Just finished this one solo. Was unsure of the game when I started but it got better as the game went on and the puzzle started to “click”. Definitely worth checking out!
I preordered this one based on the Seattle theme, as I live and grew up in the Seattle area. Glad to hear that it is a good game. First game issues are big for me too. Groups that I am in rotate a lot, so there is almost always some sort of teach. Even if that weren't the case, knowing the roadblocks to learning a game helps to avoid a bad first play.
YES!! You get it Chris! I get jips sometimes about talking about first play issues when teaching the game, but this is what I deal with constantly at my game clubs. It's a more common scenario than people think.
The population aspect makes sense to me. Your amenities have to be at the level to support the population. If you have a high population but not enough shopping areas, shopping experience is worse.
That part makes sense for sure, but the confusing part is getting a benefit that reads "Lose 1 population." Not sure why universities would lower the population.
I saw the demo at PAX Unplugged. Had it been for sale, I probably would have bought it due to the theme alone, but I wasn't too excited by what I saw in the demo. Polyomino games are usually not my thing (though I have a few I do like), and nothing else seemed super fun. That said, it still looks like a good game, but one I would probably not pay attention to in the vast sea of games, if not for the theme
Seems like a great game, but the theme will bug me a lot. Everything in the game (art, neighborhoods, special buildings, etc) looks to be taken from Seattle in the 1950s (preceding Alaskan statehood and the World's Fair). The name and box description sound slapped on incorrectly. It's a pity because the rebuilding of Seattle after the Great Fire would actually be the setting for an amazing game in it's own right. It involved competing street grids that had to be combined, buildings built in tight spaces for roads that didn't exist yet, a complete regrading of the city, competition with Tacoma over a railroad spoke and with Olympia over the capital. And sooooo much debauchery and corruption.
So far from my plays of this, I'm with Mike, this is a fine game, but it's bad with more players and the polyomino aspect feels tacked on along with the theme. Setup and table space is also a killer.
One comment on a criticism I hear a lot from Tom: At some point there is going to be "too many of..." EVERY type of game. I still understand the comment, but it's becoming less and less relevant.
Is this game REALLY an 8 or 8.5? I guess so but seeing so many 8s out of the DT crew, and for games no one is talking about in a year. It’s better than Carnegie and as good as Woodcraft? (Don’t mean to use heavy games as the comparator.) I feel like I must be way tougher on games. An 8.5 would be one of the very best games in my collection. My 2-3 favorite games of all time are 9s. Cascadia, which I love and recommend all the time to people, is an 8.5. I’d rate Ark Nova a 9 and I doubt I’d consider this one a smidge less good than that. I don’t think anyone is going to be talking about this game in a year. How did you all rate Planet Unknown? I’m sure Building Seattle is good fun game, but to me that’s a 7 or 7.5. But sounds like you all thought it was excellent. Set up time is a no go for me, but I like the art/design and the balancing of the tracks and the polyomino aspect.
Short answer: Yes Longer answer: Consider that Tom gives Ark Nova a 10, so him saying this is an 8.5 is noticeably a lower rating than that. There's gradations of great games, but they can still be great.
If your favourite games are 9s than you obviously use a different scale. Here they use BGG's 1 to 10 scale. If you use a 1 to 9 scale then it doesn't make sense to compare the ratings.
@@DTChrisYi Maybe I need to ease up my own ratings! For me, 6 is yeah it’s fine and likable enough but only going to recommend it really if you say you really like themes and mechanics unique to this. 7/7.5 is a very good game and if someone asks if I’ve tried it I’d say oh yeah that’s good you’ll probably like it. 8/8.5 is for excellent games where if you mention you want a deck builder I’m going to say oh try this one! Then 9 would just a top tier game and if someone says they want a worker placement of high complexity, I’m going to say okay X is the best or close to the best out there. That doesn’t come around too often. 10 would be this is just one of the great games of all time. What an amazing and special design and production and you just hardly see games this good. This might be for Gloomhaven and Ark Nova and Spirit Island. Just special games. But alas, I just checked BGG and their rating system has 8 being very good and 9 being excellent.
Interesting observation by Chris about First Play issues. @21:40
Just finished this one solo. Was unsure of the game when I started but it got better as the game went on and the puzzle started to “click”. Definitely worth checking out!
I preordered this one based on the Seattle theme, as I live and grew up in the Seattle area. Glad to hear that it is a good game. First game issues are big for me too. Groups that I am in rotate a lot, so there is almost always some sort of teach. Even if that weren't the case, knowing the roadblocks to learning a game helps to avoid a bad first play.
Correction at 2:04 the card is actually a rectangle, not round
I am from Seattle and have never heard of this game! I must get it!!
YES!! You get it Chris! I get jips sometimes about talking about first play issues when teaching the game, but this is what I deal with constantly at my game clubs. It's a more common scenario than people think.
I got to demo this at Shux with the designer. And being from Seattle, can’t wait to get my copy!
Does this take place after the summer of love in 2020?
Can someone retheme this game and include a CHOP worker placement spot, please. 😆
😂👍
The population aspect makes sense to me. Your amenities have to be at the level to support the population. If you have a high population but not enough shopping areas, shopping experience is worse.
That part makes sense for sure, but the confusing part is getting a benefit that reads "Lose 1 population." Not sure why universities would lower the population.
@@DTChrisYi that does seem strange. Seems like the university would attract people.
@@DTChrisYi I believe it's meant to model temporary student population coming and going seasonally.
@DanielSolis Thanks for sharing that Daniel! That is an interesting model. By the way, fantastic job on the visual work you did for the game.
@@DTChrisYi Thanks! It was genuinely a team effort. Lots of folks involved.
Terraforming Seattle
This looks like a game that fits right into my wheelhouse. Very interested and I hadn't heard of it till now.
I saw the demo at PAX Unplugged. Had it been for sale, I probably would have bought it due to the theme alone, but I wasn't too excited by what I saw in the demo. Polyomino games are usually not my thing (though I have a few I do like), and nothing else seemed super fun. That said, it still looks like a good game, but one I would probably not pay attention to in the vast sea of games, if not for the theme
Seems like a great game, but the theme will bug me a lot. Everything in the game (art, neighborhoods, special buildings, etc) looks to be taken from Seattle in the 1950s (preceding Alaskan statehood and the World's Fair). The name and box description sound slapped on incorrectly.
It's a pity because the rebuilding of Seattle after the Great Fire would actually be the setting for an amazing game in it's own right. It involved competing street grids that had to be combined, buildings built in tight spaces for roads that didn't exist yet, a complete regrading of the city, competition with Tacoma over a railroad spoke and with Olympia over the capital. And sooooo much debauchery and corruption.
So far from my plays of this, I'm with Mike, this is a fine game, but it's bad with more players and the polyomino aspect feels tacked on along with the theme. Setup and table space is also a killer.
Looks like fun!
I have mine bagged by shape. I would like to see more ability to earn money and restock buildings. This could be a little longer to play.
Graphically it's just a mess.
One comment on a criticism I hear a lot from Tom: At some point there is going to be "too many of..." EVERY type of game. I still understand the comment, but it's becoming less and less relevant.
I really dislike the new set up. last thing i want to see is Chris's legs lol, but seriously I like the old setup much better.
Is this game REALLY an 8 or 8.5? I guess so but seeing so many 8s out of the DT crew, and for games no one is talking about in a year. It’s better than Carnegie and as good as Woodcraft? (Don’t mean to use heavy games as the comparator.) I feel like I must be way tougher on games. An 8.5 would be one of the very best games in my collection. My 2-3 favorite games of all time are 9s. Cascadia, which I love and recommend all the time to people, is an 8.5. I’d rate Ark Nova a 9 and I doubt I’d consider this one a smidge less good than that. I don’t think anyone is going to be talking about this game in a year. How did you all rate Planet Unknown? I’m sure Building Seattle is good fun game, but to me that’s a 7 or 7.5. But sounds like you all thought it was excellent. Set up time is a no go for me, but I like the art/design and the balancing of the tracks and the polyomino aspect.
I think Mike hits it best here!
Short answer: Yes
Longer answer: Consider that Tom gives Ark Nova a 10, so him saying this is an 8.5 is noticeably a lower rating than that. There's gradations of great games, but they can still be great.
If your favourite games are 9s than you obviously use a different scale. Here they use BGG's 1 to 10 scale. If you use a 1 to 9 scale then it doesn't make sense to compare the ratings.
@@DTChrisYi Maybe I need to ease up my own ratings! For me, 6 is yeah it’s fine and likable enough but only going to recommend it really if you say you really like themes and mechanics unique to this. 7/7.5 is a very good game and if someone asks if I’ve tried it I’d say oh yeah that’s good you’ll probably like it. 8/8.5 is for excellent games where if you mention you want a deck builder I’m going to say oh try this one! Then 9 would just a top tier game and if someone says they want a worker placement of high complexity, I’m going to say okay X is the best or close to the best out there. That doesn’t come around too often. 10 would be this is just one of the great games of all time. What an amazing and special design and production and you just hardly see games this good. This might be for Gloomhaven and Ark Nova and Spirit Island. Just special games. But alas, I just checked BGG and their rating system has 8 being very good and 9 being excellent.
Interesting concept. Art and design looks sterile and bland. A real missed opportunity to make this game sing.
Good luck the city is a dump !
Give this man an amenity!
@@nshaw1299 and lower their population!