Board Game Arena

Marcuda wrote: ↑06 August 2020, 04:39 (...)
1. Fair point. Early on I tried doing it visually with borders and such but it didn't turn out well. I could maybe change it so it shows something like >20, >10, >5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0? Perhaps as a game option.
(...)
4. The cards available is just a reminder as they're listed in the rules. It does not update as cards are played or discarded or anything so it doesn't help track the game that way. Players still need to pay attention and remember (or read logs for) if anything was discarded.

Redwoods wrote: ↑09 September 2020, 23:44 That new artwork is kinda rough and gets in the way of the information, especially compared to the distinct style of the original... hope the original will still be available!

In terms of editions, will the "new society" expansion be available to play with first edition? My understanding is second edition has variations of some elements of that, but more poorly implemented and missing a ton of the best ones. First edition + New Society is always what I've found to be by far the best version of the game. Balances costs, adds great new cards and variation for additional balance, but keeps the exact same gameplay structure, which works well.

Specifically, playing it right now, the lack of balance in terms of observatory cost, mistress of ceremonies being 6 and 3 instead of 3 and 4, and single potjemkin's village instead of scaled set of three, are all leading to less interesting games and less strategy, more luck. Same with the lack of New Farmers in the workers--getting lucky with cheap workers is a way bigger random advantage when there's not an on-its-own beneficial more expensive one.

mneme wrote: ↑20 September 2020, 10:33 One thing BSW has that I'd like to see here is showing each player's VP/Gold income for each phase. Yes, you can do it by eye, but just having those displayed as running totals (even if Observatory will throw it off slightly) makes it easier to keep track of the game and speeds things up.

Calmon70 wrote: ↑17 September 2020, 21:40

Redwoods wrote: ↑09 September 2020, 23:44 That new artwork is kinda rough and gets in the way of the information, especially compared to the distinct style of the original... hope the original will still be available!

In terms of editions, will the "new society" expansion be available to play with first edition? My understanding is second edition has variations of some elements of that, but more poorly implemented and missing a ton of the best ones. First edition + New Society is always what I've found to be by far the best version of the game. Balances costs, adds great new cards and variation for additional balance, but keeps the exact same gameplay structure, which works well.

Specifically, playing it right now, the lack of balance in terms of observatory cost, mistress of ceremonies being 6 and 3 instead of 3 and 4, and single potjemkin's village instead of scaled set of three, are all leading to less interesting games and less strategy, more luck. Same with the lack of New Farmers in the workers--getting lucky with cheap workers is a way bigger random advantage when there's not an on-its-own beneficial more expensive one.

I would like seeing the 18 and 16 aristocrats balanced but I dislike full new society because it turns the whole game into an aristocrat fest. The game lasts longer PLUS you get for all of them VP on the end - even beyond 10. The base game allows different strategies.

Marcuda wrote: ↑22 September 2020, 01:23

mneme wrote: ↑20 September 2020, 10:33 One thing BSW has that I'd like to see here is showing each player's VP/Gold income for each phase. Yes, you can do it by eye, but just having those displayed as running totals (even if Observatory will throw it off slightly) makes it easier to keep track of the game and speeds things up.

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