Thanks for validating my own gripes! I would add: punchboards that rip and leave jagged components (I am looking at you Stardew Valley)! Setup instructions that tell you to to separate and shuffle the cards and only later tell you to leave the campaign/secret deck untouched! Why do rule books have to match the box size? How do I hold/place that giant flopping booklet when the game is on the table? Player colours in Maui are white, blue, red, and LIGHT RED! Scoring that makes you add up to over one hundred with no scoring track (JokkMokk).
My gripes are expansions that dont fit in the main game box and/or expansion boxes that are all different shapes and sizes (a la scythe and wingspan). I also wish designers made their rulebooks the standard book ratio size instead of the full square of the standard ticket to ride box. Whipping out a huge box sized rulebook to find one clarification is kind of a pain.
Oh my, such a perfectly fitting list :D Thank you! My foremost gripes are: - lots of air in the box and inserts that are only constructed for shipping. Such a waste of development time, funds and resources. I do consolidate most of my games and often have to get rid of the inserts :( - I hate Big-Box solutions with a passion ... e.g. Everdell - after a year I fit everything back into two smaller boxes 1/3 the size of the Big Box combined. And look, it gets played again :D - yep, cluttered and messy rule books particularly in niche games where you hardly find any rules clarifications online. Needless to say that the invention of a whole new language for a game is not helpful either even if it sounds cool and fancy :P - game breaking errors in first editions and/or the announcement of an ultimately better, much improved second edition hardly a month after you got your first edition! ... making you feel like you got a lesser product and quenching all the anticipation you held for getting the game to the table - why??? - no index in an extensive rulebooks or icon clarification/turn summary either as separate player aid or on the back of the rulebook. Worst if the space has just been used for pretty art or any kind of unrelated advertisement :P - tiny and very thin card board tokens like in the retail version of Life of the Amazonia (used coin capsules to make it playable at all) The tokens were a total joke and stuck together from the beginning. The game is great though :) - Bloated games where at least 60% of the stuff was not playtested - KS Extras I look at you ^^ - games that forbid communication most of the time :P Why would I meet up with my friends to be forced to not communicate ... for me the worst mechanism ever! Still Board Gaming is among the best hobbies I know and most of the above is happily overlooked if the game lives up :D Happy gaming to you!
You have covered all of my major gripes but another I hate is when rule books are just a block of text and use the word for numbers rather than the actual number so skimming for set up is sooooo difficult
Good topic Danny. My biggest gripe is that there is a lack of originality. Eg your typical fantasy games you get most of the following. A dragon A wizard A thief A King, Queen Warrior-Princess or Prince A Swordsman An Axeman An Archer/Ranger/Scout An Assassin Bags of gold Healing potions Invicibility cloak Craft Health Strength points Dice or tokens to record the above. Level up More dragons Elves Goblins Dwarves that make magical weapons Etc etc. Did I say Dragons? Don't get me wrong I love a good fantasy game but not a Dozen or so that basically do the same thing 😁👍
A gripe is definitely boxes with mostly air in it. But, I do wish we had your version of Sushi Go Party here, even if it is a metal box. We have a version in the Netherlands with a rather big cardboard box without any dividers. All the cards jut float in there :( .
A box too small is my second biggest gripe. I don't want to spend time playing the extra puzzle of fitting things perfectly (looking at you, Harbour). I can cut and tape a box to a smaller size (looking at you, San Juan), but at least I don't need to find a bigger box. Of course, my biggest gripe is the typically flawed rulebook. Most rulebooks have at least one unanswered question. BGG files for a game is absolutely mandatory, for FAQs and simplified rule guides.
Bitoku is so beautiful but I have two big issues with it. The rule book sucks. My friend says that the theme gets in the way. They wanted us to understand the theme, but it made it a super long learn. My other gripe is how it does not fit in the box. I bought an insert knowing it wouldn't make it fit but was hopeful. It takes up space so it fits worse. The only way to fit all in box is to throw everything unsorted into the box. No. My brain/personality/ADHD does not allow for that. Could you do a video teaching us how to solo Bitoku?
I agree with the flavor text thing. How hard is it to include a vanilla word for what you’re describing in parentheses, and maybe a number that refers back to the component list? I’m never going to call a wooden cube by the thematic name you’ve given it. It’s just going to be brown cube to me. Rule books in general are my biggest gripe. Explain the cards in more detail. All of them. Play test the game with my husband and you’ll find every unintentional way of twisting the rules because they weren’t explicitly spelled out.
Rulebooks are really hard on new gamers. Sometimes it’s because someone didn’t proofread the text or it’s just poorly written. Some examples are Dragons of Etchinstone, How to build a bus route the dice game, and Mint Julep. Yes, I watch YT, but even that doesn’t always help.
@@texasgal4468 Have you watched Rodney Smith setup and rules videos at Watch It Played? I always find him thorough and easy to follow. He's also really nice (he's Canadian) about answering questions if you still have any.
False player times is such a massive issue. The one that's hurt me most is Creature Comforts, which is aimed at younger players and takes at least double of the time per player count.
Totally agree! It's nice to vent once in a while! ;) Oceans: someone on BGG files actually made a sticker for the side of the box! Print on label paper and it makes it beautiful again. Bitoku: highly suggest you print out the board someone made (or their app) which is a flow chart instead of the full page of text. Game changer! Fonts: YES!!! Coupled with similar-colored background and it's a nightmare! When they receive market production copy, how can they not realize the issues of readability?!? Do they know the game so well they don't need to read the cards anymore? Really wonder about that one. Board gamers are aging, too. Just opened Windmill Valley: holy cow, everything was in plastic pouches even the punchboards! Why!? So easy to surround cards in a small paper band. Also, the board is HUGE for no reason. Many places they could have trimmed it. Wish they'd publish that info more readily. And why do publishers keep putting trackers that hide what's under and then you need to remove the marker to read what action you need to do? Must be annoying to always have to ask if you are not close enough to see.
I recently picked up a copy of Beyond The Sun and the top layer of the dual layered player boards was made of a lower quality thinner cardboard and this, combined with the humidity level of the manufacturing plant, contributed to warping the player boards to where they all have a permanent curve. 🤦
While I do get annoyed to buy a box full of air, I get just as frustrated, if not more, by game boxes that have no air whatsoever. Like, let me be able to close the lid - preferably let me also organize the game in some way and be able to close the lid. And please do not force me to store expansions in a separate box. If the base game cannot fit both the base game and the first expansion - then let the expansion come in a box big enough to fit them both (like, Red Cathedral barely let me close the lid as it was, so why make the expansion box JUST as tiny???). I get that at some point it becomes necessary to resort to collector's boxes, but at least wait until a game gets it's 3rd or more expansion before that becomes necessary...
Rulebooks drive me crazy. Typically I will learn a game with a playthrough by myself before introducing it to my family. But before I can even finish reading the rules to do that I've already noticed 3-5 edge case possibilities that I need to check out on BGG first. How did anyone playtest this game without noticing an obvious potential rule problem. Examples and clarifications please, rulebook writers.
While games with empty box space may still be worth owning, perhaps the boxes are not. Pitch the boxes and store the games collectively, if they are flawed in such a manner.
G'day Friends What are some of the things that you think could improve our wonderful board gaming hobby? Do you have any board game gripes? Feel free to share your thoughts, stories, ideas and opinions. This is a safe place to chat as always. Look forward to hearing your thoughts. Cheers Danny
Thanks for validating my own gripes! I would add: punchboards that rip and leave jagged components (I am looking at you Stardew Valley)! Setup instructions that tell you to to separate and shuffle the cards and only later tell you to leave the campaign/secret deck untouched! Why do rule books have to match the box size? How do I hold/place that giant flopping booklet when the game is on the table? Player colours in Maui are white, blue, red, and LIGHT RED! Scoring that makes you add up to over one hundred with no scoring track (JokkMokk).
My gripes are expansions that dont fit in the main game box and/or expansion boxes that are all different shapes and sizes (a la scythe and wingspan). I also wish designers made their rulebooks the standard book ratio size instead of the full square of the standard ticket to ride box. Whipping out a huge box sized rulebook to find one clarification is kind of a pain.
Oh my, such a perfectly fitting list :D Thank you!
My foremost gripes are: - lots of air in the box and inserts that are only constructed for shipping. Such a waste of development time, funds and resources. I do consolidate most of my games and often have to get rid of the inserts :(
- I hate Big-Box solutions with a passion ... e.g. Everdell - after a year I fit everything back into two smaller boxes 1/3 the size of the Big Box combined. And look, it gets played again :D
- yep, cluttered and messy rule books particularly in niche games where you hardly find any rules clarifications online. Needless to say that the invention of a whole new language for a game is not helpful either even if it sounds cool and fancy :P
- game breaking errors in first editions and/or the announcement of an ultimately better, much improved second edition hardly a month after you got your first edition! ... making you feel like you got a lesser product and quenching all the anticipation you held for getting the game to the table - why???
- no index in an extensive rulebooks or icon clarification/turn summary either as separate player aid or on the back of the rulebook. Worst if the space has just been used for pretty art or any kind of unrelated advertisement :P
- tiny and very thin card board tokens like in the retail version of Life of the Amazonia (used coin capsules to make it playable at all) The tokens were a total joke and stuck together from the beginning. The game is great though :)
- Bloated games where at least 60% of the stuff was not playtested - KS Extras I look at you ^^
- games that forbid communication most of the time :P Why would I meet up with my friends to be forced to not communicate ... for me the worst mechanism ever!
Still Board Gaming is among the best hobbies I know and most of the above is happily overlooked if the game lives up :D
Happy gaming to you!
That Dabba Walla insert!!!! 😮
I had the iconography issue with Books of Time
You have covered all of my major gripes but another I hate is when rule books are just a block of text and use the word for numbers rather than the actual number so skimming for set up is sooooo difficult
Good topic Danny.
My biggest gripe is that there is a lack of originality.
Eg your typical fantasy games you get most of the following.
A dragon
A wizard
A thief
A King, Queen Warrior-Princess or Prince
A Swordsman
An Axeman
An Archer/Ranger/Scout
An Assassin
Bags of gold
Healing potions
Invicibility cloak
Craft
Health
Strength points
Dice or tokens to record the above.
Level up
More dragons
Elves
Goblins
Dwarves that make magical weapons
Etc etc.
Did I say Dragons?
Don't get me wrong I love a good fantasy game but not a Dozen or so that basically do the same thing 😁👍
A gripe is definitely boxes with mostly air in it. But, I do wish we had your version of Sushi Go Party here, even if it is a metal box. We have a version in the Netherlands with a rather big cardboard box without any dividers. All the cards jut float in there :( .
A box too small is my second biggest gripe. I don't want to spend time playing the extra puzzle of fitting things perfectly (looking at you, Harbour). I can cut and tape a box to a smaller size (looking at you, San Juan), but at least I don't need to find a bigger box.
Of course, my biggest gripe is the typically flawed rulebook. Most rulebooks have at least one unanswered question. BGG files for a game is absolutely mandatory, for FAQs and simplified rule guides.
Bitoku is so beautiful but I have two big issues with it. The rule book sucks. My friend says that the theme gets in the way. They wanted us to understand the theme, but it made it a super long learn. My other gripe is how it does not fit in the box. I bought an insert knowing it wouldn't make it fit but was hopeful. It takes up space so it fits worse. The only way to fit all in box is to throw everything unsorted into the box. No. My brain/personality/ADHD does not allow for that.
Could you do a video teaching us how to solo Bitoku?
I agree with the flavor text thing. How hard is it to include a vanilla word for what you’re describing in parentheses, and maybe a number that refers back to the component list? I’m never going to call a wooden cube by the thematic name you’ve given it. It’s just going to be brown cube to me.
Rule books in general are my biggest gripe. Explain the cards in more detail. All of them. Play test the game with my husband and you’ll find every unintentional way of twisting the rules because they weren’t explicitly spelled out.
Rulebooks are really hard on new gamers. Sometimes it’s because someone didn’t proofread the text or it’s just poorly written. Some examples are Dragons of Etchinstone, How to build a bus route the dice game, and Mint Julep. Yes, I watch YT, but even that doesn’t always help.
@@texasgal4468 Have you watched Rodney Smith setup and rules videos at Watch It Played? I always find him thorough and easy to follow. He's also really nice (he's Canadian) about answering questions if you still have any.
False player times is such a massive issue. The one that's hurt me most is Creature Comforts, which is aimed at younger players and takes at least double of the time per player count.
Totally agree! It's nice to vent once in a while! ;)
Oceans: someone on BGG files actually made a sticker for the side of the box! Print on label paper and it makes it beautiful again.
Bitoku: highly suggest you print out the board someone made (or their app) which is a flow chart instead of the full page of text. Game changer!
Fonts: YES!!! Coupled with similar-colored background and it's a nightmare! When they receive market production copy, how can they not realize the issues of readability?!? Do they know the game so well they don't need to read the cards anymore? Really wonder about that one. Board gamers are aging, too.
Just opened Windmill Valley: holy cow, everything was in plastic pouches even the punchboards! Why!? So easy to surround cards in a small paper band. Also, the board is HUGE for no reason. Many places they could have trimmed it. Wish they'd publish that info more readily.
And why do publishers keep putting trackers that hide what's under and then you need to remove the marker to read what action you need to do? Must be annoying to always have to ask if you are not close enough to see.
I recently picked up a copy of Beyond The Sun and the top layer of the dual layered player boards was made of a lower quality thinner cardboard and this, combined with the humidity level of the manufacturing plant, contributed to warping the player boards to where they all have a permanent curve.
🤦
Well articulated & great choices
😂 I agree with almost all of these!
Dummy 3rd player when trying to play a game at 2. Just say the game is 3 and up!
While I do get annoyed to buy a box full of air, I get just as frustrated, if not more, by game boxes that have no air whatsoever. Like, let me be able to close the lid - preferably let me also organize the game in some way and be able to close the lid. And please do not force me to store expansions in a separate box. If the base game cannot fit both the base game and the first expansion - then let the expansion come in a box big enough to fit them both (like, Red Cathedral barely let me close the lid as it was, so why make the expansion box JUST as tiny???). I get that at some point it becomes necessary to resort to collector's boxes, but at least wait until a game gets it's 3rd or more expansion before that becomes necessary...
Rulebooks drive me crazy. Typically I will learn a game with a playthrough by myself before introducing it to my family. But before I can even finish reading the rules to do that I've already noticed 3-5 edge case possibilities that I need to check out on BGG first. How did anyone playtest this game without noticing an obvious potential rule problem. Examples and clarifications please, rulebook writers.
Yes, I love Santa Monica so much, but that box size is terrible!
Valid list. Thank you for the interesting video. 😊
While games with empty box space may still be worth owning, perhaps the boxes are not. Pitch the boxes and store the games collectively, if they are flawed in such a manner.
G'day Friends
What are some of the things that you think could improve our wonderful board gaming hobby?
Do you have any board game gripes? Feel free to share your thoughts, stories, ideas and opinions.
This is a safe place to chat as always. Look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Cheers
Danny
@@BoardGameSanctuary Just a thought, why not pin this message at the top of the comments? Yours, not mine.