Designer Cole Wehrle sits down and walks through every component from an advance mass production copy of John Company. Follow us! / wehrlegig / wehrlegig
I am amazed that I am only paying 80 dollars for this game. This might be the most opulent game I have ever seen. Every couple of minutes I amazed by something being an a way that could have easily been a corner that was cut (like the little metal flags). A simple thank you seems trite but, wow this is an truly stellar production.
My copy just arrived today, and I can't express my appreciation enough for everything you've put into this beautifully crafted game. Also this video should be the norm for all the heavy game publishers out there. The storage and organizing tips are so helpful!
I can tell this is a labor of love and that you put so much thought into every decision. This is exactly how I wish every board game was designed. Thank you so much for all your hard work! I can't wait to get my copy and introduce this to my gaming group.
As a partially colorblind person myself (missing the red lens), i really appreciated the time you took to explain your thought process on component design. I also watched the HeavyCardboard teach and game from start to finish...stoked about the game!! As always, amazing job Wehrle Bros!!
you, my friend, are a true connoisseur of the hobby. The attention to detail and consideration for your playerbase is truly appreciated. Thank you for putting this together as it shows how much thought goes into your process. Can't wait for my copy to arrive and jump into solo mode. Cheers!
Just to clarify the point about the direction the heads face - since the time of Charles II successive monarchs face opposite directions on British coinage (except for Edward VIII but he didn't last long!)
So Charles III will face the opposite direction to Elizabeth II, and William V will face the same direction of Elizabeth II because he's after Charles III?
Those spines are gorgeous when placed next to each other! As soon as John Company gets in the shelf is getting reorganized so they can sit next to each other that way.
This may sound nuts, but I’m already looking forward to your next Wehrlegig project; I feel like I enjoy the creation and iterations of the design process almost as much as the finished project itself!
This is a phenomenal game Cole. The design is an obvious labor of love. It is so well thought out. A truly magnificent achievement which you can be proud of.
So many good Design descisions especially about where to put player aids and general layout. I know the first edition and there were just too many information on the central board.
How exciting is it for you personally to get to unbox and see the finished work? Does the feeling wane after so many productions, or still super satisfying? I can't wait for my copy to ship!
I watched the heavy cardboard play. Really amazing game. I’m pretty bummed I missed the Kickstarter. Is there anyway to get a copy of this game with the coins?
Hey Cole, you don't know how much I'm excited to keep my hands on John Company. I love the design, everything. Do you have a plan to update the TTS mode?
We will update the TTS mode hopefully in July, might be August. There are some funny back end things we wanted to do to the files and how they were hosted before we overhauled it, but it is coming. Likely when the PnP is released. Thanks for pinging that again!
I love my Lacerda games with on Mars being my fav game of all time. But jfc I've never been so terrified of learning and teaching a game like I have been for John Company... Cole, can you please see about a teaching series of vids using the physical copy? :/
I kinda regret not getting this, but I couldn't understand if this was a game for my group. I need a Heavy Cardboard playthrough of this to see if I need a copy :P Everything looks stunning though! I'm impressed. Only thing that makes me wary are the scenarios being on cards only. This makes reading the manual online harder. Losing the cards could be solved by printing the rules at home, but anyway, small nitpick for an awesome production. Congrats!
The game looks really really good. 😊 Coloring is phenomenal. Never seen such production quality before. Wish the insert was better for sleeved cards. The small cards placed underneath the large cards will slide around and make canting difficult. 🤕 Curious how difficult this game will be to learn.
The rules are very well done. Lots of examples and everything nicely spaced out. In terms of teaching others, that the turn is procedural, following that ribbon around the outside of the board, makes it easier for people to learn the game.
Great video! Even the Second Edition being an extensively revised version, it seems to have higher (difficulty) weight on BGG. Shouldn't all the changes, upgrades and accessibility improvements make it easier? How would you rate this new edition? Thx!
I think I might to a long comparison video this weekend because it's a complicated question. In terms of ease of learning and ease of play, the new edition is MUCH easier. This is both because the production is very user friendly and because a lot of awkward systems were rebuilt to be much more intuitive. In terms of overall system complexity, the game is pretty close to the first edition. Several things got simpler but other things got more complex. In terms of general gameplay and strategic depth, the new edition is much more interesting. This is testament to the playtesters and our general development team who did such a good job making sure every system produced interesting choices and increased strategic options and room for creative play. At every step the second edition's had two main priorities: first, I wanted to make the game's argumentation and storytelling a lot clearer and smoother. Second, I wanted the gameplay to be far more robust--offering players new tools and handle a wider variety of situations. As much as I love JoCo 1e, the game would often soft-lock and it's content development was very uneven. JoCo 2e simply does not have these problems. JoCo 2e is simply a far bigger and deeper sandbox to play in. CRITICALLY, this development did not prioritize making the game simpler. I wanted the second edition to be the game's "best self." In the case of Pamir, this meant simplifying the game just a bit. In the case of John Company, a gigantic 18th century economic sandbox was always going to be a pretty heavy game and I didn't want to compromise that. However, though it's big it's honestly not too complex. I think if you can learn something like Oath you can probably handle John Company--some would even say that it is easier.
I talked about that explicitly in the video. Too many full aids take up too much tablespace. In addition, virtually every card/playerboard component contains the player aid information you might need written directly on the player aid. Essentially the whole game is a distributed play aid. Need to know what an office does? Well, your office card will tell you. Not sure how an event works? The event tile has the text of its effect printed directly on it. The full page play aids then have a very specific function: to provide players who are not the primary actors a way to check a rule without asking that player or having to check the rules.
I have the American version of Pax Pamir as that one mostly uses symbols for gameplay. However for this beauty here I hope I will get a czech version, fingers crossed @Foxinthebox.
Upon seeing the glass beads I immediately wondered whether you've read hermanne Hesse's glass bead game Cole? Seems like a book right up your alley.. *Edit* it's central conceit of mastering this 'game', bound with the way the book touches on the intellectual, spiritual and scientific elements of this fictional game, and tells that story across multiple histories seems ripe for exploration
Very exciting! Soon there will be IT John Company going to print. Finalizing the IT rulebook currently so hopefully will be out in the world later this year.
I can't wait for this! Quick question, and maybe I missed this somewhere, but when you say campaign, are you able to play the scenarios in order with each one building off the previous play? Or are they completely separate games, unrelated to the previous scenario play?
The 3 scenarios each contain a bit of overlap. So, if you think about the game as having "3 parts" the first scenario includes all of part 1 and a section of part 2. The campaign, in contrast, is just all 3 parts. The scenarios take a few hours to play each (say 2.5-4.5). The full campaign tends to take 6 or 7 hours. However, it's a bit tricky to talk about because the game is so open. The campaign can go all sorts of directions and can sometimes be over in just a few hours if things fall apart. And, even if it goes the length, it could tell a very different story from the scenarios. Essentially, the scenarios are kind of "save states" that ground the game historically whereas the campaign is more of a sandbox.
@@colewehrle8718 I appreciate the detailed response, Cole. This sounds amazing and something that I didn't even realize beforehand. This makes the game even more desirable than it already was. I look forward to playing it soon!
I am amazed that I am only paying 80 dollars for this game. This might be the most opulent game I have ever seen. Every couple of minutes I amazed by something being an a way that could have easily been a corner that was cut (like the little metal flags). A simple thank you seems trite but, wow this is an truly stellar production.
My copy just arrived today, and I can't express my appreciation enough for everything you've put into this beautifully crafted game. Also this video should be the norm for all the heavy game publishers out there. The storage and organizing tips are so helpful!
AHH WHERE DO YOU LIVE WHERE YOU GOT YOURS. so jealous I cannot wait!!
An unboxing video that clocks in at the same time as an How to play for a Lacerda game. Colour me impressed.
I can tell this is a labor of love and that you put so much thought into every decision. This is exactly how I wish every board game was designed. Thank you so much for all your hard work! I can't wait to get my copy and introduce this to my gaming group.
Beautiful ! Nicely done Cole
Absolutely stunning. That is indeed a labor of love! This piece of art will NEVER leave my gaming shelf. Thanks so much for your hard work.
As a partially colorblind person myself (missing the red lens), i really appreciated the time you took to explain your thought process on component design. I also watched the HeavyCardboard teach and game from start to finish...stoked about the game!! As always, amazing job Wehrle Bros!!
you, my friend, are a true connoisseur of the hobby. The attention to detail and consideration for your playerbase is truly appreciated. Thank you for putting this together as it shows how much thought goes into your process. Can't wait for my copy to arrive and jump into solo mode. Cheers!
Love it! When will a copy be at Heavy Cardboard for a live let´s play... perhaps with you on board?
Just to clarify the point about the direction the heads face - since the time of Charles II successive monarchs face opposite directions on British coinage (except for Edward VIII but he didn't last long!)
Thank you!
So Charles III will face the opposite direction to Elizabeth II, and William V will face the same direction of Elizabeth II because he's after Charles III?
I love to see organizers in a game which are actually functional! Nice to not have to go to a 3rd party for organization
Those spines are gorgeous when placed next to each other! As soon as John Company gets in the shelf is getting reorganized so they can sit next to each other that way.
Got mine on pre-order, can't wait!, True work of Art.
A work of art! Very well done Cole, this is very impressive.
You are obviously proud of the effort you have put into making the game mechanisms as accessible as possible. Eager for my copy now!
This may sound nuts, but I’m already looking forward to your next Wehrlegig project; I feel like I enjoy the creation and iterations of the design process almost as much as the finished project itself!
It hurts having yet to wait for a few weeks... Oh, lay my hands on this remarkable artistry - the glory of it!
You guys have really outdone yourselves on this one! So excited for fulfillment!
This is a phenomenal game Cole. The design is an obvious labor of love. It is so well thought out. A truly magnificent achievement which you can be proud of.
Can't wait to receive my copy! Components looks awesome and thanks for the organizer.
Teaching the game is fun, "like performing a magic trick or a seminar". Love it!
Love the video and the accent of kids in the background.
Wow truly one of the most beautiful looking games I've seen. I can't wait to play it!
So many good Design descisions especially about where to put player aids and general layout. I know the first edition and there were just too many information on the central board.
Hi Cole, do you anticipate doing another play through in solo or teach form soon?
How exciting is it for you personally to get to unbox and see the finished work? Does the feeling wane after so many productions, or still super satisfying? I can't wait for my copy to ship!
It hasn't waned yet. This is perhaps the 10th production I've worked on and I was still following the shipping tracking as closely as the first.
HYPE!
I watched the heavy cardboard play. Really amazing game. I’m pretty bummed I missed the Kickstarter. Is there anyway to get a copy of this game with the coins?
They should have limited copies available on their webstore once ks fulfillment is done
Yep. it's going to be live on our webstore as long as we have stock and we work with a handful of retailers too.
Hey Cole, you don't know how much I'm excited to keep my hands on John Company. I love the design, everything. Do you have a plan to update the TTS mode?
Probably sometime this coming month.
We will update the TTS mode hopefully in July, might be August. There are some funny back end things we wanted to do to the files and how they were hosted before we overhauled it, but it is coming. Likely when the PnP is released. Thanks for pinging that again!
Beautiful work. Looks incredible. Cannot wait to get this :)
I love my Lacerda games with on Mars being my fav game of all time. But jfc I've never been so terrified of learning and teaching a game like I have been for John Company...
Cole, can you please see about a teaching series of vids using the physical copy? :/
I kinda regret not getting this, but I couldn't understand if this was a game for my group. I need a Heavy Cardboard playthrough of this to see if I need a copy :P
Everything looks stunning though! I'm impressed. Only thing that makes me wary are the scenarios being on cards only. This makes reading the manual online harder. Losing the cards could be solved by printing the rules at home, but anyway, small nitpick for an awesome production. Congrats!
Lucky you. Heavy Cardboard did one a couple days ago
The game looks really really good. 😊 Coloring is phenomenal. Never seen such production quality before. Wish the insert was better for sleeved cards. The small cards placed underneath the large cards will slide around and make canting difficult. 🤕 Curious how difficult this game will be to learn.
The rules are very well done. Lots of examples and everything nicely spaced out.
In terms of teaching others, that the turn is procedural, following that ribbon around the outside of the board, makes it easier for people to learn the game.
Great video! Even the Second Edition being an extensively revised version, it seems to have higher (difficulty) weight on BGG. Shouldn't all the changes, upgrades and accessibility improvements make it easier? How would you rate this new edition? Thx!
I think I might to a long comparison video this weekend because it's a complicated question.
In terms of ease of learning and ease of play, the new edition is MUCH easier. This is both because the production is very user friendly and because a lot of awkward systems were rebuilt to be much more intuitive.
In terms of overall system complexity, the game is pretty close to the first edition. Several things got simpler but other things got more complex.
In terms of general gameplay and strategic depth, the new edition is much more interesting. This is testament to the playtesters and our general development team who did such a good job making sure every system produced interesting choices and increased strategic options and room for creative play.
At every step the second edition's had two main priorities: first, I wanted to make the game's argumentation and storytelling a lot clearer and smoother. Second, I wanted the gameplay to be far more robust--offering players new tools and handle a wider variety of situations. As much as I love JoCo 1e, the game would often soft-lock and it's content development was very uneven. JoCo 2e simply does not have these problems. JoCo 2e is simply a far bigger and deeper sandbox to play in.
CRITICALLY, this development did not prioritize making the game simpler. I wanted the second edition to be the game's "best self." In the case of Pamir, this meant simplifying the game just a bit. In the case of John Company, a gigantic 18th century economic sandbox was always going to be a pretty heavy game and I didn't want to compromise that. However, though it's big it's honestly not too complex. I think if you can learn something like Oath you can probably handle John Company--some would even say that it is easier.
I wonder if the higher difficulty in part reflects more early plays of the deregulated game as well...
Hey this looks amazing. I’m just confused why there are only two player aids? This was already an issue with Pax Pamir
I talked about that explicitly in the video. Too many full aids take up too much tablespace. In addition, virtually every card/playerboard component contains the player aid information you might need written directly on the player aid. Essentially the whole game is a distributed play aid. Need to know what an office does? Well, your office card will tell you. Not sure how an event works? The event tile has the text of its effect printed directly on it. The full page play aids then have a very specific function: to provide players who are not the primary actors a way to check a rule without asking that player or having to check the rules.
Is there by any chance a french edition coming ?
French JoCo is in the works. We've worked with 2 Tomatoes for all of the FR localizations so far and we hope to work with them in the future too.
Now I want a neoprene mat of the board!
Unfortunately, the sleeved version came out bigger and it basically crashes the whole nice logistic system invented by Cole :(
Yeah, we'll give ourselves some more wiggle room for future projects for sure.
I have the American version of Pax Pamir as that one mostly uses symbols for gameplay. However for this beauty here I hope I will get a czech version, fingers crossed @Foxinthebox.
Upon seeing the glass beads I immediately wondered whether you've read hermanne Hesse's glass bead game Cole? Seems like a book right up your alley..
*Edit* it's central conceit of mastering this 'game', bound with the way the book touches on the intellectual, spiritual and scientific elements of this fictional game, and tells that story across multiple histories seems ripe for exploration
I'll just PM you my address and you can forward that copy along!
Within 2 weeks John Company 2nd Edition will be on my Italian table. Please, no rules in my language?
Very exciting! Soon there will be IT John Company going to print. Finalizing the IT rulebook currently so hopefully will be out in the world later this year.
I can't wait for this!
Quick question, and maybe I missed this somewhere, but when you say campaign, are you able to play the scenarios in order with each one building off the previous play? Or are they completely separate games, unrelated to the previous scenario play?
The 3 scenarios each contain a bit of overlap. So, if you think about the game as having "3 parts" the first scenario includes all of part 1 and a section of part 2. The campaign, in contrast, is just all 3 parts. The scenarios take a few hours to play each (say 2.5-4.5). The full campaign tends to take 6 or 7 hours.
However, it's a bit tricky to talk about because the game is so open. The campaign can go all sorts of directions and can sometimes be over in just a few hours if things fall apart. And, even if it goes the length, it could tell a very different story from the scenarios. Essentially, the scenarios are kind of "save states" that ground the game historically whereas the campaign is more of a sandbox.
@@colewehrle8718 I appreciate the detailed response, Cole. This sounds amazing and something that I didn't even realize beforehand. This makes the game even more desirable than it already was. I look forward to playing it soon!
p͓̽r͓̽o͓̽m͓̽o͓̽s͓̽m͓̽ 😴