|
Jewmanji posted:My only qualm: do the Moles seem slightly OP? The fact that you can sway a minister by revealing cards corresponding to where you have pieces, as opposed to structures, seems a bit much. It's really easy to get a crazy action economy going for them, almost equivalent to the Eyrie, except unlike the Eyrie, the Moles' equivalent of turmoil isn't nearly as disruptive. Moles can really pull ahead if they don't have an opposing army faction to put a lot of pressure on them since losing structures is a real setback. Someone like the Marquise who share a similar goal of aggressive expansion.
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2020 21:13
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 5, 2024 07:14 |
|
|
My group's CAH-placeholder was usually "Things..." (aka Game of Things) which I talked about in a previous post about how to make it flow better. We also have played Joking Hazard, which has the chaotic process where order matters and helps create more humor... but the humor wore off surprisingly quickly, even with somewhat low expectations. We have Trial By Trolley in the group but have not played it. I hope it's less offensive than Joking Hazard. Like, most of it being stuff everyone loves (wieners and barfing and violence), it still contains some outrageously offensive poo poo. Like, I loved Apples to Apples in college because we could be as naughty as we wanted to at the time. While it's fine to have some adult fun if it's a bit ribald, bawdy, or sensational, some of this poo poo dives from "spiritedly transgressional" to "being part of the problem by normalizing something awful"
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2020 21:23
|
|
|
They way my group fixed the Things issue you mention is we just had the person to the right of the judge read the answers to the judge.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2020 22:12
|
|
|
Bang! is the best card game for large groups imo
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2020 22:32
|
|
|
For a serious answer, Monikers is my favorite party game. Wavelength would probably be up there too, but it's easier to get everyone involved in Monikers.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2020 22:36
|
|
|
Reynold posted:Bang! is the best card game for large groups imo Bang is awful for large groups because there's a solid chance you'll die before your first turn and also the game can last forever.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2020 22:41
|
|
|
Hey, just wondering - are there any good fast (to play, but also to set up and pack away) solo games out there? Preferably something that's relatively small/not bulky and inexpensive too, although I can't always have everything!  Currently I have Marvel Champions, which has been good, but I really feel like I need something that I can just pull out, play, then pack away without needing to sort everything out again.I've been through BGG and here are some of the games I've found from there, that might fill the role: Maiden's Quest Side Quest Onirim Star Realms No idea if they're good though (well, I've heard good things about Onirim, but it doesn't seem particularly small/quick to set up, etc) so I thought it'd be best to check here, for some much-appreciated goon opinions. I'm also up for other suggestions entirely, of course - they're just a few options I've found, to try and get the ball rolling
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 01:15
|
|
|
Major Isoor posted:Hey, just wondering - are there any good fast (to play, but also to set up and pack away) solo games out there? Preferably something that's relatively small/not bulky and inexpensive too, although I can't always have everything! If you don't mind a serious challenge, there's The Game. Valley of the Kings has a solo mode as well.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 01:24
|
|
|
Major Isoor posted:Hey, just wondering - are there any good fast (to play, but also to set up and pack away) solo games out there? Preferably something that's relatively small/not bulky and inexpensive too, although I can't always have everything! Most roll and writes and derivatives can effectively be played as solo games, 30 Rails is a pretty good one that was made specifically for solo play.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 01:31
|
|
|
Sprawlopolis and Cartographers are both great smaller solo games with minimal setup. Sprawlopolis can take a bit of table space by the time it's done, but it's 18 cards (32 with the expansions) and fits in a tiny wallet. Cartographers solitaire needs ~40cm x 60cm max.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 02:26
|
|
|
Yeah Bang! is loving terrible. Played a game of base Root f2f with the four base factions this weekend. Vagabond pulled it out with a 9-point final turn hitting Aid really hard, but one more time around the board would have had everyone hit 30.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 04:58
|
|
|
CommonShore posted:Yeah Bang! is loving terrible. I’ve never played or witnessed a game of root that wouldn’t have had several or all players >30 with one extra round. My biggest complaint with it is that it ends just as everyone starts churning out points
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 05:52
|
|
|
Major Isoor posted:Hey, just wondering - are there any good fast (to play, but also to set up and pack away) solo games out there? Preferably something that's relatively small/not bulky and inexpensive too, although I can't always have everything! SUSD just did a good video on solo pnp stuff that could be worth exploring, as well as just a video on solo games. Looked like some good options.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 07:43
|
|
|
 DO YOU FOLKS LIKE GMT Games is just straight up giving away free board games quote:“We know that this virus, in addition to the threat it poses to our collective health, has had a negative economic impact on many of our customers, as well,” GMT said. “As with so many social or economic problems, it’s not within our power to provide big fixes — to restore lost jobs, retirement funds, or lost earning power. But we’ve decided, as we did numerous times in the wake of the 2008 financial meltdown, that we can show support for those of you who have lost jobs by giving you a free game or two.” How to claim: 1.) Send an email to: a_curtis at sbcglobal dot net 2.) Include “proof or explanation of your job loss" since March 15. 3.) Select which instock games you would like - 2 games if you're in the US - 1 game if you're international - Imperial Struggle is the only excluded game! 4.) They will ship you free goddamn games.  5.) Don't be a fuckwit and claim a game if you still have a job Honestly this is super super generous of them. I'd crack onto Twilight Struggle if you've ever wanted it, because that shits sure to go fast. Make sure to grab something for the strategy/wargame nerd in your life (Especially if that nerd is you) Real coffee.. from the hills of COLOMBIAAAAAAAA
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 09:15
|
|
|
It's extremely generous. We can be cynical and say it might be a way to part with excess inventory, but considering you can do anything except the one most recent game, that's a little harder to argue. I believe they are also paying shipping so even if it's a means to reduce the warehouse costs long term, it still has a direct cash outlay to the company. Is that cash worth the good will this will generate? Well, I know this has raised GMT in my personal esteem and increases the likelihood of me trying C&C:Ancients or something in the future. Positive PR and social media buzz is valuable, especially for something moderately niche and independent. At the same point, it would also be fair to propose it could be a gentle smoke screen to cover their fairly tepid (though existent and certainly not negative, unlike some parts of the Wargaming internet) support of current American anti-discrimination political movements. For what it's worth, they added a message about being anti-discrimination to their About page without using the phrase 'Black Lives Matter'. While it's not much, I also felt it was nice that it was something permanent rather than a temporary message that goes into feeds and fades away in the sea of somber Twitter JPGs. Would I rather it be prominent? Sure. Still, is this a noble deed or a way to conceal a possible upcoming cancelling? I guess my response to that would be "Por que no los dos?" I have trouble condemning them too hard on this because it is beyond what many companies would ever consider (others are just providing free PnP resources, which is nice but exponentially cheaper). Perhaps I'm too easily swayed on this. P.S.: Black Lives Matter.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 11:40
|
|
|
They offered free games during The Great Recession too.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 18:41
|
|
|
Reminder that the G in GMT is a convicted child molester.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 18:46
|
|
|
I lost my job due to COVID back in March and while I would love to take advantage of a free pair of board games I have zero loving clue what I am looking at on their store page. It's all arcane gibberish to me. Is there, like, a recommendation on what might be a good game from them? I've played Twilight Struggle but never got super far into it, so I have no clue what to even look at first.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 18:54
|
|
|
Sekigahara is a solid two player game that isn't too crunchy and also if you get it for free you are denying the designer money, maybe.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 19:01
|
|
|
Note that "1. Please get your email applications in to Tony by midnight Pacific time, this Wednesday, July 1. The application period ends then."
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 19:42
|
|
|
Max posted:Sekigahara is a solid two player game that isn't too crunchy and also if you get it for free you are denying the designer money, maybe. When Chad Jensen died and they received a load of money from "a benefactor" to put all the Combat Commander stuff back in print without waiting, would that have been Calkins? I mean, that kind of outlay would have been pennies to him, but at the same time nobody becomes a billionaire by giving away money.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 20:43
|
|
|
Frozen Peach posted:Reminder that the G in GMT is a convicted child molester. I am also reminded that GMT also had that Scramble For Africa silliness (I mean it was silly to think that something like that would not invite serious controversy, even before the current level of sensitivity and awareness, not that the controversy was silly) last year. I'd forgotten about that because, of course, last year was twenty years ago.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 21:08
|
|
|
Magnetic North posted:I am also reminded that GMT also had that Scramble For Africa silliness (I mean it was silly to think that something like that would not invite serious controversy, even before the current level of sensitivity and awareness, not that the controversy was silly) last year. I'd forgotten about that because, of course, last year was twenty years ago. I mean, they did do the right thing and cancelled it, thereby earning the wrath of wargamers furious about political correctness.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 21:18
|
|
|
CaptainApathyUK posted:When Chad Jensen died and they received a load of money from "a benefactor" to put all the Combat Commander stuff back in print without waiting, would that have been Calkins? Yeah it was Calkins.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 21:18
|
|
|
Vivian Darkbloom posted:I mean, they did do the right thing and cancelled it, thereby earning the wrath of wargamers furious about political correctness. Which sort of makes their lack of full-throat support of BLM both more understandable and more confusing. They know what could happen, so once bitten twice shy. At the same point, t's also already happened so gently caress it?
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 21:29
|
|
|
Anyone know what a con ought to model themselves on? Inclusivity rules, steps an org should take, etc.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 22:26
|
|
|
SHUX has a pretty broad and solid list of rules for behavior and harassment that are specifically targeted at gamers and the behaviors they routinely exhibit at these events. As for enforcing them, you need both security and volunteers with a solid presence like PAX does (which has it's own issues with exploiting the volunteer force but I digress) and strong zero tolerance showing for said enforcing. Larger cons also need to have policies for things like strollers/wagons in halls, but that's more logistics than behavioral. And a lot of this also gets tied in to having good communication and cooperation with the event space and staff, most of the issues I've seen were the fault of the location staff/policies and not the con's fault. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qEc7e5Kefe0RM4E-NBxiUNgdbtpmZ3ib4W47mpryxTU/edit In other topics, does anyone know when Eclipse 2E retail is supposed to hit and if anywhere is doing preorders yet? None of the major sites have anything for it yet but it seems to be hitting backers hands now.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 23:09
|
|
|
Bottom Liner posted:SHUX has a pretty broad and solid list of rules for behavior and harassment that are specifically targeted at gamers and the behaviors they routinely exhibit at these events. As for enforcing them, you need both security and volunteers with a solid presence like PAX does (which has it's own issues with exploiting the volunteer force but I digress) and strong zero tolerance showing for said enforcing. Larger cons also need to have policies for things like strollers/wagons in halls, but that's more logistics than behavioral. And a lot of this also gets tied in to having good communication and cooperation with the event space and staff, most of the issues I've seen were the fault of the location staff/policies and not the con's fault. Sorry, we've got that, I mean specifically for BLM, BIPOC inclusivity, any orgs that are focused on that we could look to. This is, as a note, brought on in part by Mayveena's discussion on the game brain podcast related to race in board gaming. (Mayveena if you want to answer, I'm very interested in hearing your thoughts, but no obligation obv)
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2020 23:33
|
|
|
I think you have to have a zero tolerance and I mean zero tolerance for harassment. No matter who is being harassed. Handing out pronoun stickers is cool, and now handing out BLM stickers as well. Let players know you are available for discussion if they are feeling uncomfortable in a situation. There's probably some folks who would support newbie hand holding as in finding them a game to play and all, but I don't. Players are always looking for other players to play with and you have to be assertive enough to ask people if they want to play a game, or set a game up with a players' wanted sign. I think that's what holds some new players back is that they expect someone to come and ask them to play, and board game cons (or at least the ones I've gone to and I've gone to a lot) just don't do that kind of thing. Get in the habit of asking people to play with you and understand it's not personal if they refuse. Game Brain Podcast will be wearing Black Lives Matter t-shirts next time there is an in person con here in LA although naturally no one knows when that will be.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2020 01:39
|
|
|
My interest for crokinole has rekindled, but I don't want to wait till November to get one of the Mayday boards. Are there any other nice ones I should be looking at? Saw the SUSD recommended https://crokinole.guru/, which look nice, but interested if there are any others I should be looking at. Shipping to the US, if that matters.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2020 02:11
|
|
|
Hi, I don't usually come in here, but my Mom's birthday is coming up and she's going a bit stir-crazy in quarantine. She really liked Ticket to Ride, Cataan, and other board games, and I was thinking of sending her something 2-player that she can play with my Dad. Does anyone have any suggestions? Ideally for something not too complicated.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2020 02:12
|
|
|
ZachAttack posted:My interest for crokinole has rekindled, but I don't want to wait till November to get one of the Mayday boards. Are there any other nice ones I should be looking at? Saw the SUSD recommended https://crokinole.guru/, which look nice, but interested if there are any others I should be looking at. Shipping to the US, if that matters. These boards aren't cheap but they are considered top of the line https://hilinski.net/woodgames/
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2020 02:23
|
|
|
Bakanogami posted:Hi, I don't usually come in here, but my Mom's birthday is coming up and she's going a bit stir-crazy in quarantine. She really liked Ticket to Ride, Cataan, and other board games, and I was thinking of sending her something 2-player that she can play with my Dad. Does anyone have any suggestions? Ideally for something not too complicated. Carcassonne is a classic 2 player gateway game for a reason. It's very simple. You draw a tile, you add it to the board, you maybe put a guy on it, and you maybe take a guy back and score some points if you finished a picture. The farm scoring and the no-sharing rule can sometimes take a second look to really internalize, but other than at its all smooth slopes and simple turns. And it's very pleasant and friendly...at least until the light switch flicks on in your head and then it becomes a knife fight in a phone booth, but that's only if you get invested. ...also The Field of the Cloth of Gold just came out, it's rock simple, and it's about passive aggressive gift giving, which is guaranteed to not cause any martial strife whatsoever. I'm excited for it. I'm extremely biased, though: This is by the same publisher that puts out my game, I am getting a free copy, and I am a personal friend of the designer. I about as ethically compromised as humanly possible on this one.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2020 02:32
|
|
|
Mayveena posted:I think you have to have a zero tolerance and I mean zero tolerance for harassment. No matter who is being harassed. Handing out pronoun stickers is cool, and now handing out BLM stickers as well. Let players know you are available for discussion if they are feeling uncomfortable in a situation. There's probably some folks who would support newbie hand holding as in finding them a game to play and all, but I don't. Players are always looking for other players to play with and you have to be assertive enough to ask people if they want to play a game, or set a game up with a players' wanted sign. I think that's what holds some new players back is that they expect someone to come and ask them to play, and board game cons (or at least the ones I've gone to and I've gone to a lot) just don't do that kind of thing. Get in the habit of asking people to play with you and understand it's not personal if they refuse. That all makes sense. I really appreciate the response!
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2020 02:35
|
|
|
Bakanogami posted:Hi, I don't usually come in here, but my Mom's birthday is coming up and she's going a bit stir-crazy in quarantine. She really liked Ticket to Ride, Cataan, and other board games, and I was thinking of sending her something 2-player that she can play with my Dad. Does anyone have any suggestions? Ideally for something not too complicated. Patchwork, Fox in the Forest (or Fox in the Forest Duet), Battleline, Jaipur, and Santorini would all fit the bill nicely.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2020 02:42
|
|
|
Gutter Owl posted:Carcassonne is a classic 2 player gateway game for a reason. It's very simple. You draw a tile, you add it to the board, you maybe put a guy on it, and you maybe take a guy back and score some points if you finished a picture. The farm scoring and the no-sharing rule can sometimes take a second look to really internalize, but other than at its all smooth slopes and simple turns. And it's very pleasant and friendly...at least until the light switch flicks on in your head and then it becomes a knife fight in a phone booth, but that's only if you get invested. Carcassonne is a game my non-gamer wife and I played probably a hundred times. It's still her goto game because it's so simple (draw a tile, play a tile, optionally place a meeple somewhere on that tile), but you get to see your board and score grow. Then we introduced it to my parents, who also liked it and played it a dozen times with us, right up until it got knife fight-y and my mom got very mad about games, and we stopped :| Carc is best played with the first expansion (Inns and Cathedrals?), as it makes roads not always the dummy prize, and gives players a reason to actually make a big city. The rest of them can pretty much be ignored.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2020 03:02
|
|
|
Bakanogami posted:Hi, I don't usually come in here, but my Mom's birthday is coming up and she's going a bit stir-crazy in quarantine. She really liked Ticket to Ride, Cataan, and other board games, and I was thinking of sending her something 2-player that she can play with my Dad. Does anyone have any suggestions? Ideally for something not too complicated. Azul isn't strictly 2P but it works well at that player count. Looks great and is really accessible.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2020 03:06
|
|
|
https://mobile.twitter.com/CAHUnion/status/1278047059464138759 CAH is unionising. Good. Everybody unionise.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2020 04:42
|
|
|
Item 1.) Don't gaslight your employees
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2020 04:43
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 5, 2024 07:14 |
|
|
I don't know where they're getting that optimism of the owners doing the right thing, but I wish them all the best.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2020 04:47
|
|
