Twilight Imperium

[parzi42]

So this is still hapening even though the Steam version was announed today?

Asmodee own BGA and FFG so provided they haven't done something silly with the licensing this shouldn't be an issue, right

Also the app doesn't look like it's going to support async play on release, so good reason to continue with the BGA implementation

Asmodee can also pull TI4 from BGA if the steam app takes off. They own the IP. Don't think its happening, but they have the right to do so.

[SilentNSly]

Thanks for your patience. New faction: Saar (14 out of 17 base game factions complete)

I am guessing these will be the order of the final 3 factions (due to the difficulty of implementation):

• The Mentak Coalition
• The Ghosts of Creuss
• The Nekro Virus

Great speed of progress!

I hope to test the Saar once my current game is done.

[GTSchemer]

GTSchemer can you explain me one thing: in this game https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=729710814 I activated Lazar Sakulag system and finished movement immediately (cuz I had a ship in this system and all I wanted is to use it to invade another neutral planet (Lazar), using my infantry from Sakulag). But after my turn ended. Why is that so? Or I should have loaded infantry on a ship during the movement phase?

This is unfortunately one thing which sometimes confuses players. Per the rules, to move planet-to-planet, you have to load infantry during the movement phase because any sort of movement to space requires capacity.

However, I have a note about a warning and/or improved mechanism for this specific planet-to-planet case. I am hoping I can make it more player-friendly.

I am guessing these will be the order of the final 3 factions (due to the difficulty of implementation):

• The Mentak Coalition
• The Ghosts of Creuss
• The Nekro Virus

I would say you are very wise in assessing difficulty of implementation.

[Yoshi-Ogoshi]

Hello,

i would like to check his game online, after i played it sometimes in reallife. i just want to check the feeling an dlook how this game is working online. could anybody invite me to a just test round of this game. just to test.. no playing through und no playing to the end...

thx !

not translated with googel.. as you recognized

[GTSchemer]

Right now, it's still best for players who are only curious or casual to wait until beta, sorry!

Thanks everyone for your patience. The next faction should arrive soon, and at that point I will review any outstanding bug reports and reply to them.

[GTSchemer]

New faction: Mentak (15 out of 17 base game factions complete)

This faction of space pirates is known for stealing from other players.
* Can steal a commodity or trade good from any neighbor who gains trade goods or performs a transaction, if they have at least 3 trade goods.
* Can attack first with cruisers and destroyers.
* Can use faction tech to get goods after combat, rebuild destroyed ships, and double the value of trade goods.
* Their flagship prevents other players from using Sustain Damage in its system.


As always when a new faction is added, please watch for any bugs.


Mentak is infamous for their Pillage ability, so I want to emphasize a few things:

• Mentak can only pillage from neighbors. Even if you have the Hacan promissory note or it is the agenda phase, those things let you trade but do not make you neighbors.

• Mentak can pillage from both players after a transaction, if both players are neighbors.

• Mentak can pillage after a transaction, no matter what the transaction contained. Even if Hacan sent an action card to another player, and that's all the transaction did, Mentak can still pillage for a commodity / trade good.

• Mentak's promissory note Promise of Protection does not take effect immediately. This means Mentak can pillage you on the turn they give you the promissory note. You must take a component action to play Promise of Protection, just like the Hacan promissory note.

Lastly, Mentak is known for annoying other players in real life games. First, they can make the game slower because they keep interrupting to make a Pillage decision. Second, no one likes having their commodities and trade goods stolen, so people may form alliances to attack Mentak if they are too greedy.

To address these cases, the BGA implementation makes Pillage automatic by default, so the game does not slow down. But, it also provides a Settings dialog to control how Pillage works. Settings in this dialog are unique to each game so you can customize according to the situation. This is what it looks like:

• "Never" means you will never Pillage this player.

• "Only for commodity" means you will automatically take a commodity if they have one, but otherwise you will skip the effect.

• "Ask me every time" will ask you every time you can Pillage this player. Please note this may slow the game down!

• "Always, prefer commodity" is the default. You will automatically take a commodity if a player has one, but otherwise will take a trade good.

• "Always, take trade good" is the meanest option. You will automatically take a trade good, even if the player has a commodity.

I encourage Mentak players to use this dialog to sometimes play nice with other players, e.g. using "Only for commodity" for players you are at peace with. Doing this on occasion, and pillaging other players evenly instead of picking on one player, may result in less aggression from other players. Good luck!

[Half Baked Cat]

That looks like a great way to implement Pillage into the game. I still don't think I would choose to play Mentak personally, but I would not be upset at setting up some of those pillage options if I was to be Mentak in a game.

[TomKy]

That's funny, in a random game I just started, someone did pick the mentak first and the chat blew up instantly. It's just like that player has become a galactic threat from turn 1, but they happen to be somewhat chatty experienced TI players.

But due to impersonal play nature of playing over BGA, people tend to be very aggressive and play risk style play with by throwing their gloves off even from round 2 and fight each other in some games. I have 2 ongoing alpha games where neighbor players are constantly fighting each other and I think they only playing the game for combat entertainment and battling just for fun, while frustrating the defending side which try to hint VP points is also important. I find those game more entertaining due to the social aspect game brings which doesn't exist in so many other games. Root is one game where tabletalk and aggressive tactics can be fun as well, but its more of a wargame. I think this game soon is becoming my nr1 instead of Root, just because I have the ability to play it so often here and realise how well designed TI4 is, except for that somewhat long gameplay time.

I think Mentaks would be picked in many games which is a goodand interesting choice. This will be interesting.

Edit: added comments
Also it would be awesome if we would have such options for the PDS I and II shooting settings

[GTSchemer]

General update: I have replied to all recent bug reports, and am not aware of any major bugs at this time (Trade and Technology strategy cards have improvements planned in the future).

If anyone has a table currently blocked by a bug, or is confident of a significant bug, please report it ASAP. Otherwise, I will likely start working on The Ghosts of Creuss by tomorrow, and it becomes more difficult to release bug patches in the middle of those changes.

[Wishmaster]

Hello, I'd like to join the testing group. I'm a fairly active player and have some knowledge of this game. Regards.