…and so to the third instalment of the solitary musings, wanderings and meetings of the 2018 UKGE.
In this, the third of four parts, I visit some very interesting new projects (all with some slant of solo play…except one multiplayer game that has really caught my eye and has huge potential. Big, busy and full of much to miss unless you keep a crafty eye out. My crafty eye managed to miss pretty much every blogger, reviewer or well known name out there in the Twitterverse…so so much for networking. Oh well…onwards we treck.
- Inspiring Games– Legends Untold (Short game preview)
I couldn’t not go to the UKGE and miss an opportunity to chat with the great chaps at Inspiring Games. I backed Legends Untold on Kickstarter and have been following the project closely as the project has suffered its ups and downs…
Legends Untold is a co-operative card based adventure game for 1-8 players(4 players in the basic box, more with the expansion). Play an in depth adventure games with your friends in about an hour. Small setup time, zero downtime and a lot more than just finding the next monster to bash. Intelligent game mechanics that rely on the Party working together to overcome foes, traps, Obstacles, barriers, NPCs and more. Build your Hero your way from a wide choice of Talents, Weapons, Outfits and Kit. Scout the depths of the Caves (with more environments to come!), building a map between locations as you uncover the threats within
This year I got to see what is in effect a demo copy of the final product…and actually managed to get a game in too.
This section is somewhat brief as I will shortly be publishing a “an extended mini-review”on BSoMT…(link coming soon) I say mini-review as I often waffle on for two to three thousand words but this will be more concise and focusing more on gameplay, as much as anything.
Needless to say, Legends Untold plays really well. The improvements to art are amazing and the iconography, although plentiful in nature, is so much clearer and logical than previous incarnations. I didn’t have time to progress further than one scenario but within that I was able to experience most of the encounter, item, exploration and combat mechanics that make up the game. Now I wait by the letterbox awaiting fulfilment. If any one reading missed the campaign (how could you?) I strongly recommend sourcing out a copy.
Inspiring Games on Twitter: https://twitter.com/InspiredTribe
Inspiring Games website: https://www.inspiringgames.com/
BGG page: https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/198832/legends-untold
- Triple Ace Games- Ironclads (I am hopeful there will be an exciting preview coming soon to BSoMT in the near future)
Something that took me most by surprised was a chance passing of the Ttiple Ace games stand. I was just having a casual nosey at some miniatures on a demo table(I do like space ships and steampunk…and this appeared to encompass both fields of expertise, so I felt compelled to at least check out the miniatures.
I was asked if I would like to play o reluctantly I decided to ve a go. I enjoy X-Wing miniatures and play that solo using an online AI (link) but I find it can be cumbersome, time consuming and full of laborious modifiers…so I was not holding much hope for a good game at this table…playing against a stranger, of all things….
I was completely shocked at how simple, user-friendly and intuitive this system is. Movement is a doddle even with each sized Victorian spaceship having its own movement stats
they all use the hex movement tiles making agility and positioning a much more exciting combat prospect.
Simple attacks with simple rolls make for simple quick battle sequences and, one of my favourite elements, when a ship fires, it suffers recoil…a backward movement. Ok, the Triple Ace team say this is due to Victorian technology/physics but in space shooting a forceful weapon would cause a ship to move in the opposite direction. A touch of realism but also an added tool to a players to employ when condidering positioning and strategy. Recoil from a wasted shot might actually just put you in an optimum position for a future attack.
I am hopeful to bring a preview in the near future as, although the game is player vs player, there are numerous scenarios in the pipeline for solo missions.
There have been many games that have been spectacular at the expo, and I have no intention detracting from them in any way, but for me, this was the one I found impressed me most …as I had low expectations to later discover greatness in the game system which proved its worth (being more fun and more accessible than X-Wing) I think that as the game doesn’t take its self too serious, focus has been on fun, engagement and ease of play. From the game I played they have certainly achieved that and I look forward to having opportunity to play again.
Tripple Ace games on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TripleAceGames
Tripple Ace Games: http://www.tripleacegames.com/
BGG page:
- Earth to Games- Masters of Gettown (preview coming soon) and talks of a very hush hush secret solo game
Welcome one and all to the Earth to Games stand…well, I truth be known, they came to me…
I shall relate a story of woe and pitty. For I was at a point of extreme lowness n the friday night after a disappointing encounter with UKGE security*. This put a dampener on what was a splendid Friday.
To cut my ramblings to a short version I would have to come pity the next day, pay and extra £12 parking to collect my games when the show opened…a very depressing prospect. So there I sat across the plaza from an established sandwich franchise rather dejected eating a footlong meatball sandwhich…always wondered what Joey used to go on about in Friends…and out of the blue a young chap pops up having recognised the T shirt. I had no idea who this effervescent character was, approaching me out of the blue, eager to chat (as I have no idea who most digital social media friends and colleagues are or look like in the flesh)
…it only turns out to be Jon from Earth to Games. We had previously exchanged the usual comments and such like online, but now, I got to have a personal demo of Masters of Gettown.
An excellent concept in total, full contact arena dice combat carnage. Talk ventured from all the many developments of the game to its potential expansions and, in addition, mention was made in very hushed tones of a “top secret” game in development that….get this….is going to be soloable….so obviously it was interested to find out more. I have seen prototype components and seen gameplay which does look most entertaining but at the moment I am sworn to secrecy at pain of death. There will be more on the top secret project later in the year on BSoMT so keep an eye open in this direction.
I suspect we must’ve chatted away for the best part of an hour or more, after which I said I would come by the stand on the Saturday. Now I had justification to stay an extra day….and so glad I did because I would have missed so much otherwise….so a big Thanks Jon for making the con for me!
I got to experience the full works of full contact dice chucking in a full Hall 2 the following day so in a way,if security hadn’t been so awkward, I would have missed a number of stands including Earth to Games.
I will share some photos of the game but I have a review of my play (and previous unofficial demo/interview) planned in the next week or two where great detail shall be ventured in to.
Needless to say, they are a great, warm welcoming team at Earth to games and one to watch out for in the near future. (Link: coming soon)
Earth To Games on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Earth_To_Games
Earth to Games Website: https://earthtogames.co.uk
BGG page: https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/249732/masters-gettown
- Wreck & Ruin- Dream Big games. Mark talks about a solo variant he has been working on (congrats on funding too)
Wreck and Ruin is a vehicle miniature board game, set in the not-too distant future of a post-apocalyptic world. 2-4 players can choose between four factions and make up their convoy from the four classes of vehicles available. scouts are fast and can shoot on the move but are weak, buggies can repair other vehicles. wreckers are powerful vehicles designed to crush their opponents. big rigs are slow but have strong attacks and can soak up damage and still keep going too!
I had met Mark at Airecon earlier in the year and watched Wreck and Ruin played during a demo game but as nice as it was, and as great as the components looked, it was a multiplayer game so didn’t follow it up. At the expo, as I passed marks stand’ it was only fair and proper to stop by and pay my regards…and thank goodness I did for during our chat Mark disclosed that he is working on a “”rolling raod” style solo variant He proceeded to demonstrate his ideas and how he envisaged them playing out… Now I know I have ever such a slight bias towards games with solo variants, but at Mark has planned for solo players out in the post apocalyptic wastelands feels, especially to me, to be a really fantastic adaptation to the main game.
It will play a little differently to the main game regarding movement & scenery but all the other mechanics are there, with the bonus that we, as the solo player, are harassed and hunted down by a cleverly simple AI controlling mechanic.
What was even more interesting…and probably ridiculously exciting for Mark is that during the weekend Wreck and Ruin funded (third time lucky…so his perseverance and persistence paid off)
I hope to twist Mark’s arem once the solo game has developed further to get mor info and even an oportunity, perhaps, to test out and report back how good it really is.
Wreck & Ruin on twitter: https://twitter.com/Wreck_and_Ruin
BGG page: https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/197946/wreck-and-ruin
- Defection Board Game Thundervaults. A sci-fi boardgame and graphic novel.
This was a brief but also an unexpected find at this years expo…and after after talking to the designer James Tomblin, I discoverd that there is (as we all should hope for) a delectable solo variant in the works.
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I think there are plans for Defection to hit kickstarter later in the year so definitely one to keep an eye out for.
Very much a puzzle solving excessive, this is, as much as it is a sci-fi pick up and deliver. It gave me a slight feel of Firefly but looked to have a far more in-depth gameplay, with some interesting mechanics governing play. Maintaining crew, ship, meeting scenario objectives and more. Exploration of randomly set out tiles (some dictation by scenario), upgrading ships and crew, handling resources and so on…you get the picture. Although very dark in theme the gameplay actually looks a fun, engrossing experience (I didn’t get opportunity to try for myself so had to make do with watching others play a demo game)
As for solo, there are plans to automate the game so that we, the soloist, experience the full game. I hope to bring more information on the solo game development in the future.
Defection on Twitter: https://twitter.com/defectiongame
Defection Website: https://thundervaults.com
BGG page: https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/216481/defection
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*I had accumulated a goodly number of games to review for a number of well established companies…I had no cash on me and the Shop and drop wanted to charge me to rent space to store my games…doesn’t strike me as a way to encourage attendees to further expand their collections if it costs to have them chucked into a box. So I was struggling about with many package until the very kind Mrs hall from Hall or Nothing Productions offered to keep them for me under the table. So kind and such a weight relief from my poor aching shoulders.
A fantastic meeting with Lorent from Nuts! publishing over ran by some twenty minutes or so (no problem for me) but the show officially finished at 6 and there I was trying to get access to my games. Security wouldn’t have it even though I could identify each game (none sold by Hall or Nothing)..I understand their dilema but as I had tristan, stall owner, on the phone to verify, they still wouldnt have it. At one point one chap was rather agressive towards me and I felt this was totally unessesary…I was calm and putting my point across in a polite manner so didn’t feel I deserved to be spoken to in such a manner (so shiney Gold star taken off your chart UKGE…poor form for attitude).
Both Sides of My Table 