Please explain-water space not counted?

[hopeful vega m]

I wanted to play Dugong so badly, went through a great deal for it. Upgraded the animals card, places an aquarium next to the enclosure so that it has 2 adjustent water spaces. And it's still not allowing to play - is it because the aquarium is connected to a pond so they are considered as one water space? Or what am I missing here?
And if my guess is correct, why the hell is it done like this? Is it really the rule in the rulebook?

Unfortunately can't upload the attachment, it's Table #683749366

[Tisaac]

I wanted to play Dugong so badly, went through a great deal for it. Upgraded the animals card, places an aquarium next to the enclosure so that it has 2 adjustent water spaces. And it's still not allowing to play - is it because the aquarium is connected to a pond so they are considered as one water space? Or what am I missing here?
And if my guess is correct, why the hell is it done like this? Is it really the rule in the rulebook?

Unfortunately can't upload the attachment, it's Table #683749366

Aquarium does not give any water icon to adjacent enclosures, that would be completely busted. It just gives you one water icon in your zoo

[hopeful vega m]

I wanted to play Dugong so badly, went through a great deal for it. Upgraded the animals card, places an aquarium next to the enclosure so that it has 2 adjustent water spaces. And it's still not allowing to play - is it because the aquarium is connected to a pond so they are considered as one water space? Or what am I missing here?
And if my guess is correct, why the hell is it done like this? Is it really the rule in the rulebook?

Unfortunately can't upload the attachment, it's Table #683749366

Aquarium does not give any water icon to adjacent enclosures, that would be completely busted. It just gives you one water icon in your zoo

Oh really? That's so counterintuitive, the water icon is a water icon but thanks for explaining, at least now I know what went wrong here.

[Jellby]

Oh really? That's so counterintuitive

But thematic. An aquarium makes no difference to animals outside it.

[danielvictor]

TBF,it really does look like water. Maybe the designers should have allowed it as water,considering the scope for confusion. I don't think that would have busted the game.

[Tisaac]

TBF,it really does look like water. Maybe the designers should have allowed it as water,considering the scope for confusion. I don't think that would have busted the game.

I strongly disagree with the last part. Being able to decide where the water hexes are completely broke water adjacency requirements.

[danielvictor]

Ok,you'd only be able to place new water hexes if you had the aquarium.So then the question would be 'would it make the Aquarium broken ? ' While Aquarium is good,there are more powerful sponsor cards - side entrance,archaeologist,federal grants - and the advantage of being able to put some water hexes somewhere useful is somewhat situational - you'd need to have other cards with water requirements. I don't believe that it would make the Aquarium,on average,that much more powerful than the most powerful sponsor cards. If you want situational comparisons,I'd still prefer a side entrance early in the game,or an archaeologist with Map 'A' or the map that has a free university.

[Seriq]

I wanted to play Dugong so badly, went through a great deal for it. Upgraded the animals card, places an aquarium next to the enclosure so that it has 2 adjustent water spaces. And it's still not allowing to play - is it because the aquarium is connected to a pond so they are considered as one water space? Or what am I missing here?
And if my guess is correct, why the hell is it done like this? Is it really the rule in the rulebook?

Unfortunately can't upload the attachment, it's Table #683749366

Aquarium does not give any water icon to adjacent enclosures, that would be completely busted. It just gives you one water icon in your zoo

Oh really? That's so counterintuitive, the water icon is a water icon but thanks for explaining, at least now I know what went wrong here.

I mean, Dugong itself has two water icons, does that mean you can use Dugong as water to play a crocodile? There is zero inconsitency here, water icons on the dugong are a *requirement*, so the water icons on the aquarium are also a requirement, not a generation of water.

[danielvictor]

It's not the icons on the aquarium card that make it look as if it fulfils the water requirement - because cards requiring adjacent water need water hexes next to their enclosure on the map,not icons. The problem is that the aquarium illustration on the map looks as if it has water hexes. There's a balance to be drawn,IMO,between balancing the game as perfectly as possible,and not confusing new players. Having what appears to be water not count as water is very confusing.

[JDansp]

Ok,you'd only be able to place new water hexes if you had the aquarium.So then the question would be 'would it make the Aquarium broken ? ' While Aquarium is good,there are more powerful sponsor cards - side entrance,archaeologist,federal grants - and the advantage of being able to put some water hexes somewhere useful is somewhat situational - you'd need to have other cards with water requirements. I don't believe that it would make the Aquarium,on average,that much more powerful than the most powerful sponsor cards. If you want situational comparisons,I'd still prefer a side entrance early in the game,or an archaeologist with Map 'A' or the map that has a free university.

Goatiisac is right here, might even be more busted than explorer