

[BattleMonkey]

Being a huge fan of Last Night on Earth, and buying every single expansion that came out for it, I decided to buy Fortune and Glory based on the fantastic review by Robert Florence (of Video Gaiden and Consolevania fame). He has a knack for making every game he plays sound awesome and loves to emphasise when a game is heavy on the theme. Can't wait to play this with friends.

It has great theme, been fairly popular with the group, I just wish they stopped using that glossy finish on all their products, it makes seeing anything on the board difficult. The only issue I really have with F&G, is it's crazy amount of components. It's a fairly simple/quick game but set up and clean up can get annoying with how many variable components, and many you don't use except for certain modes.

 

[StoOgE]

It has great theme, been fairly popular with the group, I just wish they stopped using that glossy finish on all their products, it makes seeing anything on the board difficult. The only issue I really have with F&G, is it's crazy amount of components. It's a fairly simple/quick game but set up and clean up can get annoying with how many variable components, and many you don't use except for certain modes.

The cards are also really hard to sleeve and kind of stick together. I like lnoe, a lot. Just hate te cards so so much.

 

[Cathcart]

I hate paper money, but hate explaining how much each boker chip is worth over and over again.. so I use the paper money. It's only really annoying in Power Grid since so much changes hands.

We play enough of Power Grid and Acquire that I made a template in MS Paint with four or five colored circles and printed a bunch out. That way everyone gets a sheet. The circles are chip size and the values are underneath the circles so if you want you can just stack your chips up on top of the guide and the number is right there. Totally worth it for even one game of Acquire.

 

[BattleMonkey]

The cards are also really hard to sleeve and kind of stick together. I like lnoe, a lot. Just hate te cards so so much.

Yea you gotta bend the cards when you get them to basically separate them. They get better and stop sticking after several games as they build up oils from player hands (yea I know that sounds bad lol).

 

[StoOgE]

Yea you gotta bend the cards when you get them to basically separate them. They get better and stop sticking after several games as they build up oils from player hands (yea I know that sounds bad lol).

Hmm, I guess part of my issue is not getting my copy to the table enough.

 

[Drey1082]

We play enough of Power Grid and Acquire that I made a template in MS Paint with four or five colored circles and printed a bunch out. That way everyone gets a sheet. The circles are chip size and the values are underneath the circles so if you want you can just stack your chips up on top of the guide and the number is right there. Totally worth it for even one game of Acquire.

I feel like one major factor in Power Grid is not knowing exactly how much money each player has. Using chips makes this info seem much too public, which changes the game slightly.

 

[UpperCaseN]

thanks for the poker chip advice, everyone

Check out pokershipping.com. I got a really nice set of 13.5g clay chips that I love using for games. I went with the blank chips because I figured I could just adjust the value depending on what the game calls for but the 500pc was probably overkill. A 300pc set should be plenty for most games.

I like this site, I think I'll go with it in the near future. I just gotta figure out what weight I like. I added a random set to the shopping cart just to check shipping and it was only $10

 

[joeyjoejoeshabadoo]

I hate paper money, but hate explaining how much each boker chip is worth over and over again.. so I use the paper money. It's only really annoying in Power Grid since so much changes hands.

Have you seen the Artscow money deck for Power Grid? My group uses that now instead of the paper money and it works well. The denomination is printed one side and the other is a generic back. It's nice because it's sturdier than the paper money, plus you are able to easily conceal how much cash you have.

 

[StoOgE]

Have you seen the Artscow money deck for Power Grid? My group uses that now instead of the paper money and it works well. The denomination is printed one side and the other is a generic back. It's nice because it's sturdier than the paper money, plus you are able to easily conceal how much cash you have.

What's the card quality like? This looks pretty amazing otherwise.

You may have just saved my favourite game!

 

[Cathcart]

I feel like one major factor in Power Grid is not knowing exactly how much money each player has. Using chips makes this info seem much too public, which changes the game slightly.

I have a set of blinds people can use if they want. I know the value of the chips so I usually don't bother and just hold the chips in my hand under the table.

 

[joeyjoejoeshabadoo]

What's the card quality like? This looks pretty amazing otherwise.

You may have just saved my favourite game!

I would say a little thinner than playing cards. If you search for Artscow coupons you can probably find some discount to make the deck cheaper.

 

[AstroLad]

What are some good sites to buy poker chips at? Price & quality look very good at that site but I don't see any blanks (unless I missed them), so maybe somewhere with more variety? Kinda surprised at how little selection Amazon has.

 

[StoOgE]

I would say a little thinner than playing cards. If you search for Artscow coupons you can probably find some discount to make the deck cheaper.

Or I could do what I do with all cards and sleeve them!

 

[besada]

http://pandasaurusgames.com/

Any feedback on layout would be appreciated, I sort of suck at web design, and this is my first foray into WordPress.

You misspelled sleeves twice on the Smoke section, as "sleaves".

 

[StoOgE]

You misspelled sleeves twice on the Smoke section, as "sleaves".

Thanks! Fixed!

I have a fiancé with a journalism degree that was supposed to catch that kind o crap.

 

[besada]

Thanks! Fixed!

I have a fiancé with a journalism degree that was supposed to catch that kind o crap.

In the second paragraph on the Roller Coaster Rush page it looks like the game title was clipped off.

On the Contact page you have the following text "he was the lead designers" which should obviously be singular, not plural.

I signed up for the mailing list and can't wait to see more of the game. The time-limit mechanic sounds great.

 

[FallingEdge]

Okay! I will buy Ascension and Thunderstone this weekend. Thanks for the suggestions and I am always open for more!

 

[StoOgE]

Love the time limit idea, though I'm not sure how that'll play out in practice. Good notion, though; I was just thinking that this looked like a game lending itself to analysis paralysis.

Thanks! It works really well actually, it kind of has an issue with the 2 player game that I'm working through, but it's not game breaking.

AP was setting in with the game, so timer!

 

[flashburn2012]

Okay! I will buy Ascension and Thunderstone this weekend. Thanks for the suggestions and I am always open for more!

Thunderstone Advance comes out next week, I'd wait for that. Your local gaming store might be doing an early release including a free mini expansion as well. Starts today.

 

[Shoogoo]

Just when I had a question about Thunderstone Advance, people are discussing it

I never played Thunderstone and I often considered buying it. I hear that this advance version can be either played alone or as an expansion, right?

Why is it advanced? Are there more rules?

 

[joeyjoejoeshabadoo]

Just when I had a question about Thunderstone Advance, people are discussing it

I never played Thunderstone and I often considered buying it. I hear that this advance version can be either played alone or as an expansion, right?

Why is it advanced? Are there more rules?

It looks like it is compatible with the previous releases. From what I understand, it's not that they added more rules, but they streamlined the existing rules.

 

[Xater]

I think Tom Vasel did two great videos about Thunderstone Advance.

One for new players: http://www.dicetower.com/game_reviews/t/thunderstone-advance-towers-of-ruin-new-players.html

And another for people who just want to know about the changes: http://www.dicetower.com/game_reviews/t/thunderstone-advance-towers-of-ruin-experienced-players.html

I also just played my first game of El Grande and man is this game awesome. such simple mechanics but it works so well and it is tactical to boot! It also felt more competitive than Small World does and I am not even killing anything. I should have bought this instead right from the start.