What Board Game Are You Currently Playing?

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by hi1hi1hi1hi1

You are completely right. A coupld of my friends won't play Power Grid either because it reminds them so much of Monopoly. I think it's good every now and then, but it can really get bogged down if people are slow to make decisions.

Sure, but there are lots of games that can suffer in a crowd inflicted with analysis paralysis. I try not to take that out on the games (or I wouldn't love Agricula anymore!).

[hi1hi1hi1hi1]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

Sure, but there are lots of games that can suffer in a crowd inflicted with analysis paralysis. I try not to take that out on the games (or I wouldn't love Agricula anymore!).

Haha that is very true. I think the real issue my group had with Power Grid was that we were all playing for the first time on a Friday night while also having a few beverages and getting ready to go out afterwards. Beer is not a good mix with a complex game for the first time.

[Dad_Scaper]

It's pretty heavy, and the rulebook is a pain in the neck. I can see that being a problem in your situation, hi.

[IAmBatman]

It's one of those that's pretty easy to remember once you've played a few times, though, other than maybe a couple of fiddly bits (like how you restock/shift the resources).

[Dad_Scaper]

Absolutely. But it's a game I taught myself from the rulebook, and it wasn't easy the first time.

[1Mmirg]

We've had a few Halloween parties (with non-gamers) recently and have thus played a lot of Till Dawn (great vampire push-your-luck game, a la Incan Gold, but with more variability), and Run, Fight, or Die (perhaps my favorite dice game--just tons of zombie theme and lots of tactics).

We also picked up Good Cop, Bad Cop (fun secret role group game) and (finally) Risk Battlefield. Really like Battlefield. @Dad_Scaper , how have you kept the game interesting once you've played the scenarios through and through? Seems like you were a big fan of this one.

Also finally got Takenoko--good family game. Splendor and X-Wing are also seeing repeat play recently a lot.

[Dad_Scaper]

I like Risk Battlefield more than KidScaper does. You hit the nail on the head with the first of its two problems, though: for people like us, who do not care to create scenarios, it needs more things to do. Its second drawback is the weak art and components. It feels a bit half baked, which is probably why it's now gathering dust.

Which is too bad, because the game play was fun and thematic and captured the FPS war genre pretty well.

[hi1hi1hi1hi1]

Originally Posted by Dad_Scaper

It's pretty heavy, and the rulebook is a pain in the neck. I can see that being a problem in your situation, hi.

That's exactly what happened. My roommate and I have played a couple of times since then (~4 months ago), but I find the game is leagues better with 3+ people. But the others won't play after that first game, preferring a quicker game like Dominion or 7 Wonders

Speaking of a difficult rulebook - it took me ages to get through and understand the point of 7 Wonders. Even though the game itself is fairly easy to play.

On another note, Pandemic arrives today.

[Dad_Scaper]

Excellent!

I've only ever played Power Grid two player, actually. My father likes it as a heavier game than Ticket to Ride, which is probably his favorite ("The Train Game"). It's odd only using half the map, but otherwise it works for us just fine.

[hi1hi1hi1hi1]

With 2 player Power Grid, you know that if you don't make a bid in the auction, your opponent get the plant. Likewise, you buy your resources right up to the point you know they will be expensive for your opponent.

With 3+ players I found resource management become so much more interesting - you want to be in last place to have the cheapest resources, but you can't fall too far behind, or you won't generate enough money. The person who plays most of the game in first doesn't win.

Every time I go home, its "Want to play Ticket to Ride?" My family absolutely loves the game (myself included). I bought it for my mom Christmas of last year. She has since bought, Europe, Asia (2 maps) and the 1910 USA and 1912 Europe expansions. The Asia map where you play on teams is really fun.

[Porkins]

Originally Posted by Dad_Scaper

Excellent!

I've only ever played Power Grid two player, actually. My father likes it as a heavier game than Ticket to Ride, which is probably his favorite ("The Train Game"). It's odd only using half the map, but otherwise it works for us just fine.

Grandad_Scaper?

[Dad_Scaper]

Heh. Quite.

Funny thing is, I remember as a kid he had a few Avalon Hill games on a bookshelf. But I never played a single game with him until about 12 years ago, and he played CandyLand with KidScaper. "I have always hated that game," he said to me, "but playing with him is different. He's making it exciting!" Now when he comes to visit, it's basically board games with occasional trips to the store or a restaurant.

He has a pretty clear aesthetic. He likes Euro-style games best. He loves Ticket to Ride and Power Grid. He likes Lords of Waterdeep quite a bit. He also likes Guildhall, but he *hated* Star Realms. As I knew he would, but I wanted him to see it anyway, just for the experience. He also (luckily) likes Risk Legacy.