Octopus Overlords

Tao wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 9:40 pm So Frosthaven has topped $8,000,000 with 10 days to go, pretty insane. So tempting.

I might be alone in this, but I find it very annoying that in every update he's introducing at least one, sometimes more, guest designer(s). There's so many of them now that I'm wondering if it's actually a good thing. Although some of them will only design an item or something else, not all of them will design actual scenarios.

He did say that he's going to have a process that they all have to go through where they basically design the item/scenario/whatever together, but I don't know, doesn't sit well with me .

But it might all end up being super awesome, so what do I know ^^.

My fear is that Frosthaven is going to too far in the Forgotten Circles direction. IE - "unique" scenarios that require weird mechanics and puzzles to complete. While a little of that is fine, sometimes I just want to kill stuff. "Kill all monsters" are my absolute favorite Gloomhaven scenario goals.

Guest designers are not going to create "kill all monster" scenarios. It's going to be convoluted crazy stuff that requires you to read the rules 5 times.

I never connected with the theme of Hostage Negotiator, but I thought the mechanics were well done. This theme, however, is by far more compelling to me!

Final Girl: Kickstarter

Also, I did not see anyone mention the Kickstarter for the expansion to Cloudspire. At this point, I really wish I had jumped on the $500 pledge that gives you everything that Chip Theory Games produces in the future. For what it is worth, I am very pleased with both the gameplay and pieces of Cloudspire. It is a bit of a bear to set up, but I like the puzzle aspect of the solo play.

Clouspire: Ankar's Plunder Kickstarter

baelthazar wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2020 9:00 am I never connected with the theme of Hostage Negotiator, but I thought the mechanics were well done. This theme, however, is by far more compelling to me!

Final Girl: Kickstarter

I am also all in on Final Girl. On the sad news front, I didn't check my Gmail for a while and didn't realize that the credit card I stored on kickstarter was old and expired. So when the Kickstarter for Starlight came due it couldn't process the card and sent me an email saying "Please update your payment info. It needs to be within the next 10 days or you will lose out on this Kickstarter". Turns out it was more like 17 days and by then it was too late.

I sent an email to the developer behind Starlight and he seems to think I could still be in the system when they open up PledgeManager next week. Fingers crossed!

I'm so torn on Final Girl. LOVE the theme, but I'm not a huge fan of Hostage Negotiator despite owning the big Crime Wave set. It just never clicked with me. So I'd be taking a chance that the theme of this one would overcome that. I'm also not sure I'd be satisfied with the base level tier, but I feel the upper tiers are too costly.

YellowKing wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2020 1:40 pm I'm so torn on Final Girl. LOVE the theme, but I'm not a huge fan of Hostage Negotiator despite owning the big Crime Wave set. It just never clicked with me. So I'd be taking a chance that the theme of this one would overcome that. I'm also not sure I'd be satisfied with the base level tier, but I feel the upper tiers are too costly.

Thanks for reminding me. I liked HN ok, but I didn't think it held up to multiple replays. If the gameplay here is similar, I'll pass.

Oh look, David Turczi has a new game on Kickstarter. Defense of Procyon III is a 1 to 4 player “wargame for euro gamers”. I’m tempted because Anachrony (his biggest Kickstarter) is absolutely fantastic. And Turczi is what I consider the best solo AI creators working. He’s so good at it, he’s actually got a side career making them for other game designers at this point.

100 bucks is steep, and I really do like that Final Girl Kickstarter too. Oh sweet agony. Whatever shall I do?

hepcat wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2020 7:41 pm Oh look, David Turczi has a new game on Kickstarter. Defense of Procyon III is a 1 to 4 player “wargame for euro gamers”.

That sounds really interesting but that Kickstarter page is laid out horribly. You have to scroll half way down the page to see what the game even looks like and then they don't show much of it!

They do have at least two videos of the game in action, and they ran a live game session last night that went on for hours. I dropped in and watched a bit more. It looks really interesting. The only issue I had is that I’m not familiar with the company he’s working with. However, a quick check of their history shows they made the quartermaster general series of games, which are great. So I’m a little less worried about any issues.

raydude wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2020 11:58 am On the sad news front, I didn't check my Gmail for a while and didn't realize that the credit card I stored on kickstarter was old and expired. So when the Kickstarter for Starlight came due it couldn't process the card and sent me an email saying "Please update your payment info. It needs to be within the next 10 days or you will lose out on this Kickstarter". Turns out it was more like 17 days and by then it was too late.

I sent an email to the developer behind Starlight and he seems to think I could still be in the system when they open up PledgeManager next week. Fingers crossed!

I read the latest update on the Starlight Kickstarter page. Looks like they are opening up the pledge manager so that folks who missed out on the Kickstarter (and idiots like me who didn't fix their payment issues in time) will be able to "late pledge" and get the game. So yay!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ar ... escription popped up in my FB feed.

Nostalgia factor made me immediately go "Hmm!"

Miniature assembly required changed that to "Hmm."

But having an option (for not too much more $) where they do the assembling as me at "Hmm..."

However, the steep estimated shipping cost along with the already somewhat pricey game has me leaning towards "Nah."

If it helps, the company publishing Wolfenstein apparently has a pretty checkered track record:

Thanks. I was pretty firmly in the "not gonna happen camp", but that does help!

coopasonic wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2020 1:48 pm

YellowKing wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2020 1:40 pm I'm so torn on Final Girl. LOVE the theme, but I'm not a huge fan of Hostage Negotiator despite owning the big Crime Wave set. It just never clicked with me. So I'd be taking a chance that the theme of this one would overcome that. I'm also not sure I'd be satisfied with the base level tier, but I feel the upper tiers are too costly.

Thanks for reminding me. I liked HN ok, but I didn't think it held up to multiple replays. If the gameplay here is similar, I'll pass.

Dammit, I keep thinking about this. It looks pretty cool... I'm also being all mature like I don't need minis for this, go me... but they are only $10 more. I am so weak.

hepcat wrote: Wed Apr 22, 2020 7:56 am They do have at least two videos of the game in action, and they ran a live game session last night that went on for hours. I dropped in and watched a bit more. It looks really interesting. The only issue I had is that I’m not familiar with the company he’s working with. However, a quick check of their history shows they made the quartermaster general series of games, which are great. So I’m a little less worried about any issues.

I was looking at their BGG page last night. It looks like enough people railed on them in the comments that they did update their KS page with some actual images. It's still a bit lacking but a huge improvement. The game does sound cool though.

This might be one of those where I actually wait for retail though, I think. It all depends on exclusive content. Same goes for Final Girl. I was able to get everything for Hostage Negotiator over the years by just buying the stuff off the makers at conventions and saved on the shipping.

I abandoned my pledge for Final Girl, because I found out that ION was doing a Kickstarter for a new Pax Viking that you can bundle with a new edition of Pax Renaissance. Not only that, they say that you can order a copy of High Frontier 4 in the pledge manager. I have been trying to get my hands on Pax Renaissance and High Frontier for a long time and, since I am a medievalist, Pax Viking is also up my alley.

Only two days left: https: Pax Viking and Pax Renaissance (2nd Edition)

Yeah, even though I’ve been burned by Ion more than once, I still backed Vikings and the second edition of Renaissance. Let’s just hope that Ion’s usual lackadaisical quality control has improved.

The moment I saw it I immediately backed these 2.





I'm probably also getting this because it might be interesting for when my daughters get older (and for me right now).

coopasonic wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 11:56 am

11.6 million from 76,298 backers as of this post.

They're trying to reach 12.4 so another class can get unlocked, basically the only stretch goal.

I just backed this Kickstarter...

Hexton Campaign Tiles

They designed the tiles for resin print but I did a test print of one of their tiles and it came out amazing on my FDM printer:



It was only $35 for the all-in package, and that’s over 200 distinct tiles. I have no clue what I’ll ever do with these, but they’re digital assets so they don’t take up much room and I may come up with a use someday.

Frosthaven hit the $12.4 million mark and is still climbing. I don't think it will hit $13 million in the next two hours but I think it will get rather close. They got my money a few nights ago, I need to start hiding my wallet at night. I never got in to the QVC craze but feels like I am going down that road with Kickstarter. After midnight, can't sleep, glass of Anejo, lets browse KS.

They almost got my money. But I believe I can hold out. It's very tempting, but...
1) I'll probably never get it on the table (my group is a LONG way from finishing Gloomhaven), and
2) I can afford to buy it down the road if I really decide I *have* to have it.

So I've decided to pass. It was a tough decision though.

My friend over at Master Monk has another Kickstarter dice box project up.

"

TheMix wrote: Fri May 01, 2020 2:23 pm They almost got my money. But I believe I can hold out. It's very tempting, but...
1) I'll probably never get it on the table (my group is a LONG way from finishing Gloomhaven), and
2) I can afford to buy it down the road if I really decide I *have* to have it.

So I've decided to pass. It was a tough decision though.

Same here. If I ever do get a dedicated gaming table space and then somehow manage to work my way through Gloomhaven, then I'm sure I'll regret not jumping in. That's a lotta "if's" though.

wire wrote: Fri May 01, 2020 4:20 pm My friend over at Master Monk has another Kickstarter dice box project up.

I have their dice tray and tower in zebrawood. Really nice.

Came across a new KS that looks interesting and sounds like it might be up some folks alley;

Sea of Legends

Really tempted since the developers are claiming this will be a KS exclusive but I think I will be sitting this one out as I have already gone a little overboard with KS this year.

Also the KS for Scale75 Instant Colors, as discussed in the miniature painting thread, is close to closing. Scale75 Instant Colors

Looks to be pretty darn successful campaign and they did a great job of marketing as I really really want to get this but having painted less than a dozen miniatures thus far, there is no way I can justify it. Still pretty cool product.

EzeKieL wrote: Fri May 01, 2020 2:10 am

I finally caved on that one. I played the original a couple times and enjoyed it and the new stuff looks interesting.

coopasonic wrote: Thu May 07, 2020 12:25 pm

EzeKieL wrote: Fri May 01, 2020 2:10 am

I finally caved on that one. I played the original a couple times and enjoyed it and the new stuff looks interesting.

I really enjoyed Steampunk Rally, it's a great dice chucker, but it hasn't hit the table in forever. My gaming group wasn't as taken with it as I was.

I just found out that Wyrmwood is going to be launching a kickstarter for "affordable" gaming tables (the number they are throwing around in the video is starting at $750.) I'm doomed.

Wyrmlife

I hope their tables are good because good lord, those guys are annoying as hell. I could only last about 5 minutes into that video, so I have no idea what they’re selling.

Skinypupy wrote:I hope their tables are good because good lord, those guys are annoying as hell. I could only last about 5 minutes into that video, so I have no idea what they’re selling.

I’m actually a big fan of the company and the product. But yeah, if that video is your first exposure to those guys, I can see that.

I have been aware of Wyrmwood for a while and visit their site occasionally to dream about a table I can't afford. It was only about a week or so ago I learned they made videos when I clicked a link to their COVID-19 video where they talk about having to lay off 50 workers. Since then I have watched a couple of the Wyrmlife videos. This is a group of artistic sterotypical millennial's running a company, yes they are a bunch of chuckle-heads but they seem to me to be a bunch of good natured chuckle-heads. I would suggest watching the season 4 EP 1 video. I have actually met a couple of them a few times at PAX and they seem like nice folks.

Tao wrote:I have been aware of Wyrmwood for a while and visit their site occasionally to dream about a table I can't afford. It was only about a week or so ago I learned they made videos when I clicked a link to their COVID-19 video where they talk about having to lay off 50 workers. Since then I have watched a couple of the Wyrmlife videos. This is a group of artistic sterotypical millennial's running a company, yes they are a bunch of chuckle-heads but they seem to me to be a bunch of good natured chuckle-heads. I would suggest watching the season 4 EP 1 video. I have actually met a couple of them a few times at PAX and they seem like nice folks.

This too. When they had to close down their plant, they got creative and put a program in place where they were getting supplies to those laid off employees who had wood shops at home and started up a special “home brew” line of products to keep some money flowing to their employees.

And (something I just realized yesterday) I enjoy their videos on the same level that I used to enjoy American Chopper. Just without the level of constant fighting.

raydude wrote: Tue Mar 17, 2020 9:23 pm

$iljanus wrote: Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:43 pm

Lordnine wrote: Tue Mar 17, 2020 2:36 pm Starlight.

Gloomhaven in spaaaaace. Sort of anyway. Co-op campaign game with X-Wing style combat, ground missions, character leveling and ship upgrades. Seems neat.

Yeah I backed it. But I’m following it closely because they’re really trying to accomplish a lot and have no problem canceling if I think it's going to fall short. But if they pull it off it should be a fun game.

Ditto. When I first saw it I was like "A sci-fi version of Gloomhaven? Sign me up!" Then when I saw that they were trying to move away from tokens by using the 2-layered cards and cubes I was even more intrigued. Backed.

They opened up Pledgemanager to folks who missed out on the Kickstarter:

I know some people here were intrested in the raised tabletop Kickstarter some time ago. This system seem much better designed than that one did. AdapTabletop.

Those bottles aren't big enough.

I guess I’m still not convinced these raised table toppers do much of anything, to be honest. Well, other than being able to push your drink under it so far that you can’t get it again without making someone on the other side of the table push it towards you.

hepcat wrote: Wed May 13, 2020 9:04 pm I guess I’m still not convinced these raised table toppers do much of anything, to be honest. Well, other than being able to push your drink under it so far that you can’t get it again without making someone on the other side of the table push it towards you.

It's very dependent on your gaming situation. A lot of my gaming is limited to a standard card table, less than 3' square. A lot of games barely fit, or I have to have TV trays sitting around for player spreads, or else have things sticking out over the edge, balanced on the table, or stuck under the board. WIth one of these (or the Level Up), I could set the board on it and have room to set the player layout along the edge, partially underneath.

Likewise, when I play pen-and-paper RPGs I use a large gridded map (for miniatures) on a slightly larger table. It only leaves eight or so inches of table around it, so character sheets, dice, pencils, and so forth all end up on top of the map while I'm trying to use it. With one of these to put the map on, the character sheets, dice, and so forth could set partially under it and give us a lot more room to play.

If you have access to a large table where you can set up your games with plenty of room and not have to worry about putting them up right away, yeah - this is probably useless to you.