Octopus Overlords

Part me wishes I didn't give it another try, learning I actually enjoyed it.

I feel like I should try just putting 300 dollars on my kitchen table and using that with the Five Parsecs from Home rules to see if I get a similar feeling. It might put things in perspective.

It's especially difficult because you know (1) it's the best deal on their games you're going to get and (2) they're going to throw in all kinds of extra stuff because it's funding at insane levels.

I don't think there's a risk of them re-releasing a 2.0 version, I truly believe this is it. Instead, they're going to start focusing on whatever it is they've been teasing with an Elder Scrolls game in 2022.

I wonder if it will be an entirely new game, or if they'll apply the TMB mechanics to the Elder Scrolls IP?

In any case, my retirement fund should cover it.

edit: i was going to complain about having to spend 35 bucks to get enough gearloc and tyrant storage cases to cover the new content when it's included with the new 2.0 trove chest...but then I remembered I spent 75 bucks on my trove chest, not 150. So I'm still ahead.

It's these little things that keep me from realizing how much I'm spending on this game, I guess.

If you only spent $75 on the trove chest then I think you're contractually obligated to back this and help them recover the loss.

Yes, I was thinking the Elder Scrolls Game will be a TB-inspired version of the ES universe. I'm not expecting them to be cross compatible though.

I'm starting to lose my interest in most KS projects, but now that I "get" Chip Theory, I am confident in what they're going to deliver a quality product that I will enjoy...at some nebulous point in the future. Plus when you're retired you can set up TMB and sleep in the Trove Chest. Have you considered downsizing your living arrangements?

Having a backlog is making it easier to resist. Two 4X games can’t be better than my underplayed Eclipse 2.0.
Car Wars is going to block any racing or minis combat.
Arydia covers my adventure and dungeon crawlers.
And so on…

We still need to get Cloudspire back on the table.

...and...Arydia? A dungeon crawler, you say? You're getting it, you say?

Hmmmmm......

I managed to NOT back Voidfall, even though I REALLY wanted it, because I knew this was coming. I guess I am going to be pretty deep in.

That was my approach exactly. Even though I love Turczi's games. But I've got an all in for Perseverance coming in the not too distant future.

hepcat wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 2:03 pm That was my approach exactly. Even though I love Turczi's games. But I've got an all in for Perseverance coming in the not too distant future.

I can't wait for Perseverance. I too, have an All-In coming.

My problem with Voidfall was that it has too much iconography. Sure, I learned to love Anachrony's icons, but Voidfall looked like it took it up a notch. I can always get it on Mindclash's webstore at some point.

I really enjoy Too Many Bones and it's one of those games that will never leave my collection, but I've never felt compelled to go beyond the base game. Since I'm all in on Victorum and Hoplo: Remastered I'll hold off and probably go all-in on Elder Scrolls.

hepcat wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 11:45 am Yeah, I'm in at almost 300 bucks. I swore I wouldn't, but there's a lot of content they're releasing for this send off.

If they release a TMB 2.0 a year or two down the line, I'm probably going to go ballistic though. This is, by far, the most amount of money I've sunk into a game...ever. Of course, it's been spread out over about 3 or 4 years. But still...sheesh.

Agreed. I have everything for TMB, other than some of the promos and the art books. I find myself vacillating between "Buy it all!" and "Just grab the new standalone box and pick up the other stuff later". I suspect I'll fall somewhere in between.

I want to buy more TMB to fill up my box but there's also Marvel Dice Throne in the same month... The pain is real

As mentioned earlier this month, Dice Throne Marvel is now here...

I honestly have no desire to get this. I enjoy the series but I’m fine with just season 1.

I really like the art and the mechanics of Dice Throne, but no one will play this with me so it's an easy one to skip.

I really like Dice Throne and I very much enjoy Marvel, do I need a mash up? I own everything for Dice Throne and I also have Marvel Champions, and wasn't there a dice game a few years back, something like Dice Masters that had a Marvel theme? Decisions, decisions. On the flip side, $80-ish bucks for an additional 8 characters is pretty inexpensive, especially since I just dropped $70 at the pump to fill my car.

Smoove, if you don't own DTA, there are a couple of player made solo variations for Dice Throne that I've read about, someone may have mentioned here at OO as well. I am also in NJ regularly, I'd be happy to play sometime.

Looks like, if I am reading the update correctly, Succubus is going to open the pledge manager for anyone so I may actually be able to get in on some Middara goodness as well, luckily that isn't until February, so I have some time to start saving.

Yeah, looks like Valentine 2022 the pledge manager opens back up for Middara. I’m going to add acts 2 and 3.

If Middara had a different theme and was less hentai-ish, it would be my favorite dungeon crawl of the last few years. As it stands, even with all that, I can’t stop playing it when I get it on the table.

Almost pulled the trigger on Lords of Ragnarok yesterday.

Almost. Too many other games to play.

Just got an email that they’re getting ready to ship my Wyrmwood gaming table…

Fardaza wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:14 am Almost pulled the trigger on Lords of Ragnarok yesterday.

Almost. Too many other games to play.

I'm not backing it because I'm hearing left and right that it needs several plays to appreciate it. I don't think I have the time to commit that much time to one game just to really appreciate it.

hentzau wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:42 am Just got an email that they’re getting ready to ship my Wyrmwood gaming table…

I'm jealous! But mostly just excited for you. I have a couple of friends with gaming tables and they are niiiice.

Apparently they're trying again...



I still have a ton of the original run materials - similar to Heroscape. I believe some day I will be able to retire on these two collections alone.

That looks fun. I just wish the 4 player mode was in the core set...

I wonder if Privateer Press just sold the entire thing to Mythic Games and they're reimplementing it, or if this is supposed to be a completely different game using that license? I guess I'll have to do some reading.

hepcat wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 4:14 pm I wonder if Privateer Press just sold the entire thing to Mythic Games and they're reimplementing it, or if this is supposed to be a completely different game using that license? I guess I'll have to do some reading.

From what I could tell it is a streamlined version of the original.

Does anyone know how this compares to GKR? (Giant Killer Robots)

I think they're pretty similar, but MonPoc has the broader Kaiju theme. I played a demo of GKR at a convention years ago and MonPoc (to me) is a bit more beer and pretzel / comic book / over the top / absurd action. If you're into that them (giant monsters throwing each other around and destroying a city), this is your game.

I didn't get enough time with GKR to say if it ever was possible to toss other robots into each other or buildings. Instead, it was more a faster version of Mechwarrior - dodging in and out of buildings taking pot-shots at each other.

They are similar from a basic idea for gameplay. The mechanics are slightly different but generally they kinda do play the same (big units supported by smaller units that can take control of locations/buildings, giving you benefits). I think it would come down to theme. And if you don't like the idea of giant dinosaurs or Cthulhu aliens fighting mega robots, then I don't even know what to say to you.

A few years ago, I think I would have been all over Monsterpocalypse. But simple skirmish is not super fun for solo play and the kiddo is still a few years from being able to play it. I did, however, order Necromolds, which is a simple skirmish game using "playdough" to make units and squishing them when they get destroyed. That will appeal to her for many reasons (she likes monsters, she likes playdough, she likes squishing).

I am still on the fence for TMB. As a completionist, I feel obligated to back it to get all the things. But I also haven't touched the last expansion, or the content/campaign add-ons. Plus, I already have Hoplomachus Victorum coming from them, and it feels weird to back projects before other projects complete. I have also been eying Lords of Ragnarok, but - again - the solo play element is unknown (although designed by Turczi, which is encouraging). Lords of Ragnarok also seems to be - comparatively - a better value.

Or don't back anything - which is likely the smartest move.

I have been eyeing the Too Many Bones KS as well. The thought of owning the entire collection is very appealing but the price tag is a little too hefty. I played a two player game of TMB a couple of weeks ago and I played a couple of solo sessions the last few days specifically to help make a decision and while I like the game and enjoy it, I think I am going to skip the KS. TMB isn't a game I can sit and play over and over again like I can with Street Masters, which to me is sort of similar. Both are co-op skirmish games, just with slightly different mechanics. I also have The Street Masters expansion on the way, which should be here soon-ish. I also have Eternal Champions coming (some-day) which is another skirmish game, only competitive, and Primal, another some-day. If I am going to drop nearly $700 on a game I think I would rather hold out and go all in on Middarra in February. Plus I am looking at Senjutsu and For Glory KS. The theme and play of Senjutsu both appeal to me very much, but now I am wondering, do I really need another skirmish game?

As someone that hated TMB at first, I cannot recommend jumping in whole-hog with this KS, despite it being a crazy good deal. The truth is, there's an insane amount of game play in the core game box. And while Undertow is cheaper (that was how I took another chance on the game), I think the core TMB box is a better value in terms of longevity. Yes it's expensive, but there's really a ton of gameplay inside and if you do like it, you can expand that single core box out with additional campaign content (Age of Tyranny) or additional variables (encounters/monsters - 40 Days in Daelore)) for a reasonable amount and still fit everything in that gigantic core box.

Truly, the problem only exists if you love the game and/or you're a completionist that wants every single possible option (which I personally think for this game is overwhelming).

Anyway, for people on the fence I do still just recommend the original core box. It really is a good game, assuming it's in your gaming wheelhouse (dice chucking, lite RPG elements), strategy. I am still backing to get more options, but I don't feel the need to own everything, which is nice for once.

I'm feeling that way as well. I own everything TMB up to this point and I'm not sure I need (or will get around to playing) more stuff.

I might be tempted by piecemeal things, like new expansion and some mats. I can always get the other things from their webstore later. I'm also not real keen on the extra $35 to put them into my Trove box. Yes, Hepcat pointed out that this is still a good deal, but I'm "meh" about it.

I think they dropped the price on the extra trays after people complained.

edit: yeah, they knocked 10 bucks off. They're only 25 now.

I haven't played TMB, but No Pun Included's take was that Undertow is the place to start. Not as much content as the original core box, but they thought the gearlocs in Undertow were more interesting.

Of the current crop of tabletop Kickstarters, I am intrigued by Circadians: Chaos Order. It looks like a big departure for the studio: Garphill Games generally puts out eurogames with little direct player interaction, but Chaos Order is all conflict and combat. I'm not sure if that bodes well or ill, but it has me interested.


I also 100% love this from their Kickstarter page:

Kickstarter or retail? Chaos Order and First Light will both be coming to retail in various languages. There are no exclusive items in this Kickstarter campaign. If you'd prefer to wait for the items to become available in retail, we are 100% okay with that. Please just choose whichever option works best for you. We don't want anyone to feel pressured into backing this campaign in fears that they might miss out on some exclusive content.

AWS260 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 03, 2021 5:15 pm I haven't played TMB, but No Pun Included's take was that Undertow is the place to start. Not as much content as the original core box, but they thought the gearlocs in Undertow were more interesting.

I enjoy No Pun Included, but I must disagree about Undertow being the best place to start. The base set only contains two gearlocs to play--and Stanza is one of the trickiest of all the gearlocs to get a handle on. The core set has gearlocs that are much easier to understand, at least they were for me. I still have trouble with Stanza.

+1

Stanza confuses even seasoned players of TMB.

I have looked at Stanza so many times and never quite figured out her rules. If you bought Undertow with Nugget or Ghillie, I think it would be ok. But alone, I would feel like it was lacking. I also think the "fish" mechanic makes it harder than the core box.

So blacklist games has finally got Hour of Need in the US warehouse ready for fulfillment...but they're saying it won't happen until the beginning of 2022 because of something they need to do. They also issued updates for the Street Masters expansions/reprint and Dire Alliance....all of which won't be shipping out this year for sure.

I know the shipping crisis is hitting everyone, but it's still a bit disappointing.

I am having a MegaCon Games deja vu feeling all over again. BLG has like 8 games outstanding at this time, all delayed, all pushed out to some unknown time. Whatever is happening with the 10 containers of their Fantasy Minis sitting at QML right now sounds like they haven't paid their bills and so QML is holding their product. Does not sound good.

Considering they canceled the last KS (fantasy football) after it had funded, its really leading me to believe they're in financial straits right now.

That was my take too. They’re being kind of shady with their explanation. “ However, we have been made aware of a few things we are required to do on our end first before they can begin shipping” sounds a bit sketchy.

Edit: oof, the comments from backers are getting harsh. Accusations of running a Ponzi scheme because they’re broke are running rampant. I do thing having that many balls in the air at once is the issue though. Feels like they bit off more than they could chew.