Octopus Overlords

Posted: **Tue Nov 05, 2019 4:45 pm**

I am really, really looking forward to getting my copy of Tainted Grail.

Posted: **Tue Nov 05, 2019 5:04 pm**

Yeah, I was hoping to be in the first wave, but apparently that's only those who got the all in Sundrop level. I'll probably get my notice closer to the end of the month.

I was honestly surprised to see Vasel give this a somewhat great review. It seems like it would be something he wouldn't like. It's great to hear it getting some love from him in light of that.

Posted: **Tue Nov 05, 2019 6:29 pm**

It actually makes me nervous when I see Vasel enjoying a game I want or think I'll like. I've learned (1) not to trust his opinion and (2) that when he really likes something I tend to hate it.

Posted: **Tue Nov 05, 2019 10:47 pm**

hepcat wrote: ↑Tue Nov 05, 2019 12:59 pm How so? I'm not personally invested in it, so if you see a warning sign that I might be missing, feel free to help a brother out with some info.

So I watched two recent Youtube previews/reviews and I definitely think I'm out. There's a few things that just don't sit right with me. First, the scale. When you say "Sniper" I'm thinking long distances. But in the previews I watched, everything was medium to short range combat. This is more "Commando" than Sniper. The other thing I didn't like is how solider AI is handled. Everything is rolled on a D6 and you check a chart. Depending on status (alert vs patrol) they're going to move around in random directions based on the die rolling. They're not following a path, they're not moving on a route, they could literally move East, then West, then South, then East again, bouncing around like they're drunk.

I wasn't expecting a GMT-level simulation, but this just seems a bit too casual. V-Commandos has more tactical depth; this is a step backwards (IMHO). It looks much faster to set up and I guess if you're looking for a game that will be quicker to play, this might work but I'm really trying hard to get games that fill very specific needs and I'm having a hard time seeing the motivation I'd have for playing this one. YMMV.

Posted: **Wed Nov 06, 2019 9:52 am**

hepcat wrote: ↑Tue Nov 05, 2019 11:14 am Back on topic: Sniper: Legends of Italy just launched. This one seems to be in the same vein as V-Commandos, which I'm still currently smitten with (even if Street Masters is constantly drawing me away). Small box game with true solo play. If it lives up to claims that it's basically Sniper Elite the board game, I'll be quite satisfied.

[sigh] And here I was... oh, who am I kidding? Backed.

Posted: **Wed Nov 06, 2019 10:29 am**

Smoove raises some good points. I'm going to do a bit more research.

Posted: **Wed Nov 06, 2019 7:20 pm**

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Tue Nov 05, 2019 10:47 pm
hepcat wrote: ↑Tue Nov 05, 2019 12:59 pm How so? I'm not personally invested in it, so if you see a warning sign that I might be missing, feel free to help a brother out with some info.
So I watched two recent Youtube previews/reviews and I definitely think I'm out. There's a few things that just don't sit right with me. First, the scale. When you say "Sniper" I'm thinking long distances. But in the previews I watched, everything was medium to short range combat. This is more "Commando" than Sniper. The other thing I didn't like is how solider AI is handled. Everything is rolled on a D6 and you check a chart. Depending on status (alert vs patrol) they're going to move around in random directions based on the die rolling. They're not following a path, they're not moving on a route, they could literally move East, then West, then South, then East again, bouncing around like they're drunk.

I wasn't expecting a GMT-level simulation, but this just seems a bit too casual. V-Commandos has more tactical depth; this is a step backwards (IMHO). It looks much faster to set up and I guess if you're looking for a game that will be quicker to play, this might work but I'm really trying hard to get games that fill very specific needs and I'm having a hard time seeing the motivation I'd have for playing this one. YMMV.

And wow, the creator cancelled it. I hope he posts his reasons. I’m really curious.

Posted: **Wed Nov 06, 2019 8:41 pm**

I'm on the fence for this:

Posted: **Wed Nov 06, 2019 9:14 pm**

hepcat wrote: ↑Wed Nov 06, 2019 7:20 pm
Smoove_B wrote: ↑Tue Nov 05, 2019 10:47 pm
hepcat wrote: ↑Tue Nov 05, 2019 12:59 pm How so? I'm not personally invested in it, so if you see a warning sign that I might be missing, feel free to help a brother out with some info.
So I watched two recent Youtube previews/reviews and I definitely think I'm out. There's a few things that just don't sit right with me. First, the scale. When you say "Sniper" I'm thinking long distances. But in the previews I watched, everything was medium to short range combat. This is more "Commando" than Sniper. The other thing I didn't like is how solider AI is handled. Everything is rolled on a D6 and you check a chart. Depending on status (alert vs patrol) they're going to move around in random directions based on the die rolling. They're not following a path, they're not moving on a route, they could literally move East, then West, then South, then East again, bouncing around like they're drunk.

I wasn't expecting a GMT-level simulation, but this just seems a bit too casual. V-Commandos has more tactical depth; this is a step backwards (IMHO). It looks much faster to set up and I guess if you're looking for a game that will be quicker to play, this might work but I'm really trying hard to get games that fill very specific needs and I'm having a hard time seeing the motivation I'd have for playing this one. YMMV.
And wow, the creator cancelled it. I hope he posts his reasons. I’m really curious.

Evidently, the KS campaign significantly underperformed the creators expectations:

Exocrate Games wrote:Gentlemen, Ladies, Soldiers and Comrades,

The writing is on the wall and the enemy shall retake Italy as we must abandon this campaign. Our Kickstarter did not perform as well as we had planned or hoped and so canceling this Kickstarter is the responsible option. It breaks my heart because the amount of hours myself and our team; artist, play testers and supporters have devoted into this project is immense. Thus, to you the backers that believed in this humble game we salute you for voting with your wallet and supporting this game.

This campaign may see a re-boot in the future, however, we will continue to work on other games to include adding content to our flagship game British vs Pirates which you can buy @ Exocrategames.com

Final note: No one will be charged for Sniper, Legends of Italy.

As your humble servant till the tides and sea wash me away I will be here making games for yeee. I gracefully bow and thank you, ma-lords.

Apollo

Posted: **Wed Nov 06, 2019 9:48 pm**

Well...shoot.

<see what I did there>

Anyway, hope they get it off the ground later. It does look fun.

Posted: **Wed Nov 06, 2019 10:29 pm**

He had stretch goals mapped out to like $140K, so I'm thinking he expected it to explode on day one (it didn't).

Posted: **Thu Nov 07, 2019 3:53 pm**

I feel like their art style didn’t do them any favors. It was halfway between realistic and cartoony. Had they fully committed to either direction it probably would have attracted more attention. As it was it just seemed a little bland.

Posted: **Thu Nov 07, 2019 4:10 pm**

If artwork was an issue, I can think of at least 3 successful kickstarters offhand that wouldn't have made it. The art reminded me of Heroes of Normandy, personally. I didn't see any issue there. It was already near 30 percent funded in the 2 days it was up, so it wasn't a disaster or anything.

I'm guessing Smoove hit the nail on the head. The designer expected it to take off right out of the gate or something. I think he should have waited a little while to see if word of mouth generated some backing, instead of dropping it a few days in. Not every kickstarter can start throwing up the banner "FUNDED IN 12 MICROSECONDS!" like every game from Chip Theory, CMON, or BlackList Games can.

Posted: **Thu Nov 14, 2019 2:53 pm**

Set forth with 4-32 players from 4 to 8 teams of 1-4 players each
...
Part Roleplaying Game, part Board Game, part Social Deduction/Diplomacy game, this Mega Board Game uses the spirit of MegaGames and Board Games to create an all-new gaming experience!
...
1) The Council: Politics, Negotiation, Planning & Strategy in a Mega Board Game

2) The Marketplace: Level up your characters and your faction’s resources (Manage Resources!)

3) The Orders Board: Control the City, Dominate your Turf (Strategic Actions!)

4) The Cityscape: A Sprawling New York Cityscape (Area Control!)

Posted: **Thu Nov 14, 2019 2:54 pm**

If this leads to LARPing, we've all lost.

Posted: **Thu Nov 14, 2019 3:09 pm**

I wish I could tell my Everything Epic story, but I'm afraid of potential repercussions.

If I can figure out a way to do so, I will. They do make fun games, but they're not great at project management. They're quite late with a few games already so I'd be concerned over similar delays with this one.

Posted: **Thu Nov 14, 2019 3:36 pm**

Shut Up & Sit Down talked about that Vampire game on their podcast. They were not fans -- as I recall, their main critique was that it falls far short of being a true mega-game, and also is just not very good.

Posted: **Wed Nov 20, 2019 3:37 pm**

I know there are some Divinity fans around the forums. Just launched today is the Divinity Original Sin Board Game.

Posted: **Wed Nov 20, 2019 4:54 pm**

Wow. Pricey.

Posted: **Wed Nov 20, 2019 11:26 pm**

Yeah, I was interested as I’m a big fan of the video games, but without a proven track record with board game design, that’s just too steep for me.

Posted: **Thu Nov 21, 2019 3:41 pm**

I'm astounded how much money they've raised for a company that has never made a board game before -and- the base pledge level is $120. Meanwhile, Hour of Need is barely funded. It boggles the mind.

Posted: **Thu Nov 21, 2019 5:00 pm**

I do think Blacklist Games is pumping out iterations of their modular game system way too fast though. I can understand if buyer fatigue is catching up to them at this point. I mean, 4 iterations of the same mechanic (even with the tweaks that make them feel so different) in the space of only 2 or 3 years is pretty rapid. I'd like to see them branch out and make something completely different at this point. Then add to their upcoming product line with some more expansions after they've been in the wild for a while. If you ever have 3 games or more on kickstarter at the same time that haven't yet been released, I think it's time to slow your roll.

As for Divinity the board game, I'm not a big fan of the way they're packaging the different levels. I'd prefer to see them offer the core game with kickstarter exclusives, and then offer any expansions as add ons. Or, at the very least, two levels: core and core with expansions. Right now they've got 3 levels, and one of them is just the core and some bling.

But ultimately, their non-existent resume in the field of board gaming is the deciding factor for me.

Posted: **Thu Nov 21, 2019 5:08 pm**

Yeah, I get that but maybe as someone that holds theme as the all important deciding factor, I like having a series of games in all different arenas with a core mechanic that is similar. To be clear mechanics are also a draw, but I don't have a problem using similar mechanics because for me the theme is the enjoyable part.

Posted: **Fri Nov 22, 2019 2:16 am**

The Divinity game is an odd one because Larian isn’t making the board game, they are publishing it and supplying the lore/writing. It’s actually a Lynnvander design. They have made some very good games and some questionable ones as well. Their weakness though seems to be when it comes to KS fulfilment, but I highly doubt that Larian would allow a black mark (they are running the campaign on their official account after all) so I’m sure it will be fine on that front.

Posted: **Sat Nov 23, 2019 8:15 pm**

I got shipping notices for Tainted Grail and Cthulhu: Death may Die on the same day last week. They are supposedly going to be here on Tuesday and Wednesday next week, but I am skeptical a package from Poland is getting to the midwest US over the weekend. Heck, I am not optimistic the package from Florida will make it on schedule!

Also, today I sleeved and packaged all of Street Masters and Aftershock. I was feeling pretty good until I opened the Aftershock stretch goals box and found another 800+ cards.

I think the Aftershock KS is the best value for game that I have ever seen.

Thankfully Mayday sleeves is having a 35% off sale for Black Friday - so I think I got enough for the rest of the game.

Posted: **Sat Nov 23, 2019 9:26 pm**

Hmmm... One project I backed was unsuccessful, the other was outright canceled. *sigh*

Posted: **Tue Nov 26, 2019 11:36 am**

I've loved Street Masters since being convinced by "taste-makers" on this site that SM was something I should back during the Aftershock KS. Thanks to all who turned me on to this fine game.

My one bitter note was the fact I wished the Sadlers would try their hand at the super hero genre, since they were initially inspired by Sentinels of the Multiverse--the game that got me into solo gaming. So, of course, I had to go all in on their latest KS Hour of Need which seems to be exactly what I wanted.

I'm sad this KS has not garnered the attention of their others, as it is mostly definitely the one I am most interested in. I would have loved to get a shit-ton of stretch goals like their other games, but the base content looks like it will keep me busy for quite some time.

Posted: **Tue Nov 26, 2019 12:02 pm**

I'm with you 100%. After spending 30 minutes with Street Masters, I instantly thought some use of the system could be fantastic for a super hero theme. What kills me is I think this is actually the first idea they had for the MDS, but they didn't think it would sell until they could establish the mechanics and variants in the other games. I honestly don't know if this didn't explode because of theme or if the issues related to Blackbox's delivery (last minute, missing items, etc...) are contributing. I'm glad it's happening and I'm hopeful once it's in-hand this time next year strong buzz will justify additional release of whatever it was they had planned.

Posted: **Tue Nov 26, 2019 1:22 pm**

I stared at the hour of need KS page as the minutes ticked off and finally decided to skip it. I would happily move my altar quest money over if they would let me, but not backing another one.

Posted: **Tue Nov 26, 2019 1:50 pm**

Got the email that Eclipse second edition is finalizing production, and I guess they are ready to start the production run fully. They say late December mid January for fullfillment. But I think they have to get all those games over to the US first, which I know can take some time, and the holiday scheudle here has to impact getting the shipment arrived and delivered.

But we shall see, I am going to guess a mid Feb or March shipping, but I guess I can let them be optomistic about it.

Posted: **Tue Nov 26, 2019 3:46 pm**

Yea, just had “Production is Underway, Don’t Ask Us about Our Optimistic Delivery Estimate” updates on 3 projects — Everdell, King’s Forge and Eclipse. Sigh.

Posted: **Tue Nov 26, 2019 4:52 pm**

Just got confirmation of shipping for my first backed Kickstarter - Champions of the Wild. Of course, it's estimated arrival date is this Friday when I'll be out of town for Thanksgiving.

Posted: **Wed Nov 27, 2019 9:44 am**

My box of Tainted Grail shipped on 11/18 with an arrival date of 11/22... but got waylaid by the storms it would seem. Now allegedly will be here 11/27, aka tomorrow.

And nope, still out there somewhere in the snow.

Posted: **Thu Nov 28, 2019 1:46 am**

SJ Games

November 29, 2019 (Black Friday) – Project launch. If everything goes well, the Car Wars Sixth Edition page will go live on this day. There will be a small number of limited reward levels, for those of you who like special goodies.

January 6, 2020 – Project close. We're running this campaign longer than some of our other projects to give everyone time to join in. We know from experience that some of you won't notice the campaign until it has closed; we're hoping that a longer running time minimizes the number of "how do I get this?" messages once the project ends.

We are not yet ready to set an estimated delivery date. While selling Car Wars Sixth Edition at Gen Con next year would be amazing, it is highly unlikely. Both between the work necessary to complete the game and the time required to fulfill Kickstarter rewards, the calendar simply doesn't leave enough time for a Gen Con release. We will know more before the Kickstarter campaign is live.

Posted: **Thu Nov 28, 2019 2:45 am**

It's Car Wars. I played the hell out of a custom version in high school, and used to play every year at Origins. Very much in.

Posted: **Thu Nov 28, 2019 3:51 am**

IMy old gaming group did some play testing for SJG back in the day. Carwars was a favorite of theirs, but failed to latch on as frequently-played game.

Posted: **Thu Nov 28, 2019 2:44 pm**

I still have some of my original stuff from Car Wars... The 2nd Edition deluxe rules, the original standard car wars rules. the tanks expansion (have the maps and the vehicles but no manual) and a container of a bunch of old vehicles. mostly the blank ones and some blank ones I colored in.
I'm definitely interested as it was my favorite game in high school, but I'm also not completely sold on the new format. They should be at Pax Unplugged giving demos so that is at the top of my to-do list.

Posted: **Thu Nov 28, 2019 2:52 pm**

Gaslands has my heart, but I’ll look at the project when it launches.

Posted: **Fri Nov 29, 2019 11:17 am**

Zarathud wrote: ↑Thu Nov 28, 2019 2:45 am It's Car Wars. I played the hell out of a custom version in high school, and used to play every year at Origins. Very much in.

Should I bother backing it?

Posted: **Fri Nov 29, 2019 7:08 pm**

MonkeyFinger wrote: ↑Wed Nov 27, 2019 9:44 am My box of Tainted Grail shipped on 11/18 with an arrival date of 11/22... but got waylaid by the storms it would seem. Now allegedly will be here 11/27, aka tomorrow.

And nope, still out there somewhere in the snow.

And arrived... good thing I took the day off as it needed to be signed for. Excellently packed, all pristine - core box, monsters add-on and a "surprise box". Inside the surprise box was a very nice fake parchment letter in a fake parchment envelope with a fake wax seal, thanking backers and letting them know abut the extra bonuses included: a 100 page Almanac of Avalon and a hardback ISS Vanguard artbook.

They did something similar for Nemesis.

Octopus Overlords

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