Below is a selection of games that stood out to us while browsing kickstarter.com.
Backing a project can be a great thing, but please do the research on a game before you put money into it. Happy exploring!
Board, Card & Miniatures Games
Role-Playing Games
Other Board Game Related Projects
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I’m interested in Maha Yodha. It’s the art design that caught my eye, but as I looked more it seemed that it has some real potential. They should be posting a free PnP of the base set this week. The PnP should be enough to decide whether it’s just a Magic clone or something all its own.
And even if it is a clone, the art’s so good I may just back it anyway. 🙂
@Paladin – what seems sketchy about Ice Garden to you?
I definitely had initial pause with the pricing, but it seems to me they set it assuming all stretch goals are hit. If they are, the game will have 25 to 30 huge miniatures – I believe they’re all between 2 and 3 inches – and other expensive items like a double-sided board. While $75 (EB with no add-ons) to $150 (non-EB with all add-ons) is a lot for a board game, I think this is pretty similar component-wise with Fief, which I pledged $112 for. Obviously Academy Games is a known publisher, so there was less reason to worry in backing Fief.
The broken English of the designer/campaign-runner is a bit unfortunate, particularly because it creates worries about the translated rulebook. But the available videos of the gameplay are good enough that I’m sure I’ll be able to get it even if the rulebook is a disaster.
However, I could see myself (and many others) dropping out as well if only a few of the stretch goals are hit. With the pricing set at an “all stretch goals” level, it will just be too expensive to come with a bunch of cardboard standees, wooden cubes and only a handful of scenarios. Also, this thing is VERY similar to Chaos in the Old World. I love that game so much that I’d welcome a differently-themed clone in my library, but if the value is “poor” I can definitely pass without remorse.
The 12 realms rulebook can be found here:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/filepage/88494/final-rulebook-english
It used to be a print and play until they ran a very popular KS campaign last year. It looks like fun… check out Rahdo’s video to see if it looks like something you need…
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/video/45970/12-realms/rahdo-runs-through-12-realms-ancestors-legacy
@all — I’ve got pledges in place for the 12 Realms and Dungeon Dice expansions, but can’t find much information about the former online. Are these games worth jumping on board?
Pledged to The Lord of the Ice Garden as well, but I’m pretty sure I’m pulling out of that one because it seems super sketchy.
@Account Deletion
Yeah, it’s sort of a nightmare when the designer starts changing the design for what you thought you were paying for after the funding closes. Huh, you’re changing what? I heard that people are not happy at all with Iello changing the mini quality in Guardian Chronicles. That’s not as bad as changing the actual game play (to me)…but changes after the fact are going to irritate people.
@Granny
I’ve been cringing at the last couple of updates on Apex because the designer has started making game play changes pretty late in the game. At least Linkage is doing it when there’s still time for you to back out!
Yeah,
I had to go all-in on the 12 realms campaign… painted minis all the way around. Rahdo’s fault again.
I’m getting a copy of Dungeon Dice too.
The reason I’m backing Cthulhu’s Vault is because Richard Launius helped design it. Period. I’m burnt out of Cthulhu too, but Launius has the resume.
I’m a bit concerned that the Linkage designer is discussing game design changes. That’s been a bad omen… as it’s impossible to fully play test changes during the course of a campaign…even if they are good ideas.
I’ve heard a lot of complaints about Kickstarter over the years, but my experiences have been just as good as with the retail market in most cases… and I feel like smaller designers are putting out some more innovative options. I have had about 5 bad experiences out of 150 projects I’ve backed. IMO that’s not bad. I’m throwing this out there for those who may be worried… or maybe did have a bad experience (Atlatic City, Myth (Rulebook), Dice Age, Odin’s Ravens… are in the minority). The state of Washington is going after one perpetrator…which may help to clean up the con-men issue. There will always be the occasional designer that just wasn’t prepared for the overhead…but that’s the chance I am willing to take. I, for one, am glad Kickstarter exists…even if my wallet isn’t.
@Hai – and I’m taking advantage of both, as I don’t have the original games and they definitely appeal to me.
Well, my brief respite from Kickstarter bankruptcy appears to be over, as I’m back up to 9 active campaigns backed. It was nice while it lasted.
The only “old” campaign I still have open is Cthulhu’s Vault. While I’m tired of Cthulhu, I love the art and everything I’ve seen on it makes me happy to pay $20 for a quality card game that supports 6 players.
So many new projects I’m backing. In order of closing, Pocket Odyssey, Transylvania: C&T, More Castles (like the other projects Hai mentioned, they’re doing an everything-available bundle with the original Castle Dice game), March of the Ants, Capes & Villains (I’m in for the game and all expansions, but I’ve cooled on the dossier and metal dice since the original campaign), The Lord of the Ice Garden (very expensive… but whoa), 12 Realms: Ancestors Legacy and Dungeon Dice: Guilds.
Both Dungeon Dice and 12 Realms are pulling a 1.5 campaign and doing The Agents shuffle by offering an expansion with a retro-first campaign bundle.
Looks like it’s working now. Must have been something on kickstarter’s end.
Same thing occurring on BGG.
I’ll give it some time before I troubleshoot it… we didn’t change anything on our end recently, so I’m hoping it’s on kickstarter’s end and it will resolve itself.
@Jim Yes it is completely blank – mayhaps it isn’t BGdot – perhaps kickstarter changed their color scheme again from that new horrific neon to eggshell on snow 🙂
I nearly had a mini-stroke during Lazy Kickstarter Brunch yesterday
For some reason I’m not seeing any of the kickstarter games in the article… is anyone else having the same issue?
The theme and design of Mahayodha blows my mind, but it seems too close to MtG.
I think Rich brings up a great point about integrating KS into XP system somehow. A good way to encourage supporting the community out there.
Man, I’m kicking myself for a few missed campaigns. Mind you I’m hearing the first echoes of horror stories starting to emerge, nonetheless I want in.
Jim, just a thought, but it may be cool to integrate backed KS campaigns into BGing’s XP system? Where each backed campaign = x XP.
@thegordonshow
It sounds like Jack, the designer Black Forest, felt like the campaign had stalled, and he needed to go back to the drawing board and get more preview reviews before he restarts it. He also mentioned that finding an EU distributor was not as easy as he thought it would be. I’m running into the same issues, but hoping to have one lined up before I start my own campaign. There is almost as much work involved in the manufacturing, distribution and fulfillment of a game than what goes into the design. Everything than can go wrong does go wrong. Then, you get a bunch of people yelling at you. It’s probably a good idea to just take a breath and start over in a few months.
Anyone know why Black Forest was cancelled? I was intrigued by it and considered backing.
I’ve got quite a few on the go here. I’d like to give another wee nudge for IN SECURITY, before it’s done. It’s def one of the thinkiest dice allocation games I’ve got. I’ve played the PnP about five times this week.
@Rob, thanks for the heads-up.