Well, I've watched four of the Lonesome Gamer's SoB playthroughs now*, and I have to say I'm leaning towards not buying it. I was certain that I was going to, based on some of the BGG comments, but I can't really see too much of a difference between this and all the other dungeon-crawler games - and I'm really not a dungeon-crawler type of chap. So, to those who've played this a lot, what makes it so special?
For me, the high cost, the massive table space, the assembly and all the inevitable expansions (which will also take more space!) is beating my desire to be a FFP completist. Try to convince me otherwise!
(I wonder if there will be any negative SoB reviews on BGG. It sort of stands to reason that someone who ended up paying $200 for a game isn't going to admit he may have spent unwisely...)
*Hearing him swearing like a trooper when he misses a roll or two is priceless!
Well it be a Dungeon Crawl so if your really not into those types of Games then
the cost & time & effort simply aren't worth it.
What makes it special to my mind is that it has a Campaign System so Heroes
can level up from Game to Game. You also have the ability to customize Heroes
& Threats & plays from 1-6 players while staying balanced. Plus it's co-op so
you don't need a Dungeon Master . Great Theme built around a backstory/Missions
that gives you a reason to venture into the mines
It's the best Dungeon Crawl out there but if it's not your cup of tea then your better off passing.
OD
I'm with you, FruitEatingBear, on this one. Huge a FFP-fan I am, I'm skipping on SoB. I enjoy a Dungeon Crawler now and again, but not too much. I don't like the theme of SoB ("cowboys vs cthulu?") at all. If I were to have it, I might even play it a little bit. Hell, if it had been released slowly in digestible chunks like their other games, I might even have bought it. But the giant everything-at-once, $billion game? Nope. It doesn't appeal to me. I care about "game" more than "miniatures". And with the Kickstarter campaign... I'm horrified that they took the "Kickstarter-exclusive" approach for some content (even if it's, I believe, just one hero).
I'm still a big fan of FFP and have everything they've done EXCEPT SoB. (I finally just picked up ATOE: The Coast.) But, there's no harm in sitting one out.
I will also say this. Their booth at GenCon this year "felt" very different than during previous years. It might have been just me, but I'm hoping SoB isn't the shark-jumping of FFP as a great company.
I'm probably more anal than the average person & a completest but you can be a FFP Fan
without loving all their Games. I have no interest in IfOS & CoPE nor the Dark Gothic Card Game.
Even with LNoE I've stopped at 3 Expansions.
SoB doesn't have to be every thing at once, they will be releasing the core games & the various
expansions separately (even the KS didn't force you to get everything, you could have just
pledged for 1 core Game at $75 (& free Shipping).Each Core Game is complete, you don't
need to add anything to play.
I think FFP had no idea of what they were getting into with the KS explosive success, I don't
think they expected to go much beyond the initial $30K Funding & probably figured if they
made it the Expansions would be released over the next several years. Instead it got funded
in a day & they adding the expansion stuff to keep it going. Stuff that was basically in the pipeline
for later roll outs thus we have all these Expansions which will make up Wave 2 coming out
next Summer.
So if your tempted at all to check out SoB you'll be able to buy everything separately & the online
Retailers like CSI & MM will have at near the KS discounted price ($75 for a core is still a bit
of change but you get your moneys worth ) and you'll have a complete Game.
I do think Mqstout hit it on the head about the KS effect on De Frog, it has overwhelmed them
they ended up with more than they could easily digest & are basically going to be in that mode
until Wave 2 ships out. I love SoB & the fact I could get everything at once ( of course everything
won't be till next Summer) but I hope they don't try this again.
OD
OD: Come play Dark Gothic with me. It's awesome!
(11-03-2014 02:54 PM)mqstout Wrote: [ -> ]OD: Come play Dark Gothic with me. It's awesome!
Hot Damn.. a Play date
- I was premature on DG. obviously
I love the Theme but I'm not really a card game person
so that's why I never really checked into it.
It's not that expensive so I just may pick it up once I
digest some KS I have coming.
OD
(11-03-2014 12:32 PM)Old Dwarf Wrote: [ -> ]I think FFP had no idea of what they were getting into with the KS explosive success, I don't
think they expected to go much beyond the initial $30K Funding & probably figured if they
made it the Expansions would be released over the next several years. Instead it got funded
in a day & they adding the expansion stuff to keep it going. Stuff that was basically in the pipeline
for later roll outs thus we have all these Expansions which will make up Wave 2 coming out
next Summer.
I would have to think that they at least expected it to go pretty far, and likely well exceed their goal. They probably just didn't expect it would happen so fast, or go SO far.
I mean, if they seriously expected they wouldn't go much beyond their initial goal, then they must have been living with their heads buried in the sand. I mean, just look at how well games like Zombicide do on KickStarter. Flying Frog is already an established name. It was pretty much guaranteed the KickStarter was not only going to be funded, but was going to kick some major booty.
I do think, though, that they were probably caught off-guard by just how well it did, and just how quickly it happened. Hopefully they can take this all as a lesson well learned for the next time they do a KickStarter, if they do.
I have really enjoyed it thus far. I actually don't feel like it's a dungeon crawl. It's what it is, but it doesn't feel nearly as much. Perhaps it's the flavor (which FFP does better than a lot of game companies) that makes it feel less so. Combat is pretty quick to learn and it flows. I know it's not every one's cup of tea, and it's a solid investment even with only 1 base game at a 100 dollar price tag, but the campaign is certainly worth it. Being able to constantly swap out made heroes, swap people from 1 to 6, means you can play whenever and keep adjusting.
(11-03-2014 12:02 AM)FruitEatingBear Wrote: [ -> ]Well, I've watched four of the Lonesome Gamer's SoB playthroughs now*, and I have to say I'm leaning towards not buying it. I was certain that I was going to, based on some of the BGG comments, but I can't really see too much of a difference between this and all the other dungeon-crawler games - and I'm really not a dungeon-crawler type of chap. So, to those who've played this a lot, what makes it so special?
Really, it's just about exactly what you see on the tin. Monsters vs. Western archetypes, wandering mines and otherworlds and improving your character over time. It's got a lot of room for roleplaying elements added to the board game, which I love. If that doesn't sound good to you, then it's not a game for you. If it does sound like fun, then awesome; you'll love it.
I hear ya. I personally have purchased every Flying Frog game out there but currently only own AToE, FanG, and Dark Gothic.
None of the Alien games really did anything for me. I enjoyed demoing IfOS at Gencon but once we actually had a copy it didn't have much replayability. We had one friend who would win every game he ever played so it just got old. I'm sure we would have pushed through if the theme had been awesome but Aliens aren't my favorite theme so I gave the game away to the guy who always won and then he ended up selling it a year later because no one would play with him.
I also gave away my copy of LNoE to my old room mate, but to him with the promise that if he decided to get rid of it he'd give it back. He's not yet married and theoretically he could host more games, though that didn't exactly turn out.
A BIG part of my excitement with Shadows of Brimstone was the fact that it was a Kickstarter. I had never kickstarted anything before and we had neighbors who kickstarted Zombiecide so I felt pretty sad that I hadn't been in on something so cool. Then Flying Frog, my personal favorite gaming company, comes out with a kickstarter it just seemed like the time to jump on a kickstarter and get all that special stuff. We did minecart, spent my first commission check on it from my last sales job and the guy I gave LNoE to went halfsies on it with me.
For me the real key is theme. I have played games like Ticket to Ride where the theme is secondary to the mechanics. All the Flying Frog games ooze theme though, and in my experience (as with the alien games) if you don't like the theme of the game you won't stick around for very long. A Touch oF evil - monks, monsters on the country side, - love it. Fortune and Glory - Indiana Jones the board game?! Love it! Last Night On Earth - Zombies in a small town? Love it! Invasion from outerspace - Circus Freaks vs aliens.... nah ... nope.... no thanks.
So I think the real question isn't whether you like Dungeon Crawls but more like Do you like Cthulu games like Arkham Horror and do you like Cowboys and indians. If you like either then give it a try. If you like both then just buy a copy already
. (I definitely like both)