Board Game Arena

I propose a game variant that goes to 100 points (rockets) rather than 40, to give us a little more time to enjoy our amazing engine that we spent so long building up! Most games are over within a couple of rounds when things finally come together. I would like to play for longer!

Anyone care to second this, or to share what issues this may face? I know that once an engine is really rolling, it may not actually extend the game all that much to get from 40 > 100 rockets, and it also changes the relative value of colony cards. But this to me sounds like a fun thing!

First thought: That would overpower the "long shot" ships which would have way more time to pay out. E.g., "you win" one.

I thought that all games on BGA had to follow the same rules as the board games, per the licensing agreements. Does Space Base have that variation on tabletop? If not, then it won't happen here on BGA.

dizzymisslizzy17 wrote: ↑11 September 2023, 06:51 I thought that all games on BGA had to follow the same rules as the board games, per the licensing agreements. Does Space Base have that variation on tabletop? If not, then it won't happen here on BGA.

It's a bit more complex than that but yes.

Now some games invite people to play as they like or decide on unclear rules by consensus etc which gives some leeway. You can also read between the lines, if the rules say that you can also play some game for only 50 points instead of 100 if you want a shorter game, you can probably also allow any amount between 50 and 100.

Publishers also sometimes specifically allow online variants like allowing to play with infinite wear cubes in Automobiles as the number is limited in the board game more by necessity than by will.

Most commonly, it is understood that turn-based and memory requirements don't go well together so that information that is normally secret can be open in BGA like for instance the running score in Tigris & Euphrates (people could write down or look at the log to figure out how many points everyone has so you might as well make it public.

So if I understand this right, then a variant of this nature isn't possible unless the original game suggests it? Bummer, seemed like it would be a super easy change to make, that would add some interesting variability indeed. Suddenly the Claim cards and the #12 You Win become viable options again.

DangerLaser wrote: ↑13 September 2023, 23:18 So if I understand this right, then a variant of this nature isn't possible unless the original game suggests it? Bummer, seemed like it would be a super easy change to make, that would add some interesting variability indeed. Suddenly the Claim cards and the #12 You Win become viable options again.

Yes, that is generally correct.

There have been some instances of developers authorizing variants, errata, or other small changes (occasionally even initiated through BGA members), but it is fairly rare and usually for a good reason (i.e., to address some sort of imbalance, add a common competitive/tournament play variant, or to allow things that the publisher/developer would have original allowed but the physical version couldn't accommodate it but the digital version could, etc.).

So, yeah, just adding something like this is extremely unlikely to get official approval.

I would like to see this too. I play Space Base a lot with a friend and we just started playing to 80 points.

DangerLaser wrote: ↑13 September 2023, 23:18 So if I understand this right, then a variant of this nature isn't possible unless the original game suggests it? Bummer, seemed like it would be a super easy change to make, that would add some interesting variability indeed. Suddenly the Claim cards and the #12 You Win become viable options again.

I almost won with that #12 You Win card in my second play of Space Base. I didn't know it was considered to be a terrible card!

Using others cards powers you can place the #12 in slot 7, exchange the stack with a lower number, place and move tokens to the card #12...
When playing 4 players ou have less tokens to get (3 or 4?)

The card alone is poor but using combos it can be filled very fast.

I too would like to see a long game variant . Perhaps to either 80 or 100 points. Whichever ends up being more fun. The “remove Gordon -4 point 7-die ship” rule wasn’t in the main game or the ruleset either, nor approved and we added it anyways. I’m a developer so I can add the feature myself if time or effort by the current developer is currently restricted or constrained. Although I’m under no impression that’s the case, just simply offering my technical expertise for free to add this feature.