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While I absolutely love this game, I can't think of many things more dull than watching a live stream of an entire playthrough.
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May 5, 2017 09:12
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nimby posted:While I absolutely love this game, I can't think of many things more dull than watching a live stream of an entire playthrough.  I played a game of TI a few weeks back. I got second, I always get second or third 
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May 5, 2017 19:28
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I'm in Warminster, PA. Anyone in my area playing TI? I'm jonesing for a game, since it's approaching a year since my last one. Otherwise, I have the base game, and I'm looking for the expansions to purchase.
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Jun 13, 2017 00:19
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Nitis posted:I'm in Warminster, PA. I'm in North Jersey and we seem to run a game every 2-3 months or so and we just played what seemed like a lightning fast game in 5 hours with 6 people on memorial day.
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Jun 13, 2017 12:23
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White Chocolate posted:I'm in North Jersey and we seem to run a game every 2-3 months or so and we just played what seemed like a lightning fast game in 5 hours with 6 people on memorial day. Cool. Next time you're putting a game together, let me know. rhapscallion at gmail dot com
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Jun 13, 2017 23:31
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I have a chance to buy an expansion to this but can only afford one of them at the moment. Which would be the better choice? From what I've read it seems Shattered seems the one I'm leaning toward.
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Jun 26, 2017 02:58
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Does anyone know about Shattered Ascension and if it is a pile of garbage or not? I'm going to be playing Twilight Imperium at some point in the next month or so. I saw this thing on Tabletop Simulator as a fan-made rule set, but haven't heard of it ever before which leads me to believe it isn't even worth looking at.
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Jun 26, 2017 05:19
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Shattered is the first expansion and the near-mandatory one. Shards adds fun stuff, but Shattered introduces more balanced strategy cards and ways to punish fighter-heavy fleets. I never played Shattered Ascension, but it was a fan ruleset made between the expansions. Dunno how it compares to Shards.
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Jun 26, 2017 10:07
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I only have shattered and it is good poo poo. Thankfully my friend has the other expansion so we're good for that.
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Jun 26, 2017 12:41
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*puts the High Alert token on this thread* https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1827878/fourth-edition-happening
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Aug 11, 2017 15:09
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I'm honestly not even sure what my ~dream mechanics~ would be in a 4th edition. My friends and I are having our 4th session next Saturday and I can't think of anything I'd like to add or subtract. The caveat being, I guess, that we only use specific political cards, have removed some of the action cards and are using Imperial 2 (even though I only have the base game) Will 4 just be...more? Bigger? What are y'all's dream changes? The only thing that comes to mind for me would be tuning to make it so that you genuinely, truly don't *need* to fight in order to win enough points--so maybe introduce a better leader system and then a mission system ala Rebellion Waffles Inc. fucked around with this message at 15:29 on Aug 11, 2017 |
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Aug 11, 2017 15:27
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Totally spitballing here but... ...Twilight Imperium Legacy. Or Twilight Imperium, the Cooperative "everyone versus the Lazax Empire" Scenario. And the Lazax Empire is run with an app, Mansions of Madness 2e style.
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Aug 11, 2017 16:03
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This is the third time I think we've had an alarm about a new edition I'm not sure on the specifics on what I'd like to see changed (hopefully it would be much more than just tidying up the things that are mostly house rules now). Maybe the StarCraft/forbidden suns order system could be good, it seems like it would interact well with the current activation system. Combat needs an overhaul, and forbidden stars did that really well too but it's a bit too involved. More emphasis on things beyond combat would be very welcome
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Aug 11, 2017 16:06
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1) Trimming down the decks (this is inevitable anyway) - All the decks are bloated and crufty when you have all two expansions. 2) Balance changes. A lot of races are just kind of sad, while others (loving Yssaril) are thoroughbred bullshit. 3) The political system has never really accomplished it's goal, that being to create wheeling, dealing, and politicking at the table. The second expansion seemed to make this even worse with representatives. 4) Do something to make it play a bit faster. I dunno what, but right now the game is too long to comfortably play in a single evening, even if nobody has to get up particularly early in the morning. Geisladisk fucked around with this message at 16:41 on Aug 11, 2017 |
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Aug 11, 2017 16:37
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Yoshimo posted:Totally spitballing here but... A legacy system would be absolutely goddamn incredible
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Aug 11, 2017 16:47
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 https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2017/8/11/twilight-imperium-fourth-edition/
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Aug 11, 2017 17:02
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Ok so looks like they cleaned up a lot of stuff; seems pretty nice, especially the new ships and new techs
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Aug 11, 2017 17:12
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Yoshimo posted:
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Aug 11, 2017 17:13
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Summary of changes: These changes include but are not limited to: Trade - Trade contracts do not exist in Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition. Instead, commodities are traded between factions who have ships in adjacent systems. Every time the trade strategy card is used, its primary ability allows a faction to “refresh” their commodities. Then, that faction may choose to let any other factions refresh their commodities for free. Other factions may then use trade’s secondary ability to spend a token from their strategy pool to refresh their commodities. Commodities do nothing on their own, but become traditional trade goods when given to another faction. Technology - Twilight Imperium Third Edition featured elaborate tech trees as a pathway to powerful technologies. The process of researching technology has been streamlined, as there are no longer specific technologies that are prerequisites for other advancements in Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition. Instead, certain types of technology are used as prerequisites—a new tech may require three Biotic Technologies, or two Warfare and a Cybernetic Technology, making prerequisites easy to track. PDS Units and Space Docks - Previously, PDS units and Space Docks were constructed like any other unit, requiring a resource cost and an activation token to place on a planet. Now, PDS Units and Space Docks are created with the Construction strategy card, which allows a player to place either two PDS units on planets you control, or a PDS and a Space Dock on planets you control. The secondary ability allows a player to spend a token from their strategy pool to place a PDS or Space Dock on one of their planets. Politics - Previously, in Third Edition, the politics phase began with the primary ability of the Politics strategy card. Now the agenda phase occurs at the end of every round after Mecatol Rex has been claimed. Players get to refresh all their planets for the agenda phase, meaning they don’t have to split their planets for use between resources and influence. Like Third Edition, agenda cards are used to pass new laws in the galaxy, flipped from the top of the deck. After one law is voted on, a second card is flipped and another round of voting occurs. Planets are refreshed again after the agenda phase ends. Imperial Strategy Card - Previously, the Imperial strategy card’s primary ability allowed for the user to receive two victory points. Now, the card’s primary ability allows a player to receive one victory point if they control Mecatol Rex or receive an additional Secret Objective. This Imperial strategy card is more flexible but still provides a pacing element, and can be used as a powerful tool if selected at the right time.
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Aug 11, 2017 17:28
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Shut Up and Sit Down posted a thing that probably has more info as they've been documenting the development https://www.shutupandsitdown.com/videos/announcing-our-twilight-imperium-4th-edition-mini-doc/
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Aug 11, 2017 17:37
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I love the PDS/Space Dock and Politics changes
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Aug 11, 2017 18:00
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I'll be getting it but my hopes are that they balance the factions and reduce the playtime without hitting the scope of the game. Taking the political power accounting out from the main phase should help. I like the tech tree change since it opens up the possibility of a lot of different builds.
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Aug 11, 2017 19:23
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Kore_Fero posted:I'll be getting it but my hopes are that they balance the factions and reduce the playtime without hitting the scope of the game. Taking the political power accounting out from the main phase should help. I like the tech tree change since it opens up the possibility of a lot of different builds. There is no sign it's been streamlined and adding two mandatory political phases per round sounds like it will only make it longer
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Aug 11, 2017 19:25
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So far it seems like they're not changing enough, IMO.
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Aug 11, 2017 21:41
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If they're making this, it'll mean at least a couple expansions too, which wouldn't be compatible with 3, so I'm definitely in
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Aug 11, 2017 22:12
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Kore_Fero posted:I'll be getting it but my hopes are that they balance the factions and reduce the playtime without hitting the scope of the game. Taking the political power accounting out from the main phase should help. I like the tech tree change since it opens up the possibility of a lot of different builds. I'm really surprised that every race from TI3 is in the base game now. Even the nekro virus, it's pretty impressive. And that the Flagships are in at the start! What I really want them to do is make victory points less abstract. I really think that's what makes the games take absolutely loving forever. Everyone wants to get technology and build their ships and stuff and usually it's totally meaningless and they're wasting their time, but they do it anyway. Make that part of how you win! It does look like most stuff is the same though. In the picture they have of a race sheet it's got the same stats for a Dread although I guess it does show them upgrading it. Taear fucked around with this message at 09:48 on Aug 12, 2017 |
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Aug 12, 2017 09:31
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Taear posted:
That issue relies on nobody in the group spotting that you win by getting victory points which generally will only happen in the first half of a game played by very new players. After that it just becomes moving to gain as many points per round as possible and anything outside of that is abandoned of it gets in the way
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Aug 12, 2017 09:51
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Mojo Jojo posted:That issue relies on nobody in the group spotting that you win by getting victory points which generally will only happen in the first half of a game played by very new players. After that it just becomes moving to gain as many points per round as possible and anything outside of that is abandoned of it gets in the way I don't agree. With my friends group even though everyone knows how the victory points works they'd still build up JUST IN CASE because the people next to them are building up so what if they attack? Or maybe their mission is to take the person's home world? I'd like a few missions that always earn points but encourage natural play.
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Aug 12, 2017 13:30
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Taear posted:I don't agree. It seems like everyone* wants TI3 to be a geopolitics-in-space game, and this is literally what that is. You pursue your own objectives, but you don't know your opponents' intentions, so you build poo poo to kill them/keep them from killing you. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realism_(international_relations) *Of course that's probably not you, is it? Judgy Fucker fucked around with this message at 14:15 on Aug 12, 2017 |
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Aug 12, 2017 14:13
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TipTow posted:It seems like everyone* wants TI3 to be a geopolitics-in-space game, and this is literally what that is. You pursue your own objectives, but you don't know your opponents' intentions, so you build poo poo to kill them/keep them from killing you. The worst part of using your fleet is that it is now out of position to scare off your other neighbour.
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Aug 12, 2017 14:36
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What I'm hoping for is one of those Conversion Kits like the ones that were sold to upgrade War of the Ring or Descent to the newer edition. Because as someone who owns everything there is to own for TI3, it's hard to justify another $100+ for so many duplicated components. But $20-30 to be able to use my existing material with the new rules? That I'd consider.
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Aug 13, 2017 17:26
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jng2058 posted:What I'm hoping for is one of those Conversion Kits like the ones that were sold to upgrade War of the Ring or Descent to the newer edition. Because as someone who owns everything there is to own for TI3, it's hard to justify another $100+ for so many duplicated components. But $20-30 to be able to use my existing material with the new rules? That I'd consider. I doubt it will happen but yes a "no minis" box would be fantastic
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Aug 13, 2017 18:05
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So, before the new version comes out, I guess I'd better type up my TI3 Bucket List. I've played maybe...7-8 games of TI3 now, and I've never done/used any of the following: 7-8 players (probably dodging a bullet here.) The "Long War" (14 VPs! Who the hell has time for this?) Distant Suns (they just...seem to make the game longer?) Leaders (it just seems like more to explain to new players) Sabotage Runs (just, silly.) ANY of the Variant Strategy Cards, with the exception of Imperial II for the most recent game. (the previous 6-7 games I've had access to it, and foolishly never included it.) The Variant "warlike" objectives (most of the players have been fine with the level of conflict in the game already.) Artifacts (see Leaders) Space Mines (!) The Wormhole Nexus (straight up just plain forgot every time, seems straightforward) Facilities (generally speaking nobody's really complained about a lack of resources so far) Custodians of Mecatol Rex (generally in a bid to save time) Voice of the Council (because, wtf) Simulated Early Turns (because i'm a sadist and goddamn you you will take an hour to capture all those empty planets, Brian!) The Final Frontier (see Distant Suns) Mercenaries (see Variant Strategy Cards...) Political Intrigue (this almost seems like an extra game inside a game.) Fall of the Empire (I REALLY want to try this! It kind of reminds me of Fortress America. Fortress Mecatol Rex?) So, fellow TI3ians, what should I be ashamed about not having tried so far, so I can rectify it in the next game? And what am I not really missing..?
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Aug 13, 2017 21:08
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Yoshimo posted:So, fellow TI3ians, what should I be ashamed about not having tried so far, so I can rectify it in the next game? And what am I not really missing..? Honestly, you're not missing all *that* much, though I and my group do like most of the variant strategy cards more than the originals. You do have to be careful mixing-and-matching them. We typically (though not always) go with this rundown: Initiative (have used Leadership before) Diplomacy II (more useful than Diplo I, helps with early expansion) Political Logistics (use Production if using Leadership) Trade II (in a 4-or-less-player game, is significantly more valuable than Trade I as it puts a real premium on selecting it what with the penalty for other players; A wash with 5 or more) Warfare II (In terms of using it for actual warfare, significantly better than Warfare I) Technology II (Greatly speeds up tech acquisition--whether that's desirable or not is up to you. If not, use Tech I) Imperial II (never played Bureaucracy) We also play with artifacts and wormhole nexus every time--neither is complicated, but neither really "makes" the game or anything. Have tried leaders before, and eh, whatever.
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Aug 13, 2017 21:41
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Our crew plays with many of the game options. We use Distant Suns, Final Frontiers, Custodians of Mecatol Rex, and Artifacts because empty space is boring. We know it can unbalance things, though. To compensate for the lengthening these options add to the game, and to mitigate the damage an early bad DS/FF draw can inflict, we also always play with Simulated Early Turns. We technically use Space Mines, Facilities, and Mercenaries but almost no one ever remembers to buy the drat things. Mines and Mercs are pretty disposable. Facilities can be really critical to sustaining an empire that gets trapped between larger competitors and has nowhere to expand to, so I do recommend them even if our group often forgets. As for the rest? We've never been mad enough to play Long War. Hell, we rarely actually complete a standard 10vp game! Leaders we tried early on but discarded them as being too fiddly for the benefit they give. Likewise the whole Diplomat/Assassin/Bodyguard game is too much buck, not enough bang. I have always wanted to try the Fall of the Empire, even though every one who's played it tells me it's hideously imbalanced.  e: Oh, and I did play an eight player game of TI at GenCon one year. It was a double slot, eight hour game. We played through 2 1/2 turns. Never again! 
jng2058 fucked around with this message at 22:12 on Aug 13, 2017 |
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Aug 13, 2017 22:06
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Yoshimo posted:So, before the new version comes out, I guess I'd better type up my TI3 Bucket List. Here's my take. I like my TI to be Model UN with space cats, just to let you know. So if you lean more towards a war game style, this may not appeal as much. Don't use these: 7+ players I did one 8 player game once. I think we called it at hour 16. It's not a bad rule set, it's just MORE. Long War Pretty easy pass. I'd only reconsider if I had a) a table of only veterans that b) didn't spend much time doing politicking and c) really wanted to. Leaders Leaders aren't bad, per se, but they're fiddly and tend to be one of those things that people stop paying attention to. Take it or leave it. Sabotage Runs Because it's the Death Star! Get it! Get it! The problem is a) sabotage runs have something like a .5% chance of success and b) even if they do, they feel awful because the War Sun just got gacked by a fighter. Don't increase feel bads. Facilities Garbage that clutters your tableau and requires so much durdling to get a marginal benefit from. Hard pass. Voice of the Council I've used this. I honestly don't remember what it does. Simulated Early Turns Never used it, I like the early game for building up relationships and because I use Distant Suns and Final Frontier sometimes. Mercenaries Used them once. they're not bad but they're not what I want in TI. Aside: I've always presumed that a fighter meant a division of fighters, a Ground Force armies that occupy whole continents. Mercenaries, even if they have backup, don't make sense at the scale of TI. Maybe they were part of an aborted smaller game in the same universe. Fall of the Empire Never played this one myself, can't give an opinion. But give these a try: Distant Suns and Final Frontier I really like Final Frontier because it adds some value to arriving in an empty tile. Distant Suns is swingier because, obviously, you're already getting a planet. There's some rules on Board Game Geek (don't have them handy but can dig them up if you want) that split them into High-Risk and Low-Risk and have rules for how to distribute them. Use that ruleset, it's at least worth trying out. Artifacts I like Artifacts, because they give things to fight over, if you really want to, go find the rules that attach bonuses to them other than a victory point. One of my best games ended with me seizing the Lazax Armory from the player that had been my ally all game. Space Mines Space Mines give cruisers something to do and reduce the value of fighter screens, I like them. Wormhole Nexus Use EITHER the Wormhole Nexus OR the Ghosts of Creuss. Never both. Make it clear to a player picking the Ghosts that if they're in the game the Nexus is not. I like the Nexus because it makes Wormholes less likely to be usless, but I also think the Ghosts are rad as hell. Custodians of Mecatol Rex Absolutely use these. Prevents rushing Rex with two assholes in a tiny rocket and sometimes makes taking it surprisingly tense for whoever does choose to go in. Political Intrigue I like Political Intirgue but it can get complicated. I think my table used a fair amount of homebrew last time. At the very least, the Nekro Virus has a diplomat who is just a bomb. Like, they give this guy the mic at the UN and he just starts counting back from 10. gently caress the Nekro Virus.
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Aug 14, 2017 20:47
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TipTow posted:It seems like everyone* wants TI3 to be a geopolitics-in-space game, and this is literally what that is. You pursue your own objectives, but you don't know your opponents' intentions, so you build poo poo to kill them/keep them from killing you. It is me, but that's what makes it take forever. You know - cool in theory but horrible in practice. I'd say the same about Distant Suns because losing an army to an event on a world is a proper pain in the arse. The rules are up! There are some interesting changes. Including Custodians becoming just part of the base game. Definitely no distant suns though. Taear fucked around with this message at 22:56 on Aug 15, 2017 |
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Aug 15, 2017 16:27
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Rules are out: https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2017/8/15/the-age-of-twilight/
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Aug 16, 2017 07:27
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I'm tempted to buy it just for the rules reference alone. TI was desperately in need of better organized rules.
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Aug 16, 2017 11:16
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jng2058 posted:
I tried it with I think six players a few months back. It was not great. I got stuck as the loyalist, so the whole game for me was waiting for someone to try to make a move on Mecatol Rex. We gave out alliance tokens to improve the odds even further. That caused a big ol anticlimax and it ended in a four way victory. The other two players had goals that required fighting the Lazax, and they never had a chance.
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Aug 16, 2017 14:11
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