SirVolkar
-
Content Count
60 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Never
Posts posted by SirVolkar
-
-
To me, Iron Crown Enterprise's Middle Earth: The Wizards holds some of the fondest memories of gaming. It was, and still is, the finest CCG produced. It captured Tolkien's world perfectly, and every game felt like you were telling the story of The One Ring's return, albeit in your own unique way. The game mechanics were fantastic and kept everyone involved, unlike many CCG's which tend to fail as multi-player, social games. Plus, the artwork was stunning! In fact, FFG used one of the pieces for the box cover of Reiner Knizia LOTR game (a work of genius!). If memory serves it was the "Stormcrow" card
This game is crying out to be restored and I believe it would do this best as an FFG LCG. Why, you ask? Behold my reasoning!
1. The game retains a strong following around the world, despite having died out many, many years ago. Cards still appear on e-bay and sell for high prices. An avid and loyal fanbase already exists - arguably greater than that of the later movie inspired CCG (a poorer, simpler, bastardised version in some ways).
2. The game would suit the fixed deck nature of an LCG. Like AGOT, there are many unique cards - whether they are characters, items or enemies - and often only a single copy is required. LCG's work well in this way, providing everyone with the chance to obtain such cards, but in the right quantity. Then there is the story based intent of the LCG format which would apply itself perfectly to the story based mechanics of the game. Interestingly, the base set of ME: TW was at one time released as a complete, unlimited set - predating FFG's LCG. It might have even inspired them.
3. ME: TW would benefit from the Premium Base Set concept currently used in FFG's LCG product line. The board could be the map of Middle Earth (replacing the only down side of the game - Region cards - which nobody bothered with thanks to the map in the Player's Guide) and pieces could be included to represent each players' fellowships. This would speed up working out travel in the game and act as a great centrepiece. In addition, as mentioned the game works best as a multi-player product. Whilst the original had all five Wizards, a base set could include four and play to their strengths. Potentially, Saruman could be removed for introduction at a later date (the later "Fallen Wizard" expansion for example).
4. The game already exists and much of the donkey work would not be required. It was a pretty balanced game due to the fact that there were no specific factions. And as an LCG you would eliminate the "Best Cards = Best Chance of Winning" syndrome some might argue afflicted the game.
5. As mentioned above, FFG already have connections with Tolkien, and presumably the estate. They also appear to have worked with Jon Howe, too. They also also have ties with Games Workshop who definitely have connections to LOTR.
6. With The Hobbit movie on the way, interest in Tolkien's work will once more be on the rise over the next few years.
7. It is potentially one of the few ways in which I could respect FFG more than I already do - you guys and gals rock! But could you rock harder? Resurrecting this fine game would be a resounding "YES".
-
Tile addition is a great idea. It also allows the OL to add a little of himself to the levels - a little creative flair. The addition of corridors or a single room can potentially make a heck of a difference. Wish I'd thought of this
-
Sometimes I think people are blinded by the quality and quantity of minis contained within an FFG product. We've come to expect base games packed to the seams with shiny plastics, and they do not fail us. Descent and each of its expansions have provided in the fullest on this expectation. The reason they can do this is because the game sells well - thanks to peeps like us Descent nuts here. Producing that much plastic is not cheap (the plastic, yes, the moulds and skill in creating them, no). Compare this to other game providers and FFG stand head and shoulders above them.
So when they decide to release something outside our expectations - nice box crammed full of minis - and replace it with something outside the norm - single blister with higher quality mini - we get thrown. But now compare this left-fielder to other companies for similar deals and it ain't that far wrong - or expensive, as the real issue seems to be for many.
Buy the ones you want, if you want.
Plus, if these minis are truly of a higher quality, I'm sure their limited use in Descent can be made up for with use in other games. Numerous times a game of WFRP or D&D has been made by the DM springing an unexpected mini-surprise on the party to give his big bads a little more physical and psychological OOMPH! I think these guys (and gals) will do the same, especially to people yet to face a lieutenant or play RtL (which is kind of ironic because its been the Descent nuts who have been demanding these things since RtL first arrived...). A super mini may help the OL psyche out the heroes and give him the edge...just mebbe
-
I'm guessing that should these things sell they would be followed by the remaining lieutenants and then the Avatars.
Just guessing, though... or is it more wishful thinking?
It would be nice if they could be bought as a complete set for slightly less than the individual price. I'm (again) guessing that the reason they are being sold individually is because not everyone will find a use for all of the lieutenants. A campaign of Descent for the casual players is going to see what 4-5 lieutenants at best? This way said players can buy the ones they are definitely going to use. But for the collectors out there (in here) a complete set would be nicer.
-
Fantastic news! Cheers, Mr. Borg. Loving the sound of the Heroes and their campaign play.
Gotta say, I'm a little confused as to this whole idea of FFG and R.B. being two seperate entities (and hence sources of info). This info has been cleared by FFG, therefore it is info from FFG. Don't see what difference it makes if the post comes from Richard or an FFG'er, as a result. For most of their other games the person who posts on the forums is the game designer. The only difference here is that Richard is not in-house.
In the words of The Duke, "quit yer belly aching". Sleep well, revelling in the news already proffered.
-
For displaying mini's at home, IKEA do a rather nice glass cabinet for somewhere around £30-£40. It even has the potential for a spotlight from above if you really want to show off.
As for painting, you need basing materials, too. A good base can turn a so-so paint job into a delight. Equally, a crud base can ruin an awesomely painted mini.
For simple basing, I use fine talus, paint it and highlight various layers.
-
Thumbs up for RtL additions - especially OL's based on expansion monsters
Why should heroes be the only one to get a choice of thirty plus?I must admit, I find it strange that anyone should oppose RtL. Whilst I recognise peoples' issues with it - dislike the balance (or lack of), don't have the time or number of players, etc. - but I also realise that the expansion provided a wealth of new adventures and maps. If RtL doesn't turn out to work for me then I intend to run one off random three level dungeons. I will make use of the different levels to potentially allow some degree of development between standard adventures. The advanced campaign does not have to be played in its fullest - use what is applicable for your group.
Then again, its always the new monsters and minis that I love most, and we're not likely to see these with a simple RtL expansion (unless Henchmen appear?).
However, back to the main question of this topic....
Should the next expansion be a standard one, I'd like to see a Forest 'O' Doom inspired setting, making greater use of outside areas in a standard adventure for the first time. It could open up options for interesting new terrain and allow for some different beasties - Nymphs (a monster with Taunt?) for instance
One of the things I think Descent may find difficult to do as it continues to progress is ensure that each expansion is seperate to those before. I mean, will we ever see another set containing monsters with Stealth? It would mean duplicating rules and contents. Can the game remain independently creative, or to do so will it need to develop what has gone before? And RtL only adds to the issue because it has to assume ownership of a previous product and splits the product line in two...and as a result, and as this post shows, the target consumers, too.
Here lies the conundrum for the creators...probably
-
Love the Playmobil stuff. Genius
But I was always more the Lego guy. I also remember seeing somewhere someones version of the GWMB classic, Hero Quest, completely designed from Lego bits. In fact....
//SEARCHING...SEARCHING...FOUND//
Ta da....
gunth.com/brickquest/index.htm
Check it out! My personal favourite is the Lego Yoda-headed Goblins. Perhaps something like this for Descent could work? Would love to see it!
-
There is only one thing worse than being a player stuck with a character they don't like (no matter how good they are) and that is being the Overlord having to put up with that player's incessant whinging for three hours.
As a result, as Overlord I go for the "draw 3: pick 1" rule.
I like the sound of the passing round the table ruling - an interesting idea, albeit flawed to some degree when playing with people who know each other well. Inevitably the characters certain players want are likely to be passed their way (if for nothing else than to keep them happy and shut them up).
One shot random draws can be entertaining, and I agree that they can heighten the need for thinking, but on the whole my experience with them has led to some pretty shocking parties and very quick games.
-
I'd agree with the Demon being top-dollar, but think that ToI has added some lovely additions at all levels.
Whilst by no means the most powerful, I have to say that the most annoying of low level creatures (and hence my personal favourite!) has rapidly become the Shade - especially the Master with his Pierce 4. These guys are great against tanks - even Captain Awesome (AKA Nanuk) had issues with my Shades (because he couldn't hit them back
).New Ice Wyrms eating power looks pretty cool, too (but not had chance to play with it yet).
As to the comment regarding Master Beastmen, yeah their command and commoness make them a pain in the neck. But I actually prefer Master Kobolds. You get 2 for the price of 1, and they also reduce the cost of your traps. Keep them well away from the party and they can prove to be a great hinderance.
-
I'd say, if they can normally by-pass a tree, surely they can by-pass a tree with a person hiding in it's branches.
I vote ONE obstacle.
-
I think game balance is one of the hottest topics when it comes to Descent (well, that and what the next expansion will be
). However, the embers may have burnt out, looking at the new boards.Having only really played Vanilla and WoD, we had similar experiences - WoD being harder than an earth elementals pecs and Vanilla easier than a nymph come Spring-time. From what I understand, AoD and ToI are more balanced...especially ToI with it's Feats.
I'd be interested to know how Feats effect the balance of the older games. I'm assuming they make Vanilla a push-over, but do they balance out WoD's marathon dungeons?
With regards to character draw, we usually have all players pick three and choose one. No swapping, because that defeats the purpose, though. If you don't get at least one decent character in your three then the gods of Descent (FFG?) are not smiling on you and you deserve a good pwning.
-
You may want to check out the following for inspiration from BGG if you haven't already;
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/360373
It's the details on a 6 man tourney, but should be adaptable to a league. I especially like the whole Specialist Cards drafting process and ante system
Very smart! -
What was right, I mean wrong, with Timescape?
We take bets on whether a TS character will live-or-die before escaping the place. Of all the characters, the Space Marine died the quickest, despite being a seven-and-a-half-fppt. genetically modified, super-human, killing-machine. .Of all the old school expansions, The City proved to be the most interesting and innovative. Jobs were a fantastic addition to the game, and a great way to add variety to your characters (even if temporarily). Dungeon was weak, linear and rather tiresome. The only reason to go down their was for The Dog ("Awwwwww, wook a widdle puppy! Did lassie fall down the well, too?").
However, whilst the art was disgusting, the L-Shaped boards of the later edition were a great way of keeping everything together and tidy - and simply looked cool. Never played these much, though, so can't comment on how good they were.
Got to say though, my interest is picked with the addition of Fate. Great idea (both game mechanic- and setting-wise, i.e. ties in with WFRP). Can't wait to see how that plays out.
-
Talisman was the first real boardgame me and my gaming-buddies got into around the age of 9. We got into Heroquest (and numerous other Games Workshop games) as a result of our love of this game. Really, I should have a t-shirt with "Talisman made me a Gamer" printed on it.
-
Okay, so my friends and I have been playing Talisman for a while now - eighteen years give or take - and somewhere along the line we decided to create our own rules and game types. Now I don't know if it's been suggested else where here - apologies for repetition if something similar is out there -,but one game alternative that we have found to be highly entertaining, and should work no matter your edition, is Team Talisman: Alignment War!!!
Alignment War Rules
Set-Up: Characters are divided into three piles, by alignment.
Character Select: Two teams of equal players are formed, Good Vs. Evil, and each player randomly picks one character from the Neutral pile and one from their team's alignment pile. If you opt for the Neutral character, you remain Neutral, but in D&D terms you are either Neutral-Good or Neutral-Evil.
Game Changes: The aim of the game is to defeat the opposing team. Two approaches to achieving this goal;
- "Wipe them out. All of them." - Kill your way to victory, either through simply being harder than them or through taking the crown and bumping off your opponents one-by-one (using the old challenge rules - not sure what the current end game rulings are?). To add to the fun, and to ensure impetus, should a player be killed, they miss their next turn before returning to the game as a randomly selected character with the opposing team - i.e. they swap sides.
- "Drink some of this, Michael. Be one of us." - Okay, so this is more difficult to achieve for most, but there are quite a few ways to alter one's alignment - often accidently. This approach has the advantage of not having to wait a turn for your new buddie to join in.
With regards to characters who are able to pick their starting alignment or alter it during play, they can only change between their starting alignment or Neutral (used in order to avoid negative alignment related effects).
"There ain't no coming back!"(Alternative)
Replaces the "Team-Swap-On-Death" ruling with good ol' oblivion. When your dead, your dead! Best played when limited for time as no one likes to twiddle their thumbs whilst others play. To make up somewhat, you can be the monsters and roll for them...but you have to perform impressions of them as you do so.
Three Way War (Alternative)
In this instance, best suited for larger groups of odd-numbered players, divide yourselves into three (teams that is) and pick two-choose one character of your team's alignment. This one may take a little longer to play.
Well, if you haven't tried something like this already, I highly recommend it for a giggle or two If you do, let us know how it goes!
Enjoy!
-
Two suggestions for scoring;
1. 3 points for a win and 1 for a loss.
2. No points for a loss, but points equal to the difference between captured flags for the winner.
I'd go with option 2, personally.
-
Honour speaks with the serpent's tongue!
Listen to him not, for what he would have you believe is a lie! A lie, I tell you!Goblins rule: Dwarves drool!
-
EWJ,
Great stuff! Although I would love to see them based - the ToI guys would look great with stone and snow effects
Now is it me but do you guys find that even if a model is completely painted, shaded and highlighted, it doesn't look right until the basing is done? Call me strange but I sometimes base my minis half way through the paint process just so I get a better feeling of how they are looking
Some day I gotta get my brushes in gear and paint my Descent minis, too.
-
If it was your fault, Colts, then there's a big virtual hug with your name on it, right here ---->
-
That's an interesting point. People expect a C&C sci-fi game next (what with Ancient History, WW2 and Fantasy all ticked), but a sea-based version would be an excellent left-field approach to take, especially as I've yet to see a sea battle game that looks appealing.
Bring on Piratelore! Arrrrggghhh!
Cheers for the history update, indygnome. You are truly wise in the ways of the period
Seems there are plenty of potentials, even if each nation is not necessarily a new race, they may well have allies with one. I also like the internal perspective with general English/French social issues that could be askewed to match the fantasy perspective. -
I've been thinking (uh oh!). So presently within the Battlelore mythos we have the Scottish represented by Dwarves and (eastern?) mercenaries portrayed by Goblins. Now I'm just a-wondering if this is going to be the pattern for other races that may appear in the game. Has Mr. Borg hinted anywhere at how other nations or races are to be conceptualised? Will the Welsh and their longbowmen turn out to be Elves or perhaps blood-drinking Bat-men represent travelling Romani warriors?
What do you guys think of this approach? Presently it is one of the defining features of BL. However, whilst endless opportunities lie within the realm of the game's mechanics, can it be sustained within the existing setting? This is especially important a question to answer if the game is to stay inside the boundaries of the Hundred Years War, I feel. Beyond the English, Welsh, Scots and French who else got involved and how might they be presented with a fantasy twist?
-
Enough talk of damnable dwarves! What about glorious gobbo's?!?! A mighty 3 Bold for a strongholded, supported, magicked group? 4 if you give them a musician, right? Plus they're twice as fast when "tactically withdrawing" from the enemy should their Boldness prove "unwise".
Surely the world must realise the might of the green skinned mercs-with-a-mouth-but-no-bite?
-
SelbourT.
Plexiglas overlay? That's ingenius!
An alternative would be to use Over-Head Projector (OHP)-style sheets, cut to match the game area of the board. And if you had these as modular - say each one covered a single section (i.e. three are required to completely cover play area) - it would allow for far greater re-use. You could mix and match any three to create your own or official expansions - kinda like Tide of Iron's map tiles..
Other Games Workshop Games That FFG Should do
in The Crystal Ball and The Wishing Well
Posted
Oh man! Curse of the Mummy's Tomb! LOL I loved that game. The 3D, pyramid board was awesome. I also remember it being quite tough, but then that was a looooong time ago and we were young 'uns back then. Not sure of its tactical/strategic merits nowadays, but would love to see it rise from the ashes Fury of Drac style