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sonatinas
Apr 15, 2003

Seattle Karate Vs. L.A. Karate
In my experience, playing the game physically and then going digital to get a quick fix is preferable. When I've done digital first, it has always just made me not play the game, like T&E. It just doesn't feel the same. However, I'm glad there are ports because there are games that I've played physically that I don't have access to any more like Caylus that have good ports for a quick game.

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Mayveena
Dec 27, 2006

People keep vandalizing my ID photo; I've lodged a complaint with HR

FISHMANPET posted:

The whole thing sounds... too perfect? Like, it's this dude who kickstarted a game, and it did really well, and it's balooned into him kickstarting more games, and "publishing" other people's games via kicstarter, and writing a ton about kickstarter as an expert, and even writing a book about kickstarter. Like, what's the flipside? Does he have people chained in his basement?

He's never had a top 10 game and has .01 credibility? I dunno, just writing a bunch doesn't make you an expert. I found all of his games to be mediocre at best, naturally others mmv.

Merauder
Apr 17, 2003

The North Remembers.

sonatinas posted:

In my experience, playing the game physically and then going digital to get a quick fix is preferable. When I've done digital first, it has always just made me not play the game, like T&E. It just doesn't feel the same. However, I'm glad there are ports because there are games that I've played physically that I don't have access to any more like Caylus that have good ports for a quick game.

This happened to me with Carcassone. I've still never played the physical game, only the iOS version, and it bored me to death. Might have been simply because I didn't have the social interaction to go along with it, but I've had no desire to get the actual game on the table after having played digital first.

Impermanent
Apr 1, 2010
TBF if you have already become acquainted with more involved games Carcassonne can get boring. Like 7 Wonders, it has a specific time and place.

Madmarker
Jan 7, 2007

Merauder posted:

This happened to me with Carcassone. I've still never played the physical game, only the iOS version, and it bored me to death. Might have been simply because I didn't have the social interaction to go along with it, but I've had no desire to get the actual game on the table after having played digital first.

Carcassone, for me, was boring as hell and I have only played the physical version.. I don't get the hype with the game at all.

Impermanent posted:

TBF if you have already become acquainted with more involved games Carcassonne can get boring. Like 7 Wonders, it has a specific time and place.

I guess this is the case. I played Carcassone well after I had first played Caylus and Zendo. However, even though the game isn't good I still enjoy Catan on the rare occasion I play it, but Carcassone is just dull.

Jedit
Dec 10, 2011

Proudly supporting vanilla legends 1994-2014

echoMateria posted:

I've only ever played Tigris & Euphrates on tablet, and while it isn't a bad port like some other games got, but it bored the hell out of me on all my tries. Maybe I would have liked it instead if I was able to play the actual version with someone who liked the game instead of the AI opponents. So I'd be vary of recommending digital versions of boardgames to people as samples. They just aren't the same.

Probably not, and if you did it would be their enthusiasm carrying you along. Knizia's games aren't quite as mathy as Power Grid, but they are all very mechanical.

And Carcassonne is boring as hell. If you play with no expansions you rapidly exhaust the game space, if you add expansions the game outstays its welcome. It's a gateway game for entire groups of new gamers, but that's all.

Fat Samurai
Feb 16, 2011

To go quickly is foolish. To go slowly is prudent. Not to go; that is wisdom.

echoMateria posted:

I've only ever played Tigris & Euphrates on tablet, and while it isn't a bad port like some other games got, but it bored the hell out of me on all my tries. Maybe I would have liked it instead if I was able to play the actual version with someone who liked the game instead of the AI opponents. So I'd be vary of recommending digital versions of boardgames to people as samples. They just aren't the same.

I think they are a good way to get a feel for the mechanics of the game. If you already know other boardgames, playing the app will give you a general idea of how the game flows, and whether you will like the physical version. In my experience, no amount of table talk will make you like a game you don't enjoy (negotiation-heavy games excluded).

Hyper Crab Tank
Feb 10, 2014

The 16-bit retro-future of crustacean-based transportation

Madmarker posted:

Carcassone, for me, was boring as hell and I have only played the physical version.. I don't get the hype with the game at all.

I suspect it's because it came out almost 15 years ago, when people were beginning to realize more and more that board games didn't just mean Monopoly. It really hasn't aged well, though. I got tired of it after a half dozen plays, and luckily it doesn't really come out much anymore. There are better things to play.

Hyper Crab Tank fucked around with this message at 20:26 on Dec 15, 2014

Buckwheat Sings
Feb 9, 2005
Kemet is Chaos without the card system and instead replaces it with the pyramid power system. The only thing I don't like about Kemet is how weak white is. Everyone becomes fairly unique by the end but it's not as dynamic as Chaos. Both are great games.

BattleCon: Devastation of Indines is growing on me quite a bit. Getting the box is hiliarously overwhelming but it's honestly not that complicated of a game. What's horrible is their storage system though. Mushing the cards into the character sleeves just doesn't work so I just got a bunch of small bags for everything.

Also what a strange OP. Not listing Twilight Imperium in the 4x category is pretty weird amongst other things. Stating that you haven't played it is a poor reason considering it's supposed to be community recommendation. Like seriously just link SUSD. For all the flake they get here, they're pretty solid.

Madmarker
Jan 7, 2007

Buckwheat Sings posted:

Kemet is Chaos without the card system and instead replaces it with the pyramid power system. The only thing I don't like about Kemet is how weak white is. Everyone becomes fairly unique by the end but it's not as dynamic as Chaos. Both are great games.

What are you talking about White being weak? Priestess is 90% of the time the first tile I buy. The whole purpose of the white tiles is to supercharge your economy so you can buy more of the level 4 tiles of another color. However, whites power level does fluctuate, it is weaker if you are playing an 8 point game rather than a 10 point game. However the game is quick enough in 10 point games that I don't really see the merit in 8 point games.

Rumda
Nov 4, 2009

Moth Lesbian Comrade
Hell getting Crusade and Holy watmeans a lot of the time that you barely need to worry about prayer points. Last game I played I never even got my Blue Pyramid on the table. (Though I did snatch the Ghostly Reinforcements after a player left his city with one troop in it.)

Max
Nov 30, 2002

Getting started on White definitely turns you into a currency powerhouse almost instantly, you just need to know how to use it effectively.

Fenn the Fool!
Oct 24, 2006
woohoo
Buying Slaves day 1 and Priest of Ra day 2 lets you upgrade your other two pyramids from 0 to 4 for 3 ankhs, each. It's pretty ridiculous.

Fungah!
Apr 30, 2011

Tekopo posted:

Guess what Vlaada -related kickstarter stuff I just got in the mail? :q:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygQvB6OjHOU

Fungah!
Apr 30, 2011


what the gently caress

Meme Poker Party
Sep 1, 2006

by Azathoth
The only way I see White being weak in Kemet is if you actually mean only getting White upgrades exclusively because you'd basically have no combat upgrades or creatures.

That would be a bad strategy though. I don't think it's advisable to get 100% of your upgrades in any color.

Madmarker
Jan 7, 2007

Chomp8645 posted:

The only way I see White being weak in Kemet is if you actually mean only getting White upgrades exclusively because you'd basically have no combat upgrades or creatures.

That would be a bad strategy though. I don't think it's advisable to get 100% of your upgrades in any color.

Yeah, you really don't want to ONLY have tiles of 1 color. If for no reason other than you only get 1 buy per turn per color. So if you diversify you gain access to more tiles throughout the game, helping throw the game's balance in your favor. Of course there are exceptions, such as the first turn Hand of God, 2nd turn Divine Will, which will give you more actions throughout the game.

That being said, I don't think that strategy is actually advisable as you forsake quite a few low-level purchases and easy temple victory/prayer points which could have been grabbed by being more proactive in the early game.

Max
Nov 30, 2002

Madmarker posted:

Yeah, you really don't want to ONLY have tiles of 1 color. If for no reason other than you only get 1 buy per turn per color. So if you diversify you gain access to more tiles throughout the game, helping throw the game's balance in your favor. Of course there are exceptions, such as the first turn Hand of God, 2nd turn Divine Will, which will give you more actions throughout the game.

That being said, I don't think that strategy is actually advisable as you forsake quite a few low-level purchases and easy temple victory/prayer points which could have been grabbed by being more proactive in the early game.

HOWEVER, making it look like you're rushing for Divine Will, which causes everyone else to go for it before you, can be a good misdirect.

I love Kemet.

Buckwheat Sings
Feb 9, 2005

Chomp8645 posted:

The only way I see White being weak in Kemet is if you actually mean only getting White upgrades exclusively because you'd basically have no combat upgrades or creatures.

That would be a bad strategy though. I don't think it's advisable to get 100% of your upgrades in any color.

Maybe I need to play it more. Our group basically did this since everyone figured to 'double down' on everything. More of a mix does make more sense.

Tekopo
Oct 24, 2008

When you see it, you'll shit yourself.


Oh hey I just spent an hour stickering and organising everything in the insert, the insert is very nice :3:

Meme Poker Party
Sep 1, 2006

by Azathoth

Buckwheat Sings posted:

Maybe I need to play it more. Our group basically did this since everyone figured to 'double down' on everything. More of a mix does make more sense.

Was it a three player game? I could see a new group of three players looking at the powers and kind of figuring they each focus on one color. My group's first game was five player so doing that was obviously impossible and color picks were all over the place.

But yeah, play with the power combinations and you'll find great combos pretty quick. I'd say it's basically never optimal to focus exclusively on one color. All the colors feel like they have their own strengths and weakness and I think they're balanced pretty well. It's all about the combinations and how you take advantage of what you purchase.

Madmarker
Jan 7, 2007

Buckwheat Sings posted:

Maybe I need to play it more. Our group basically did this since everyone figured to 'double down' on everything. More of a mix does make more sense.

So, one of my preferred strategies, and one I'm sure a lot of other Kemet players have stumbled on, is how potent combining the level 2 tech Crusade is in conjunction with wound causing red tiles.

So for this one I generally go 2 White 1 Red on starting turn. The first tile I buy is crusade, unless someone doesn't have a level 2 white pyramid, at which point I will raise my red tile up to level 2. On my next action, I will buy Crusade (if someone has a level 2 White Pyramid) or Carnage/Offensive Strategy.

On my next turn, I do whatever I can to get the Scorpion, especially if it hasn't been taken already, luckily, now my economic engine is Wound Cards, allowing me to easily gain 4-8 prayer points in a single combat. If you can manage to get the Scorpion, Perfect, you have now won the game as every attack gives you enough prayer points to buy a level 4 tile from here on in. If you can't get the scorpion, take Offensive Strategy (for an extra high wound attack) or Initiative (It won't contribute to your economic engine, but it does essentially tax your opponent 2 prayer points while also giving you +2 in combat.)

Now there has been exactly 1 white tile purchased in this strategy, however it completely warps what tiles we consider good for the rest of the game, as its effects are so powerful. That's what makes the white tiles so good, you don't necessarily need many, generally 1 or 2 at most, and you are set for the rest of the game economically, allowing you to expand your power greatly.

As I mentioned this is an obvious combination, so even though its my favorite, I tend not to play it, as other people will try and move in. Rather I often go for a 1/1/1 pyramid set up, allowing me to grab Priestess, God Speed, Raise the Blue Pyramid to level 2 and then either buy the Elephant or the Snake for a total of 4 prayer points instead of 7. As you can see the priestess just saved me 3 prayer points in my first turn. Its a very subtle bonus but it is incredibly powerful, so in absence of another more dedicated strategy being open that is my typical path.

This means I have movement 3, allowing me to get to almost any non-delta temple on the map without teleporting. Saving me more prayer points on the next turn and allowing me to respond quickly to weakened armies on the board.

Madmarker fucked around with this message at 21:52 on Dec 15, 2014

Some Numbers
Sep 28, 2006

"LET'S GET DOWN TO WORK!!"
I prefer putting my white pyramid on 2 and buy Slaves with my first action. The PP economy that card gives you is incredible.

Granted, I haven't won a game of Kemet yet, but I've only played twice and I was pretty close in the second game. I can confirm that Crusade and Scorpion are great together.

FISHMANPET
Mar 3, 2007

Sweet 'N Sour
Can't
Melt
Steel Beams
my most recent game there were 5 of us and we played to 10 (and decided 10 was too many for 5 players) but the game ended with 3 people at 11 and 1 at 10, and 1 at 9.

Madmarker
Jan 7, 2007

Some Numbers posted:

I prefer putting my white pyramid on 2 and buy Slaves with my first action. The PP economy that card gives you is incredible.

Granted, I haven't won a game of Kemet yet, but I've only played twice and I was pretty close in the second game. I can confirm that Crusade and Scorpion are great together.

Slaves is good, but I have a hard time seeing it as a better first turn purchase than either Crusade or Priestess. Priestess is absolutely amazing, if bought the first turn she will save you anywhere in the neighborhood of 7-9 prayer points over the course of the game, which is absolutely astounding. Slaves has a greater total prayer-point savings, generally in the neighborhood of 9-12, but most of the savings are in the endgame, where, if you have devoted any time to white, you really won't need it and should be flush in prayer points. Then again, I tend only to get 1 or 2 pyramids to 4 in a game, even when flush in prayer points.

FISHMANPET posted:

my most recent game there were 5 of us and we played to 10 (and decided 10 was too many for 5 players) but the game ended with 3 people at 11 and 1 at 10, and 1 at 9.

Really? Whenever I have played the game with people who liked it the only complaint is that they felt it ended to early.

The only people I've played with who didn't like it are my hyper-Eurogamey friends who think all interaction should be done by taking an opponent's place in a worker placement game, none of this Barbaric attacking.

Madmarker fucked around with this message at 22:10 on Dec 15, 2014

Some Numbers
Sep 28, 2006

"LET'S GET DOWN TO WORK!!"
In my last game, I grabbed Slaves, Crusade and Scorpion, I got all four Pyramids to 4 and I was generally almost maxed on prayer points.

The problem I ran into was only having one recruit action each turn.

Madmarker
Jan 7, 2007

Some Numbers posted:

In my last game, I grabbed Slaves, Crusade and Scorpion, I got all four Pyramids to 4 and I was generally almost maxed on prayer points.

The problem I ran into was only having one recruit action each turn.

Thats when you try and grab Divine Will and laugh like a madman. Also reinforcements is a great tile to spend some money on if you are flush in prayers. But I've been in your shoes, thats why I tend to only take 1 or 2 white engine cards, as often that is more than enough.

FISHMANPET
Mar 3, 2007

Sweet 'N Sour
Can't
Melt
Steel Beams
It felt like we spent 1/2 with someone getting to 8, and the second half on getting someone to 10. And it was very close at the end as 4/5 of us had gotten past the goal post. There was so much going back and forth capturing temples and temporary victory points, we all felt it would have been nicer to play 2 games to 8 rather than 1 game to 10.

Some Numbers
Sep 28, 2006

"LET'S GET DOWN TO WORK!!"

Madmarker posted:

Thats when you try and grab Divine Will and laugh like a madman. Also reinforcements is a great tile to spend some money on if you are flush in prayers. But I've been in your shoes, thats why I tend to only take 1 or 2 white engine cards, as often that is more than enough.

I didn't get my blue pyramid up until late. Someone else had already grabbed Divine Will and it was too late for Reinforcements to do much work.

Fungah!
Apr 30, 2011

Tekopo posted:

Oh hey I just spent an hour stickering and organising everything in the insert, the insert is very nice :3:

I will brutally destroy you (at the board game of your choosing)

Madmarker
Jan 7, 2007

Some Numbers posted:

I didn't get my blue pyramid up until late. Someone else had already grabbed Divine Will and it was too late for Reinforcements to do much work.

Yeah, believe me I understand, no strategy is perfect in the game. The red/blue strategies run out of prayer points and end up stalling out, the blue/white strategies often have to work a lot harder to win in combat against base Red/Blue and White/Red strategies. And White/Red runs out of things to spend prayer on, and ends up congested in its actions. The even spread tends to be decent in everything but often gets the left over payoff cards, and none of the flashier ones, like initiative, Priest of Ra or Divine Will.

Pierzak
Oct 30, 2010

Fungah! posted:

I will brutally destroy you (at the board game of your choosing)
Blitz Campaign for North Africa, 5 minute turns.

Strange Charm
Apr 6, 2008

A Kemet white primary strategy that's gotten me a win two times and second place once was level 2 white/1 red pyramids. The first turn is unimpressive, but it buys you a lot of leeway for the rest of the game:

0. Begin with 5 Prayer points, get 2 the first night (7 PP).
1. Pray (9 PP)
2. Pray more (11 PP)
3. Raise white pyramid to level 4 (4PP)
4. Buy Priest of Amon (the one that gives you +5 PP every night; 0 PP)
5. Put action token on whichever top-level action you like because you're not doing poo poo with it.

The next turn you start with 7 PP and are immediately in a position to buy a second level 4 white power tile. I'm a cheapskate so this has usually been Priest of Ra, but the Mummy helped me win at least once. Madmarker is right that you will have a lot of prayer points; this start shapes your strategy, as for the rest of the game you will have great motivation to spend big. With this in mind I've never run into any serious action congestion. I've often had a couple of PP left at the end of a turn, but really never so much that I was losing them by having them overfill my meter. Not caring about temples early-game except as hunting grounds helps here as well.

On the following turns, focus on building up your red pyramid and snatching up some of the red power tiles (Charge if it wasn't bought out turn 1; Blades of Neith; Divine Wound if you took the Mummy). An alternative strategy might be white 2/blue 1, same start, with the goal of trying for the Desert Snake and/or Legion. I've never tried this because one of my usual co-players compulsively buys blue tiles, like I'm not sure he can even stop himself, buying 6–8 blue tiles per game. If you have a player like that, go red, buy the Phoenix and poach his blue pyramid for those sweet blue upgrades I guess?

Sorry to go on about Kemet, but I love this game so much and I love discussing and experimenting with different starting strategies.

Jedit
Dec 10, 2011

Proudly supporting vanilla legends 1994-2014

Some Numbers posted:

In my last game, I grabbed Slaves, Crusade and Scorpion, I got all four Pyramids to 4 and I was generally almost maxed on prayer points.

The problem I ran into was only having one recruit action each turn.

All four pyramids, huh? :rolleyes:


socilest butthomo posted:

A Kemet white primary strategy that's gotten me a win two times and second place once was level 2 white/1 red pyramids. The first turn is unimpressive, but it buys you a lot of leeway for the rest of the game:

0. Begin with 5 Prayer points, get 2 the first night (7 PP).
1. Pray (9 PP)
2. Pray more (11 PP)
3. Raise white pyramid to level 4 (4PP)
4. Buy Priest of Amon (the one that gives you +5 PP every night; 0 PP)
5. Put action token on whichever top-level action you like because you're not doing poo poo with it.

The next turn you start with 7 PP and are immediately in a position to buy a second level 4 white power tile. I'm a cheapskate so this has usually been Priest of Ra, but the Mummy helped me win at least once. Madmarker is right that you will have a lot of prayer points; this start shapes your strategy, as for the rest of the game you will have great motivation to spend big. With this in mind I've never run into any serious action congestion. I've often had a couple of PP left at the end of a turn, but really never so much that I was losing them by having them overfill my meter. Not caring about temples early-game except as hunting grounds helps here as well.

On the following turns, focus on building up your red pyramid and snatching up some of the red power tiles (Charge if it wasn't bought out turn 1; Blades of Neith; Divine Wound if you took the Mummy). An alternative strategy might be white 2/blue 1, same start, with the goal of trying for the Desert Snake and/or Legion. I've never tried this because one of my usual co-players compulsively buys blue tiles, like I'm not sure he can even stop himself, buying 6–8 blue tiles per game. If you have a player like that, go red, buy the Phoenix and poach his blue pyramid for those sweet blue upgrades I guess?

Sorry to go on about Kemet, but I love this game so much and I love discussing and experimenting with different starting strategies.

Buying Priest of Ra and Priest of Amon is usually a waste in W2R1. Allowing for recalls you can make more PPs than you can spend, discounting by 1 is almost meaningless. It's better in W2U1, where your aim is to make yourself a very bad target with Defensive Victory and Prescience. You lock down two temples (or exploit the Sanctuary in 3/5 player games) and recall only if you lose troops in combat.

My preferred W2R1 strategy is Pray x2, Raise W4, Priest of Ra. Often the Red players will buy up Charges - a deep Red player may have taken the Beetle - and you'll be able to get Stargate for free. At that point you have free Teleports, so your fifth action is Move to one of the centre temples. If you get forestalled, you can still usually buy Charge and Move an army into the area outside your city to threaten the nearby temple or God Speed to move directly into the temple.

Some Numbers
Sep 28, 2006

"LET'S GET DOWN TO WORK!!"

Jedit posted:

All four pyramids, huh? :rolleyes:

Yeah, didn't you know about the super secret American pyramid? If you get all three pyramids to level 4, you get a fourth pyramid that's worth 3 points at level 4. It's pretty great.

Bubble-T
Dec 26, 2004

You know, I've got a funny feeling I've seen this all before.

Tekopo posted:

Guess what Vlaada -related kickstarter stuff I just got in the mail? :q:

I ordered this and two other games that were supposed to ship October-November but all those port delays mean they're probably all going to arrive while I'm away over Christmas :(

Poopy Palpy
Jun 10, 2000

Im da fwiggin Poopy Palpy XD

Jedit posted:

All four pyramids, huh? :rolleyes:

There must be somebody playtesting Ta-Seti.

Merauder
Apr 17, 2003

The North Remembers.
Sooo Descent: Star Wars Ed. Star Wars: Imperial Assault came out today (though it seems it is just shipping today and will be in stores in the next day or two). Anyone who has attended the recent big shows have a chance to actually play through a demo of this? I mean, It's pretty much a shut up and take my money kind of product for me anyway, but I'm just curious if there's any early opinions out there.

malkav11
Aug 7, 2009

Bubble-T posted:

I ordered this and two other games that were supposed to ship October-November but all those port delays mean they're probably all going to arrive while I'm away over Christmas :(

It's truly astonishing how many of my Kickstarters seem to be hitting a point where they'll probably arrive during the one week in the next six months where I won't be home.

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Big McHuge
Feb 5, 2014

You wait for the war to happen like vultures.
If you want to help, prevent the war.
Don't save the remnants.

Save them all.
So this week I've decided to take on a challenge. Recently, I had a chance to play the X-Wing miniatures game. I was a bit underwhelmed, and I couldn't exactly describe why. For some reason it just didn't have that certain something that I was looking for. I'm not willing to dismiss it outright, since a friend was teaching he gave me a predetermined group of ships and pilots and I think that some of the fun of the game is constructing that sort of stuff on your own.

In what would seem like completely unrelated news, some friends of mine ended up with 3 copies of the new D&D Attack Wing game for the holidays. They're going to return one copy and keep the other two, and they also have a very nice selection of the ground units and expansion packs. I was watching them play last week and it looked alright, but then it hit me.

TIE FIGHTERS VS DRAGONS

I mean, why *wouldn't* you try to combine these things? So, I'm going to borrow spare copies of both rulebooks and attempt to figure out a way to mesh the two games.

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