Arena mode, proposal to limit the hand to 16 cards

[4zuredrake]

Arena mode, proposal to limit the hand to 16 cards

when a player plays “AI intelligence” plus a few draw abilities, he's got such an advantage that you can't compete. The game is no longer a game if the outcome is known, sometimes even to the third generation.
I'm not in favor of banning cards, but a 16-card limit and an inability to draw/buy more could be an interesting alternative.
May the gurus read me and enjoy the game!

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

[Ringbearer79]

I can tell you it will not happen. BGA's policy is not to adapt house rules of any kind. if they would the floodgates would be opened.

[Camzeee]

You just need to learn how to terraform faster. I promise you that AI Central is not OP.

[4zuredrake]

You just need to learn how to terraform faster. I promise you that AI Central is not OP.

on average, terraforming is completed in 10 generations, very rarely in 9, often in 11.

If the AI is available in 3rd generation, that means 16 cards drawn for free, or 48 credits off, not counting the game opportunities available in 10 generation.
It's situational, I agree, but wickedly powerful all the same.

[4zuredrake]

I can tell you it will not happen. BGA's policy is not to adapt house rules of any kind. if they would the floodgates would be opened.

Yes, I know and I understand, but original options in arena mode could defeat the strategies of hard gamers... the example exists with Ark Nova's alternative boards, a very good idea I think.

[Corbz]

You just need to learn how to terraform faster. I promise you that AI Central is not OP.

on average, terraforming is completed in 10 generations, very rarely in 9, often in 11.

If the AI is available in 3rd generation, that means 16 cards drawn for free, or 48 credits off, not counting the game opportunities available in 10 generation.
It's situational, I agree, but wickedly powerful all the same.

Camzee is correct. AI is strong but not game breaking. It is a large investment to get it down (3 science tags, a power prod and 21 MC). If you get it down gen 3 your are likely very poor so can't play all the cards that it draws. If you're opponent gets AI down early then focus on the milestones and terraforming quickly.

[Skelebat]

On Arena I've noticed it's rare to be in a game with two players both competent enough to terraform very fast in response to AI Central (and the rest of the durdling Science Engine) so it tends to feel quite good in that meta. When I sit back and try to go long with it it's rare the game ends before Gen 11.

That being said even if you were gonna mess with stuff, which it looks like we 100% can't, this definitely isn't the type of fix I would do, targeted nerfs to certain cards would feel a lot better.

[quaswhat]

I can tell you it will not happen. BGA's policy is not to adapt house rules of any kind. if they would the floodgates would be opened.

Yes, I know and I understand, but original options in arena mode could defeat the strategies of hard gamers... the example exists with Ark Nova's alternative boards, a very good idea I think.

The alternative Ark Nova boards were supplied by the publisher. They are official content despite only being available on bga.

[efidiaf]

You just need to learn how to terraform faster. I promise you that AI Central is not OP.

on average, terraforming is completed in 10 generations, very rarely in 9, often in 11.

If the AI is available in 3rd generation, that means 16 cards drawn for free, or 48 credits off, not counting the game opportunities available in 10 generation.
It's situational, I agree, but wickedly powerful all the same.

AI central in 3rd round is very rare, and even if it happens the player is likely to be very much short in money.

Usually I would expect AI central to drop in the middle of the game in average.

Yes, it is powerful and has a lot of potential, but definitely not a broken card.

There are many other cards that are super powerful if played in specific circumstances like Nitrogen-rich asteroid, Insects, Mass converter, Earth catapult, etc. Some of them has unlimited potential, so high that it even exceeds the potential of early AI Central.

Or in some cases, an unexpected card becomes the key to victory/defeat.

What makes TFM appealing as a competitive game is that you don't know which cards will be the GOAT in each game. AI central is just one of potential candidates, which adds this richness of ways to victory. I wouldn't want it to be removed from the game.

BTW, the 16 card restriction is a very severe penalty for card-based tech. I think land corps will crush the game with this rule.

[RoyalRook]

Arena mode, proposal to limit the hand to 16 cards

when a player plays “AI intelligence” plus a few draw abilities, he's got such an advantage that you can't compete. The game is no longer a game if the outcome is known, sometimes even to the third generation.
I'm not in favor of banning cards, but a 16-card limit and an inability to draw/buy more could be an interesting alternative.
May the gurus read me and enjoy the game!

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

You counter possible AI through drafting. Hate draft science or favor more terraforming. AI is game breaking just so you are forced to hunt/prep for it. The AI player can also argue that heat and plant prod needs to be limited to 4, and you cant drop more than 3 oceans per generation as it is OP to finish game fast and dominate the board.

https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=543143934
Here I passed gen2 AI to full metal IC no less because I got counter in hand. At higher level, as long as you have counter on deck, you fear nothing. Don’t play like me right now though, normally unless you know what you’re doing you pass AI never.