Board games discussion

[vidius]

So I love board games.

I love them a lot.

And between my self and all my friends, we seem to own an exceptionally large number of board games.

I have created this topic to discuss board games, what is good, what is bad, etc etc etc. I also hope that this will help people who are interested in buying board games, but not sure if a game is worth it.

Presently I own:-

Settlers of Catan
Dominion
Flash Duel
Infiltration
Chaos in the Old World
Tannhauser
Small World
King of Tokyo
Decent
Pandemic
Space Alert
Zombies! (1-4)
Risk (original)

I am also (eagerly) awaiting a delivery of ALL the Tannhauser supplements (they where 50% off :S) as well as Zombicide (:D)

I am seriously keen to hear if anyone has any feedback on Last Night on Earth, and also Risk Legacy.

If you have any questions about any of the games I own, ask away.

[BadgeAddict]

So I love board games Too.

Settlers of Catan (This is awesome, especially when you add in barbarians)
Dominion (My wife loves this game, not a fan myself)
Pandemic (you need the right group of people to like this game)
Last night on Earth (great, ever-changing, zombie game)
Agricola (Wife loves this, not a huge fan, but the farmers of the moor exp. made it better)
Through the Ages (awesome game, takes a long time to play)
Stone age (mediocre)
Smallworld (Fairly good game)
Munchkin (munchkin quest) (we own all but two, we love steve jackson games, easy to learn easy to play)
Ticket to ride (fun and simple)
Carcasonne (tile laying game, high luck needed, I love this game)
Tower of Babel (cool trading game)
Power Grid (one of my favorite games)

we have more than i can count, tons of which we have either never played or don't play anymore.

[ThroughTheWell]

I find http://boardgamegeek.com/ useful for reviews, strategy, info, and even buying. A few games have made it to my wish list, and many more have NOT, which is a good thing. I like knowing how many players the game is for, and how many it plays best with, etc.

[AccursedBiscuit]

I love board games but I don't currently own any, they typically require a resource unknown to me. Munn-nee? Something like that. However, I am currently seriously considering making my own board game, a kind of Age of Empires-ish resource management board game. Any suggestions on what makes a successful board game? What you guys like/ don't like? I am very open to ideas and suggestions. Thanks in advance!

[LooksAndSmiles]

I love Carcassone too, unfortunately I couldn't convert my surroundings to share the same delight, even though I own the basic game + 1st extension + traders + dragon, and we can mix and match however we will... Ah well. I have found a java version of carcassone which is fairly good, you can play against AI and hot seat, and in theory multiplayer through internet too, but we couldn't get to make it work. :/ I could share a link if anyone is interested.

I have read / seen some review about Small World, and it looks like something I'd try, but it is a bit expensive just to buy at first sight... :/

I'm sure I have played / seen more board games, but can't think about them right now.

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@AccursedBiscuit: it's not easy to answer, but I'll share some of views later on, I promise. Until then...
What is your aim with the board game? Do you aim for simplicity and enjoyment or complexity and strategy? Note that resource management does not need too much complexity to be entertaining. For example Bohnanza is a simple card game where your resources are the money you have, the slots you can fill with beans, and of course the beans with different resell value. It requires strategy to be the first, it is cooperative and competitive at the same time, and yet it is fast paced and funny. Other games like Starcraft take an eternity to play, but they have cool miniatures, maps, quests, etc. and will likely aim at the same level of epicness as an Ages of Empires.

As TtW said, reading reviews and trying out games could help you a lot. Not sure how is it around your location, but here we have 1 or 2 "Fairs" or Cons or Workshops or whatever they are called a year, where game developers (board games and card-like games mostly) get together and try out each others game and generally having fun. Ask around, if you have the possibility to get to such event, I'm sure you could learn a lot from people with first-hand experience in game development.

[AccursedBiscuit]

I'm not entirely sure exactly what type, I'm trying to not limit myself on anything just yet. I guess what I have in mind is sort of Starcrafty, but I want a game where the game would be totally different each time you play. Kinda like blocks with different resources and land types that can be arranged randomly. Then each player chooses a starting point, maybe have different starting point blocks, dunno yet. The game I have in mind would be a large scale game, one where there would be at least three or four players to encourage alliances and blacklists and such. Players would take turns, collect resources, build armies and trade routes, declare war, etc, etc. But I fear adding too much will make it too complex to play, too much to learn, and would become boring to play very quickly. (See: Monopoly hahaha) Thanks for your input

[ThroughTheWell]

AB, there is a games recources subforum around here somewhere. People talk there about making forum games. You might learn something. And if you hunt, on BGG some designers share their stories. You can learn some lessons from some Kickstarter games.

Now, I've made/designed several games. So listen to this next bit. Even if you have "your" game designed right now, you still don't yet have success. Even if your game is actualy good, you still don't have success. A successful boardgame will require several of the following: connections inside the gaming industry, giving up rights and money, lots of time and sweat to prototype your game, lots of time to playtest your game, lots of time and effort to somehow put your game in front of eyeballs with money, rejection, persistance, possibly self publishing to include all aspects of a business, printing, shipping, work with artists, work with manufacturers, word of mouth, conventions, etc. The key word is work. Work in some sense just begins after you think you are finished. Unfortunately, some games actualy succeed because they have more support on the back end, even though they may not be as good as your game. Beware, sweat may help, but it does help some if you have a good game, which is a completely different conversation. It also helps if you already know a hundred thousand people so that a thousand of them will be predisposed to buy your game.

[AccursedBiscuit]

Thank you for the great advice, and the leads. I'm not exactly looking for a publishing deal or anything. I mean, that would be great, but I'm more thinking of a game that my friends would come over for some kind of game night or something.

[ThroughTheWell]

On the game design front: either you are supremely special, or your idea has likely already been done before and done better. That sounds harsh, but go to BGG and look at the hundreds of new games a year. Then startnoticing that they can group them by mechanic and theme. Then start tracing the evolution of ideas in games from one to the next. Now realize you probably can't keep up with that firehose of information, much less look at all of the past history, and get anywork on your own game done, yet, if you don't at least become somewhat familiar with the current state of the industry, you are so very likely to reinvent the wheel, or cobble things together badly.

And remember, this is all before you get to the work part.

[AccursedBiscuit]

Hmm.. I think I'll just make it a group project for me and my friends. I feel like I've derailed this thread from what it was originally about hahaha

[vidius]

Hmm.. I think I'll just make it a group project for me and my friends. I feel like I've derailed this thread from what it was originally about hahaha

maybe, but if it helps you get somewhere I wont complain

As for advice on your game.. you good use a modular board setting to create different play through/board each time. As for general advice. DON'T MAKE IT TOO COMPLICATED!

Seriously, less complicated = more accessible. More accessible = more diverse market. More diverse market = more muh-nies.

Several times I have *tried* to design even simple forum games, and failed as I just make it too complicated. What I think is a great idea, just becomes too difficult to comprehend.

Back on topic. UPS game today with my package, but alas.. I was working.. TODAY WAS MEANT TO BE MY DAY OFF!!!! So sad

I love Carcasonne, my brother owns it. So much fun.

Right now I am seriously enjoying both King of Tokyo (because it's so easy to pick up and play) As well as Flash Duel (for exactly the same reason)

I'm hoping in the next few weeks to try out the Game Of Thrones Board Game. (FOR DORNE!)

[John]

Last Night on Earth. I love it. It isn't for folks are planning on a quick 30 minute fun time. It can get quite lengthy. The expansions have made it more so. It a great scenario zombie board game that allows you to make your own rules/scenarios if you wish as well. Any first/second time playing it can take a hot minute to get used to everything because there is a lot to get used to. I love it though and I feel it is really a game better suited for folks who are already big fans of playing in depth board games for at least an hour if not longer.

[BadgeAddict]

Didn't they make a Mars/Ufo/Aliens version of last night on earth too?

[John]

Probably. They are a funny group of folks

[vidius]

So I got zombiecide, it's amazing.

I really like the fact that it's co-op, it means that its play encourages a different environment to some other games. However I will say this, the play time for missions can be a bit long.

Hopefully this afternoon I get to play the Game Of Thrones Board game!

[nikohl]

I can't list the games I own without crashing the forum - although it's a lot less than before, Pete took his when he moved out and that freed up a lot of shelf space.

I really like Chaos in the Old World, but the thing I play most of is probably Catan.

[vidius]

I can't list the games I own without crashing the forum - although it's a lot less than before, Pete took his when he moved out and that freed up a lot of shelf space.

I really like Chaos in the Old World, but the thing I play most of is probably Catan.

I use to play Catan heaps, but right now Zombicide or Flash Duel dominate my gaming nights. I really want to see how Tannhauser plays with the revised rules (and considering i spent more money then I should have purchasing every model I could...)

[Zathyr]

Settlers is an old standby for me and most of my buds. I have Seafarers and Cities and Knights and the 5-6 player expansions for all of it, but I don't use Seafarers much.

I like games with a trading aspect, diplomacy, and/or strategy and tactics. Actually Diplomacy is one of my favorite games but it really needs 7 players and like a full day to play. Civilization is in that same category. Classics, but so hard to get the game together. Faster and fewer player faves include Robo-Rally and Aquire but those can take a while as well, especially with more players. At least Robo Rally you can tailor to make it a shorter or longer game.

Last Night on Earth is OK. Not really a favorite but I'll enjoy it now and then. Some of my friends are big fans. That and Betrayal at House on the Hill seem to be among the favorites of that group.

RPGish board games like Talisman and Descent are really fun too. Then there's card games that are basically like board games, like Illuminati or Bohnanza or ohmygoodnessApples to Apples (or for the extra twisted version of it, Cards Against Humanity). So many good games, so little time...

[nikohl]

For Tabletop Day we played Catan and then War on Terror.

I like WoT but I prefer that company's other game, Crunch. That's a great little game. I learnt that my table is smooth enough that if you very lightly wet the back of a card (I accomplish this by licking my finger) it will stick to the underside, and that rarely gets spotted during the game. For reference, the whole game is about cheating and hiding cards.

[vidius]

For Tabletop Day we played Catan and then War on Terror.

I like WoT but I prefer that company's other game, Crunch. That's a great little game. I learnt that my table is smooth enough that if you very lightly wet the back of a card (I accomplish this by licking my finger) it will stick to the underside, and that rarely gets spotted during the game. For reference, the whole game is about cheating and hiding cards.

These games sound fun and I must look into them both