When setting up you can just put all the tokens in a bag, and just pull them out randomly. This eliminates having to get them all face down, and then flipping them all over. It’s still a bit of a chore setting up, but it cuts the time significantly
Good to see this is getting good reviews. I remember backing it initially on KS but then cancelling for what I thought was negative feedback going around about the game state. What I didn't realize until yesterday was that a LGS that sometimes offer to back KS games, offered this one. I guess the reason I cancelled was to back through the LGS. So lucky me. Unboxing and organizing! Thanks for the great review.
for the board setup challenge, I'm going to try putting all the map tokens in a bag and them pulling them out to put on the board. that way, you don't need to worry about faceup vs facedown and can just leave the X spots blank as you pull them.. We'll see if it helps...
Great review. I can't wait for my copy to arrive. Totally agree with you both, the set up looks like it will take some time but the streamlining of a civilization game while not really losing the core civilization gameplay experience appears(and sounds) like a huge success!! 100%, I'm a sucker for board presense. I got the upgraded components and what not too!!
One thing I wish was specified on the board and/or player aid is that military has a max of 2 recruit per turn. It mentions it in the rule book but not on the board/aid. This really jacked up my first game because everyone was paying 60 money at the end to put 12 military out and spending another 10 to move most of them to adjacent places and it was insane. Completely different game I f you know you can only recruit a max of 2.
I got to say I thought yalls review would have been higher considering the way you spoke about it. 8 is a good score but I expected a 9 or better the way everyone spoke about it.
We did really enjoy it. I hesitate to continue using numbered scores, to be candid. So many people have so many different opinions of what various numbers mean. The reason I gave it an 8 is because 9 is about as high as I've typically gone, because there are very few 10s in the world. And I took it down a point because these types of games are just not my first choice of game. So as far as Civ games go (for me) it's way up there.
Great game but the retail edition feels like something they thought of releasing at the last minute; there's no way to track your Empire scoring/immediate scoring points and the wonders have no way to mark who owns them.
@@meeple It comes with beige Wonder tiles that are difficult to discern ownership because they have no marker system (like, some extra cubes in player colors would've been nice), and no, it comes with no scorepad. Like I said, the retail edition feels like an afterthought; like something they just slapped together for us poor folks who couldn't afford the mega-deluxe edition.
I was happy to have the cardboard only version, but baffled that a scoretrack/pad is considered a Deluxe component for a game with midgame scoring. Guess I'll use my 18xx accessories (cubes for initial auction, poker chips, index cards & pencils, etc) to handle the scoring and wonder ownership, which is annoying usability bloat for a light strategy game.
To some degree, players can track what others have lined up as the end of the game grows closer and closer. I personally look at the experience throughout more than the end results, so I may not be the best to answer, but I don't recall the endgame ever feeling like no one had a sense of who was leading and who wasn't.
How did you find it as a 2 player game compared to higher player counts? I'm tempted to back the latest Kickstarter but would mostly play this at 1-2 players and wonder if this game shines at higher player counts.
While it looks good, the map design gives me a weird feeling that it’s mostly useless space, water, taking up most of the gigantic board. Civ games are not big for me, they feel too abstract for me. The set dressing for theme connections makes me pull out from those games, not be pulled in. Specifically when they have different “government” options.
The size of the map as it relates to the area majorities, is more than necessary for sure. However the trade good tokens, etc. need most of that space for the sake of the more specific placement of cities, towns and wonders.
@@meeple What I meant was: the way it was designed and presented, water is at the center of the board and takes up more space than any single area of actual play time. Our eyes are first directed to the sea, and we dart towards the sides for the areas and/or the cards around the edges. It reminds me of the map for War of the Ring. The map is necessary for gameplay purposes, for sure. The space for the tokens and minis is necessary. It could've been more well layed out if the water part was smaller.
@@shinjial yeah, I had the same vibe about land mass vs the sea also. But with expansion coming having ships it's like it was set up like that for a purpose
For me, it would need to be nearly flawless. I don't usually hold setup time against a game (I often enjoy setting up a game), but this one is pretty intensive. That, plus Civ games are just not my favorite in general. With all that said, I still think it's a great game that everyone should give a chance.
When setting up you can just put all the tokens in a bag, and just pull them out randomly. This eliminates having to get them all face down, and then flipping them all over. It’s still a bit of a chore setting up, but it cuts the time significantly
Yea that’s what I did too
Good to see this is getting good reviews. I remember backing it initially on KS but then cancelling for what I thought was negative feedback going around about the game state. What I didn't realize until yesterday was that a LGS that sometimes offer to back KS games, offered this one. I guess the reason I cancelled was to back through the LGS. So lucky me. Unboxing and organizing! Thanks for the great review.
Thanks for watching, and be sure to let us know what you ultimately think of it.
for the board setup challenge, I'm going to try putting all the map tokens in a bag and them pulling them out to put on the board. that way, you don't need to worry about faceup vs facedown and can just leave the X spots blank as you pull them.. We'll see if it helps...
Just looking at the basics of the gameplay, this will likely be my favorite civilization game yet
It's a favorite in that category for me!
Great review.
I can't wait for my copy to arrive. Totally agree with you both, the set up looks like it will take some time but the streamlining of a civilization game while not really losing the core civilization gameplay experience appears(and sounds) like a huge success!!
100%, I'm a sucker for board presense. I got the upgraded components and what not too!!
Nice! Be sure to let us know what you think of it, once you've gotten it to the table yourself.
One thing I wish was specified on the board and/or player aid is that military has a max of 2 recruit per turn. It mentions it in the rule book but not on the board/aid. This really jacked up my first game because everyone was paying 60 money at the end to put 12 military out and spending another 10 to move most of them to adjacent places and it was insane.
Completely different game I f you know you can only recruit a max of 2.
Oh yeah! That is an important rule!
I got to say I thought yalls review would have been higher considering the way you spoke about it. 8 is a good score but I expected a 9 or better the way everyone spoke about it.
Maybe an expansion away from a 9 ?
We did really enjoy it. I hesitate to continue using numbered scores, to be candid. So many people have so many different opinions of what various numbers mean. The reason I gave it an 8 is because 9 is about as high as I've typically gone, because there are very few 10s in the world. And I took it down a point because these types of games are just not my first choice of game. So as far as Civ games go (for me) it's way up there.
Awesome, I'm waiting on my Kickstarter to arrive and it's supposedly coming soon!
Let us k ow what you think once you get it played.
I just received my Kickstarter copy and have played it twice so far. Really enjoying this one!
I just got mine yesterday so I'm hoping to get it played in a week or two
Great game but the retail edition feels like something they thought of releasing at the last minute; there's no way to track your Empire scoring/immediate scoring points and the wonders have no way to mark who owns them.
Doesn’t it come with the score pad, and wonder tiles?
@@meeple It comes with beige Wonder tiles that are difficult to discern ownership because they have no marker system (like, some extra cubes in player colors would've been nice), and no, it comes with no scorepad. Like I said, the retail edition feels like an afterthought; like something they just slapped together for us poor folks who couldn't afford the mega-deluxe edition.
I was happy to have the cardboard only version, but baffled that a scoretrack/pad is considered a Deluxe component for a game with midgame scoring. Guess I'll use my 18xx accessories (cubes for initial auction, poker chips, index cards & pencils, etc) to handle the scoring and wonder ownership, which is annoying usability bloat for a light strategy game.
played my first game last night. sooo dang good!!!
What general did you use, and did you lean into their powers?
@@meeple The General actually and i did. Plus i got the technology that gave me 2 extra influence in each region with calvary.
@@Oaklestat Awesome! And I meant to say “leader”. It’s late and I’m tired. 😴
@@davidwaybright I knew that 😉
Can’t wait to receive my copy!
Should be soon with any luck. I saw a number of people just today report that they got theirs.
Is the retail version (without miniatures) functional? Is it easy to tell who has what?
I haven’t played the retail edition, but based on our experience with the game, I think playing without the minis would work just fine too.
So what stops it being just a big points salad where you cat tell if you are in a good place until that final scoring?
To some degree, players can track what others have lined up as the end of the game grows closer and closer. I personally look at the experience throughout more than the end results, so I may not be the best to answer, but I don't recall the endgame ever feeling like no one had a sense of who was leading and who wasn't.
How did you find it as a 2 player game compared to higher player counts? I'm tempted to back the latest Kickstarter but would mostly play this at 1-2 players and wonder if this game shines at higher player counts.
So did your play mat come folded? If so how did you get it to flatten out so well?
We didn’t have a mat. This was the standard board.
@@meeple ah that’s a lot more vibrant than the board I received.
Still waiting on my KS copy. I swear they must be doing them alphabetically.
While it looks good, the map design gives me a weird feeling that it’s mostly useless space, water, taking up most of the gigantic board.
Civ games are not big for me, they feel too abstract for me. The set dressing for theme connections makes me pull out from those games, not be pulled in. Specifically when they have different “government” options.
The size of the map as it relates to the area majorities, is more than necessary for sure. However the trade good tokens, etc. need most of that space for the sake of the more specific placement of cities, towns and wonders.
@@meeple What I meant was: the way it was designed and presented, water is at the center of the board and takes up more space than any single area of actual play time. Our eyes are first directed to the sea, and we dart towards the sides for the areas and/or the cards around the edges. It reminds me of the map for War of the Ring.
The map is necessary for gameplay purposes, for sure. The space for the tokens and minis is necessary. It could've been more well layed out if the water part was smaller.
@@shinjial yeah, I had the same vibe about land mass vs the sea also. But with expansion coming having ships it's like it was set up like that for a purpose
Tapestry: a Real Game Version
I enjoyed Tapestry alright too, but I see what you mean.
Only 8????? What it would need to get to a 10?
For me, it would need to be nearly flawless. I don't usually hold setup time against a game (I often enjoy setting up a game), but this one is pretty intensive. That, plus Civ games are just not my favorite in general. With all that said, I still think it's a great game that everyone should give a chance.