Octopus Overlords

Enough wrote: ↑Thu Feb 01, 2024 4:20 pm I have been on the fence on Earthborn Rangers since it has returned to crowdfunding. Now that you have had yours for some months, how are you liking it?

It's weirdly relaxing. I don't know how else to describe it. The game play is zoomed out just a tiny bit (in an abstracted way) where you're looking at things right in front of you, close by and then off on the horizon (where you might need to go). So thematically you're not just fighting what's in front of you like most card games I have; in fact combat isn't even a big part of this game. Instead it's about trying to figure out how to get from location to location. Yes combat happens, but not always. And it's not always fights to the death. Sometimes you''ll end up moving into a location and cards will fight each other - you can then creep on by and continue on your journey.

I like the action token mechanics and how you're playing a true "character' with themed skills and a customized card deck - replay then is much higher. Do you want to focus on being able to travel? Harvest things? Find stuff?

Definitely feels more like an adventure story than any other card game I've played. I did shelve it for a bit to switch into miniature gaming, but I personally wouldn't hesitate to back it...though it will be a long while before you can play it.

There's not a lot of short videos I can share - most are ~60 minutes because they're talking through the tutorial or a chapter. But this is a pretty quick (~8 minute) overview that I agree with:



Because the flow and mechanics are a bit different, I guess it can be a little bit to get your mind around how each round works, but I didn't find it off-putting. In fact, I rather enjoyed the change of pace from other cards games I like - it's not just more of the same with a different skin.

How many beers before I get confused by the gameplay? This is how I judge games now. Ask the Chicago gang.

Thanks so much for your thoughts! How is the complexity for teaching less-experienced gamers? 3.45 on BGG makes me think it's a bit more to learn than say Mindbug. I remain super tempted.

Edit: part of my quandary is is that I also am really wanting to back another expensive game coming back to crowdfunding, Thunder Road Vendetta Maximum Chrome Edition, which is also likely dropping this quarter. Making the decision harder, both are games that one should probably buy now or pay a lot more for a used copy later on since neither is going to be broadly available in retail.

hepcat wrote: ↑Thu Feb 01, 2024 4:58 pm How many beers before I get confused by the gameplay? This is how I judge games now. Ask the Chicago gang.

I'm confident you could have 4 beers and still play. Regular beers, not the crazy high-octane stuff Trent Steel needs.

Enough wrote: ↑Thu Feb 01, 2024 5:18 pm Thanks so much for your thoughts! How is the complexity for teaching less-experienced gamers? 3.45 on GBG makes me think it's a bit more to learn than say Mindbug. I remain super tempted.

Edit: part of my quandary is is that I also am really wanting to back another expensive game coming back to crowdfunding, Thunder Road Vendetta Maximum Chrome Edition, which is also likely dropping this quarter. Making the decision harder, both are games that one should probably buy now or pay a lot more for a used copy later on since neither is going to be broadly available in retail.

It might actually be a bit easier to teach if players don't have prior (current) experience with games - because they won't have to unlearn to re-frame how they think. Like for this game you have a card with action tokens. And those cards are something you pick as part of setup; the cards are "themed" to the type of character you want to play so the 4 different skills will have a different number of tokens based on what you're good at. Unlike other card games where you draw a card and play a card, you can actually play as many cards in a round that you want, as long as you still have tokens. That's kinda different (and just an example). Other elements are standard/similar; they don't completely turn things upside down.

I did see that Thunder Road was going to have another KS launch soon, yeah and I was eyeballing that too as I know the core game has great reviews.

All that said, it probably comes down to how you're playing. I am having a hard time imagining playing Earthborne Rangers with others; for me it's a solo game. I might play it with one other person, but primarily it would be solo. I don't know how it would play with other people, quite honestly. I enjoy the slow nature of turns. Reading through the booklet and making choices. Puzzling things out; it's meditative. If I had someone chugging beer next to me and asking if I was going to throw my bamboo boomerang at the plant tiger, I'm not sure how that would feel.

Thunder Road seemed more like a game-night game to me - more social. Those games (right now) seem to be harder and harder for me to get to the table; regular game nights are far and few between (though I'm hoping that changes...) making it unlikely to hit the table. I do like the theme though.

This is also why I have too many games.

Apparently shipping has begun for the English edition of the Robinson Crusoe deluxe edition/upgrade as of today. Whoo hoo!

I got an update on a project today. Apparently there's an extreme drought in South America that has effectively halved the throughput of the Panama canal, including practically all large ships. Add that to the Red Sea bull that's essentially shut down the Suez canal, and it looks like everything is taking the long way around. Expect delays for shipped products, expect companies engaging in hijinks due to increased shipping costs, and expect projects that are using the 'pay for shipping when it's ready to go' method to become very, very expensive.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2024 1:07 am I got an update on a project today. Apparently there's an extreme drought in South America that has effectively halved the throughput of the Panama canal, including practically all large ships.

I just watched a video about that the other day.

Whoa. I had no idea.

hepcat wrote: ↑Fri Feb 02, 2024 2:45 pm Apparently shipping has begun for the English edition of the Robinson Crusoe deluxe edition/upgrade as of today. Whoo hoo!

And first reports of tracking numbers received have started appearing today. It's been a long road, but I see the destination ahead.

...unless they send my damn game to someone else with my name again.

Car Wars scenario books arrived, along with completely unnecessary weather dice with varying faces based on your location.

Zarathud wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2024 5:25 pm Car Wars scenario books arrived, along with completely unnecessary weather dice with varying faces based on your location.

Didn't we have to order them? I think I did cause they arrived yesterday for me.

It was a separate Kickstarter.

Zarathud wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2024 8:22 pm It was a separate Kickstarter.

Yeah the scenario book one. That came with it. They weren't free though right?

When I saw the dice, I added them onto my order. Now I’ve see. The rules, a table would have been better.

Yeah that's what i thoyght. I just got confused when you said they were completely unnecessary because I'm thinkning then why buy them.

hepcat wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2024 3:12 pm

hepcat wrote: ↑Fri Feb 02, 2024 2:45 pm Apparently shipping has begun for the English edition of the Robinson Crusoe deluxe edition/upgrade as of today. Whoo hoo!

And first reports of tracking numbers received have started appearing today. It's been a long road, but I see the destination ahead.

...unless they send my damn game to someone else with my name again.

I got my Robinson Crusoe shipping notice today.

I have a UPS notice for a 20lbs package arriving sometime today. I'm wondering if it's the Firefly 10th Anniversary Uber Box edition...or one of Hepcat's games?

$iljanus wrote: ↑Wed Feb 07, 2024 10:27 am ...or one of Hepcat's games?

Gaaah....I'm choking on my own rage here!

in other news, I got my shipping notice for Robinson Crusoe deluxe this morning. I went with the All New pledge level.

If anyones looking for a great deal on STLs I just backed this campaign.



Even if you miss the early bird the other deals are still great since you get a crap ton of files.

Okay, THIS may be one I back even though I said I was trying to be more discerning. At the very least, I'm getting it if it goes retail.

It's the old Ace of Aces fighter plane books.



Here's a video overview of the old series



I was obsessed with these games in high school (yes, they're THAT old). They're just fantastic.

edit: screw it, I'm backing. There's just too many fond memories of this game to do otherwise.

hepcat wrote: ↑Tue Feb 13, 2024 4:15 pm Okay, THIS may be one I back even though I said I was trying to be more discerning. At the very least, I'm getting it if it goes retail.

It's the old Ace of Aces fighter plane books.



Here's a video overview of the old series



I was obsessed with these games in high school (yes, they're THAT old). They're just fantastic.

edit: screw it, I'm backing. There's just too many fond memories of this game to do otherwise.

I was coming here to post this. We played a TON of this back in the day. I still have my original books. As well as the gunfight version, which wasn't quite as elegant.

Redwarlord reminded me that they actually made an X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter version at one point.

hentzau wrote: ↑Wed Feb 14, 2024 12:51 pm

hepcat wrote: ↑Tue Feb 13, 2024 4:15 pm Okay, THIS may be one I back even though I said I was trying to be more discerning. At the very least, I'm getting it if it goes retail.

It's the old Ace of Aces fighter plane books.



Here's a video overview of the old series



I was obsessed with these games in high school (yes, they're THAT old). They're just fantastic.

edit: screw it, I'm backing. There's just too many fond memories of this game to do otherwise.

I was coming here to post this. We played a TON of this back in the day. I still have my original books. As well as the gunfight version, which wasn't quite as elegant.

I still have a few of these that I bought off ebay about a decade ago.

Just got my copy of The 7th Citadel delivered today. Wasn't expecting that for a while. I'll have to figure out when I can break it out to try it.

Wow, I guess I should be on the lookout for mine now. Did you get a shipping notice at all?

If you just ordered the core game I think those have been shipping for about a week or so. If you did any add on stuff or an all in I think they were waiting for another container and you might not see it for another 3-4 weeks.

hepcat wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 5:23 pm Wow, I guess I should be on the lookout for mine now. Did you get a shipping notice at all?

I did, but I kind of ignored it, thinking it would still be weeks away.

hentzau wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 3:34 pm Just got my copy of The 7th Citadel delivered today. Wasn't expecting that for a while. I'll have to figure out when I can break it out to try it.

You did? I haven't even got a shipping notice. Did you get the base game or all the expansions. I got the expansions so thats why I am waiting I think.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 5:24 pm If you just ordered the core game I think those have been shipping for about a week or so. If you did any add on stuff or an all in I think they were waiting for another container and you might not see it for another 3-4 weeks.

I shuda read this first.

Solo Storytelling TTRPG for $15 (PDF), optionally, buy the paperback book for main rules, add bonus items in card form...

I could never beat my brother at Ace of Aces which I found frustrating since he had no interest in aircraft at all.

I'd had it in my mind that a new version of Ace of Aces could be created with the assistance of an actual combat flight sim by taking the appropriate screen captures at the appropriate moments and then arranging them into the "books".

Well, this should be interesting - House of 1000 Corpses - The Game

Apologies

I feel like my time here is coming to a middle

"A One Thousand Corpses".

In other news, the folks behind Chronicles of Drunagor (which I own an embarrassing amount of and quite love) just opened up Dante: Inferno on Gamefound.

I missed backing the original Kickstarter but picked it up retail to try it, then bought two expansions. I think there's been some discussion here about it... it's a really fun, if chaotic, racing/combat game. Just enough weight to it so there are some interesting decisions to be made, but it plays quickly and isn't complicated at all.

This expansion turns the game from a "race" to an arena competition, and is an opportunity to get all of the original content as well. I'll might get the Choppe Shoppe expansion as that's the only one I'm missing but I want to research it a little more. I wound up not liking Big Rig and The Final Five but think Carnage at Devils Run is a must have.

I played this at the last Pax Unplugged and picked up the base game as well.
I waffled long enough for them to basically run out of everything.
I'm debating if I should sell my unopened copy and go maximum chrome with that folded space insert.
I backed at $5 for now so I have plenty of time to decide.

So I skipped Earthborne Rangers kickstarter and am all in for the Maximum Chrome edition of Thunder Road: Vendetta. I didn't feel good about backing two expensive projects so closely together, especially when we still have other battlers we are still learning. My Mind Bug kickstarter just arrived and we've been enjoying how easily it plays while still retaining fun ccg elements. I can see still seeking out ER later when the backlog is reduced if we are still chomping at the bit to try.

Daveman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:45 pm. I'll might get the Choppe Shoppe expansion as that's the only one I'm missing but I want to research it a little more. I wound up not liking Big Rig and The Final Five but think Carnage at Devils Run is a must have.

Definitely get Choppe Shoppe if you like the game. I have all three of those expansions and I’d say Choppe Shoppe is a must-have and the other two are optional.

Thanks, I went ahead and pledged for it and the new expansion. Nice to back something for <$80.

Unrelated, but how did I miss this?



It's from Steamforged Games, who bought up everything Street Masters from Blacklist Games, but I wouldn't touch this with a 10' pole. Sadly it looks like they've bundled the existing expansions together so the *one* I'm missing would require spending much more. No thanks.