Tabletop Randomness

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Tue May 28, 2019 3:28 pm

New board game website incoming. The company that owns Eurogamer and RPS is hiring for a new tabletop site.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Thu May 30, 2019 5:27 pm

An RPS-quality, RPS-style tabletop website would be awesome!

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sun Jun 02, 2019 7:59 pm

If anyboy's tried them both, how does Batman: Gotham City Chronicles compare to the older Conan game?

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue Jun 04, 2019 12:23 am

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sun Jun 02, 2019 7:59 pm If anyboy's tried them both, how does Batman: Gotham City Chronicles compare to the older Conan game?

I've done a good bit of reading. I wanted to get something special to play with the family, but I'm having doubts about Conan. One issue is that there are absolutely tons of scenarios out there for it, both official and fan-made. There is even an official book that was just released that adds a full cooperative campaign. And probably 95% of them make heavy use of the Kickstarter exclusives that aren't ever going to be available at retail, meaning that nearly all the extra content released since the game (a big feature) isn't available to anyone who didn't back an all-in during the Kickstarter.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue Jun 04, 2019 9:59 am

I can only say that my buddy picked up the Conan board game when it was on crazy sale and only a few weeks ago acquired the book and supplementary tiles (from Miniature Market, I think) so we could play coop. Everything was acquired via retail channels, but I do think people that didn't go "all in" for the original KS years ago are missing out on quite a bit of content, yes.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:25 am

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2019 9:59 am a few weeks ago acquired the book and supplementary tiles (from Miniature Market, I think) so we could play coop.

FWIW, the book specifically says that it requires the Kings Pledge content to be used. That was never released at retail.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:27 am

I'd have to ask my buddy then. That seems like...an odd strategy for releasing a book. Why would you want to limit your audience so much?

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:44 am

Here is the book that has the coop campaign.

Requires two Conan tile sets — Perilous Ruins & Forgotten Cities and Forbidden Places & Pits of Horror — to play; the Conan boardgame King’s Pledge for tabletop action; and the Robert E. Howard’s Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of core rulebook for roleplaying game excitement.

So it requires the tiles, plus either the RPG or the King's Pledge, depending on which content you want to play. The book apparently won't work with the retail version of the game.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed Jun 12, 2019 12:13 pm

I went with Conan and picked up two of the expansions (Stygia and Khitai.) I was hoping to get the last one (Nordheim) and some of the add-on packs, but they're not available anywhere but ebay, where scalpers are opening them and selling them piece-by-piece. Oh, well. There's enough content in what I have, and there's supposed to be another Kickstarter in 2020 where they should make the expansions and a 'retail upgrade pack' available again.

Side note: Word on the street is that the reason that Batman:GCC season 2 went up so fast was that they've lost control of the Conan license for boardgames for the duration of 2019, to be regained next year. This supposedly caused them to rush the GCC Kickstarter out to keep the cash rolling in.

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Wed Jun 19, 2019 5:09 pm

AWS260 wrote: ↑Tue May 28, 2019 3:28 pm New board game website incoming. The company that owns Eurogamer and RPS is hiring for a new tabletop site.

The site is still a mystery, but they've announced that Johnny Chiodini will be its head of video. This is excellent news, as Johnny is one of my favorite People Who Talk About Games on the Internet. I saw him wandering the halls of PAX Unplugged last year.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Thu Jun 20, 2019 7:57 am

I've been poking Starfinder with a long stick again. I've got the two fundamental books - Core Rules & Alien Archive - along with a good supplement, Pact Worlds. My exploration this time has been more thorough, and the more I "get it" the more I like it. Spending time with making characters and then stepping through combat was really helpful. As a long-time 2nd Edition player, a lot of the new rules are simply very foreign to me and feel unnatural, but once I forced myself to use them, I realized it's not all that different from some rules in PC games. For example, breaking a turn into 3 segments - Move Action, Standard Action, Swift Action (or Full Action instead of these three) - makes perfect sense once I start using it and understand what each segment can be used for.

I'm at a point now where I have no one to play with (scattered time, no gaming groups) so I'm going to attempt a solo mode for the game using a custom scenario I'm working on that I'm scaling down for single player use.

So far, I've made it a little ways through designing a suitable Level 1 solo adventure in a Goblin Raider base built out of an abandoned mining station on an asteroid. My biggest hurdle, I think, will be to draft the adventure to include a number of tactical rules and guides so the player doesn't automatically win everything by virtue of being favored by the GM. Things like "This creature will consistently use Full Attack" or "This creature will always run for cover" should help, as well as rules for the player character. Rules for them might be things like "If PC has 7 or higher Computer skill, they'll want to explore this panel" or "If PC has 5 or higher Perception, they'll want to search this room" might help - or maybe I won't care and will assume that my character will search each room for traps, then for secrets as a standard action.

This is the map I'm working on. It has 7mm x 7mm squares, using 6mm lettered beads, so I can call out each creature in the adventure "A has 8hp" or "B has grenades" ... should also make it easier to keep track of multiple creatures' health and movement during fights. "N failed a saving throw and has started running" and then start moving N 120' per turn.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Thu Jun 20, 2019 10:28 am

I learned to play D&D solo back in the 80s. I didn't custom design anything, though. I ran myself through off-the-shelf modules, playing a whole party by myself. I absolutely favored the PCs (being in my teens at the time), but I had a ton of fun, and knew the rules by heart by the time I sat down with another human. I have no desire to repeat the experience now, but I've learned how to solo games designed for multiple players these days, and I'm sure I could run it better if I did. It's all about separating yourself from the sides. On Player A's turn, you set your mind to doing whatever will best defeat Player B. On Player B's turn, you do the opposite. It's a great way to learn the rules, although any hidden strategies will obviously be lost.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Jun 20, 2019 10:55 am

Just grab 4 Against Darkness and any number of modules, and away you go.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu Jun 20, 2019 11:00 am

Solo RPGing is something I'm just starting to look at. There are so many supplements that have been created - specific for rules or flexible enough to be used anywhere. I've seen books with decision trees, cards with a "AI" system or even dice that can all be used to drive a solo narrative. It's all pretty amazing.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Jun 20, 2019 11:08 am

Don't forget the Lone Wolf books.

Anonymous Bosch · Post by **Anonymous Bosch** » Thu Jun 20, 2019 11:29 am

I'd suggest checking out Ironsworn, as it's a modern RPG system designed from the ground up to be played solo. Better yet, the PDFs are all completely free.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Thu Jun 20, 2019 11:46 am

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Thu Jun 20, 2019 11:08 am Don't forget the Lone Wolf books.

All of which are currently (and legally) free.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Thu Jun 20, 2019 12:08 pm

While I've messed around a bit trying to introduce D&D to the kids, I'll be starting my first real D&D campaign in 15(ish) years with a group of friends this Saturday. The group I'm playing with is 3 "power gamers" that have been playing D&D for 30+ years, and two of us who only kinda sorta know what we're doing. Will be interesting to see how that dynamic plays out.

Went with the standard that I use in nearly every D&D CRPG,a half-orc sword and board fighter. Really looking forward to this.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 6:47 am

An overload of solo options! I appreciate the links.

I've been in a huge "Sci-Fi" mood. I'll have to poke around and see if there are similar resources for a futuristic setting.

As I've worked through this, I'm discovering that I hardly need my "Pen and Paper" - I've created my own character sheet in MS Word, the rule books are available as PDF's and there are randomized dice rolling websites I can use. I can hand-draw a map and scan it. Theoretically, I could be sitting at my desk at work, playing a solo adventure in Starfinder. I really wanted the tactile element I had as a teen, though - papers, maps, and dice spread out in front of me.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 12:16 pm

Toys are the reason I won't switch to a virtual table top. I use computers in my games (character sheets as a player, books as GM, mapping and art to show the players as a GM), but I like to play on the table with my dice, miniatures, markers, mats, and so forth.

$iljanus · Post by **$iljanus** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:47 pm

Blackhawk wrote:Toys are the reason I won't switch to a virtual table top. I use computers in my games (character sheets as a player, books as GM, mapping and art to show the players as a GM), but I like to play on the table with my dice, miniatures, markers, mats, and so forth.

Every so often I'm tempted to try out one of the virtual tabletop options but like you I just enjoy the look of a board game on the table along with playing with all the fun pieces.

Redfive · Post by **Redfive** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 3:26 pm

$iljanus wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:47 pm
Blackhawk wrote:Toys are the reason I won't switch to a virtual table top. I use computers in my games (character sheets as a player, books as GM, mapping and art to show the players as a GM), but I like to play on the table with my dice, miniatures, markers, mats, and so forth.
Every so often I'm tempted to try out one of the virtual tabletop options but like you I just enjoy the look of a board game on the table along with playing with all the fun pieces.

No doubt having the actual game on the table is preferred, however, I have found Table Top Simulator to be a very nice substitute, especially with friends that live too far away to conveniently meet in person. Once you figure out the interface, which is not hard, it is usually a very simple matter to play any number of board games with friend(s) online.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Tue Jun 25, 2019 8:45 am

I just got accepted into my first Roll20.net group and should be playing Starfinder with three other people this Saturday as long as nothing untoward happens. Feels weird. Pen & paper sessions were always with really good friends, and committing to 5 hours with complete strangers has me feeling a little uneasy.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue Jun 25, 2019 11:29 am

FWIW, a significant number of the friends I've had were exactly the opposite. They were strangers I started gaming with who became friends. It's always weird starting with strangers, but after a session or two you'll all have in-jokes and bonds building.

Except for that one guy. He's a dick.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue Jun 25, 2019 11:31 am

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Tue Jun 25, 2019 11:29 am Except for that one guy. He's a dick.

Cylus Maxii · Post by **Cylus Maxii** » Tue Jun 25, 2019 5:58 pm

There's always a "that one guy"

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Jun 25, 2019 7:19 pm

Always.

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Tue Jun 25, 2019 7:54 pm

If you don’t know “that one guy” is, it’s you. In Paranoia, it’s the guy everyone shoots.

Redfive · Post by **Redfive** » Wed Jun 26, 2019 10:47 am

Paingod wrote: ↑Tue Jun 25, 2019 8:45 am I just got accepted into my first Roll20.net group and should be playing Starfinder with three other people this Saturday as long as nothing untoward happens. Feels weird. Pen & paper sessions were always with really good friends, and committing to 5 hours with complete strangers has me feeling a little uneasy.

What others have said. My online D&D group, with the exception of 2 players that were added after we had been going for a year already, was essentially strangers or acquaintances of other online acquaintances. We're all friends and one of them will be in San Antonio in early August on a potential house hunting trip. We already have plans to meet and I'm even going to hook him up with my father in law who is a custom home designer.

If it's a good group you'll know pretty quickly. Except for that one guy.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Wed Jun 26, 2019 11:26 am

Redfive wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2019 10:47 amIf it's a good group you'll know pretty quickly. Except for that one guy.

The three people I spoke with the other day seemed to get along fine. Does that mean I'm that guy?

Redfive · Post by **Redfive** » Wed Jun 26, 2019 3:05 pm

Paingod wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2019 11:26 am
Redfive wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2019 10:47 amIf it's a good group you'll know pretty quickly. Except for that one guy.
The three people I spoke with the other day seemed to get along fine. Does that mean I'm that guy?

No question.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 10:17 am

A buddy of mine got his GenCon badge in the mail today and it came with a LEGENDARY: 007 lanyard. Much like last year's reveal of Legendary: X-Files, it seems we'll have a new Legendary title debuting at GenCon.

I had heard rumors of a Bond Legendary game, but at the time they were saying it was a ways off. Looks like it may be arriving sooner than we thought.

Downside is that it appears this will be a Legendary release, not Legendary Encounters. I prefer the "Encounters" line for the full co-op.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 10:48 am

And the year before was Legendary: Buffy.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:53 pm

News is that the latest round of tariffs (which includes those on board game components) are on hold for the time being.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Mon Jul 15, 2019 4:28 pm

Ugh, I'm having a board gaming crisis. For years now, I've had the kids here one week, gone the next. During the 'gone' weeks, I'd play board games on the big table in their room. It was perfect, as I could set up a big, long game and leave it there for days, undisturbed. It's a big, solid table, too. Since they and their mother moved in full-time about nine months ago, though, it isn't the perfect solution anymore. They go to bed earlier than me. They toss things on the table. It is no longer a quiet place to play unless I tell them to be quiet, but that isn't really fair, given that it is their room.

So, I've got a good sized table in a busy room, which sucks for relaxing, or I've got a standard 34"x34" card table that just isn't big enough for a lot of games, and that would be in the bedroom with Michelle - who usually goes to bed even earlier than the kids.

To be honest, the bigger problem is just that this small two-bedroom apartment that worked OK when they were little just isn't big enough for four adult-sized people, and we can't afford to move. I just want some damned space!

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Thu Aug 01, 2019 9:41 pm

A good article on difficult themes in boardgaming.

Mr. Wehrle described board games a “little sympathy engines” because players directly embody a role. Designers should question who they have players sympathize with, and why, but he believes they should still make games with difficult themes. “There is value to letting players sympathize with a position that is morally objectionable, as long as it has some larger payoff,” he said.

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Fri Aug 16, 2019 2:43 pm

AWS260 wrote: ↑Tue May 28, 2019 3:28 pm New board game website incoming. The company that owns Eurogamer and RPS is hiring for a new tabletop site.

DICEBREAKER.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Mon Aug 19, 2019 11:50 am

TheMix · Post by **TheMix** » Tue Aug 20, 2019 9:51 am

In case anyone is interested, Woot currently has Betrayal at Baldur's Gate on sale for ~$25.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Tue Aug 20, 2019 10:17 am

TheMix wrote: ↑Tue Aug 20, 2019 9:51 am In case anyone is interested, Woot currently has Betrayal at Baldur's Gate on sale for ~$25.

Thanks for reminding me, I have that game (got it for Christmas) and haven't played it yet.