My bad lol
Also why in the flying fuck is their no app version of hive? Got pocket and the pill bug expansion and it's amazing, would be the perfect phone game.
-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
-
We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.
Board Gaming Era |OT| (Mostly) Unplugged Gaming
- Thread starter XShagrath
- Start date
My bad lol
Also why in the flying fuck is their no app version of hive? Got pocket and the pill bug expansion and it's amazing, would be the perfect phone game.
Actually, I misremembered that a bit. The official Hive app was removed from the store a few years ago when the app developers' licensing deal with the game publisher expired. The knock-off app, Hanto, died during the 64 bit migration.
Who are you talking to? Nerd rage? Angry? What the hell are you talking about? I'm not angry about anything. You're being a bit sensitive there mate! :D
I'm pointing out there are 17 locations is the base box. If you're going to make a mundane copy of MoM you could at least match the same amount of map tiles present in their game rather than filling it full of plastic. For the price Arkham Horror LCG looks to be a much better price to content ratio.
To be fair their last KS was fairly early too- though it's always nice to have a project early. Almost everything that is due on my list in June/July is going to slip till August/September or even January next year. Speaking of unexpected kickstarters Rise of Tribes is apparently arriving today, that's completely slipped under the radar due to Brass. Cool.
I decided to drop the idea of pledging for Eclipse for now. The price is too high (especially after my recent binge into Android Netrunner) and a lot of things seem to either be missing (expansion races) or just mismanaged (stretch goals).
So I'm interested in getting Gloomhaven
I had just seen it a few weeks ago on Amazon for like $133. Right now, its no longer being sold directly on there and is going for $168 or something. Did I completely miss out on a printing or is this something that will become back in stock for normal price reasonably soon?
I had just seen it a few weeks ago on Amazon for like $133. Right now, its no longer being sold directly on there and is going for $168 or something. Did I completely miss out on a printing or is this something that will become back in stock for normal price reasonably soon?
It's in stock at CSI & MiniatureMarket etc for $140, which is a fair price. That's just amazon third parties taking advantage of it being "hot". stock is coming in pretty regular waves at this point, I believe.No need to overpay
https://boardgameprices.com/prices/gloomhaven
I'm really happy CMON fixed the whole DMD campaign. I'm kind of interested in the game, but I'm trying to figure out how it differs from Zombicide and Massive Darkness mechanic wise. It seems like a similar style.
Got email that Everdell Kickstarter started shipping. Wow I haven't been keeping track I guess but it was originally scheduled for Dec
A Kickstarter months early??? Wow
A Kickstarter months early??? Wow
They mentioned last month they were well ahead of target... Makes up for all their other late kickstarters I guess?
Having a really good board game store (Dragon's Lair Austin) so close to work is a bad thing for my wallet. I doesn't help that Alliance's distribution center is in Austin, either, and they just pick their stuff up from them day and date.
"Oh, two games I had pre-ordered are in. I should go pick them up at lunch."
*goes to pick up games*
"Whoa, hadn't heard of this other new game. Sounds cool. Might as well get the expansion, too!"
:|
"Oh, two games I had pre-ordered are in. I should go pick them up at lunch."
*goes to pick up games*
"Whoa, hadn't heard of this other new game. Sounds cool. Might as well get the expansion, too!"
:|
Really? Wow, I backed that, too ... That's exciting, I'm looking forward to playing it. I'm off to check my email lol
Modern or fantasy for your Zombicide game? Base game or expansions & addons? The first mission for modern Zombicide is about 3 hours long. It's really a great intro to the game. It's so good, the next several missions kind of pale in comparison because they are like 20 minute gaming sessions.
EDIT:
Simple strategies they both have in common:
-Open every single door you can while you are still in the blue level of experience. The experience lvl determines the difficulty of the spawns. When you open a door, every room in the building spawns at the highest hero's exp lvl . So go blue for as long as you can!
-Try to get everyone to level into each new experience lv at right around the same time if you can help it. Don't let a single hero Rambo the board and run straight to orange lvl while the others are struggling to get past blue.
-Get the right weapon in the hands of the right hero. Look at your skills and plan accordingly. Trade/swap weapons among your heroes to get the best combo.
-Sometimes someone's gotta die to save the others. Make their death spectacular.
-At the start, you'll be like "This isn't bad at all. It's actually kind of easy!" But it gets so much worse as the game goes on. The zombies never stop coming, and in the higher exp lvls you are getting hordes of zombies at every spawn location. Sometimes it's best to run!
Last edited:
Whoa, 3 hours! Yeah, it's just the original Zombicide with no expansions. 3 hours is a long time but I'm excited. Not necessarily into playing as multiple characters but I'll give it a whirl.
I missed the KS, but did a late pledge because of this
very cool
I checked it out at Origins but didn't play it. I was really worried about balance just from looking at it so I was waiting for reviewers to weigh in. One minor thing that bothered me was expansion factions being on the base game board but that may not bother anyone at all.
The scenarios were balance base on number of players so if you go with less than recommended you will get overwhelm if you get bad draw and bad dice roll. Also all the tips Eskimo recommended (he played a lot of Z-cide).
The asymmetrical factions do look pretty cool, and that artstyle is gorgeous. I'm also seeing the expansions adds coop modes (mechanical marquise). And no KS exclusives, too! I'll be keeping an eye out on the retail releases.
Yeah, I'm really glad I backed it. It reminds me of an extremely light COIN game.
Well now you're going to learn the downside of being a fan and lttp for virtually every CMON game. Your options are going to be somewhat limited compared to the people who Kickstarted their various games due to all the really good stuff that will forever remain exclusive to Kickstarters.
Every single thing in every game is backwards and forwards compatible. The best part of this version of Zombicide is the different powers/abilities of the wide variety of unique Abominations and Necromancers, so I would concentrate on getting as many of those as you can as well as different mob types in the main deck.
This is a good place to start your searching: https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/176189/zombicide-black-plague/expansions
From what is available:
Base game is a given.
Green Horde is new and introduces harder hitting zombies, 6 new heroes, 10 new missions, the trebuchet, and game tile effects (like water, ledges, and hedges).
Wulfsburg introduces wolves (moves 3 squares per activation), a werewolf abomination, 4 new heroes, and 10 new missions. - man, this may be out of print right now, prices are insane. Don't pay them it will get a reprint
NPC Box 1 - Adds NPCs and some vault weapon cards. I just like the variety and whimsy they add to the table once painted.
Things I would love to recommend, but they are oop right now and resellers are price gouging:
Bosses Abomination Pack - Adds 3 unique Abominations
Crowz enemy box - Adds the crowz enemy
Deadeye Walkers - Adds skeletal archers that can shoot you at range. These can be super rough to deal with.
Rat King - Special Rat summoning Necro and a Swamp Abomination that appears in swamp tiles from Green Horde.
Fatty burster - They blow up when you kill'em! Can be used strategically to blow up a tile full of zombies if you're smart.
The Green Horde Kickstarter has a plethora of everything that makes the game better. Tons of abominations, heroes, and necromancers. You can find people selling this on ebay both together and separated out. Check out this link to see all that was included: https://www.kickstarter.com/project...ef=nav_search&result=project&term=green horde
The Knight's Pledge Kickstarter from the original BP Kickstarter - A few unique heroes and abominations.
NPC Box 2 - more of the same from Box 1, but with new sculpts and more vault weapons
Nice to have, but not needed:
The various guest artist boxes for additional heroes. Naiade Box should be top of the list because it contains a hero that can also be used as a Necromancer enemy. Many of these boxes are gone forever.
Coming Soon:
Friends & Foes expansion has 6 new heroes, 10 new missions, animal companions, and a new zombie/abomination type
No Rest For The Wicked is an enemy only expansion. It includes the new Spectral Walkers, a HUGE zombie Dragon, rat swarms, and the ballista weapon (similar in concept to trebuchet mentioned above).
Special Guest Boxes Pau Bonner 2, Adrian Smith 2, and Sean A Murray are all great. Between them all you get new heroes, abominations, and necromancers.
I forgot to mention. Paint your minis for extra fun! This game branches off and fulfills many different hobbies for myself and others.
Here's link to my imgur page. It only contains minis for Zombicide Black Plague and Massive Darkness. (Oh yeah, Massive Darkness heroes cross over to BP with a kit, and virtually everything in BP can be used in Massive Darkness)
https://sillyeskimo.imgur.com/all
Here's link to my imgur page. It only contains minis for Zombicide Black Plague and Massive Darkness. (Oh yeah, Massive Darkness heroes cross over to BP with a kit, and virtually everything in BP can be used in Massive Darkness)
https://sillyeskimo.imgur.com/all
As someone who really likes Zombicide: Green Horde -- the splitting rule sucks with hedges. I recommend creating your own house rule to limit the frustration lol
As far as CMON Kickstarter ... If you even think you might be interested in the game, pledge. The amount of stuff that remains locked to Kickstarter pledges is insane. Even if you decide you don't want the game, someone will pay you your full cost for it.
I'm not 100% convinced about the new Cthulhu game, but I'm in just to make sure that I don't miss anything, just in case it turns out good.
As far as CMON Kickstarter ... If you even think you might be interested in the game, pledge. The amount of stuff that remains locked to Kickstarter pledges is insane. Even if you decide you don't want the game, someone will pay you your full cost for it.
I'm not 100% convinced about the new Cthulhu game, but I'm in just to make sure that I don't miss anything, just in case it turns out good.
That is some straight up, fucked up, evil shit. That FOMO shit is a double edged sword though. Sure, you keep the people you have sucked in, but those one the outside (like me) decide it isn't even worth jumping in. That said, their games seem to be quality and people enjoy them, so why are they even doing kickstarter exclusive bullshit? Do any consumers of board games actually like having something they know others can no longer get?
OP
OP
They do the KS-exclusive stuff precisely for the FOMO crowd.
I would say their games have quality components (especially for the KS crowd), but the games themselves are going to be hit or miss. A lot of them aren't playtested nearly enough, and need multiple FAQs and erratas to get them to a playable state. That doesn't matter though, because they've already got your money for a year or more. Some people will still rate the games high and say favorable things, because they've invested so much money and don't want to look like they made a bad decision. And yes, there are a section of board gamers who love to gloat about things they have that you don't.
I'm not meaning to disparage anyone who actually likes the games. I've not played Zombicide or any of the other "CM" titles, just some of the "ON" ones. From watching videos and talking with others, Zombicide is a fine game that's just too light for what I tend to enjoy. However, Massive Darkness and Rise of Moloch both have loads of complaints all over the place about the balance or general rules questions. Who knows where this Cthulhu game will be on that scale.
Here's my replay to the reasoning that I posted on the last page:
In addition to the above, with their existing model working so well they have absolutely zero incentive to switch from what has continually worked out so well for them in the past. They kick out more large boxed games per year than anyone else I have ever seen. They obviously have a streamlined process that they are very comfortable with. Kickstarter, for better or worse, is an integral part of that process. I sure wouldn't switch if I were in their shoes. The irony cannot be lost on people that are complaining even as the Kickstarter money clock ticks up by the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
What I will never understand is why they spend so much money on designing the minis/creating the molds for exclusives and then never use them again. Like, the expensive part is done guys. Hell, they're usually shipped in a plain box with no color printing. This system has created a reseller's paradise, with people selling Kickstarter exclusives for 10x or more than what they paid. Worse yet, when new people are turned on to the games they will only experience a fraction of what the game has to offer. That is a disservice to their own games. I don't understand how they can reconcile that. People are out there tripping over themselves to buy your product. Just give them what they want. God knows they'll pay for it and not bat an eye.
OP
OP
Their existing model works because there is very little risk involved.
And what do you think the solution to that might be?
Maybe don't center your company around anti-consumer bullshit, and just sell everything at retail, instead of limiting it just to KS? That sounds like a pretty sound idea to me.
They can have their cake and eat it too if they do it right. They could make the exact same amount of content but make less as an actual Kickstarter Exclusive. Green Horde didn't need half it's stuff to be exclusive. They could have made 10% of it exclusive and that still would have been a shitload of stuff. They could then release the add on contents after the Kickstarter. They could even bump the price 10-15% at retail so the people Kickstarting it get a deal out of it as well.
At the end of the day, their big box games sell for well under retail price and are complete game experiences. I don't think anyone is getting ripped off or anything like that. It's knowing what else is out there that drives people insane. They want it all, even if they don't know how it will effect their game play experience. It seems that a certain type of personality is drawn to board gaming. Unfortunately, those same qualities can make us difficult to make happy. The trick is to find that happy medium. CMON has a long way to go it seems. The 2ft Cthulu is a prime example that maybe these guys aren't as in touch with the wants/needs of their community as some would like to think they are. To some that may manifest as arrogance. To others it may look like ignorance. Neither is a good look.
The reality is, board games really don't sell that many copies - the stuff they add for Kickstarter makes it an event and is exactly why each campaign is as successful as it is. They're a business, and they're going to do what is most profitable. And, it's way more profitable for them to sell and ship directly to consumers over taking orders from dozens of stores, then shipping to the stores -- with each one taking a large cut from the profits.
I've missed some campaigns with KS exclusives, either because I never saw them or I didn't have the money, and it does suck -- but I understand why they do it that way.
I've missed some campaigns with KS exclusives, either because I never saw them or I didn't have the money, and it does suck -- but I understand why they do it that way.
I make it a point to avoid Kickstarters that feed on FOMO or brag about their exclusives (I'll tolerate a few inconsequential promo things or cosmetic stuff or content that will get put into an expansion that will also hit retail).
There's a really interesting article on Jamey Stegmaier's blog about why he no longer uses Kickstarter for Stonemaier Games. I think it's worth hearing from a developer who once only used Kickstarter and now doesn't.
https://stonemaiergames.com/lessons-learned-from-quitting-kickstarter-as-a-creator-part-1/
https://stonemaiergames.com/lessons-learned-from-quitting-kickstarter-as-a-creator-part-1/
It's people such as yourself that is why this model thrive. They absolutely take on very little risk and transfer them all to consumers by using FOMO mentality to drive the incentive. You are essentially pre-ordering a game and give them your money year in advance with little or no knowledge about the games.
Also regarding Eskimo, the model gives them little incentive to fix or improve the game because they don't really care for retails. This will eventually cause more harm and decrease user base as you mention, but they don't really care because they already made all the profits. It is their business model.
Last edited:
Yeah, but I don't have an issue with the model -- I don't see anything wrong with it. Lots of companies use the same concept. Tons of collectible companies have been doing this for years. They only make the collectible if they get enough pre-orders, and that's it - no one else gets it. Niche board games are collectibles.
Edit:
Just a couple examples. The Franklin Mint has been doing it since 1963. Eaglemoss does it with Star Trek. Bowen Designs with Marvel Statues -- I can't tell you how many I missed ... but, I paid in advance for my Nova statues knowing that was the only way to get them.
You can collect board games, but they are not collectibles. Board games are not stamp, figures, plates, cups or thimbles, they are games and meant to be play with not put on the shelf. There should not be this artificial thing put on it to make you get the game. And frankly the only reason they do this is because they know most of their games kinda suck.
... If you think they suck, why are you worried about being able to buy them? In any case, you're allowed to not like their business model. Don't do business with them. But, it clearly works, because they are successful -- Zombicide Invader did over $3 million. There are a lot of people that like doing business this way. It's not something scummy like loot boxes.
I am not worry, I just felt they could have a good game or even a great game but instead they are going this route of making money instead of putting out quality games and people with FOMO basically tell company we don't really care for good games just as long as we get in on the exclusive club. I know nothing I said will change your mind, I was like you few years ago when I first got into this hobby board gaming. And if you think I don't understand the collecting mentality and got to have it all mindset, let me tell you something. I used to collect vintage Japanese toys as my hobby. There are pieces in my collection that are 2 to 3 times the cost of KDM board game. So I do understand this collecting bug that you and I have, but the more I am in this hobby the more I feel like company like CMON care little about games and more about exploits their customers. (My old toys site is still up it's microforever.com )
Loot boxes also make good money and have their share of defenders. I think both are scummy.
Overturn is another scammy KS.
https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/8yqcbi/consider_overturning_your_pledge_for_overturn/
Basically they got caught plagiarizing the Massive Darkness rules.
Oh well, I hope Escape Plan next week doesn't let me down.
Madeira 2nd edition was supposed to be next week too but it got delayed.
https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/8yqcbi/consider_overturning_your_pledge_for_overturn/
Basically they got caught plagiarizing the Massive Darkness rules.
Oh well, I hope Escape Plan next week doesn't let me down.
Madeira 2nd edition was supposed to be next week too but it got delayed.
Loot boxes are gambling with odds you don't know ... Offering a game on Kickstarter where the backers know exactly what they are getting is nothing similar. For CMON, KS is their business, aftermarket stuff is secondary. There is literally nothing wrong with what they are doing. Are you honestly trying to suggest that creating excitement about a product is wrong?
OP
OP
Do you have a link to that info? I didn't see anything on BGG.
edit: Nevermind. Found it. :(
https://mailchi.mp/af535d1503d6/kickstarter-update
It is not a 1:1 comparison, but they are both scummy. Doing KS exclusives is preying on the "gotta have it all mentality" while at the same time making it unnecessarily difficult to do so unless you fork over your money before anyone has actually played the game and given impressions. And if you didn't back it on KS, either because you didn't hear about it, didn't want to risk it, or didn't have money, and end up enjoying the game, you are now stuck knowing that you will never have the complete experience unless you pay scalper prices. And for most people on the planet, I bet that is ok and they don't really care. But for a certain particular brand of person, the type of person that would be your most loyal fan, it eats away at them. Doing those exclusives is taking advantage of that group of people that love your shit and have that fear of missing out. And that is scummy.
The closer video game comparison is games with "pre-order exclusives" that never go on sale after the fact.
Trying to decide if I should pull the trigger on a Green Horde pledge with extras. It would cost me something like $180-200 after shipping. Are the KS exclusive extras worth that?
You can sell the Green Horde extras for hundreds of dollars alone if you didn't want them. Gameplay wise? Absolutely they are worth it. I would almost say the Kickstarter abominations are essential.
FYI, Amazon has some Fatty Bursters on sale right now for $20. Get em while their hot if you want more than the 4 that come with the Kickstarter.
Edit: Aaaaand they're all gone now
I'm sorry, that just makes no sense. Basically, you're saying their customers are so weak and stupid that they don't know what they're doing and they are being taking advantage of ... Way to insult everyone all the way around.
So, McDonald's is also scummy for having limited time items in their Happy meals? That's just insane ... You make one production run for exactly the number of units you will sell -- there is nothing scummy about that. It would only be immoral if they withheld info.
The consumer has full knowledge of what the cost and production run is and they can determine for themselves if it's proper to purchase it.
This is exactly why microtansactions/F2P (and similar whale hunting techniques) are vilified on the [video] game side.
I've made my peace with it. Despite backing a few games on KS a while back, I'm out. Anything that's on KS is something I'll ignore for at least a couple years. Unfortunately, it's not easy to filter KS-related topics/games from BGG.[/video]
[video]
The difference there is that there is no production cost associated with DLC once it's developed. With a huge game, you have to make it and ship a 15 lb box from China. These game companies are really pretty small.
In non-controversial gaming news, I got my Everdell shipping notice -- they really did get it done way early. I'm pretty excited to get a new worker placement game. It looks gorgeous, too.[/video]