10 Mistakes Most Board Gamers Make
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ก.พ. 2022
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When you're getting into board games, it's so easy to make mistakes. These are ten that I've made, so you don't have to!
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SOME games CAN be finished by that time, IF a game is pretty simple and straightforward, and ALL players are pretty familiar with the game. Then number on the box is Valid. However, it typically does NOT include Setup Time, Refreshing The Rules, etc. An obviously the more Choices & Unfamiliar Players will make it take WAY longer.
EX: Fluxx says it takes 5-30 minutes. I've played that game a TON and it's VERY accurate.
It actually is! And I loved it. :)
The alghorythm got me here and your video got me to subscribe and check out your stuff, what a wonderful world.
Biggest mistake: Only having games of similar lenght available. More often than not we need or want a chaser like Codenames, Splendor, Exploding Kittens, Sushi Go or something similarly short and fun after a long session but it's not late in the night yet. Can't just play Terraforming Mars if you've got half an hour, but a little cards agains humanity might just be right.
In a similar way if you're waiting for people or have players join an hour or two later due to work or other things, having something shorter to fill the gaps is great.
And of course: Plan food beforehand or have enough space. Can't eat on a table full of maps and miniatures. And avoid snacks that make cards or models yucky - or get careful friends. :D
@@konstantindunnzlaff1291 ^ EXCELLENT advice!
ALSO: Making sure you have enough space in general on your table or whatever, for some of the games that have large spreads. Some games are compact, while others need quite a bit of space on the table to play properly.
@@TheAyanamiRei Yesssss! Or having a "side table" for drinks in particular so spilling won't ruin your stuff. Besides it's sometimes quite nice to have a table to add so you can store your individual player boards or resources if the main board or map is big. :)
Please could you turn this into a cheat sheet and share somehow? It's gold.
"No game is objectively bad, but some games are subjectively bad to the entire population of the world" - hahaha good one 🤣
I’m at work and had to struggle not to laugh too loud with that one.
*cough* Monopoly *cough*
@@karolgraus306 oh christ. monopoly. what is with that?
@@karolgraus306 I'm not sure Monopoly even qualifies as a game.
wasn't Monopoly created to show kids, how bad a "free market" system is? Because if you follow the rules (and don't make up dozens of house rules), it is usually a very short game and everyone but the winner is upset...
When explaining the rules, always start with the victory conditions and work your way backwards. It lets people anchor the information on why it’s important.
Example:
You win the game by having 10 victory points. Each town (show the piece) is worth one point; each city is worth two; two points for having the longest road; two points for having the largest army. You buy those things using these 5 resources.
Each turn, a person rolls the dice; each tile that has the rolled number produces resources. Each town on those tiles produces one of that resource for its owner even if the owner didn't roll the dice; each city produces two of that resource. Towns and cities stack resource production if there are more than one.
On your turn, you spend the resources you earned during everyone's turns.
Yes! That's exactly what I do too! Players get to know first thing why they play, and then how to play. Then I backtrack to the starting conditions so that part is fresher in memory.
I like to try to explain the theme of the game too.
PREACH!
@@alphabet2238 Yeah, maybe I should do that more. I'm good at learning a new game, I learn the rule fast, and tend to expect the same from everyone, but I don't count the number of time another player forgot a rule I've explained that was critical. Then I feel bad for the person, but I'm a bit frustrated at the same time, because I gave the information.
That's always worked wonders for my. Explaining the other way around gets a lot of "why do i want to do that?" "What's the point of that action?" Etc
For me, one of the biggest mistakes is "discussing every single rule beforehand". This may seem odd and may depend on the group, but if you are trying to get a new person into playing a game, you need to simplify and dole out the information on a need to know basis. I always find playing first and then having rules mentioned more useful then hearing every rule from the get go. A perfect example is trying to teach someone Yu-Gi-Oh (I know it's not a card game, but it works). I would start with basic info (how many cards they draw, how much life they have, and that the goal is to reduce opponent to 0). Then, when it's there turn, explain each action in the turn, describe the cards they have in hand, and so on. Then on my turn, I would show them more complex stuff (like special summoning and stuff). I always find that I get better retention from people when I piecemeal the rules rather than info-dumping to them.
I used to help run a board game club in college and I learned that the first thing to do was establish the end objective. How do you win, what do all of your other decisions want to lead to. My first words were almost always "the goal of this game is..." I would only differ if there was a piece of game architecture that had to be known before the end goal made sense.
The only problem with that is when someone gets mad easily about untold rules…
It happened 2 times (on 2 different games) that I did something on my turn that I forgot to mention was allowed while explaining the rules. My friend got really mad both times and now it’s a running gag between us that I’m bad at explaining rules 😅
Now, whenever I explain a new game, I make sure to explain every single rule before we start.
It may take some time, but it avoid conflicts.
It depends on the people's general mindset and familiarity with board games. The key is to watch their reaction to your explanations.
If you know or see that people will get bored if you explain all the rules, then summarize it and try to start asap. If you know that people can take it, then explain everything, but try to say first the objective and then the most important rules, before going into the specific rules and exceptions.
I also like to give people some suggestions about the strategy before we start or while playing, to try making their first playthrough easier, but some people might feel you are trying to control them and hate you for that if you are not careful and watch their reactions to your tips.
@@matzof this. It is not always a mistake to explain everything beforehand, I myself find it very annoying when everything isnt explained before starting because then I dont have any idea on what to do
no. if i was playing a board game and learned about a game mechanic halfway in because the person "teaching" me didn't think it was relevant until it benefited them, i'd throw the board in their face and never do anything with them again.
Extremely well written, cleanly produced and thoroughly insightful tips. This is top notch content, not just within the niche board-game field, but compared to the whole of YT. Major props.
This is a great video, and great advice! Really enjoyed it!
Thank you! 😊
High praise from the masters of board gaming videos!
@@jcb3393 lol don't ruin it
The example of dune the board game was perfect! I love the books, and the new film… and that game did take four hours to play and constant referring to the rule book!! I actually loved playing it, I thought it was really fun, but man it was long… but I got lucky. My friends who ran the game had learned the rules before hand in depth so they ‘ran’ it, and they knew I was the kind of gamer that would really love the free form negotiation aspect of the game (you can negotiate anything, including trading out of game favours for in game deals but you have to honour all your deals). They booked it for a Sunday where we had time and pre warned me that it would take the whole afternoon. I actually really loved the game!
Thanks @actualol for another fun video :-)
A very good video.
I have hundreds of board games and end up playing ten of them at most.I
The problem is : buying new games and finding out you need new shelves ! Anyway, most games are so similar that you might as well stick to ones you bought years ago and know the rules.
Aaah, rules ! Don't get me started on rules and huge boards. By the time you learn the basics of a new game you will find that you haven't looked at 30 other rule books from your recent spree.
Great advice.....here speaketh a solo player 😊😊
1. Learn the Rules before the group come to play 00:20
2. Take the (Game Play Time on a Box and * 2) + ((50% if it's the first time being player) + (20% per player ))* 4 for AP Players 01:46
3. Don't Buy Expansions without playing the Core Game First 03:23
4. Player Count - Check BGG Player Counts recommendation as this is more accurate than a publisher possibly doing for marketing reasons 05:43
5. BGG Top 100 is not gospel. It is skewed towards more complex games, not always the most fun for you. 07:35
6. Stop Buying so many Games.
You'll buy games just because they are half price, out of print come back in print, spending more time planning games you want and to get than playing them and tend to just be traded off unopened.
You'll never be too old to play a game so stop hoarding and start CURATING - get rid of games and switch them in. 09:53
7. Don't rely on your Family and Friends to Play Board Games. Chances are they are not as --obsessed-- committed to play. Go to a Local Game Group - it is nerve wrecking at times but you find people who are likely to be more into what you are. 12:05
8. Don't go to Kickstarter without knowing they are siren songs which sometimes will lure you to your (wallet's) death. Leave it to the experienced/well researched 13:26
9. Don't make people play games they won't like (linked into point 7). 15:38
10. Don't buy a game just because it's based on a theme/IP you like - the Board Game Box is a set of lies designed to sell you the game. 16:49
Thanks!
Even if you read this - watch the video. He's a pretty funny communicator. You'll enjoy the experience.
The formula for point 2 is a little complicated, and I don't think it'd be necessary to add 20% for *each* player, just maybe the amount of players more than the minimum for the game.
What I usually do is rounding up to full hours and then add an hour. If the final result is 4 or more hours, add another hour to be safe. Luckily, most people I know regularly play RPG sessions that are 3+ hours, so board game sessions that long aren't a big problem.
The irony is that the some games based on IP are terrific (Game of Thrones is a great example). But yes you need to do the research.
Also I hear that Star Wars X-Wing is one of the best games out there
But yes, many (most?) are awful
Thank you for taking the time to do this.
That "don't rely on friends and family" bit speaks to me. I got into Carcassonne because a guy I dated was a board game geek, and I enjoyed playing it with him.
So I bought my own copy when I moved in with my sister.
It sits in the closet, untouched for eight of the nine years I've owned it, because my sister hates it.
Oof
Get rid of the sister and try to get the ex back. If he's a board game geek, there's a good chance he's still waiting for you ;)
A similar situation with me and Root, among other reasons.
Bastards talked shit "behind" my back, insulted the game usually when we played it and one of the fuckers out-right disliked like it.
Now, I have no friends, depressed now, more than before... my stinking shit-hole of a town doesn't even have a board-game store, and the worst part is that most people don't give a flying fuck about board-games. Fucking phone zombies...
Been solo board-gaming more, for the past few years, and probably will be 'til the day I die. Some-times I even wonder why I still exist...
@@paulie-g 🤣
Eh, depends on what kind of family you have. I regularly invite my brother over for game night. Not for carcassonne though. Tried playing it multiple times and just can't bring myself to enjoy it.
Why did it take me so long to find you? I’ve been struggling all week to find a common sense and HELPFUL voice in the board game community. Most are either hyper critical or meandering messes. Thank you for being you!
Yep guilty of all of these... And just to add to your advice about not buying expansions with the base game, I'd also recommend not buying expansions without the base game.
lol I bought a couple expansions before getting the base game. Tuscany and backstage. I don't regret either.
Sage advice. Will not say if I recently did this with Final Girl. 🙄
😂
A friend of mine bought an expansion to Terraforming Mars without knowing it was one, nor doing any research. No idea what possessed him to do that, but he was lucky someone gave my father the base game, who then handed it to me. We've yet to even try the expansion. Even really good fortune didn't make it work.
It is a great rule of thumb, however, there are some games that an expansion would definitely enhance. But do one’s research.
Some games may need an expansion to extend a game to a larger group setting, like a 5-6 player expansion for a 4 player game. But check to see if the expansion works first.
Prelude for Terraforming Mars will help new players feel empowered to enjoy the game more. At least from my experience.
Forgotten Folks for Caverna, the expansion will help new players enjoy the game as they can focus on tasks more easily and not get overwhelmed. I thank Tom Vasel over at Dice Tower for pointing that out to help ensure a more positive experience.
You do you, but read the room.
I feel so personally called out and I love this video! The lure for expansions is definitely a struggle I understand. I'd add a number 11: You don't need to own a game you like if you played it at a friend's (or family member's) house. It's tempting, because you legit like the game, but guess what? You can play it with that friend any time you want for free! You don't need to own everything!
We've tried to do this with my family. If one of of us siblings has the game, the others don't buy it. We can borrow them or play them together, and we don't need to have three copies of every game.
Guilty of this, with the first board game I played.
Luckily, I have a friend with a lot of board games, whose house is home base for friend gatherings. Leaves me with more money to buy expansions for my games 😂
There are some games I've bought even if friends has a copy already. Either because they live far away or because I don't get enough chances to play that specific game with them. There has also been times I've gotten a game because I've lost contact with the friend or if a partner has become an ex that wants nothing to do with me anymore.
My favorite though has been when I've gotten a game that a friend has because I love playing it and the friend also loves it so I can't really borrow it when I want/need.
They could move, or you could move. If the game goes out of print, expect to pay 10 times the price, if you ever want to play it again.
you are genuinely one of the best youtubers i’ve ever seen. you speak so eloquently, professional, and personally. it really feels like you’re speaking right to me, and that you know everything i’m thinking. great job!
The other exception that I would include for some people/groups are (some) expansions that increase the player count. It's worth keeping in mind that player count (as you point out with mistake 4) can substantially change how a game plays.
The 5-6 player Catan extension doesn't substantially change how the game plays (aside from making it longer) and having the extra couple of seats might be worth it for your group. On the flip side, Love Letter Premium makes some pretty substantial changes to the base game - the additional seats come at the cost of increased complexity. I used to play board games mostly as part of a club that usually had between 8 and 15 people any given week, so for me Love Letter has generally been a "filler" game - something with short rounds that we can play while waiting for other people to finish a different game. If we had enough people to use the expansion, we'd generally be better served to just play a different game unless we're looking for something to fill the last 10-20 minutes. So extra cards from Premium rarely actually got used by us.
You don't wanna be the guy that is left out of game night just because the game is 4 players and the group has 5. I am excited about any expansion that increases player count.
@@Qwerty83834 Nah. Better to pick a different game that plays 5, or in the case of 6 people, either a game that plays 6 or split into two threes.
I thought of getting a 5-6 player expansion for _Clank!_ but I just don't come across that many people wanting to play it at once at the local game shop.
As to original post, no one likes being 4th in Catan, so I can't see people liking the 5- and 6-player variants. In his other video on how games have changed, Catan is one that doesn't give you a boost or way to catch up if you're losing, so you could be frustrated for half an hour or more.
Catan was actually igreat example of exception to the “don’t buy expansion” in my case. Years ago my regular group of 3 players recruited coupe interested to join. Catan is perfect entry game - simple, quick etc. so we wanted to play with them and bought 5-6 players expansion. Every one enjoyed and they get hooked on boating games forever. With time we even get sometimes 6 player playing so money was well spent.
After time first myself but soon other grow bored with Catan but I had opportunity to try Seafarers expansion and… fall in love again with it. I decided to buy it with another 5-6 players expansion and it’s worth every penny. Movable ships and various scenario make it so elastic that you actually can adapt to size and skills of any group. And still use it as basic game to introduce newbie’s to this gaming world before they ready for Scythe or other amazing games.
Yes, there are expansions that provide enough kit for additional players.
That doesn't always mean that the 5th and 6th players will improve the game.
Problems can include:
* Lack of space to move freely (e.g. road completely blocked in a racing game).
* Long delays between turns.
* Fewer opportunities to interact with competing players (ie 1st and 2nd place not in contact, but beating down on 3-6th place).
“I can’t lose another potential gamer to rock climbing. You can’t do both.”
I just had to laugh. Rock climbing and playing games are two of my biggest passions.
And here I miss indoor climbing and want to get back into it. Once I'm cleared by both my orthopedic and physical therapist.
@@VampguyN85 hope you recover soon!
me too!
No shit, me too!
My sister-in-law as well! She introduced me to board games and I absolutely loved it (though I didn't have the same reaction to rock climbing...)
I watch Rodney Smith in bed while reading rule books especially on days right before I go rock climbing.
Haha!
First video of yours I watched, I recognized myself and nodded to most of what you said. It's refreshing to see someone trying to get people to join the fun and not to "sell" that you have to be a hardcore gamer.
My tip: Keep table space in mind. I did my research and bought a game called Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle (The theme is something our family really enjoys, and deck building games are my favorite genre) and played it with my family, and we all loved it! We immediately played again the next day, and loved it even more because the game added new content that made it even more fun! However, life got in the way, and we didn't play it for a while. Then, when we finally got a chance to play it again, our dining room table was completely covered in random stuff, and we couldn't fit it on any other table we had. That game is still collecting dust, and probably will be for a while, despite being probably the only hobby game we all enjoy.
One of the best-written, brutally honest TH-cam videos ever about boardgames! I see below someone mentioned wishing they saw this years ago -- I agree. On top of the wisdom here, I laughed about every 45 seconds (wife and kids kept asking what was going on). Thanks, and keep up the great work.
Agrees to the tenth degree!
Extemporaneous delivery of the best tongue in cheek that any true gamer would appreciate, eloquently spoken!
Great advice if only I'd known!
I found that the Game of the Year awards in Germany are always a good reference for fun games (I think each of the games you suggested for starting were games of the year in Germany) So you can look for "Spiel des Jahres". Also there is the "Kennerspiel des Jahres" which is aimed at more advanced gamers.
I also played in a board game club when I was younger, which I can only suggest for anyone. :-D They have literally every game which is somewhat playable and you always find people to play games with. Also there are board game expos where you can go to meet new people an play board games with.
oh yeah, am German, the Games of the Year are usually pretty damn fun
Ticket to ride has stamps from multiple countries. It's chill game, but can't say those games really take you with them.
I was such a lucky guy to come together with game group once. We had some card game about growing farm with cards with animorphic vegetables., and now I can't find anything about it. It was so simple, but even with like over five players it carried air of blood with it. Must say it was the bloodiest game I've played. No one was actually losing their nerves I think.
@@Jokervision744 Are you talking about bohnanza maybe?
Thank you for such a warmly humourous video about a hobby I love. I've made a few of these mistakes, although I grew up playing board games such as Acquire, and when I got onto Kickstarter during the pandemic, I had a critical eye and I've got a good satisfaction rate with what I've backed. I have learned not to inflict complex board games on reluctant participants (ha ha ha, the hard way) but one lesson I've learned from this is to let other people introduce board games they find fun to me - this is how I learned about Poetry for Neanderthals and I loved it. It's about audience and purpose. Also, pro-tip: raise your children to enjoy board games using all of these lessons and you will not regret it.
Definitely knowing your guests' game preferences is important! Some people just cannot think strategically or have a hard time keeping complex rules straight and some may only enjoy family-style creative thinking games (Telestrations is a great one, except we don't use the cards or dice. We just make up whatever we want, which often involves inside jokes). Reflex games are another tricky one, especially with multi-generations. My Dad is very slow at those, as is my younger niece who insists on playing and then gets frustrated when we all are much quicker than her! Cooperative games tend to be divisive, as do games where people are eliminated (Risk, Mafia, etc.)
This video was painfully accurate. I have made most of these mistakes. AND I really need to make that leap to finding a gaming group. Thanks for making it, and for those of you new to the hobby - take notice!!! This is all so true.
Agreed, I am a little obsessed with expansions, but I’ve probably played every board game on my shelf at least 30 times with the exception of those I haven’t 😊
I have not made most of them. I made all. 🙈
I LOVE your videos for 3 reasons:
1) Entertainment - you are hilarious.
2) Content : Always great information
3) Entertainment - you are creative AND hilarious.
4) Content : You are always spot on
5) Excellent content presented in a very entertaining way.
The entertainment factor on this channel is very high, I enjoy it so much. In addition to the excellent content.
I think you forgot to mention the content part
Simpsons reference?
I just got into solo board games and this is exactly what I needed. Thanks for this video! Love your channel!
Liked and subscribing! You’re so funny and called out the top 10 bad mistakes perfectly! I laughed so hard when you said ‘if you watch TH-cam videos about board games you probably like it more than your friends and family’. Lol! I felt called out - and inspired to join a board game group. Thanks!
I'm definitely the expansion hoarder. Thankfully, my wife helps with that by refusing to learn more than one new board game a month, which she considers expansions to be. It helps me be more selective about what I bring into our lives.
Good system. My family has way too many board games and we only play 2 regularly. Pouring a lot into one game than having a lot is so satisfying, especially when there is a connected story
I know Tim, I know. I have so much X-wing game pieces. I won't play the game outside the house. Too many pieces.
I have just started board gaming this week, and you nailed every mistake I was planning on making. This video alone must have saved me a fortune- monetary and time wise. Thank you very much for making this video based on your years of gaming experience.
You're welcome! And welcome to the hobby!
Same here! I mean I did occasionally play and buy board games before but now I decided to really get into it and yes, was planning to do at least half of those
My best advice before buying a game is to either play someone else's copy or watch it being played. When I got into the hobby, Wil Wheaton's Tabletop was my go to. I get to see how it's played, and see if it is a good fit with my game group. Must have been my first 10 games I bought was featured on it, and my group loved them all.
Also ... try out games to figure out what TYPE of games you like AND what type the people you'll play with like.
I mean it's no good if you buy an intricate strategy game but have literally no-one who would play it with you.
And it isn't fun if you buy a game because everyone praises it but it's not a type you like (I.e you HATE co-operative gaming but you buy Pandemic and Forbidden Island because people say it's great)
Work out yourself and who you will play with (boardgame groups if you're lucky) and make sure the games you have will get played.
Lucky you. I'm over a year in and I kinda went nuts. Lmao.
I felt called out so many times in this video, in a good way... it was very relatable. Very insightful video. Thanks! So much fun to watch!
For some reason youtube recommendations got me here, but I have to say that I really like your style of presentation!
(also that patreon reminder was the smoothest in all of youtube!)
My biggest mistake was assuming the top 10 of BGG were the best for me. So wrong.
[Cries in Twilight Struggle rulebook formatting]
I think you have to know yourself as a gamer before looking at top 10 or 100 lists - for me I like quick simple games also I like dice in games and ok with quite a bit of randomness so stuff like Gloomhaven is utterly a joke for me, plus all those complicated Euros. Games Ive played and liked have been Tsuro, Pandemic, King Of Tokyo, Chronicles Of Crime, Pandemic The Cure, Ticket To Ride, Fobidden Island - back to knowing yourself as a gamer you can then do more sophisticated searches that come up with better suggestions. Another hint after watching hundreds of board game videos is finding a person with simialr tastes as you and see what games they liek
I came into this video expecting a low effort thing, but you absolutely blew me away. Every single of the 10 advices is very wise, and the quips throughout were very fun. As a board game player of years myself, I agree with basically all of them. Even though this video is the only work of yours I've seen, I might have to agree with you that yours is probably OBJECTIVELY the best board game channel on TH-cam :)
He got a new subscriber from me. I was looking for a new gameboard channel to follow.
Not only was this good advice, but your editing, writing, and delivery is so good lol. Subbed
Thank you! 🙏
I love the advice about expansions.
I'm still tempted by expansions if it's a game I love, but I have to remind myself that purchasing expansions lilly-nilly can prevent you from diving deep into a game and really understanding it... Interesting to think about
There are a few exceptions. I got the new Dune game and the two expansions really make the game even better (and it's already really good by its own).
A'ight, I'll be that guy today: "It's willy-nilly, not lilly"
I used to play board games with my friends; we had a good group with 3-4 people. This was in the mid/late 2000s. Unfortunately, one of our friends REALLY LOVED massive games with tons of dice (specifically TI3 and Heroscape). I don't mind them once in a while, but the gradual move from games like Catan and TTR over to those huge games killed our cadence and game night died. I didn't get back into it until recently, because I have kids now and they're starting to get into some things.
Ever kill a War Sun with a single upgraded fighter? No dice roll is more exciting
One time, a roommate's girlfriend injected herself into our game night. I always try to be friendly and accommodating so I pulled out lama which is super easy to explain and play. She had a really hard time playing by the rules and was constantly playing cards lower than the face up card. After two games of that, I pulled out Tammany Hall thinking that would scare her away. But she wanted to play and was interested after I explained the rules so we played. She wasn't great but she didn't come in last either. I was really shocked. I now ask her if she wants to play the meatier games I bring.
I still don't understand how the games that gave her the most trouble are lama and zombie dice...
This is so amazing and helpful. I just got into board gaming and this was a huge help. I was so close to buying all the expansions for a game (Resident Evil 2) the day after I got it, then waited a few weeks and was so glad I didn't. Great advice!
Almost did that with the Dark Souls board game Kickstarter. Very, very glad I didn't.
I do want to just let you know that "We're here for a good time, not for a long time. For board game night! But we _will_ also die" is one of the funniest lines I've ever heard and that dry, "drop the punchline and immediately move on" sense of humor is exactly why I like you so much.
07:34 A much better "metric" is to read the Comments that go along with the ratings. I usually shy away fron the extremes like 9/10 and 1/2/3 and read comments from 4-8. This usually give me a more descriptive insight into which type of players enjoy the game and which features of the game feel well designed and/or enjoyable to a certain type of player. After this I've bought far fewer games, but I spend more money on expansions for titles I enjoy or to buy a certain game that has proven it's worth on the aftermarket.
Honestly this is so true! I find myself enjoying games/films/books/etc. that have the 6 to 8 ratings on stuff. Anything that is a 10/10, certified fresh, game of the year... usually just ends up disappointing me.
Agreed on that. That is also where you find someone who rated it 10 out of 10 and has the comment "Looking forward to playing it."
very true. read those negative comments! Buy less games, then buy expansions for the ones you will actually play and keep.
Here’s a niche mistake that I’ve made and learned to avoid. If I’m introducing a player to a new game or the hobby in general, and the game we’re playing ends in a tie, I ignore the “tiebreaker” rules and let the tie stand. I probably didn’t mention or emphasize the tie breaking procedures in the teach and losing to an obscure rule on the brink of a hard fought tie leaves a sour taste in the mouth of a potential return player.
Great video! Being reminded of my past cringe-inducing mistakes was a lot more fun than I would have guessed.
Agreed, in fact I take that one step farther. If I'm teaching a game, and I forget a rule that doesn't get applied until scoring/end game, I ignore that rule. I've had victory snatched from me in scoring due to rules that weren't mentioned until points were being tallied, and there are few things more deflating.
If they want to play again, before we start I'll say something like "Oh, btw I did forget to mention a rule" then go on to explain it, but I won't surprise them at the end of the current game.
Alternatively, agree that none of you will read the tie breakers until after the fact, so you are all left to guess what _might_ make a difference.
Then someone won because they took the right risk.
@@andrewstambaugh240 That could be fun if noone's played the game before.
Really? I never had problems with that. Most of the time its just counting money or another resource
@@heikesiegl2640 It's not about what the tiebreaker is, it's whether or not you tell the person you're teaching what it is. If they don't know money is the tiebreaker, then you win the tiebreaker by saving money that they didn't, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
I have been board gaming for almost 7 years and I found every one of your pieces of advice very great and useful even after all this time haha. The expansion one can be hard when I like also making board game insert with my 3D printer to keep my games nice an organized and then if I decide to get the expansion then I would have to remake the insert haha. Maybe I should stop with the inserts too 😂
I needed this. Thank you. I literally was about to go ham on board games! This was the calm in the storm in my mind that I needed.
For everyone asking, the expansion I would recommend - IF YOU LOVE THE BASE GAME - is the Mother of Dragons expansion for Game of Thrones, because it opens up the game to more player counts.
Prelude for Terraforming Mars is one of my must have expansions. It feels like it should have been part of the base game... we never play without it.
I would also add Tuscany, backstage, and Valhalla. I can't imagine playing without them.
Hive Pocket comes with two "expansions"/modules in the bag, so I could see someone arguing that that counts.
Two votes for CoM: Valhalla.
Not mandatory by any means, but the Black Market expansion to Bargain Quest is excellent.
Both of Spirit Island's expansions provide a bevy of new content to work with to make the puzzle of the game incredibly modular.
To be fair, you did open yourself up to that.
RuneAge without expansion is not complete.
Your writing is top-notch and the humor is very funny. One of the best videos made by any board game content creator I've seen (and I've watched many). Well done!
Thank you! 🙏
I once gave a game (that I had never played) for a birthday present and we decided to play it. Ended up with shouting, screaming and 2 people leaving. Fun times😂
I strongly agree with the expansions - I feel like I've even ruined some games by adding expansions. Sometimes time of play is much longer, other times game becomes too complicated or other times new mechanics completely overshadows the basic ones.
I'd like to play character expansions for _Clank!_ but don't add them when people haven't played the base game before. I feel my expansion for Istanbul, Seals and Letters, adds complexity, but because there's more tiles it allows people more options for movement without paying people to land on them.
Well it strongly depends on the game and the expansion to be honest, for example Abyss is one of my favourite games and I can't imagine playing it without the expansions.
Another possible mistake: buying card sleeves for a game you’ll only ever play a few times before moving on to the next game. Is it likely you’ll handle the cards that much that they’ll damage? And for the price of sleeves, you could use that money towards another game.
Also it depends a lot of the type of game. Sure if it's a deck building game where you're constantly shuffling it can be good. If it's something like Sleeping Gods where you're essentially just picking a card that lays in a certain order, the deck will live countless times without sleeves.
@@nihlify And that depends on the game. Shards of Infinity is my most played game and it’s a deckbuilder that requires constant shuffling of cards. It costs $26 to buy the game and would cost just as much to sleeve it in Dragon Shields. I’ve played it at least 100 times and see no damage on the cards.
I figured if they got that bad I could just buy another copy of the game as it’s the same price as sleeves.
@@bangazboom9925 I was thinking that was impossibly expensive, but I see that is accurate for Dragon Sleeves. But I don’t think any board game cards need 120 micron sleeves, when 60 micron Sleeve Kings do the job at a third the price.
Card size is fairly standardized, so you could reuse the sleeves in another game.
Nup, Dominion... got game, got sleeves, sleeved cards first. Saved me lots of mess on cards.
This was brilliant from beginning to end. Excessive purchases and prematurely picking up expansions are two areas I've improved on since joining the hobby. One I'm still struggling with is relying on friends and family to be my primary sources of gaming partners.
Thank you! And congrats on the growth, curbing the acquisition can be tough to crack.
but but but the expansion will never be in stock!!!! that is always my excuse....
Yeah. When I first started I assumed expansions were just ways to give you more ways to play the game.
Sometimes they make things overly complicated.
To me "more the same" for expansions is Not a bad thing. And not every game has to have an expansion to add individual player powers.
Amazing points and exemples and top-notch delivery. You're great at this.
This is a fantastic video. Probably one of the best I’ve seen for anyone getting into this hobby
Don't convince yourself that the setup and put away time saved by buying a game box insert will magically get that game to the table more often. If the game isn't already regularly coming out, foam core and PVA glue won't change that fact.
I don't know. Gloomhaven didn't regularly hit my table until after I got an insert. There just wasn't a good way to store all the content. The fan-made apps that ended up released about the same time I finished my insert also helped quite a bit. Having better organization and being able to leave about how the content in the box. That's a pretty big win in regards to getting a game to the table.
An insert doesn't help a bad game, but it does help with a good game with a longer setup or takedown. (At least it has for me.)
I’m not buying that. I’ve got plenty of good games that I want to play but just don’t have the time or energy to set up. Even a lot of games that are fairly simple to play but have annoyingly complex setup. My recent play time has been dedicated to games that are quick and easy to set up. Ares Expedition, which can easily take two or more hours to play at 2 player, hits the table way more often than its runtime would suggest because it’s ready to go in 10 minutes. Quacks of Quedlinburg is a very simple and easy to play game that I really enjoy, but it’s a nightmare to set up and tear down because of the piles of little chits. It’s not hitting the table because I can’t be bothered to deal with all the components, and for no other reason.
Like was said above: it won’t help bad games, but it will help good games with bad setup or storage.
A chunk of the mistakes I made came from the fact that when I really started getting into tabletop games, most of my friends did as well, including roommates, so it wasn't hard to just sit down and grab one of the games we owned since we didn't need to plan near as much in advance. When I moved out, I had to start actually scheduling things if I really wanted to play a game, so it took me some time to realize that I needed to hit some major brakes on the "investing in board games" train.
This video got inside my mind and displayed everything i have done. Ive been playing board games for 10yrs now and all this is sooo true. Great video.. Subscribed
This is, officially, the video that earned my subscription. Great stuff (and painfully accurate).
I laughed out loud and guiltily groaned in sudden self-awareness in equal portions.
Actualol: Don't buy expansions for boardgames, buy entirely new boardgames.
Also Actualol: Shows boardgame collection with 2 versions of Codenames, 4 versions of Sherlock Holmes, and 5 versions of Pandemic.
Edit: Comment intended only as humour, not criticism.
When I got into board games, I got Lords of Waterdeep and I invited a few couples over. After an hour or so, I broke out the game and two of my friends were interested, while others rolled their eyes as they saw the D&D IP attached to it. As we played, a few people watched, saw how easy and fun it was and asked if they could play the next game. Providing an atmosphere without pressure was the key and it led to playing other games over the years. I honestly got lucky with that game, but others over the years like King of Tokyo/NY and Camel Up have been huge hits.
A good tip is to also display games face-forward that have really nice cover art like Cascadia, PARKS and Mysterium. :) Also, your barcode joke was on point.
That's interesting! You're right, I think a lot of people have mental blocks around games, and then when they see how easy/fun it can be in person they open themselves up to it. Glad it worked out well for you!
I have yet to try it with a casual group but I agree that if you stripped the D&D theme away, it’s hiding one of the more simple worker placement games underneath.
Camel Up has become my most played game out of all my gaming groups. Celestia is frequently requested in my more casual groups, though the push-your-luck dice rolling is not everyone’s cup of tea.
Thanks for sharing!
I once bought a game in Essen because in one of the evenings, some people at a table next to hours were playing it, and they were laughing so hard (I knew some of those people). So the next day, I went to the booth and bought the game without really knowing what it was about. The game was Frigiti, and I don't regret that purchase one bit.
Yeah, I like D&D and I was still nervous about the branding on Lords of Waterdeep. My nerves were unnecessary, though, because it's a great game and most people I've played with had no problem ignoring the theme if they didn't care.
You were very lucky finding a game like Lords of Waterdeep at the beginning. I have played it a lot of times with players going from casual to hardcore and all of them liked the game. A very well done game indeed. And the illustrations on the cards are simply gorgeus.
We've been playing more seriously for just a few months, following a move to a new area, both in our late 50's, so many of your points already fit me entirely, if only I'd watched your video earlier, I wouldn't be waiting for 22 kickstarters, have over 120 games on the shelf, and have just the two of us to play games, let alone the other points you've made. I've now subscribed.
Brilliant... Subscribed and looking forward to watching more of your stuff...
As a film critic, THIS is a great video. The host clearly understands the factors that contribute to dissatisfaction and time and again nails the core pitfalls to avoid. I too made them years ago and worry about losing potential new gamers to these issues. Great job.
what does being a film critic got to do with this observation of yours?
@@MJ-km2ju isnt it obvious? the video was filmed on a camera, just like movies are.
This would have been so helpful for me about 5 years ago. Really good points and delivered with humour as always. I fell into almost all of the traps. One of my cringiest moments was trying to spin skull as a drinking game (kind of could be but still not really) at about 2am on a cousins weekend away. I didn't confidently know the game well enough, had chickened out of getting it out before we went out to the pub and it went down like a lead balloon. Oh and playing Concordia two player with my sister in law (late on Christmas night) who does enjoy games but why teach lots of new rules at 12 am after a day of excess instead of one she knew. Because I really wanted to play my new game. The Kickstarter hot messes like baddass riders (thank Christ I didn't go for the ultimate all in arsenal box) which was subjectively garbage. I did at least join Warrington board game club pretty early on which was great but did mean I bought about 75% of the games I played when the people there (who own the game) are the ones I'd most likely play with. Thinking you will 'build' your friends and family up to like heavier games is another mistake. Sure to some extent but there is a limit. Treating every social occasion as a chance to play/force games - thankfully I'm past that stage. The wake gag really made me laugh as it's so true. Also another mistake I think is whenever someone says they like X game you tell them about 5 others with the implication being that these are better. Let them like ticket to ride for Fs sake. Good work Jon as always.
Some great examples! I can feel the pain of the Skull mistake through the Internet :) It is a surprisingly tough game to teach. And you're right, thinking that you can build friends up to heavier games is such a good one! I wish I'd remembered that one, because it probably would have made the list.
@@actualol yes I’ve been trying to convert my family and friends to board gaming for a while now like a religion. My wife still hates games. I’ve finally accepted it’s just not going to happen. Although a couple have latched on to the hobby more than others.
The other thing I just stopped doing is getting casual people to play the hot new game I just bought (or one of the 20). That never works- just play something you know they will enjoy.
This video really resonated. Keep up the great content!
Still watching the video, but this is my first time watching any of your videos, and the line "You could try other channels, but weirdly, when it comes to board game videos, mine are objectively the best" made me laugh enough to subscribe XD
I have to be honest. This video is so correct in all 10 parts. I recognize way to much of this in my own "board game world". Spending money even on used games I wanted to buy as a kid.
And my gaming group only get together a few times a year. So even if I did get to play one game of mine every week, then I would have to play almost three years to get through them all if I choose a new game evey time. I can hear it now when I read my own words. GET RID OF SOME GAMES and GET TO KNOW A NEW BOARD GAME GROUP to play more often. Thanks for a really interesting video. First time I see your video. Subscribing now!😊
I've been watching you for years and can totally confirm, your channel is definitely the BEST for newcomers in this hobby. Every time I meet someone who's just entering the hobby, I always point them to your channel. And although our tastes are very different, I always come to you for lighter game advice and reviews.
''You know what offers more variety - A different game'' 😂
Two of my (small) community libraries have recently begun to buy board games - and one of them allows us to borrow a game for two weeks. As a newbie, i’m so grateful that i have the opportunity to try and play a game before deciding if it's worth spending money on. I could guess some of the mistakes i have done in the 6-7 years as a reader (and booklover) could easily apply to the boardgaming also. Your videos are extremely well written, witty and full of good tips. Thank you so much!
The same libraries are hosting game nights and i think i will take up your advice and might attend some of them.
Oh my, so true!
I am gonna share this video with my group!
Man, this is good.
This video is not just silly and over the top satire to make fun of boardgame mistakes. It's actually all good advice - rules are not fun, the time on the box is not a promise, the base game is usually enough... Well done, man.
Weird bit, I bought the old Dune (now a beloved favorite,) about 25 years ago. The rules in that copy were only 6 pages. I just find it odd that the reprint stretched the same rules to 24.
I mean, isn't that just down to layout density and typeface?
Great video, really enjoy the style and content, I also have mixed memories of trying to get the right number of players to play Game of Thrones!!
Thank you for the video! You are very entertaining and are incredibly thoughtful in your approach to board game night. I took some great tips from it.
Great video, parodies were top notch. We use expansions to increase player count or change a map for a game we always go back to.
A lot of these tips actually pertain to other hobbies as well! I wouldn't say I'm too much of a board gamer (Although I love it whenever I do), I have fallen victim to some of these when I introduce a buddy to the world of strategy video games. Good video!
I actually like 2 person magic maze. It's a fun game with the wife/husband because the two of you can really get in-sync with where to move the pieces.
yeah, magic maze can be fun at various player counts, but it's different for sure, depending on what you hope to get out of it, the game can be better at 2, 4, or 8, but I do think those are the 3 potential sweet spots:
-2: you can really get in sync with eachother
-4: no doubles but maximum split of directions, which can make it more clear what to do if the big red pawn is in front of you
-8: every direction double so you don't have to rely on any single person for a direction, and maximum chaos
The single player mode, however, feels like a gimmick that doesn't really work well, and the other player counts are okay but become a bit of a compromise between the different things you can get out of it.
100% with you on expansions. With a couple of exceptions, all the expansions I've bought increase the player count because we routinely have 5 or 6 players at a games night.
Expansions that increase the player count are literally the only ones worth buying without you being good at the game, the other ones are there if you and your group already mastered it and might want to change things up a bit but don't want to play something different
I will say some expansions with new cards are really worth it if the game you play is well loved and sees the table a lot. New cards can spice up a well loved game
On the six-player nights, we almost always split into two threes. It vastly decreases downtime and vastly opens up the choice of game.
Amazing, funny and insightful advice! Nice work! I feel like every newbie should watch this video as part of some sort of board game welcome program! The verbal and role playing illustrations throughout this video are brilliant.
So you had me smiling within seconds and subscribed by 2:20. Amazing.
…and now I stare sadly at my unopened Game of Thrones game which I haven’t taken out of the plastic as I am apprehensive about reading the rules, getting excited about playing it and then remembering I have no friends.
From adictive to adictive, this was a good advices, thank you for sharing. Great job, really, enjoy it, laught it, and make me smile.
For expansions, only a couple are indeed "need to buys" for the ones I've got. "Xia: Embers of a Forsaken Star" and "Terraforming Mars: Prelude" are the 2 that are really needed to better the game without making it complicated. Expansions that just give you more variability (more stuff) without extra rules are the best to get to keep a game fresh while not harder to teach new people, like: Terraforming Mars: Hellas & Elysium, most promo packs/cards in general, Xia: Missions and Powers, Heroscape terrain/hero/squad expansions, Machi Koro Harbor, PitchCar expansions, etc.
Expansions that introduce (many) more rules hardly hit the table because there are so many different games and I play with so many different people, that there will almost always be somebody in the group that hasn't played the game yet before, which means expansions would only make it harder to play for the new person.
I agree. Prelude is the only expansion I would buy again if I had to start over. Most other expansions never get played because it's just easier to play the base game.
@@glitchlink I'd only played _Terraforming Mars_ once or twice so convinced a group to play without the _Prelude_ expansion so I could learn the base game.
But then I bought _Prelude_ and loved it. The fact that it gives you a couple starting bonus cards makes it easier to get into the game.
I still don't play with the variant some like which has you pass the starting cards around the table for drafting.
I just got _Hellas & Elysium_ and played it once, and I don't think they'd be good for novice players since the goals worth 5 points each change from the original board.
Great video! I'd add that if you're not getting enough game time with other people, playing solo can be its own kind of pleasure. I've been playing board games solo for 60 years, and while I enjoy playing with my family, they're not as interested as they used to be, and I've gotten to the point where I prefer solo. I can leave a game set up for days, start when I want, analyze as long as I want, take a break whenever I want, even decide to switch to another game midstream if I want. Some people think there's something sad about playing a game solo, but I don't see it as any different than reading a book or watching a movie by yourself.
Great point! Yes, absolutely another great solution to that issue.
I was about to say the same. I own a few games that I bought to play with friends and that I only play solo now. Some solo only games are also wonderfull
This is a much better option than waiting around wishing you had someone to join you, especially now. I have a lot of games I'm going to try solo now!
I only buy games where you can play solo. I play board games online through Tabletop Simulator with my brothers. But i have no one near by to game with. Sometimes my daughter plays but not often .
@karenSDR What solo boardgames would you recommend?
One of your best videos yet, and you’ve done great stuff in the past. Thank you!
Thanks Captain Ron!
Wow this really spoke to me directly, the part about expansions is totally true so much wasted money on expansions when I didn't really like the base game but I was sold a dream. Nice video!
This video spoke to my soul. I have 40 games and fall into traps myself. Especially with "expansions." Thank you, sir, for the intervention that I didn't know I needed.
The people who introduced me to board games were the people I rock climbed with.
And then you never went back, right? Right???
@@actualol The funniest thing is that you are right. The last time I went rock climbing was on the same week that they introduced me to board games.
I see now that it's indeed impossible to do both.
@@fred321 That's amazing. I love that so much. We're happy to have you on our side.
Regarding expansions. If the expansion gives you a direction to start with, they're a big plus. example: There's a card pack in Terraforming Mars that gives you a set of resources to start, which helps give you a direction to start in when you play. I have only played the game with those cards included. They immediately reduce analysis paralysis at the start of the game.
Big fan of your writing and delivery. Thank you for a genuinely entertaining BG video.
Thank you! 🙏
Great video! Point 3 drew my attention, I think I fell into that trap of buying expansions and I'm trying to get out of it 😊
Great video! Your list really hits on all the points I've learned over the years, so I don't think there's much to add there. The only thing I will say is something that has helped me in slowing down and having a better success rate with my game purchases: when you see a game you think you want, give it a little bit of time to simmer in your brain. Watch reviews/playthroughs, maybe read through the rules, and think about if and when you would be able to play it. If you're still just as excited about the game after mulling it over for an extended period of time (not hours, but days or weeks - the longer the better), then it may be worth your while! This, of course, is not fool-proof, but it has helped me move beyond games that grab my attention initially but that I end up wavering on over time. If, after this process, you're still on the fence, that gut feeling that's holding you back is telling you something.
That's great advice! And probably applies to other aspects of life too. I often will get swayed by one reviewer and then swayed back by another one.
@@actualol Agreed! That's why I try and take in as much as I can and sit on it for a while - it can be overwhelming trying to decipher which reviews align more with my own taste. Also, yes, I could probably use it as general life advice as well!
I’ve been trying to test more stuff on Tabletop Simulator. When I can’t make the time to actually do that, that tells me something!
Thanks Jon - brilliant advice. Video of the year so far, and I laughed loudly to a lot of your scenes. I have too many boardgames and suffer from the FOMO. I have started to sell some games now. I play a lot of solo games so that opens up a lot more opportunities for playing, but also opens up a lot more possible games to play, especially as there are so many great solo games around these days… I am trying to be a better consumer this year…
A mantra I like to have is “don’t buy something unless it fixes a current problem you have.”
Love your videos - right to the point , good ideas , and funny too !
I love the role play between the man and the woman where she says “you’ve been into board games for three months”. That is me and my wife, accurately portrayed 😂
My wife and I discovered board gaming after playing Pandemic. So of course, I went on BGG and ordered 5-6 of the top co-ops at the time one of them was Space Alert. I LOVE Space Alert. I own the base game and the expansion that includes the character progression plus a third difficulty level for an extra challenge. I’ve never played past the intro scenario at the lowest difficulty because no one I introduce the game to wants to play it twice, lol.
I'm suspicious of co-ops because it seems like you might be playing for someone and should just play solo. They need some kind of individual goal for each player on top of beating the game and I don't see that.
This speaks to me on a deep level.
In December I decided to not buy a single game for myself in 2022. So far it has given me a whole new view on my collection and the hobby in general.
we are doing the same thing! its been great! whats your whole new view on things? i'd be interested to hear
@@damonbrearley3202 I feel way less affected by reviewers saying "you should get this" and picking games for games night feels more rewarding as I don't have any new games that still *need* to get to the table and I can focus more on games that have proven fun with the people playing that day.
i like your expansion philosophy, i have very few expansions but i do have 4 different versions of love letter with slight rule changes because of how much i love it
I've played many board games over a long time now and I must say that you come with very good advice.
My first board game I bought was TI3. Love the game to death, but it was a tad massive to start off with.
One mistake I made is assuming the "Big Box" version is always better. Having tons of extra expansions doesn't make the game more enjoyable and, in actuality, having a bigger/heavier box made the game harder to transport to game nights and made us play it less.
It happened to me last. My wife goes, don't bring that Hansa Teutonica Big Box or 7 Wonders. Just take 2-3 small games for our game night 😭 I was sad.
So interesting your perspective on crowdfunding. I’m so sorry to hear you’ve had so many duds! We’ve found that when it comes to Kickstarters (especially recently) there are so many options to try the game digitally (table top simulator style) before backing. We’ve only had 5 duds out of 87 projects and that has to do with being selective on what you back (established companies, designers, etc). I think this should be mentioned to not totally discourage Kickstarter but to still be aware of projects that don’t have this.
Absolutely. I'm just suggesting that new gamers avoid it early on. But I agree, it is all dependent on who is involved. That's why it isn't suitable for newbies because it takes time to know who to trust.
Btw, mine weren't all "duds", just games I didn't like. It's just easier, quicker and cheaper to get games at retail, than gamble on Kickstarter games which are (in my experience) no better.
I think you prove his point; if you have a lot of experience, you can find good games on crowdfunding, but that’s a lot harder for new gamers
@@actualol totally agree! Thank you for the response!
@@PeterEsquire totally a good tip for new gamers, yes. You need to establish that criteria of who you can trust and not. I do think however there are many options to try the game before buying.
Not mentioning, the kickstarter games tend to arrive at your door at later date... and especially nowadays that can be years later... Again, it may be price to pay if you already have 20 games in your shelves, but for beginners, that's just wasted time, they could have played good game bought from store.
Excellent video. Great advice and well presented 👌 Its good to know that other people have made the same mistakes 😄
All that you said are very true ! Excellent video, great content and humor.
As someone whose eyes were recently opened to the vast constellations of modern (and classic) board games, I really appreciate the temperance this video inspires.
Love this video! One aha moment that I have had recently is that it is okay to have a rotating shelf. It is okay to sell a game now and rebuy it a few years down the road. And maybe I won’t even buy it again because I didn’t miss it much. You don’t have to keep it on your shelf for someday.
Second mistake: thinking that the great sale price I see for a game is a now or never again price. I have been gaming long enough to know that most sale prices will happen again. FOMO has lessened quite bit after watching sales for years.
Thanks for sharing! Thats a great way to look at it!
Yes, great advice!
Good advice, well presented.
Particularly liked the burger metaphor.