4 ms·

Seems to me like they tried to do WAY too much. Sure, many board games are complex, but there is usually a necessary complexity to them - for the price of a ste

Seems to me like they tried to do WAY too much. Sure, many board games are complex, but there is usually a necessary complexity to them - for the price of a steeper learning curve, you get game mechanics that are more fun. In this case, there are 24 different vegetables to grow. That is just way too much in my opinion. How many times would you have to play the game to start appreciating the differences between each vegetable? Not to mention - yes, $55 is fair market value for a decently complex board game. But the video game itself is only $15 and is probably more fun. If I want to play a resource-gathering game, I think I'll stick to Settlers of Catan - a tried and true classic with just 5 resource cards. (Just want to make it clear - I'm not saying Catan is the end-all, be-all of board games. But it proves that you can have a fun, complex board game with just 5 resource cards.)

Tomte 5y ago
> But the video game itself is only $15 and is probably more fun. I tried it on iPad and was instantly overwhelmed. I did not know that after 2am I'm falling unconscious. I felt I walked out of my farm plot into town and back, and the day was over. Which it was only because I didn't find my way back to the farm. Is there really no marker on the mini map where I'm standing? The next day I learned to fish, spent all my money, in order not to starve, and decided that the game was no fun for me. Maybe with a gentler onboarding it would have played out differently, maybe I'm just not the type for it.
- brianwawok 5y ago
  It’s a pretty easy game. Sure you pass out once or twice learning how time works. If they made the game much easier, I think it’s just staring at a screen of grass.
  - Tomte 5y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_(video_game) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_(video_game) was successful :-)
- syntheticnature 5y ago
  IMO, I think it's easier to onboard with a controller than the compromises of touch controls. (I suppose you might be using a controller on the iPad.) Of course, at the same time, it's also been getting features added for years and years now.
- bluefirebrand 5y ago
  > The next day I learned to fish, spent all my money, in order not to starve, and decided that the game was no fun for me It is literally impossible to starve in the game. Starvation is not a mechanic. Unless something has changed dramatically since last time I played.
  - AfterShave 5y ago
    I'm guessing they're thinking about regaining stamina with food. Even if it's not death, it stops you from doing actual work during the day. Might feel like starving?
tetha 5y ago
> (Just want to make it clear - I'm not saying Catan is the end-all, be-all of board games. But it proves that you can have a fun, complex board game with just 5 resource cards.) Hm, you're now making me think. Even with the more complex board games and more complex mechanics, I am struggling to find a successful board game that has more than 5ish resources. And a lot of the simpler games have a lot less. Even Terraforming Mars "just" has 6 if I recall right, food chain magnate - depending on how you count - has 6ish. Prehistoric has 5ish. Spirit island has less. Something like the old arkham horror version is harder to count due to inventory management, but you're still juggling just 4-5 things.
- sdenton4 5y ago
  Agricola/Caverna has a pretty large number of resources. For Caverna, off the top of my head: Food, gold, wood, stone, ore, rubies, wheat, vegetables, sheep, donkeys, cows, dogs, and pigs... (And, of course, workers, time and space are kinds of resources, as well.)

Tomte 5y ago

> But the video game itself is only $15 and is probably more fun. I tried it on iPad and was instantly overwhelmed. I did not know that after 2am I'm falling unconscious. I felt I walked out of my farm plot into town and back, and the day was over. Which it was only because I didn't find my way back to the farm. Is there really no marker on the mini map where I'm standing? The next day I learned to fish, spent all my money, in order not to starve, and decided that the game was no fun for me. Maybe with a gentler onboarding it would have played out differently, maybe I'm just not the type for it.

brianwawok 5y ago
It’s a pretty easy game. Sure you pass out once or twice learning how time works. If they made the game much easier, I think it’s just staring at a screen of grass.
- Tomte 5y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_(video_game) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_(video_game) was successful :-)
syntheticnature 5y ago
IMO, I think it's easier to onboard with a controller than the compromises of touch controls. (I suppose you might be using a controller on the iPad.) Of course, at the same time, it's also been getting features added for years and years now.
bluefirebrand 5y ago
> The next day I learned to fish, spent all my money, in order not to starve, and decided that the game was no fun for me It is literally impossible to starve in the game. Starvation is not a mechanic. Unless something has changed dramatically since last time I played.
- AfterShave 5y ago
  I'm guessing they're thinking about regaining stamina with food. Even if it's not death, it stops you from doing actual work during the day. Might feel like starving?

tetha 5y ago

> (Just want to make it clear - I'm not saying Catan is the end-all, be-all of board games. But it proves that you can have a fun, complex board game with just 5 resource cards.) Hm, you're now making me think. Even with the more complex board games and more complex mechanics, I am struggling to find a successful board game that has more than 5ish resources. And a lot of the simpler games have a lot less. Even Terraforming Mars "just" has 6 if I recall right, food chain magnate - depending on how you count - has 6ish. Prehistoric has 5ish. Spirit island has less. Something like the old arkham horror version is harder to count due to inventory management, but you're still juggling just 4-5 things.

sdenton4 5y ago
Agricola/Caverna has a pretty large number of resources. For Caverna, off the top of my head: Food, gold, wood, stone, ore, rubies, wheat, vegetables, sheep, donkeys, cows, dogs, and pigs... (And, of course, workers, time and space are kinds of resources, as well.)