RftG : why only 2 players games ?

[Maskounet]

Hello everybody,

I'm quite new to BGA, and even newer with Race for the Galaxy (only made a few games so far).
The game and its adaptation are great, but I have a wonder : why are 99% of the games created for 2 players ?
I'm used to play the physical game with friends for 3/4 players games, and I thought that the game was designed for that configuration. So why only 2 players on BGA ? Is it because it is faster ? Or that everybody love to choose two actions each turn ?

Gilles

[Jest Phulin]

It isn't just Race for the Galaxy.

On this site, the culture seems to be "I want to play a game NOW and play it fast. I'm also not that interested in trying to chat with my opponent during the game, I just want to make game progress."

With this, it is much easier to create a game and find one opponent, rather than two or three opponents. When one person joins, the game can start within 10 seconds. Having to wait an entire 90 seconds for someone else to join is too long for some. Many games get created with the minimum number of players.

However, don't worry. There are enough of us out there who don't subscribe to that culture. It may take longer to get a table together, but we find the game more enjoyable. Chat tends to be livelier as well.

I've found that by putting a note in the table representation explicitly stating that I am going to wait for the requested number of players also helps. It reduces the amount of people joining the game, waiting for me to start with just them, and then leaving.

[Nanaki404]

I partially disagree with you, Jest.

Sure, there are people that want to play fast at any game, and with the least possible number of players, but they are not that numerous.
For example, on Tokaido, for most game lobbies, players wait until they are 4 people, even if it is playable at 2 or 3.
But indeed, for Seasons for example, most people tend to play at 2 while I find it very interesting at 3 or 4 players.

Usually, I personally tend to play with more than 2 players in most games.
However, for RftG, it's different for me, and I think for many players. Indeed, I enjoy it most (and by far) with 2 players rather than 3-4.
With 3-4 players, we only have 1 action per turn, and I often feel frustrated by that, and have difficulties planning any kind of strategy. This game depends too much on what other players will choose as actions, and if we predicted wrong, we can lose a turn doing nothing for example. And this is not really the case with 2 players, thanks to the double-actions per turn.

Maybe that is just my opinion, but I feel like this game was designed for 2 players, and extended to be playable by 3-4.

[Jest Phulin]

Those are valid points.

It comes down to a similar difference in short track and long track speed skating. Long track is "how fast can I go?" Short track is "it doesn't matter how fast I go, just as long as it is faster than any one else I'm with."

2 player RftG is long track. One optimizes their strategy to get to the end quickest, and gets bonus help from the other player, just as one skater may draft behind another for a bit, but the majority of their progress is up to them.

3+ is short track. Someone's going to get to the end eventually, where you position yourself at each step and when you try to surge ahead plays a bigger part than straight speed. Trade/consume was just played last round, so nobody has goods on worlds. If I don't need the production bonus, I'll count on someone else producing for me. Of course, if all of us think that...

There are differences like this in most games where there is a section in the rulebook "special rules for n players." Different people find different methods more enjoyable.

To each their own. Your mileage may vary. My opinion only. Void where prohibited. May cause anxiety, sleep deprivation, and blurred vision. Do not operate heavy machinery while...

[Maskounet]

Ok, the question is whether the game is better with 2 players or with 3/4 players. I get it.
From my small experience, I have the feeling that players are more self-centered in a 2 players game. With two actions, one can do most of the things he want, and use additional actions granted by the other player as a bonus. In a 3/4 players game, you HAVE to guess what other players will choose and use it (better have a plan B in most cases).
2 players games are much faster, because you just care about your hand. 3/4 players games have much more interactions between players.