I love startups. There's some luck, but it's so fast to play and gives you the feeling of playing something much heavier. The small size makes it easy to slide into a bag and the high player count is useful too.
Enjoyed your dominant species marine thoughts. Can’t believe this game has not been covered more. Kudos for you for covering it. My copy came in last week, and I can’t wait to get it to the table. Look forward to your video on it. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for review of DS:M, Jon. I’ve never played the original, but picked this new one up as it looks a little more accessible for me. Look forward to your tutorial. You continue to do great work, sir. 👍
I have not played many cube rails games, but I have played a lot of 18xx and DG looks the most like an 18xx "light" game to me and I'm super interested in getting it! I'll wait for the new maps and just order them along with the base game :) I'm a little worried about those paper maps though. DSM looks up my alley too. Great vid!
DG does seem to be the most 18xx-esque of the cube rails games, though this can also lead 18xx players astray. It has rusting trains, but they way trains work is completely different. I've been told that most people buy a plexiglass sheet to put over paper map games like this. The map is quite sturdy (my copy already arrived), though does have creases. I'm going to look into buying 4 smaller plexi pieces that fit into the box that are thick enough to weigh it down despite being in 4 pieces.
Plexi is the normal solution. Can be purchased (and cut, if need be) at Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc. Other options are poster frames (either putting the map inside, or scavenging them for plexi), or oversized top loader sleeves. Be aware that thicker plexi has a kind of parallax effect as the game pieces float above the map. Many folks store paper maps flat in an artists folio or folder, along with a sheet of plexi, instead of storing them folded in the box.
Since you mentioned a Peer Sylvester game, have you played The King is Dead? Taking cubes in that game is a bit like stocks. There are definitely shared incentives in play. Looking forward to yours tutorial for DS:M. Combat Commander has turned me into a Chad Jensen fan!
You aren't the first person to recommend it. I watched a playthrough and became super interested in trying it. It does look right up my ally for what is exciting me about games these days.
@@JonGetsGames It’s a game about the things gamers love most: passing and tiebreakers! Of course it’s exciting! :-) Looking forward to your impressions!
Great DSM analysis! Really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to playing it myself. One question: in the mid-game, did you notice that cards were coming out that would constantly change who had dominance? You mentioned things could swing back and forth, but was it a continuous element of the game? I can't say I love that in a game, but I have to see how it feels in this one. Thanks!
I only played the one time, and it seemed like we were generally paying far more attention to who had majorities vs dominance. Dominance only changed a couple times throughout the game, though it was a first play for all of us and we likely weren't playing close to optimally.
It's recently, officially released on the Nintendo Switch th-cam.com/video/tzY1YlPAHWw/w-d-xo.html I guess other platforms (Android/Steam) will follow soon.
I never played 2p original DS, and haven't played 2p DS Marine so unfortunately I can't comment. There is an active group of people discussing this on on the boardgamegeek forums, I'd ask there.
Ah... Dominant Species. The best multiplayer wargame in disguise. Really glad DSM came out. I haven't gotten around to play it yet but I can't wait to do it. I love DS and have played it at least once or twice a year since it came out. It's biggest downside is that we always play it with full player count and that ends up taking too long. I was absolutely sure from the moment I heard about this new version that it will replace the original due to the change in the action selection mechanic. One thing I am curious and I can't figure out before playing the game. Have you noticed players to have a higher risk appetite? Bc in the original there are a few occasions during the course of the game where you are kind of reliant on one of your first actions to go your way or your chain of actions falls apart and some (or all) of your next pawns become "dead" for the round. And that can be devastating for the whole game. So often times you would end up choosing a safer route with a lower payout (unless you are desperate for some big moves) In this new version even if you don't get a specific action you had planned around, you can still adapt and get something instead of nothing out of the current "round" (until extinction).
I've only played the one time, but I can say that we leaned into to some pretty wild plays in this game. I think that's an interesting comment about being risk-averse when having to pre-plan everything out. I do imagine that'll be less the case with DS Marine.
I love startups. There's some luck, but it's so fast to play and gives you the feeling of playing something much heavier. The small size makes it easy to slide into a bag and the high player count is useful too.
Enjoyed your dominant species marine thoughts. Can’t believe this game has not been covered more. Kudos for you for covering it. My copy came in last week, and I can’t wait to get it to the table. Look forward to your video on it. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for review of DS:M, Jon. I’ve never played the original, but picked this new one up as it looks a little more accessible for me. Look forward to your tutorial. You continue to do great work, sir. 👍
I have not played many cube rails games, but I have played a lot of 18xx and DG looks the most like an 18xx "light" game to me and I'm super interested in getting it! I'll wait for the new maps and just order them along with the base game :) I'm a little worried about those paper maps though. DSM looks up my alley too. Great vid!
DG does seem to be the most 18xx-esque of the cube rails games, though this can also lead 18xx players astray. It has rusting trains, but they way trains work is completely different. I've been told that most people buy a plexiglass sheet to put over paper map games like this. The map is quite sturdy (my copy already arrived), though does have creases. I'm going to look into buying 4 smaller plexi pieces that fit into the box that are thick enough to weigh it down despite being in 4 pieces.
@@JonGetsGames Ooh that's a good idea, if you remember, please let me know where you get that plexiglass if you find it.
Plexi is the normal solution. Can be purchased (and cut, if need be) at Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc. Other options are poster frames (either putting the map inside, or scavenging them for plexi), or oversized top loader sleeves. Be aware that thicker plexi has a kind of parallax effect as the game pieces float above the map. Many folks store paper maps flat in an artists folio or folder, along with a sheet of plexi, instead of storing them folded in the box.
What is the T-shirt from? Mice jousting on badgers, awesome.
Here it is: shirt.woot.com/offers/warpigs
Since you mentioned a Peer Sylvester game, have you played The King is Dead? Taking cubes in that game is a bit like stocks. There are definitely shared incentives in play.
Looking forward to yours tutorial for DS:M. Combat Commander has turned me into a Chad Jensen fan!
You aren't the first person to recommend it. I watched a playthrough and became super interested in trying it. It does look right up my ally for what is exciting me about games these days.
@@JonGetsGames It’s a game about the things gamers love most: passing and tiebreakers! Of course it’s exciting! :-)
Looking forward to your impressions!
Great DSM analysis! Really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to playing it myself. One question: in the mid-game, did you notice that cards were coming out that would constantly change who had dominance? You mentioned things could swing back and forth, but was it a continuous element of the game? I can't say I love that in a game, but I have to see how it feels in this one. Thanks!
I only played the one time, and it seemed like we were generally paying far more attention to who had majorities vs dominance. Dominance only changed a couple times throughout the game, though it was a first play for all of us and we likely weren't playing close to optimally.
@@JonGetsGames I think I meant to say majorities and not dominance, but point taken. Thanks!
Where can "Startups" be played digitally?
It's recently, officially released on the Nintendo Switch th-cam.com/video/tzY1YlPAHWw/w-d-xo.html I guess other platforms (Android/Steam) will follow soon.
I like startups but I'm typically left with the desire to play Arboretum instead.
I definitely got an Arboretum vibe from it. I'd likely go for Arboretum most of the time as well.
Do you think DSM offers a better 2p experience or is it similar?
I never played 2p original DS, and haven't played 2p DS Marine so unfortunately I can't comment. There is an active group of people discussing this on on the boardgamegeek forums, I'd ask there.
Ah... Dominant Species. The best multiplayer wargame in disguise.
Really glad DSM came out. I haven't gotten around to play it yet but I can't wait to do it. I love DS and have played it at least once or twice a year since it came out. It's biggest downside is that we always play it with full player count and that ends up taking too long.
I was absolutely sure from the moment I heard about this new version that it will replace the original due to the change in the action selection mechanic.
One thing I am curious and I can't figure out before playing the game. Have you noticed players to have a higher risk appetite? Bc in the original there are a few occasions during the course of the game where you are kind of reliant on one of your first actions to go your way or your chain of actions falls apart and some (or all) of your next pawns become "dead" for the round. And that can be devastating for the whole game. So often times you would end up choosing a safer route with a lower payout (unless you are desperate for some big moves)
In this new version even if you don't get a specific action you had planned around, you can still adapt and get something instead of nothing out of the current "round" (until extinction).
I've only played the one time, but I can say that we leaned into to some pretty wild plays in this game. I think that's an interesting comment about being risk-averse when having to pre-plan everything out. I do imagine that'll be less the case with DS Marine.
More trains....
Yep! Can't seem to get enough of them.