c/board-game-geeks

Why does nobody talk about how long it takes to set up a 4-player game of Twilight Imperium?

I finally convinced my group to try Twilight Imperium last Saturday in Seattle. We spent 45 minutes just sorting tokens and reading the rulebook before we even picked factions. I learned that you need to block out at least 6 hours for a full game, minimum. Has anyone else found a faster way to get through that setup phase?

2 comments

grantschmidt•5d ago

Talked to a playtester at a convention who made me rethink my whole approach to game balance

He said if you're not breaking your own game during testing at least five times, you're not pushing it hard enough, and that hit me because I realize I've been protecting my design instead of stress testing it, has anyone else had a similar wake-up call?

2 comments

the_anthony•8d ago

Swapped from teaching new players to just letting them figure it out

I used to spend like 20 minutes explaining every rule in depth before we even started a game of Terraforming Mars. But after my group sat through a 3 hour game night with barely any actual playing going on, I stopped that. Now I just hand them the rulebook, say "let's learn as we go," and we jump right in. It's way more fun and nobody tunes out halfway through. Has anyone else ditched the whole pre-game lecture for a more casual start?

2 comments

thea857•9d ago

I finally saw why game night structure matters at a friend's house in Denver

I went to a board game meetup last month at a buddy's place in Denver, and he had a whole system for how the night ran. He set a timer for each game, picked games based on how many people showed up, and even had a rule to swap out one player each round. I've always just let things happen randomly, but watching it flow so smooth made me realize I've been missing something. His way kept everyone engaged and nobody got stuck playing something they hated for two hours. I'm not saying I'll go full drill sergeant, but I am trying out a few of his tricks at my next gathering. Have any of you tried a set structure for game nights, or do you just let the chaos take over?

3 comments

matthews21•9d ago

Finally tried solo mode on Spirit Island instead of 3-player

Spent 6 months struggling with 3-player games that always fell apart when someone quit. Solo mode is way smoother, and I actually finished a full campaign over two afternoons. Anyone else prefer solo over group sessions?

2 comments

felix147•10d ago

A buddy in my game group told me I was explaining rules like a college lecture and it killed the mood

He said I needed to stop front-loading victory conditions and just let people learn by playing, so now I give a 90 second overview and start the first round, has anyone else had to totally rework how they teach a game?

2 comments

sagew50•13d ago

Spent 2 years playing Catan wrong because nobody read the rule about the robber correctly

It took a friend visiting from out of town to point out that you can't just move the robber anywhere you want after a 7 is rolled, you actually have to move it to a specific hex and then steal from someone adjacent to that hex, so now I have to apologize to everyone I've ever played with, has anyone else discovered a rule they completely botched for years?

3 comments

rowan725•14d ago

My own group taught me I was hogging the spotlight at game night

For years I thought I was being helpful by explaining every rule and strategy during our weekly board game sessions. I figured new players wanted the full breakdown so they could enjoy the game properly. But last month after a game of Ticket to Ride, my buddy Mike pulled me aside and said, "You know, sometimes I just want to figure it out myself without being told the best move." That hit me hard because I realized I was robbing people of the fun of discovery. He said it felt like I was playing for everyone instead of letting them explore their own choices. So now I keep quiet unless someone asks a specific question, and our games actually take longer but people seem happier. Has anyone else had a moment where they realized they were accidentally ruining game night for others, and how did you fix it?

2 comments

murray.spencer•16d ago

Spent $60 on a KS board game that still hasn't shipped 14 months later

Backed "Dungeon Lords: The Card Game" on Kickstarter thinking it looked cool. Now it's been over a year and they keep posting updates about art changes. I could have bought 3 good games from the store with that cash. Anyone else just done with backing stuff on KS?

3 comments

victorb17•16d ago

Hit 300 plays on a single game before I even realized it

I keep a log of every board game I play, just a simple notebook with dates and scores. Last week I was flipping through it and saw Carcassonne had a tally of 302 plays. That's just the base game, no expansions. I don't even know how that happened since I only pull it out for quick games after dinner. Has anyone else lost track of a game like that?

3 comments

jamesf26•17d ago

Hot take: Catan is actually better with 4 players than 3

I read a forum post last week saying 3-player Catan is more strategic and balanced. But I tried it twice and both games dragged on forever with no trading because nobody had what anyone needed. Has anyone else noticed that 4-player games at least keep the resource trading alive?

3 comments

willow_morgan•18d ago

Vent: I just realized I've been storing my board games vertically for 5 years

Pulled out my copy of Terraforming Mars last night and half the cardboard tokens were warped from the weight stacking down on them over time. Anyone else wreck their games before figuring out horizontal storage is the way to go?

2 comments

laura_wright•18d ago

Pro tip: That whole local game store in Austin taught me to always demo a game before buying it blind

After buying three duds in a row from the shelf at Dragon's Lair last spring, I started asking the staff to run a quick 15-minute playthrough and now I save around $60 a month on games, has anyone else had luck with in-store demos changing their buying habits?

2 comments

jesse_fisher•18d ago

Heard a guy say he never reads rulebooks before playing a game

I was at my local game shop in Portland last Saturday and overheard this guy tell his friend he never reads rulebooks first. He just learns from watching others or making mistakes during the first play. That honestly blew my mind because I spend like 30 minutes reading through every rule before I touch a game. Has anyone else tried learning a game blind like that and actually had it work out well?

2 comments

finleyw99•19d ago

Unpopular opinion: Kickstarter board games are killing local game nights

Last month my group tried to play three Kickstarter games someone brought. Two had rulebooks that contradicted themselves. The third had minis that didn't fit in the box. We gave up after 45 minutes and played Catan from 2014 instead. Anyone else notice these crowdfunded games skipping basic playtesting?

3 comments

danielr94•21d ago

Why does nobody talk about how boring Terraforming Mars can get

I played Terraforming Mars 8 times this month because everyone online swears it's the greatest thing ever. After game 3 I started noticing the same patterns keep showing up, the same cards feel mandatory, and the whole thing drags past 2 hours every time. I tried rushing the endgame and it just felt like I was skipping half the fun everyone else seems to have. Has anyone else found this game gets stale fast, or am I missing something obvious?

3 comments

stella_murray•22d ago

PSA: The time my game night almost ended in tears because of a broken token tray

I was hosting a big game of Scythe at my place in Austin last Friday, and halfway through setup one of the resource token trays just snapped in half. Tokens went flying everywhere under the couch and table. I grabbed a cheap muffin tin from my kitchen and used it to sort everything instead. Has anyone else had to jury-rig a solution like that mid-game?

2 comments

thea857•25d ago

I hit 500 logged plays on BoardGameGeek and it felt hollow

I finally crossed that milestone after three years of tracking everything, from filler card games to six-hour heavy sessions. But instead of feeling accomplished, I realized half those plays were just me forcing games to the table that nobody else really wanted to play. Has anyone else hit a number and wondered if you were just collecting stats instead of having fun?

3 comments

iris574•25d ago

Painted miniatures with cheap craft paint for 6 months straight

I finally caved and spent $12 on a single pot of Army Painter paint at my local shop in Portland. My goblins went from looking like cake frosting disasters to having actual detail. Turns out dollar store acrylic has no pigment and is basically glue water. Has anyone else ruined a whole squad before realizing the paint makes the difference?

2 comments

lisak26•25d ago

PSA: My gateway game obsession almost ruined game night

I was dead set on only playing heavy euros like Terraforming Mars for months, thought lighter stuff was a waste of time. Then I heard a guy at my local shop, Dice House in Portland, say ‘you’re not here to win a prize, you’re here to hang out.’ Made me realize I was being that person who sucks the fun out of the room. Has anyone else had their game group push back on complex rules too?

2 comments

piperb93•26d ago

Thought solo gaming was sad but my friend proved me wrong

For years I thought playing board games alone was just depressing. My buddy Mark kept inviting me to his solo sessions of Spirit Island and I always passed. Then last Tuesday I had a free evening and he set me up with a simplified version. After 2 hours of puzzle-solving and beating the game on my own terms, I totally get the appeal now. The quiet focus and lack of waiting around actually made it more strategic than group play. Has anyone else had a similar shift in thinking about solo board gaming?

2 comments

drew_park•28d ago

Played Gloomhaven solo vs. with my regular group last weekend

I finally got Gloomhaven to the table by myself after always playing with my Friday night group. Took me about 6 hours to set up and run through two scenarios solo. My group usually takes 4 hours for one scenario because we argue about every move. The solo mode was way more efficient since I controlled all the characters and knew my own plans. But man it felt lonely without the banter and surprise plays from my friends. We had one guy last session who spent 10 minutes on his turn deciding between two cards. Has anyone else found a good middle ground between solo speed and group fun?

3 comments

claire_wells87•28d ago

Three game nights in a row ruined by that one guy who can't stop quarterbacking

Happened at my buddy's place in Austin. We're playing Dead of Winter. Every turn, Kevin's telling people what to do. Where to move. What cards to play. Took the fun right out. I finally snapped after round 4. Told him to let people play their own turns. He got quiet. Rest of the night was awkward. Has anyone else had to shut down an overbearing player without making it weird?

3 comments

simons28•1mo ago

Got told my dice tower was 'too loud' and had to rethink my whole setup

A buddy straight up said it sounded like a bag of rocks every time I rolled, so I swapped to a felt-lined tower and man, it changed the whole vibe. Anyone else have a small critique that forced an upgrade?

2 comments

jade_singh•1mo ago

Hit 200 board games in my collection last weekend... didn't even realize I was close

I was just reorganizing my shelf and decided to count. 200 exactly. It snuck up on me because I don't even buy that much anymore, maybe 4 or 5 a year now. Most of them are from trades or thrift store finds. Makes me wonder if I actually play a tenth of these regularly or if I'm just a hoarder with a nice shelf. How many is too many before it's not a hobby anymore?

3 comments