Board & Card Games

Text-only Version: Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.



Digi
There's a really old board games thread (like, 2004), but it deserves a full revamp.

I've recently rediscovered board and card gaming, through a group of friends that enjoy playing all kinds of things. I grew up on classic strategy games (Stratego, Risk, Axis & Allies, etc.) but my experience in the last decade has consisted mostly of Apples to Apples and Cards Against Humanity. Those are fun party games, but there's a TON of variety out there in gaming. My knowledge of games mostly consisted of the games aisle in Toys R Us, but there's so much more out there, including awesome stuff for adults, families, parties, or hardcore gamers.

Topics:
- What are your favorite games?

- Why are they your favorite games? What play styles or aspects draw you to them?

- What games would you like to play that you've heard about?

Resources:
It's really just one resource, but it's an amazing one: Board Game Geek (BGG for short) is a ridiculously comprehensive website for this stuff. Rules, synopses, suggestions, reviews, discussion, an Ebay-like marketplace for exchanging games, etc.
http://boardgamegeek.com/

Games I Own:
- X-Men Alert
Not too complex, and occasionally imbalanced (Prof. X is terrible unless you're lucky as sh*t), but still a really fun time.

- Super Munchkin
Chaotic, backstabbing, hilarious fun. This is one of several Munchkin variations.

- Key to the Kingdom
Kind of a kid's game. But it's easy to learn, has an interesting board, and is great when there's a mix of kids and adults.

- Stratego
Classic strategy game. Good times.

- Risk & Castle Risk
Everyone knows Risk, but Castle Risk is its bastard cousin. It's on a European map and introduces a few new game mechanics. Never caught on, but I enjoy it.

- 221B Baker Street: Master Detective Game
I just bought this and haven't played it. I'm excited though.

- Apples to Apples
A fun, simple game, but I've grown tired of it.

- Chess
- Othello

Games I Love:
- One Night Ultimate Werewolf
Half deduction game, half people-reading and bluffing. Short, exciting, stimulating, and fun.

- Lords of Waterdeep
Besides being into Forgotten Realms, this is a fun strategy game that has a great balance between luck/strategy and in its learning curve.

- Cards Against Humanity
I put this one here with some reservations, because I've kinda grown tired of playing it. That said, it's a wonderful party game, provided no one in attendance is either too young or easily offended.

Games I Want:
- Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
I've heard nothing but excellent things off of BGG. I also need good 2-player games for my gf and I.

- Mr. Jack
Similar to Sherlock, this should be a good 2-player game.

- Love Letter
Simple, cheap, and it seems interesting.

- Others I'm Looking Into: Oddville, Mice & Mystics, War of the Ring, Caylus, 7 Wonders

Others I've Played:
- Betrayal at House on the Hill
Decent horror premise, but lacking direction in the 1st phase of the game, and can be imbalanced depending on which "betrayal" you get in Phase 2.

- Dominion: Dark Ages
Like Munchkin, this is one of several versions. I enjoyed this one, and it's a moderately complex deck-building game, but it didn't capture me in the same way as some of the others. It also tends to heavily favor experienced players due to the complexity.

Notes:
I tend to enjoy games that give me more control over them. Luck is always present, but I need to feel as though my strategy has a tangible impact on the outcome.

Second, having a story or persona to inhabit helps. Munchkin vs. Dominion is a great example. Dominion is a more complex and more balanced strategy game. But I'm a faceless deck of cards, accumulating other cards, to try and get more of a certain type of card. In Super Munchkin, I'm a wacky super hero fighting weird villains and backstabbing or allying with my friends. It's easier to become invested, despite the game itself being more arbitrary.

...

Feel free to add your own favorites, wish lists, stories, etc.

Lek Kuen
I love board and card games but have no one to play them with as an adult, and there aren't many places nearby to play with strangers. So currently play none except occasional digital versions.

I do have King of Tokyo to play with the kids in my house though

Digi
I should mention that I also did some 3rd Edition D&D back in the day, but it was VERY short-lived. Most of my RPing has been in video games.

Originally posted by Lek Kuen
I love board and card games but have no one to play them with as an adult, and there aren't many places nearby to play with strangers. So currently play none except occasional digital versions.

I do have King of Tokyo to play with the kids in my house though

thumb up Finding a group is hard. It's probably the main thing that keeps people from finding this stuff and playing more.

Lord Lucien
No Catan?

Digi
Originally posted by Lord Lucien
No Catan?

Not currently, no. I played it a couple times years ago when I was a teenager, but not to the extent that I feel like I could comment on it. One of my friends that's in the gaming group I've been hanging out with has Star Trek Catan. I'll probably press us into playing it at some point. We have a small queue of games to get to at some point, and that's definitely one of them.

NemeBro
What a bunch of nerds.

Digi
Originally posted by NemeBro
What a bunch of nerds.

I'm going to ignore your comment, but quote it for the sake of discussing something worthwhile that it touches on.

I've seen comic store game nights where some of the stereotypes likely apply. All-male, unhygienic, socially reclusive, etc. Some of that is unfair, but occasionally it applies. But by the same token, games can be socially galvanizing. Mondays used to be one of my dance nights, but our venue(s) have fallen through. As a result, our game night has formed, and it's become an unofficial date night for a lot of us as well.

Video games couldn't do that. Comics certainly couldn't. If you're not athletically inclined (dancing, intramural sports teams, etc.), there are worse routes, especially if you're looking for a fun way to spend a night in with family, a date, friends, etc. It's too new to call it a hobby of mine, but I'm also thrilled to be discovering it.

riv6672
We always have a chess board set up in the house, so at least one game a day gets played by any two of us.
Not sure that counts as a board game.
We like playing Bass Ackwards lately. Fun game.

My family has NEVER finished a whole game of Monopoly...stick out tongue

Fun thread.

NemeBro
Originally posted by Digi
I'm going to ignore your comment, but quote it for the sake of discussing something worthwhile that it touches on.

I've seen comic store game nights where some of the stereotypes likely apply. All-male, unhygienic, socially reclusive, etc. Some of that is unfair, but occasionally it applies. But by the same token, games can be socially galvanizing. Mondays used to be one of my dance nights, but our venue(s) have fallen through. As a result, our game night has formed, and it's become an unofficial date night for a lot of us as well.

Video games couldn't do that. Comics certainly couldn't. If you're not athletically inclined (dancing, intramural sports teams, etc.), there are worse routes, especially if you're looking for a fun way to spend a night in with family, a date, friends, etc. It's too new to call it a hobby of mine, but I'm also thrilled to be discovering it. Calm down man, I play ****ing tabletop games. The only nerds I can look down upon are filthy LARPers.

BackFire
I was really into Magic the Gathering a couple years ago. That's a great and strategic card game.

Similar is Hearthstone, which I currently play quite a bit. A "free to play" digital card game similar to Magic but based in Warcraft lore. Lot of fun.

Star428
If you like card games and but have no one to play with then I highly recommend Duels of the Planeswalkers: Magic 2013. You can get it on PS3, XBOX 360, and PC. It's an extremely fun strategy game in which you are a powerful being (a planeswalker) who can travel between many different planes of existence. You can also cast powerful magical spells. You build your deck how you want it according to what kind of strategy you want to employ.

After you've built your deck how you like can go online and duel other planeswalkers (human players from around the world) in a fight to the death. Besides casting powerful spells you can also summon many different kinds of creatures to fight for you. You can enable combat animations to get the feel of the creatures fighting each other.

There are many different decks to choose from when building a deck. There's also no restriction on the number of decks you can build but you can only use one at a time. The decks are based on the 5 colors of mana in Magic. Red, blue, green, white, and black. Each color has different kinds of spells and creatures. Red, for example, is what I call "fire magic" (probably my favorite) and it uses cards like lighting bolts, earthquakes, blazes, and many others and creatures which have "haste" like goblins, phoenix's, inferno titans, etc... Blue specializes in counter magic, milling, and blue flying creatures. White uses noble creatures like Angels, soldiers, and creatures that gain you life. Green specializes in either elves and/or in huge creatures and a lot of them have "trample" (meaning even if they're blocked they will still damage your opponent). Finally, black (usually most popular) uses creatures like vampires, demons, ghouls, etc and typically uses spells that bring creatures back from the dead, causes opponent to discard cards (mind rot spell, for ex.), or murders your opponents creatures. There is tons of strategy in how you build your deck and there is lots of both tactical and strategical elements in the duels themselves. You can also play the single player campaign.


I use to play Stratego (chess too) a lot. Very fun game. So is Risk.

Star428
I forgot to mention that Magic 2013 is cheap too. You can get it for about $10 on PSN. Of course, I bought all the expansions and the foil cards too which was about $10 or $20 more. It's crazy how much replayability and fun I've gotten out of such a cheap PS3 game.

Digi
Originally posted by NemeBro
Calm down man, I play ****ing tabletop games. The only nerds I can look down upon are filthy LARPers.

I wasn't upset; I know how you operate. It's all good. I just wanted to say what I did.

Originally posted by riv6672
My family has NEVER finished a whole game of Monopoly...stick out tongue

I don't think anyone ever has. With games like that, you set a time limit or you die of old age.

Originally posted by BackFire
I was really into Magic the Gathering a couple years ago. That's a great and strategic card game.

Similar is Hearthstone, which I currently play quite a bit. A "free to play" digital card game similar to Magic but based in Warcraft lore. Lot of fun.

I still have a lot of friends from my WoW days, so I'm somewhat familiar with Hearthstone. Never got into it, though.

Originally posted by Star428
I forgot to mention that Magic 2013 is cheap too. You can get it for about $10 on PSN. Of course, I bought all the expansions and the foil cards too which was about $10 or $20 more. It's crazy how much replayability and fun I've gotten out of such a cheap PS3 game.

I had a starter deck back in high school, so I at least know how Magic is played. The deck-building stuff never really appealed to me, but it obviously has a lot of mass appeal. I know a guy who makes more buying and reselling Magic cards than he does in his day job. Crazy stuff.

jinXed by JaNx
I think Chess will always be the best However along the way I can think of a few other great ones.
As a kid my all time favorite board game was Fire Ball Island. I also remember Splat and this one weird trap game. It took forever to set up and took place in a mansion there were a bunch of traps you had to avoid.

Through out my teens I always liked Hero Quest, Dragon Strike, Axis of Evil

Cranium is cool too but I think the best new board game is Apples to Apples.

Digi
So I made a list on BGG, stopped by a local gaming shop to see their selection, and also to see when they have game nights and tournaments. I also scoured BGG for good print-and-play games - those that are free to play and downloadable. I have about four that I'll be trying at some point. And a tiered list of games to purchase. It's exciting.

Originally posted by jinXed by JaNx
I think Chess will always be the best However along the way I can think of a few other great ones.
As a kid my all time favorite board game was Fire Ball Island. I also remember Splat and this one weird trap game. It took forever to set up and took place in a mansion there were a bunch of traps you had to avoid.

Through out my teens I always liked Hero Quest, Dragon Strike, Axis of Evil

Cranium is cool too but I think the best new board game is Apples to Apples.

New? A2A came out in, I think, 1999. stick out tongue

Otherwise, thumb up

jinXed by JaNx
Originally posted by Digi



New? A2A came out in, I think, 1999. stick out tongue



Its not everyday a monopoly is made

Digi
Originally posted by jinXed by JaNx
Its not everyday a monopoly is made

Lol. It certainly became popular in a hurry. I can't say I still enjoy it - too many times playing it - but it was a blast back in college for me.

Shakyamunison
Board Game? Amoeba Wars!

Digi
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Board Game? Amoeba Wars!

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/982/amoeba-wars

Cool! I read a couple reviews on it. Seems like a decent strategy game, a step up in complexity from, say, Risk, but with some aspects that show its age.

Shakyamunison
Originally posted by Digi
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/982/amoeba-wars

Cool! I read a couple reviews on it. Seems like a decent strategy game, a step up in complexity from, say, Risk, but with some aspects that show its age.

You can be winning, and then be wiped off that board. However, I don't play it much anymore. Its difficult to get the people together to play.

Digi
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
You can be winning, and then be wiped off that board. However, I don't play it much anymore. Its difficult to get the people together to play.

That's definitely a struggle. Games that take 15-45 minutes are easier to get people into. BGG has Amoeba Wars at ~150 minutes per game, which is daunting.

Originally posted by jinXed by JaNx
Its not everyday a monopoly is made

Btw, interesting comparison. I'd sooner bludgeon myself with a bat than play Monopoly for any length of time.

stick out tongue

Unless it's Gay Monopoly, of course:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/11862/gay-monopoly
...then I'm all in.

awecreep

Newjak
I've played Lords of Waterdeep and Love Letter both extremely high quality games that are a lot of fun to play.

Robtard
Risk is probably my all time favorite board game.

Cards Against Humanity is fun with a good group of friends.

The Settlers of Catan is a game I've wanted to try for some time now.

Digi
Originally posted by Newjak
I've played Lords of Waterdeep and Love Letter both extremely high quality games that are a lot of fun to play.

I literally just bought Love Letter yesterday from a local gaming shop. Very cheap. I'm hoping to play it this weekend.

Apparently there are tons of great worker placement games, Waterdeep among them. I like Waterdeep because of the setting, though, since I am very familiar with Forgotten Realms and Waterdeep in particular (several novels are set in the city).

Originally posted by Robtard
Risk is probably my all time favorite board game.

Cards Against Humanity is fun with a good group of friends.

The Settlers of Catan is a game I've wanted to try for some time now.

Risk seems like something I want to leave in my past. I loved it, but I feel like my sensibilities have changed and that it would seem a little too...I dunno, plain? That, and it's hard finding people willing to devote three hours to a game like that.

Agreed on Settlers. It's too classic for me not to give it a fresh playthrough.

Robtard
I've not played Risk in in about 15 years now, but the memories of it being great remain.

If we're including role-playing here, then AD&D is hands down my favorite, even though I've not played in 17ish years now.

Newjak
Originally posted by Digi
I literally just bought Love Letter yesterday from a local gaming shop. Very cheap. I'm hoping to play it this weekend.

Apparently there are tons of great worker placement games, Waterdeep among them. I like Waterdeep because of the setting, though, since I am very familiar with Forgotten Realms and Waterdeep in particular (several novels are set in the city).



Risk seems like something I want to leave in my past. I loved it, but I feel like my sensibilities have changed and that it would seem a little too...I dunno, plain? That, and it's hard finding people willing to devote three hours to a game like that.

Agreed on Settlers. It's too classic for me not to give it a fresh playthrough. Cool let me know what you think of it. Another good quick game is King of Toyko

Also for you guys talking Risk you should look into Risk Legacy.

I own that game and it is a lot of fun.

Digi
Originally posted by Robtard
I've not played Risk in in about 15 years now, but the memories of it being great remain.

If we're including role-playing here, then AD&D is hands down my favorite, even though I've not played in 17ish years now.

Role-playing works too. The multi-day time commitment of it can be daunting, but I own an old D&D starter kit along with some miscelaneous maps and expansions. D&D wasn't big for me because video games were replacing tabletop when I was starting to get into them. But, for example, my brother, who's 12 years my elder, was big into D&D because he didn't have the same options I did.

It's maybe 12 years for me with Risk. Still, like you said, fond memories.

Originally posted by Newjak
Cool let me know what you think of it. Another good quick game is King of Toyko

Also for you guys talking Risk you should look into Risk Legacy.

I own that game and it is a lot of fun.

Another I'll throw out there is Castle Risk. European map, some new mechanics, and very hard to come by. But it's also a notch or two more complex than regular Risk, and a lot of fun.

Risk may be retired for me, though. Like I said, there's a hardcore/casual mix that needs to be struck, and most of my friends would hesitate to drop 3-4 hours on a proper playthrough.

Newjak
Originally posted by Digi
Role-playing works too. The multi-day time commitment of it can be daunting, but I own an old D&D starter kit along with some miscelaneous maps and expansions. D&D wasn't big for me because video games were replacing tabletop when I was starting to get into them. But, for example, my brother, who's 12 years my elder, was big into D&D because he didn't have the same options I did.

It's maybe 12 years for me with Risk. Still, like you said, fond memories.



Another I'll throw out there is Castle Risk. European map, some new mechanics, and very hard to come by. But it's also a notch or two more complex than regular Risk, and a lot of fun.

Risk may be retired for me, though. Like I said, there's a hardcore/casual mix that needs to be struck, and most of my friends would hesitate to drop 3-4 hours on a proper playthrough. I currently play DnD I enjoy it greatly.

I currently own

Risk Legacy, Kings of Toyko, Evo, Game of Thrones the board game.

Shakyamunison
Originally posted by Robtard
I've not played Risk in in about 15 years now, but the memories of it being great remain.

If we're including role-playing here, then AD&D is hands down my favorite, even though I've not played in 17ish years now.

I used to play AD&D a long time ago (30 years ago or so). I was a dungeon master. I loved making the maps and playing the monsters.

Digi
Found another great resource, and probably the only big site besides BGG that I'll visit:

The Dice Tower:
http://www.dicetower.com/home.html

It's got reviews, lists, news, podcasts, and generally is a cool comprehensive site for discussion and information.

Existere
My friends and I used to play way too much Munchkin. I actually miss it a lot, but the games often got past 3 hours in length after we added all the expansion packs. Still, it's a great game that you can include a pretty big group in, and the cards all pretty consistently funny and fun.

I tried Pandemic, and didn't love it, but was super intrigued by the concept of a game where the players work together against the game to win- everyone loses or wins, which takes out some of the monopoly-style competition that inspires some to hate board games, and you're all invited to get super into team strategy, which is fun if you're ready for it. A couple friends of mine had a game with a similar playstyle, but rather than playing a group of scientists and researchers trying to fight a global disease (as in Pandemic), you were a group of elfs and dwarves and other fantasy characters trying to fight some goblin hordes and other evil. It was sweet, but I don't remember the name.

As a result of those two games, and cause I'm a big comic nerd, I really want to play Sentinels of the Multiverse. I read about it on BGG a while ago and it sounds right up my/friends alley.

Another friend was telling me that he recently played Tannhauser and had a lot of fun. It's a strategy boardgame set some time around or after the 1940s, in a world where the Axis discovered dark magic and the Allies gained powerful alien weaponry... which is a pretty awesome concept. The game itself is expensive though, iirc.

Newjak
Originally posted by Existere
My friends and I used to play way too much Munchkin. I actually miss it a lot, but the games often got past 3 hours in length after we added all the expansion packs. Still, it's a great game that you can include a pretty big group in, and the cards all pretty consistently funny and fun.

I tried Pandemic, and didn't love it, but was super intrigued by the concept of a game where the players work together against the game to win- everyone loses or wins, which takes out some of the monopoly-style competition that inspires some to hate board games, and you're all invited to get super into team strategy, which is fun if you're ready for it. A couple friends of mine had a game with a similar playstyle, but rather than playing a group of scientists and researchers trying to fight a global disease (as in Pandemic), you were a group of elfs and dwarves and other fantasy characters trying to fight some goblin hordes and other evil. It was sweet, but I don't remember the name.

As a result of those two games, and cause I'm a big comic nerd, I really want to play Sentinels of the Multiverse. I read about it on BGG a while ago and it sounds right up my/friends alley.

Another friend was telling me that he recently played Tannhauser and had a lot of fun. It's a strategy boardgame set some time around or after the 1940s, in a world where the Axis discovered dark magic and the Allies gained powerful alien weaponry... which is a pretty awesome concept. The game itself is expensive though, iirc. If you enjoy the co op type game there is one called Zombicide which is cool.

Digi
Originally posted by Existere
My friends and I used to play way too much Munchkin. I actually miss it a lot, but the games often got past 3 hours in length after we added all the expansion packs. Still, it's a great game that you can include a pretty big group in, and the cards all pretty consistently funny and fun.

I tried Pandemic, and didn't love it, but was super intrigued by the concept of a game where the players work together against the game to win- everyone loses or wins, which takes out some of the monopoly-style competition that inspires some to hate board games, and you're all invited to get super into team strategy, which is fun if you're ready for it. A couple friends of mine had a game with a similar playstyle, but rather than playing a group of scientists and researchers trying to fight a global disease (as in Pandemic), you were a group of elfs and dwarves and other fantasy characters trying to fight some goblin hordes and other evil. It was sweet, but I don't remember the name.

As a result of those two games, and cause I'm a big comic nerd, I really want to play Sentinels of the Multiverse. I read about it on BGG a while ago and it sounds right up my/friends alley.

Another friend was telling me that he recently played Tannhauser and had a lot of fun. It's a strategy boardgame set some time around or after the 1940s, in a world where the Axis discovered dark magic and the Allies gained powerful alien weaponry... which is a pretty awesome concept. The game itself is expensive though, iirc.

I haven't played nearly as much, but I own Super Munchkin. It's always a blast, as you mention, but yeah, length is always an issue. A couple of my friends turned on it recently, so I'm hoping we still get to play it again soon.

I've heard of Pandemic, but don't know anything about it. If you play it, let us know what you think.

As a great, quick party game that also has some depth, One Night Ultimate Werewolf is a new favorite of mine. And, based on descriptions, "The Resistance" and its more popular variant "Resistance: Avalon", seem to be similar to Werewolf, but with some added depth. I'm targeting one of those as my next purchase, as something that will appeal to a variety of casual-to-hardcore gamers.

Also, way too many of these are pretty expensive. I suppose it's to be expected, given the production values of many games, but it definitely makes it hard to expand a collection.

Digi
So, I've been busy.

- I found a game shop really close to me (like, within walking distance), and introduced my gf to it. We stopped in this afternoon to play some of our games, and managed to recruit a couple others for a round of Love Letter. They have regular game nights and tournaments, and I may pop in every now and then.

- I did a ton of digging on BGG for games that I own, that I've played, and that I might want. I have a moderate list of things I'll want to purchase in coming months/years.

- I scoured Ebay, Amazon, and BGG for some of those "wishlist" games and found a few that were very cheap, so I'm already adding to my collection.

- BGG is also a great resource for Print & Play games...those that are available as downloadable and printable PDFs. Other than the cost of, say, card stock paper and a little printer ink, they're totally free. And while many are unimpressive, a long enough search revealed several that I'm excited to play that have as much complexity as many for-purchase games.

_____________

It's remarkable how little time it takes between being a newb and really knowing some stuff and being into a hobby. In literally less than a week, I can talk about various game genres and styles, and I know of many popular games and what they're about, and also have a plan for building a collection that will have fun games for nearly any occasion, gamer type, or group size.

I have an active social life, but there's still a lot of downtime either alone or with my gf where we're just watching movies/TV. That's fine, but I wanted something to break that up every now and then. This is it, and it's a lot of fun!

Newjak
Originally posted by Digi
So, I've been busy.

- I found a game shop really close to me (like, within walking distance), and introduced my gf to it. We stopped in this afternoon to play some of our games, and managed to recruit a couple others for a round of Love Letter. They have regular game nights and tournaments, and I may pop in every now and then.

- I did a ton of digging on BGG for games that I own, that I've played, and that I might want. I have a moderate list of things I'll want to purchase in coming months/years.

- I scoured Ebay, Amazon, and BGG for some of those "wishlist" games and found a few that were very cheap, so I'm already adding to my collection.

- BGG is also a great resource for Print & Play games...those that are available as downloadable and printable PDFs. Other than the cost of, say, card stock paper and a little printer ink, they're totally free. And while many are unimpressive, a long enough search revealed several that I'm excited to play that have as much complexity as many for-purchase games.

_____________

It's remarkable how little time it takes between being a newb and really knowing some stuff and being into a hobby. In literally less than a week, I can talk about various game genres and styles, and I know of many popular games and what they're about, and also have a plan for building a collection that will have fun games for nearly any occasion, gamer type, or group size.

I have an active social life, but there's still a lot of downtime either alone or with my gf where we're just watching movies/TV. That's fine, but I wanted something to break that up every now and then. This is it, and it's a lot of fun! Congrats smile

I know right I've barely been into board games but i already have learned a lot.

Also yeah getting a collection going is hard.

I know one friend that has over 500 games and it is crazy.

Wonder Man
Jepordey is fun

Digi
Originally posted by Newjak
Congrats smile

I know right I've barely been into board games but i already have learned a lot.

Also yeah getting a collection going is hard.

I know one friend that has over 500 games and it is crazy.

That's too much, plain and simple. I can't imagine the justification for something like that, or the bank account that would be needed to fund it. My goal isn't to become some massive collector. I want somewhere around 30 games that I enjoy. And I want to have an array of games for different occasions. So, for example, 5 friends are over and we're drinking...we need something easy to learn, casual, and fun for 5-6 people. Or I'm on a double date and I need some cool 4-player games, potentially with teams. Or it's just me and a friend. Or just me. Or a few "heavier" games for a gamer crowd.

Gaming is a social thing for me, I'm not just in its for the games (with rare exceptions when it's just me). So my main goal is accommodating various social situations in ways that maximize that fun. And I certainly don't need 500, or even 100, games to accomplish that. Even with regularly playing stuff, 20-30 games is a huge rotation.

Recent Purchases:
- Risk & Castle Risk: more for Castle Risk, a fun, obscure variation.
- Stratego: lost my old set, needed a new one.
- 221B Baker Street: sounds like a more complex Clue with a Sherlock Holmes theme. I don't have high hopes - reviews are mixed - but it was cheap as balls.
- Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: apparently an incredibly hard, massively interactive roleplaying/deduction game, that you play cooperatively with any number of people. Reviews looked great, and while it's not a party game, it could be a great 2-3 player game.
- Love Letter: As mentioned earlier, a simple, inexpensive, but deceptively intriguing little game. It initially seems like a lot of luck, and there is a fair amount. But there's ample statistical and deductive analysis that can give players an edge.

Free Stuff (Downloadable/Printable Games):
- Rat Hot: A simple 2-player puzzle strategy game. It's got enough to make you think, and is a nice way to kill 20-30 minutes.
- Mythwars: Clash of the Gods: A card-based combat game with teams of gods from various pantheons. Haven't played it yet, but it seems entertaining.
- Regnum Angelica: Another divine card-based combat system, but this one includes a board for movement and has quite a bit of complexity to it. The free printable version is a "lite" version. It's playable, but not as deep as the full game. If friends/gf like Mythwars, I will test this out, but may not play it otherwise.

Considering:
Lords of Waterdeep, One Night Ultimate Werewolf, Oddville, Hive, Dixit, Ticket to Ride

Newjak
Originally posted by Digi
That's too much, plain and simple. I can't imagine the justification for something like that, or the bank account that would be needed to fund it. My goal isn't to become some massive collector. I want somewhere around 30 games that I enjoy. And I want to have an array of games for different occasions. So, for example, 5 friends are over and we're drinking...we need something easy to learn, casual, and fun for 5-6 people. Or I'm on a double date and I need some cool 4-player games, potentially with teams. Or it's just me and a friend. Or just me. Or a few "heavier" games for a gamer crowd.

Gaming is a social thing for me, I'm not just in its for the games (with rare exceptions when it's just me). So my main goal is accommodating various social situations in ways that maximize that fun. And I certainly don't need 500, or even 100, games to accomplish that. Even with regularly playing stuff, 20-30 games is a huge rotation.

Recent Purchases:
- Risk & Castle Risk: more for Castle Risk, a fun, obscure variation.
- Stratego: lost my old set, needed a new one.
- 221B Baker Street: sounds like a more complex Clue with a Sherlock Holmes theme. I don't have high hopes - reviews are mixed - but it was cheap as balls.
- Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: apparently an incredibly hard, massively interactive roleplaying/deduction game, that you play cooperatively with any number of people. Reviews looked great, and while it's not a party game, it could be a great 2-3 player game.
- Love Letter: As mentioned earlier, a simple, inexpensive, but deceptively intriguing little game. It initially seems like a lot of luck, and there is a fair amount. But there's ample statistical and deductive analysis that can give players an edge.

Considering:
Lords of Waterdeep, One Night Ultimate Werewolf, Oddville, Hive, Dixit, Ticket to Ride I agree it is too much.

Another game that might interest you is a game called Hanabi. It's a cooperative game that is really fun.

Digi
I added links to my previous post if anyone's interested. If nothing else, the free games are, well, free, minus the cost of printing them (ideally on card stock or glossy photo stock).

Originally posted by Newjak
I agree it is too much.

Another game that might interest you is a game called Hanabi. It's a cooperative game that is really fun.

thumb up

Seems like a decent party game. The description of it on BGG didn't excite me, but it's well-rated on the site, which usually bodes well. Amazon has it for ~$10, so it's not a huge investment either. I may look into it, thanks.

Star428
Originally posted by Wonder Man
Jepordey is fun


I play the video game single player version (hard to find online players) occasionally on PS3. It's not bad but I enjoy other PS3 games much more. Like XCOM, Magic 2013, and Monopoly.

Star428
Originally posted by Digi
I had a starter deck back in high school, so I at least know how Magic is played. The deck-building stuff never really appealed to me, but it obviously has a lot of mass appeal. I know a guy who makes more buying and reselling Magic cards than he does in his day job. Crazy stuff.


The deck building is half the fun, imo. I love the challenge of building a trimmed deck of 60 or 61 cards and then testing it out against skilled opponents to see how it plays. I'm speaking in regards to "Duels of the Planeswalkers" though which is a videogame version of the real game. It has a more limited format. For example, in most decks you can't edit your lands at all.

Digi
Originally posted by Star428
The deck building is half the fun, imo. I love the challenge of building a trimmed deck of 60 or 61 cards and then testing it out against skilled opponents to see how it plays. I'm speaking in regards to "Duels of the Planeswalkers" though which is a videogame version of the real game. It has a more limited format. For example, in most decks you can't edit your lands at all.

The competitive aspect of it is indeed appealing. My objection is more toward their business model, which, while clearly affective, feels somewhat exploitive. Deck builders in general have a tendency to want to devolve into an endless string of collecting, either via expansions, new editions, or individual cards. I'm very wary of anything where my initial investment isn't enough to experience the game at its height indefinitely.

VG versions tend to be less exciting for me, though. I played a Magic VG at a friend's place once and it felt weird. Much more fun to have someone literally across the table from you.

Probably my favorite Magic experience was before the card game took off. I read an early book set in the M:tG universe called Arena:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/263208.Arena

No idea if it holds up. I was quite young when I read it. But at the time, I thought it was cool.

Bentley
I played a lot of Magic in my day, lovely game.

Of course, it is also a compendium of horrible design choices (contrained by its economic model) and the very definition of a pay-to-win game. Just print your own cards if you want to play something like this.

Star428
Originally posted by Digi
The competitive aspect of it is indeed appealing. My objection is more toward their business model, which, while clearly affective, feels somewhat exploitive. Deck builders in general have a tendency to want to devolve into an endless string of collecting, either via expansions, new editions, or individual cards. I'm very wary of anything where my initial investment isn't enough to experience the game at its height indefinitely.

VG versions tend to be less exciting for me, though. I played a Magic VG at a friend's place once and it felt weird. Much more fun to have someone literally across the table from you.

Probably my favorite Magic experience was before the card game took off. I read an early book set in the M:tG universe called Arena:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/263208.Arena

No idea if it holds up. I was quite young when I read it. But at the time, I thought it was cool.

Eh, to each his own I guess. I enjoy the videogame versions of card games much more. For one, the action moves a lot faster and two, you get combat animations to help out with the immersion of creatures fighting and spells being cast. Also, the game keeps track of everything for you like your life total. I got the entire DoTP: Magic 2013 game with all the expansions, all cards in all decks already unlocked, and even the foil versions of the cards (really nice looking on my HDD big screen plasma tv) all for around $25-$30. I won't have to put any more money into the 2013 version of the game. Ever. I will also never need to buy the 2014 or 2015 versions of game because 2013 is enough fun and has enough replayability to last a long time. From all the reviews I've heard, 2013 is best version anyway. You can get the 10 starter decks without unlocked cards or foil cards for around $10. It's well worth the price if you have a PS3, XBOX, or PC.

Digi
I'm playing Stratego against a friend this weekend, and we may go to our local game shop's game night as well.

Stratego was always one of my favorite games as a kid. My brother - who was much better than me at the time - got me into it. It's not the flashiest, but it's good strategic fun.

BackFire
Originally posted by Star428
The deck building is half the fun, imo.

Agree 100%. When I was into Magic for those few months I had more fun building decks than playing the actual game. It's really fun making your own deck and then seeing it have success against other people. And tweaking it and perfecting it is very satisfying. I miss that game, but it can get expensive.

Digi
Playing Online

Here's the master link of places to play, and what games they have:
http://boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/On-line_Games&redirectedfrom=Online_Play#

I've searched through a bunch of them, and many are hard to navigate or require downloads that I'm uncomfortable with. But I've found a few good sites:

Board Game Arena: http://en.boardgamearena.com/
Probably the most frequented online site, with a good variety of games that are legit, not just dinky Flash games.

Days of Wonder: http://www.daysofwonder.com/online/en/play/
A publishing company, they specialize in their own games. I'm excited to play some Ticket to Ride in order to learn it.

Risk: http://www.wargear.net/
Only for Risk, but it's far and away the best site for it.

Stratego: http://www.stratego.com/
Again, just one game, but it's among my favorites. I've already played some matches (I'm 3-1!).

jinXed by JaNx
Originally posted by Digi
So I made a list on BGG, stopped by a local gaming shop to see their selection, and also to see when they have game nights and tournaments. I also scoured BGG for good print-and-play games - those that are free to play and downloadable. I have about four that I'll be trying at some point. And a tiered list of games to purchase. It's exciting.



New? A2A came out in, I think, 1999. stick out tongue

Otherwise, thumb up



seriously it's not everday that a game like apples to appels comes along. That is a game that i think anyone can find enjoyment out of.

edda0199
thank you for information

Digi
Originally posted by jinXed by JaNx
seriously it's not everday that a game like apples to appels comes along. That is a game that i think anyone can find enjoyment out of.

But see, I'd contend that there are lots of games that are as good at parties and such as A2A. And for mixed audiences (gamers, children, strangers, etc.). They just aren't as well-known. That's kind of my whole point.

A2A is an excellent game, and it used a model that wasn't widely accepted in gaming at the time, so there are props to be given for originality. But it's also been mimicked by other games that have, arguably, surpassed it or at least equaled it. I don't get much enjoyment from playing it anymore, though some of that is that I just played it too much for a period of years.

So I don't disagree with you. It's just that if there's a point to this thread, it's to look beyond the games we all collectively know and find stuff that is, potentially, even better.

Digi
I had a friend over for beers and Stratego. It was fun. I kicked his ass. Twice. I cheated a bit with practicing online (I think I'm 7-3 now), and reading some strategy articles. But I gave him many of the same links to practice on his own, with the promise of a rematch.

I also played a couple rounds of Ticket to Ride online (linked earlier on this page). It's known as a "gateway" game for many. Something that can introduce non-gamers, children, families, etc. It's apparently good at introducing them to indie games without scaring them away, while also retaining enough strategy for more experienced gamers.

I lost both rounds that I played, alas. But it seems fun. Simple to learn, though I misunderstood a couple things until I read up on it a little more just now. Probably a good game to recommend to anyone, since it has such broad appeal.

Digi
Also, I walked in to the game shop during one of their free-for-all game times, expecting a nice variety and hopefully an invite to some random game. It was my first time attending it.

Instead, there was about six tables of Magic and just one with anything different. I can respect Magic for their success, but since the business model keeps me well away, the sight was incredibly disappointing. The shop already has 2-3 nights a week devoted to Magic. I thought this would be the "other" stuff. Alas, it may be harder than I thought.

Zampanó
Puerto Rico and Union Pacific are two of my favorites.

Digi

Digi
My game shop is having a Dominion tournament this Saturday. I missed out on last month's Love Letter tourney, which I would have been fine at. But Dominion is a much more complex game, and I'll get my ass handed to me if I enter. I'm debating trying to cram some strategy guides and online plays in, then entering. But I'm quite sure I'd still lose. They need a Stratego tournament!

Digi
I went to board game night again at my local shop, and this time it was awesome! I had never met anyone there, but everyone was inviting, and I had a great time. I played three different games - Werewolves of Miller's Hollow; Coup; and The Red Dragon Inn - which were all fun and interesting (though in vastly different ways). I had already been considering purchasing the 3rd of those, and Werewolves is fairly cheap and accommodates gigantic groups of people. Coup was my least favorite, but not everything will be amazing.

If you have a local shop, find out their weekly schedule. It can be a ton of fun.

Digi
Though I realize I may be speaking to myself at this point (or at least largely so, though others have popped in)...

I just played what might be my new favorite game: Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2511/sherlock-holmes-consulting-detective

It's unfortunately out of print, so there's no such thing as a cheap copy (got mine on Ebay for about $60+shipping, which is cheaper than most copies). But it's incredible.

You're given a case description, the local newspaper of recent events, and a directory and map of London with literally hundreds of potential people, places of interest, etc. to investigate, and the game lets you go with it. There are no rails. You're free to follow leads down obscure rabbit holes, question or ignore individuals, and even pursue side cases. It's almost like a choose your own adventure, with just as much reading, but it's all incorporated in a way that makes you feel like Sherlock Holmes. No hand holding, and lots of deduction necessary. Some clues will come from the crime scene, suspects, or people involved in the case somehow. Others may come from a stray comment in a newspaper that relates to something a suspect said. Sometimes it will come from the map...he said he was at {x} at 7:30pm, so he couldn't have committed the murder at location {y} at 7:15pm, which is at least 45 minutes away by foot or carriage.

Then you have to solve the case. Unlike a "Choose Your Own..." there's no location where you arrive that says "YOU DID IT!" You have to deduce it from the evidence you've gathered. And it's not easy. My gf and I played through the first case....it took us about four hours! We successfully solved the crime and lots of side stuff, but the secondary challenge is doing it as quickly as Holmes did (which is nearly impossible). We took FAR more time than Holmes to solve the case, which deducts from your "Case Score" at the end. It's co-op by default, but can also be competitive, where players each play separately and try to "beat" the others by solving more stuff or solving it more quickly.

It's not for everyone. Some will dislike all the reading and note-taking required. Others will get frustrated (we twice took breaks to decompress when we felt stuck). But the overall experience was unique and incredible.

Digi
Bump

I've been playing all kinds of things, both at parties, smaller gatherings, and the weekly game night at my local shop. It's been good times.

I've also slowly started following trends in Kickstarter games, some of which are successful (and many of which aren't). There are certain types of games that can be produced for far less than others. With the right marketing, reasonable costs, and engaging concept, you can make bank on a game. I don't necessarily have a marketable concept, but the possibility of it intrigues me. I have the requisite marketing knowledge, and really good contacts in the production industry. It's probably something I could pull off with the right idea.

I've also discovered a great web series, Wil Wheaton's Tabletop:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4F80C7D2DC8D9B6C

Really fun, and a great way to learn about cool games.

Bardock42
Originally posted by Star428
The deck building is half the fun, imo. Originally posted by BackFire
Agree 100%. When I was into Magic for those few months I had more fun building decks than playing the actual game. It's really fun making your own deck and then seeing it have success against other people. And tweaking it and perfecting it is very satisfying. I miss that game, but it can get expensive.

That is loser talk. "Yes, the participation medal is half the fun"

Newjak
Originally posted by Digi
Bump

I've been playing all kinds of things, both at parties, smaller gatherings, and the weekly game night at my local shop. It's been good times.

I've also slowly started following trends in Kickstarter games, some of which are successful (and many of which aren't). There are certain types of games that can be produced for far less than others. With the right marketing, reasonable costs, and engaging concept, you can make bank on a game. I don't necessarily have a marketable concept, but the possibility of it intrigues me. I have the requisite marketing knowledge, and really good contacts in the production industry. It's probably something I could pull off with the right idea.

I've also discovered a great web series, Wil Wheaton's Tabletop:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4F80C7D2DC8D9B6C

Really fun, and a great way to learn about cool games. I've heard about Will Wheaton's games. I need to watch those videos.

Speaking of Kickstarters have you had the chance to play Zombicide?

Digi
Originally posted by Newjak
I've heard about Will Wheaton's games. I need to watch those videos.

Speaking of Kickstarters have you had the chance to play Zombicide?

Nope, sorry. Looked it up quickly, though, and apparently it's not available for less than about $60. So it's definitely not a cheap game, though the components look cool.

Newjak
Originally posted by Digi
Nope, sorry. Looked it up quickly, though, and apparently it's not available for less than about $60. So it's definitely not a cheap game, though the components look cool. Oh no it is not cheap but it is a great co-op game!

Digi
Among my recent plays (most of them for the first time):

Smallworld
The Red Dragon Inn
Werewolves of Miller's Hollow
Ticket to Ride
Abyss
Terra Mystica
Coup
7 Wonders
Quelf
Racko
Suspend

I enjoyed all but a couple. Terra Mystica, while near the pinnacle of complex Euro-games, isn't my cup of tea. Not enough interesting player interaction, and it sacrifices theme for number crunching strategy. I like strategic depth, but not at the expense of feeling like I'm playing a game. It would get better with subsequent plays. But I have better things to do with two hours.

Racko is dated. Not terrible, but also not good.

A few will end up in my collection eventually - Smallworld, Red Dragon, Werewolves, and Ticket. I recommend them all. I liked the rest to varying degrees, but likely won't purchase them.

Originally posted by Newjak
Oh no it is not cheap but it is a great co-op game!

thumb up

Lek Kuen
Originally posted by Digi
Bump

I've been playing all kinds of things, both at parties, smaller gatherings, and the weekly game night at my local shop. It's been good times.

I've also slowly started following trends in Kickstarter games, some of which are successful (and many of which aren't). There are certain types of games that can be produced for far less than others. With the right marketing, reasonable costs, and engaging concept, you can make bank on a game. I don't necessarily have a marketable concept, but the possibility of it intrigues me. I have the requisite marketing knowledge, and really good contacts in the production industry. It's probably something I could pull off with the right idea.

I've also discovered a great web series, Wil Wheaton's Tabletop:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4F80C7D2DC8D9B6C

Really fun, and a great way to learn about cool games.

Some of my friends are actually doing the whole making a board game thing. Not kickstarting it yet want to have more people test the early prototype before trying to kickstart the full thing to get it manufactured and stuff.

Digi
Originally posted by Lek Kuen
Some of my friends are actually doing the whole making a board game thing. Not kickstarting it yet want to have more people test the early prototype before trying to kickstart the full thing to get it manufactured and stuff.

Well yeah, you playtest and such prior to launching anything big. But, for example, I had a friend who had a Kickstarter for a board game, but it was a massive game with a lot of detailed figures, dice, etc. They didn't make it, not because it wasn't marketed well, but because the cost for production was so high.

Conversely, many I've seen that succeed have a clever premise but simplistic design. Like, it'll just be cards with black & white designs. Not as visually interesting, sure, but if it's the difference between your Kickstarter needing $10K as opposed to $60K, that could be the only factor that matters in success. Then you at least have some capital to improve the game in subsequent printings or expansions.

Digi
Recently played Redneck Life (zero strategy but hilarious), Tsuro of the Seas (a nice mid-length abstract game with beautiful components), and played some more of One Night Ultimate Werewolf, which is probably my favorite party and/or large group game, period.

I also designed a game (a card game) and ordered some professional quality cards with the designs/text for the game, so I can play with friends. My recent musings on Kickstarters had me brainstorming a bunch. It might be terrible or imbalanced, or exciting and fun, but I'm excited to find out either way. I don't anticipate trying to Kickstart it, but if I learn enough about the process, something like that isn't beyond possibility, so I may start doing research on it.

Digi
I'm making my own game.

I've ordered a cheap prototype, and will be having it playtested in months to come, and likely making numerous changes and tweaks. My eventual goal is to market the game heavily through gaming sites, reviews, etc. and start a modest Kickstarter to fund an initial printing of the game. There are minimum orders for any production company, but there are economical-but-professional routes where I could envision being able to print 100 copies for, say, $2500. Anything I make past that will just be cheaper production, and thus additional profits as well as more sales.

Most Kickstarters fail. I hold no delusions. But I also don't want to create something without at least trying to monetize it in the process, and the risk involved with Kickstarter is minimal.

Eventually, I'll be making a free downloadable version of the game available through Board Game Geek. It'll be artistically bare compared to the full version, but will be fully playable. That may not be for several months or even year (though I hope not), but I'll post it when it's made available.

Lek Kuen
What sort of game? A more fleshed out version of the card game mentioned earlier?

Digi
Originally posted by Lek Kuen
What sort of game? A more fleshed out version of the card game mentioned earlier?

Yes.

The whole thing started as a thought experiment after researching numerous Kickstarters, so it's a natural progression. I've playtested it a couple times already and received feedback from fellow gamers, which revealed some fundamental flaws. Not enough to sink the game, which was still fun, but I've made some changes and additions that correct the issues. Tweaking will still happen, but the biggest issues have been accounted for.

I'm PMing you a description. It's still a work in progress, so I'm a bit reluctant to post specifics just yet. There are elements of bluffing and deduction, and variable player powers. It's chaotic enough that it probably qualifies as a party game, but there are elements of strategy as well.

Star428
Originally posted by Bardock42
That is loser talk. "Yes, the participation medal is half the fun"


"Loser talk"? Just what does that mean exactly, dude? Because someone enjoys doing something intellectually stimulating with their free time they are "losers"? LOL. I guess watching sports all the damn time or drinking beer until you get ****faced is your idea of a "winner", huh?

Digi
Originally posted by Star428
"Loser talk"? Just what does that mean exactly, dude? Because someone enjoys doing something intellectually stimulating with their free time they are "losers"? LOL. I guess watching sports all the damn time or drinking beer until you get ****faced is your idea of a "winner", huh?

I'm pretty sure he was joking around. No one here on KMC is in a position to legitimately condescend toward others' hobbies.

Stoic
Culdcept is/was a great videogame that I could see as a board game. Interesting twist on Monopoly, and Yugioh mixed into one.

Mindship
Risk
Chess
Monopoly
Candy Land

Lately, though, into browser games.

Digi
Kickstarters are intense. I've been doing a lot of research on them, and it's a ton of work. Mind you, I never thought otherwise, but it's a different feeling once you actually wrap your mind around the process. Because you're essentially starting a business, and a lot of the same considerations have to go into it, including legal, financial, and logistical. Some of the risk is absorbed in the Kickstarter model, which is why it's better for many than launching a startup company. But it's not without some initial investment.

In any case, especially with an initial Kickstarter, it's at least a year-long process. My game is still being beta tested at a local game shop, so I'm not even in the early stages. But probably once the new year rolls around, I'll start the pre-launch stuff of setting up a business and establishing shipping models, creating a website and social media presence, contributing to and following numerous blogs and forums, etc.

Digi
- I just played Eldritch Horror, an incredibly involved game in the Lovecraft universe. My lone knock on it is how long it took. Apparently it's normally about 3 hours, and it was more like 4 with two of us learning it for the first time. But it had an incredibly strong theme, and was a tense, challenging co-op. I'm not even a fan of the Lovecraft mythos necessarily, but it was cool as hell. It may be in my top 10...which, granted, has been changing a ton in recent months as I play more and more things that interest me. If I could complete a session in 2 hours or so, I'd love everything about it.

- Right now that list looks something like this:
1. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
2. Lords of Waterdeep
3. One Night Ultimate Werewolf
4. Stratego
5. Small World
6. Eldritch Horror
7. Castle Risk
8. Super Munchkin
9. Love Letter
10. Ticket to Ride

- I got to playtest my game in full for the first time. Still lots of kinks to work out, but it was a success with a group of 6 of us. Lots of fun was had. It was reassuring that I can turn it into something workable for larger audiences.

Digi
Bump.

I'm brainstorming for a game room (in my gf's and my new basement), and will shortly be joining the local board gaming scene in my new city. I have a robust list of games that I can't currently afford, but hope to have in the next year or two.

If anyone is on BGG and wants to add me as a Geek Buddy, PM me.

Bardock42
What's BGG...

Digi
Board Game Geek. The website for board and card gaming, more or less.

meep-meep
Playing cribbage as we speak. Sheeps head and spades are good too.

Digi
I keep having ideas for games. My latest is "Public Domain", a globe-hopping (or at least board-hopping, since the map might not actually be the Earth) semi-cooperative game where players can choose from teams of characters in the public domain - fictional or historical - with different abilities and stats. So, like, Captain Nemo and Zorro vs. Mother Goose and Nikola Tesla. That's really all I have so far, beyond some general musings on other co-ops like Arkham/Eldridge Horror and Forbidden Island. But it's fun to think about.

I do have a working prototype of my "first" game, not just a hodgepodge of ideas. It's gone through some testing, and I have some tweaking to do still, before more testing and a higher-quality prototype.

meep-meep
That sounds pretty freakin bizarre. Crazy concept. I like it though. So you could
create you're own Thing or something? I'll volunteer to guinea pig and play.

Bentley
Originally posted by Digi
I keep having ideas for games. My latest is "Public Domain", a globe-hopping (or at least board-hopping, since the map might not actually be the Earth) semi-cooperative game where players can choose from teams of characters in the public domain - fictional or historical - with different abilities and stats. So, like, Captain Nemo and Zorro vs. Mother Goose and Nikola Tesla. That's really all I have so far, beyond some general musings on other co-ops like Arkham/Eldridge Horror and Forbidden Island. But it's fun to think about.

There is a game named "who'd win" which is comprised of cards featuring famous people or characters, pitted against each other in random contests. You draw two character cards, pick a contest cards and the player decides who wins. It's more of an time-waster than an actual competition/game, but it creates a stage in which very different characters get to shine.

Of course, the crazy-ness about that game is that there is a no-limit clause, pretty much, but it lacks on the structure department because it's ruled by randomness. I believe there is an important roleplay element in picking preexisting characters, so you might want to make the game quite goal oriented (and diverse enough to enjoy the advantage of a plethora of characters).

How open would you like the game to be? How many characters would be featured? You could get an open game that includes any kind of character as long as you incorporate a "character creation" portion as a part of the game -that by itself could be some fun-. Predefined characters have the advantage of better focus for balance propose and introducing abilities that might be better tied with the goals in the game.

Star428
I can't remember if you mentioned this game in an earlier post but have you ever played 'Axis and Allies', Digi? I highly recommend it if you've never tried it. Also, if you like Star Wars stuff, there is a fun little game for 1-4 players called 'Escape from the Death Star'. I used to play that (and chess) a lot before I got heavy into PS3 gaming. Even playing by yourself is fun and challenging. It can be hard to find that game though. I got lucky.

Digi
Originally posted by meep-meep
That sounds pretty freakin bizarre. Crazy concept. I like it though. So you could
create you're own Thing or something? I'll volunteer to guinea pig and play.

Lol, thanks, but it's a rough concept. I'd need a LOT of development time before it's ready for any kind of testing.

Originally posted by Bentley
There is a game named "who'd win" which is comprised of cards featuring famous people or characters, pitted against each other in random contests. You draw two character cards, pick a contest cards and the player decides who wins. It's more of an time-waster than an actual competition/game, but it creates a stage in which very different characters get to shine.

Of course, the crazy-ness about that game is that there is a no-limit clause, pretty much, but it lacks on the structure department because it's ruled by randomness. I believe there is an important roleplay element in picking preexisting characters, so you might want to make the game quite goal oriented (and diverse enough to enjoy the advantage of a plethora of characters).

How open would you like the game to be? How many characters would be featured? You could get an open game that includes any kind of character as long as you incorporate a "character creation" portion as a part of the game -that by itself could be some fun-. Predefined characters have the advantage of better focus for balance propose and introducing abilities that might be better tied with the goals in the game.

Predefined, for the reasons you mentioned. Eldridge Horror was my initial template for the idea, which does this exact same thing with preset characters. Or Pandemic, for a more popular and slightly simpler example. Also a game called Kill Shakespeare, which is a similar amalgamation of characters (though all from Shakespeare plays). There would be quests and such, and some roleplaying and likely dice-rolling elements. Not just a "who would win" thing.

I'm familiar with a game called Superfight, which doesn't have the roleplaying and adventure elements of Eldridge, but is a "grab all" concept with characters and ideas. You play cards in a Card Against Humanity style, and you might have "Fred Rogers with laser vision" vs. "Daffy Duck with the Matrix of Power, but he's afraid of his own shadow" in a given round. Fun concept.

Originally posted by Star428
I can't remember if you mentioned this game in an earlier post but have you ever played 'Axis and Allies', Digi? I highly recommend it if you've never tried it. Also, if you like Star Wars stuff, there is a fun little game for 1-4 players called 'Escape from the Death Star'. I used to play that (and chess) a lot before I got heavy into PS3 gaming. Even playing by yourself is fun and challenging. It can be hard to find that game though. I got lucky.

Played a fair amount of A&A back in high school. It was my intro, along with Risk and Stratego, to strategy gaming. Good times, though the crowds I've run with in recent years haven't really been wargamers.

Digi
Just want to plug this again:

Originally posted by Digi
Board Game Arena: http://en.boardgamearena.com/
Probably the most frequented online site, with a good variety of games that are legit, not just dinky Flash games.

I mostly play Hive when I have 10 minutes, because it's quick as hell. But with a lot of high-level games, it can be a great way to try before you buy. I played a couple games of Tokaido this week, which is a fun, relaxed, and beautiful game.

I should really remake this thread. I want to include better links for people interested in the hobby, all in the OP. There are some awesome Youtube channels that would help too. Like Wil Wheaton's Tabletop and Watch It Played.

Digi
Gods, this thread isn't even that old, but I feel like I'm looking back on a teenager when I read my OP. Didn't take me long to really dive in.

Anyway, how is gaming going?

Text-only Version: Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.