Eye of the Dragon
DreamLyrics Play-by-Post
Who's Online Now
2 members (Weez, Alduin), 8 guests, and 12 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
ShoutChat
Comment Guidelines: Do post respectful and insightful comments. Don't flame, hate, spam.
Dice Roller
You will need to enable Javascript in order to view the Dice Roller.
Games Recruiting List










Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 2 of 5 1 2 3 4 5
Gypsy #467870 Fri 29/10/10 11:54 UTC
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,231
Ooze-based life form
Moderator
Offline
Ooze-based life form
Moderator
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,231
J'accuse!

Muddy #467883 Fri 29/10/10 13:26 UTC
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
Moderator
Offline
Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
Family Business just recently got a reprint, so it can be found quite easily.

Nivek #467918 Fri 29/10/10 22:14 UTC
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 10,509
Administrator
Offline
Administrator
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 10,509
I have a fairly large collection of board games myself, and there are three groups around here where I get to play: a train gamers group that meets once a month, a club that has a Catan night once a month, and a store/cafe along my commute route that has board games on Thursday evenings.

I have Ticket to Ride and Small World, and I've also played Dominion a few times, and I agree with the comments there. My username on the online TtR is Argus, of course. Mystery Express was also a disappointment for me.

I have the Back to the Future card game, along with several other games from the same company (including a pseudo-Risk that takes under an hour). I actually got to learn it this summer when the designer brought advance copies to a couple local conventions.

Other games you might consider are TransAmerica/TransEuropa and the "10 Days in ..." family. The rules are relatively simple, and the victory is a matter of displaying your result.

If your only complaint with Settlers of Catan is the similarity of two colors, you are probably going to have trouble with most of the Catan family. Still, that does include games all the way up and down the scale of complexity.

Speaking of the scale of complexity, have you seen the variety of expansions for Carcassonne? There are a few things you can add if you want a little variety.

Argus #467921 Fri 29/10/10 23:51 UTC
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Nivek Offline OP
Moderator
OP Offline
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Yeah, I've seen a ton of expansions. Ghoul said The Castle made a good two person game (I know not exactly and expansion).

I was thinking of buying the big box version that included the game along with 5 expansions. Are there some that aren't worthwhile? Some you'd highly recommend? Maybe it would be cheaper to just get the good expansions.

Have you gotten any of the Small World expansions?

Nivek #467962 Sat 30/10/10 14:10 UTC
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 10,509
Administrator
Offline
Administrator
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 10,509
I haven't bought any of the Carcassonne expansions, just seen them in stores. I do have the first two Small World expansions, but I haven't had a real chance to try them yet.

Argus #467964 Sat 30/10/10 14:15 UTC
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 76,136
Likes: 54
Wizop
Administrator
Offline
Wizop
Administrator
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 76,136
Likes: 54
I have a caution against Carcassonne expansions. Again great game and I have most if not all the variations. However, we found that adding all the expansions to the basic game made it much longer, so I ended up buying another basic version just so we could back to the 30 - 60 min game we all enjoyed so much. The one expansion I would definitely add to the initial one is the one to go from 5 to 6 players! smile

Gypsy #468073 Sun 31/10/10 12:20 UTC
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
Moderator
Offline
Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
I agree on the Carcassonne expansions, unfortunately. They tend to add 2 or 3 new scoring methods, which in the end make the game too option-rich and lead to analysis paralysis. The stand-alone games (like the City and the Castle and New World) offer alternate scoring methods, but tend to keep to a total of 4 or 5, like the base game, and so are more manageable.

However, if you love the game and want the one or more of the Big Boxes, my preference is to pick one or two expansions AT MOST to use in any one game.

I do like the Small World expansions. The one that adds a random event deck is considered by many to make the game too random (some of the events are VERY powerful), but the others add more races and modifiers, so just add to its variety. Of course, I have no experience with the newest one (comes out this weekend, I think), which adds a new non-player "Necromancer" that gets more powerful as races fall into ruin.

I'd agree with Argus on the TransAmerica or TransEuropa games, which are great fun "connect cities" games.


The Ghoul #468138 Sun 31/10/10 22:47 UTC
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 72
Member
Offline
Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 72
Shameless self promotion here, but seriously, if you're looking for something you can pick up and play quick? The Massive Vs. The Masses is quite nifty.

Googleshng #468368 Tue 02/11/10 16:17 UTC
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Nivek Offline OP
Moderator
OP Offline
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Hey Ghoul, do yo participate in BGG's Secret Santa thing? Sounds like fun. Be hard to know what to ask for though since I just gave my daughters a long list :WEG:

We should do something like that here smile


Nivek #468369 Tue 02/11/10 16:18 UTC
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
Moderator
Offline
Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
Never have... I tend to buy so many games they make a poor gift idea for me.


The Ghoul #468370 Tue 02/11/10 16:24 UTC
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Nivek Offline OP
Moderator
OP Offline
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Must be rough. wink

Nivek #468371 Tue 02/11/10 16:33 UTC
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
Moderator
Offline
Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
yep. terrible.

The Ghoul #468587 Thu 04/11/10 15:47 UTC
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Nivek Offline OP
Moderator
OP Offline
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Well Ghoul, thanks to your suggestions and some not so subtle hints to my kids (And the beauty of internet shopping) I was presented with a box full of games today.

Got Shadows over Camelot, Pirate's Cove, No Thanks!, To court the King, Roll through the ages, and Forbidden island.

Can't wait to get home and crack them open. Nothing like the smell of new games and the joy of breaking out cutouts smile

Nivek #468592 Thu 04/11/10 16:52 UTC
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
Moderator
Offline
Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
Nice set of games! I think you'll enjoy 'em!

And yeah... unboxing is a great fun experience!

The Ghoul #469386 Thu 11/11/10 19:05 UTC
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Nivek Offline OP
Moderator
OP Offline
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Any experience with Vikings, Agricola, Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization or Power Grid?

Nivek #469389 Thu 11/11/10 19:28 UTC
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
Moderator
Offline
Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
I'm a fan of Agricola, though many find it a multi-player solo game (interaction is limited)... Players are a farmer family in the Dark Ages, struggling to achieve a surplus. During play, you can gain skills that make you better at certain actions, grow your family (but that means more mouths to feed), expand your fields, grow your herds, etc. Which option is best depends on your hand of cards, which you're given at the beginning of the game (cards are not drawn during play, except when expansions are in use). Player interaction comes because many actions are limited, in that once someone fishes from the pond, there are no more fish there until next turn; once someone harvests wood from the forest, no one else can until it recovers; etc. It's subtle, but a lot of the game lives in how well you can block other player's strategies. Scoring is also a challenge for new players, as the objectives are somewhat more "don't be deficient anywhere" than "dominate one area to the exclusion of all others". There's a "family game" option that's more forgiving and easier to learn, but lacks most of the real game's depth (for example, the cards aren't used).

Power Grid is a great resource management game. Here, players are power companies building plants and distribution networks to various cities. Building capacity and network span are both critical, but odds are you won't be able to do both, so you have to balance them out. And others are trying to cut you off or steal your market. A strong economic game, and the available aternate maps do an amazing job of changing the feel of the game with only minor rules changes.

Through the Ages (not to be confused with Roll Through the Ages, which I highly recommend) is interesting, but I find it way too luck-based for its length of play. Draw a couple bad civilizations in a row and you'll be sitting at the table a LONG time to prove that you've lost. (History of the World has similar issues.) Still, a card-based Civilization-building game is a good thing in general, I'm just not sold on this one (which may be in part because I never gave it a 2nd chance after trying the buggy 1st edition... I am told it is much improved now, in its 3rd). For a similar feeling game, I prefer the more recent (albeit less attractive) Innovation.

Vikings I've read but never played, so I won't comment on it.

The Ghoul #469392 Thu 11/11/10 19:46 UTC
R
Razorlip B.S.D
Unregistered
Razorlip B.S.D
Unregistered
R

I'd back POWER GRID with the caveat that it's best with 3 or more and loses a lot of its appeal 2 player.

AGRICOLA is solid, but fairly complex in its own way.

THROUGH THE AGES is awesome but very complex, very long, and very expensive (but worth it; top notch components) - if I didn't have 1-2 someones who were deeply into games and/or certain to enjoy it, I'd pass.

if I'd had more time, I'd've warned against PIRATE'S COVE - most low-complexity/beginner type people find it enjoyable enough, but there's really zero strategy, it's very random, and there's a hole or two in the rules you'll have to adjudicate for yourselves. Basically, each you turn you look over the loot on the various islands, secretly choose one to go after, and fight it out with any/everyone else who went to the same island. Not bad, but not much there.




#469395 Thu 11/11/10 19:55 UTC
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Nivek Offline OP
Moderator
OP Offline
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Thanks. Part of what I need to balance as I look to expand my collection is how often I can get more than 2 players to play. I can usually get my daughter to play once a week or so, but getting more than that is difficult.

We actually enjoyed Pirate's Cove. At first I had a big lead and my son hated it because he guessed poorly often and rolled horribly, but the game has a subtle way of helping the players who get shot up in that they get the tavern cards. So later on they attacked me and I had no battle or volley cards. Having a well built ship when your daughter is rolling 6 dice and only needing a 3-6 to hit you takes care of your 'well-built' ship really quickly. I ended up winning but only by a few points. We also had one of the rules wrong, which might have tightened things up a bit more.

I think the perfect game to add is one where it's a good 2 person game (complex is okay as long as I can explain it first) but also one where we can play with 4 also with the game lasting 3 hours.

And G> I did get Roll through the ages. Nice game.

Nivek #469408 Thu 11/11/10 22:21 UTC
R
Razorlip B.S.D
Unregistered
Razorlip B.S.D
Unregistered
R
Yes, I've been meaning to offer some of my own along those lines - my favorite "multiplayers also good for 2" not yet mentioned include:

INGENIOUS - really glad no one else mentioned it because this is a slamdunk good for any and all numbers up to 4 including solo; the board is marked to grow or shrink to fit the player number. Deviously simple abstract with really intriguing strategy and solid player interaction; very addictive.

THEBES - Almost forgot this, and it's really another no-brainer for up to 4 but good with 2. Also fairly non-competitive - getting to something someone else wanted 1st is as cutthroat as it gets, and it's really fun.

CITADELS - This is good for up to 4-5, rules allow for up to 6 but it gets very long and chaotic with more then 4-5; has awesome separate/variant rules for 2-3. Light but fun with lots of player interaction.

ST. PETERSBURG - A step up from TTR, more PUERTO RICO in terms of complexity but not quite as complex as PR.

CUBA - So much like PUERTO RICO in its base mechanics it might as well be a variant, BUT different enough to stand on its own; I strongly prefer it to PR, actually.

STONE AGE - some find this to have too many random elements, others says there's an optimal "starvation strategy" that can't be beat, but most people like this a lot in spite of all that and I certainly do; the victory point mechanics are a little deep but otherwise this is fairly light.

CRUNCH - Fair disclosure - I am in fact an off and on demonstrator for the parent company, TerrorBull Games. Having said that, I really do love their stuff. They have a knack for that rarity, The Game With a Social Message That You'd Want To Play More Than Once - WAR ON TERROR is a screaming hit
(and I really do mean that pretty much literally)
practically any and every time I get it to the table and isn't on this list because it's best with at least 4 and better with 5-6. CRUNCH is like WoT boiled into a card game and with the topic of the Global Economic Wipeout of 2008. Players are the heads of AIG, Citibank, etc., signing workforces onto their financial products, laying on debtloads, trying to collect interest on the debt, and smacking each other up with Federal Regulatory Investigations, Corporate Rebrandings and Market Collapses on the side. BUT the actual victory is won not by running the best finance company - no, it's just like real life - the winner is whoever does the best job of embezzling funds while the other players aren't looking. Really, pretending to be a corporate pig is much more fun than it sounds.

I can do more in-depth descriptions, but it feels like BGG makes that superfluous.

Last edited by Razorlip B.S.D; Thu 11/11/10 22:27 UTC.
#469415 Thu 11/11/10 22:58 UTC
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Nivek Offline OP
Moderator
OP Offline
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Thanks Razor. I much prefer the opinions of friends to BGG although I have been looking at their site a lot more, especially when I can find videos.

I'll look at the ones you've mentioned.

Nivek #469481 Fri 12/11/10 12:26 UTC
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
Moderator
Offline
Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
I can agree with Razor on all of those. Especially Ingenious, which is an outstanding design among Knizia titles. And that's saying something. It may look like "dominos on a hex grid", but it's far more eligant than that. Also, it's helped by there being a portable "travel edition" and a spin-off "Ingenious Challenges" game that is 3 distinct riffs on the "match symbols to score points, get free turns when you fill the row" basic structure.


The Ghoul #469485 Fri 12/11/10 13:14 UTC
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 76,136
Likes: 54
Wizop
Administrator
Offline
Wizop
Administrator
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 76,136
Likes: 54
Citadels is one of our group favourites and we often play with 6 or 7 which does draw it out but not too much IMO. Not sure I'd want to play with less than 4 as those 'targeted' for theft or assassination might start to feel picked on. grin

Gypsy #469501 Fri 12/11/10 16:32 UTC
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Nivek Offline OP
Moderator
OP Offline
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 47,980
Likes: 1
Ghoul, have you (or anyone else for that matter) ever gone to BGGCon?

Dallas/Ft. Worth. Might go one year, could visit PP wink

Nivek #469515 Fri 12/11/10 18:01 UTC
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
Moderator
Offline
Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,718
The timing is bad given that I always spend the week of Thanksgiving on vacation, so no.

The Ghoul #469537 Fri 12/11/10 20:13 UTC
R
Razorlip B.S.D
Unregistered
Razorlip B.S.D
Unregistered
R
Nivek, I totally agree people you know is the best way to learn about new games - I really meant to be excusing my not going over the details of gameplay for every single one of them.

But I also thought of

ATTIKA - This is a decent light game of building cities at a TTR level of complexity - most examples of that kind of thing tend to be fairly heavy, but this one's generally over in less than an hour.

NEXUS OPS - feel really bad about forgetting this one, but I can be forgiven to some extent - it's out of print. However, it came out from Avalon Hill just a few years back when they were trying to get more position at Walmart's and Toys R Us and the like, so it came out in such massive numbers it's still fairly easily available. really one of the best short length multiplayer wargames ever made; a lot of people overlooked it because of the production values - it's not cheap by any means, but every aspect looks like it's for grade-schoolers - the art's really cartoonish, the troop figures are this day-glo plastic and look like knockoffs of the old HERCULOIDS cartoon.

But that was their mistake; this is really dynamic, easy to understand, offers real strategy and yet is over in 60-90 minutes tops; many prefer their 4-players games as 2 on 2 instead of free-for-all, but either way it's awesome, fast-moving and fast-playing fun for whatever number.

Gypsy, I could see people who know the game going fairly quickly of course, but check the 2-3 player version - everyone gets 2 characters per turn, so the Thief and the Assassin aren't quite as much of a sting...the other thing about CITADELS is, you get so much variant stuff in the basic set - IIRC, the current set includes all the variant characters plus the new buildings from the DARK CITY expansion.

Last edited by Razorlip B.S.D; Fri 12/11/10 22:24 UTC.
Page 2 of 5 1 2 3 4 5

Link Copied to Clipboard
Newest Members
Talon475, Randal Trimmer, Kimf, Yvon, Xiang Chin
177 Registered Users
Today's Birthdays
There are no members with birthdays on this day.
Member Spotlight
nem
nem
GMT 0
Posts: 13,043
Joined: May 2000
Forum Statistics
Forums102
Topics2,799
Posts139,082
Members177
Most Online296
Jan 19th, 2020
March
S M T W T F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
†Restricted forums can only be accessed by DreamLyrics members of the age of 18 years or older. Access which is granted by the Behind Closed Doors Procedure.
™DreamLyrics Play-by-Post. DreamLyrics Play-by-Post does not own copyright on DreamLyrics texts or graphics, except trademarked DreamLyrics logos and logotypes. The works contained in DreamLyrics are copyrighted (automatically, under the Berne Convention) by the original authors and may be available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence. (See Copyrights for details.)
Privacy Policy
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5