Speaking of Ark Nova, look at this outrageous turn.
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Still lost 
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I played several new (to me) games last night, and one of them was a car-racing game called Heat. You switch gears and play cards to each turn to determine your speed, manage your vehicleās heat, and take advantage of your unique upgrades. You have to take corners carefully.
Iād had opportunities to play this game before but I didnāt take them because the theme didnāt grab me. But I kept hearing positive things about it so I decided to do it this time and it was pretty fun.
If anyone is interested in trying Heat on BGA, let me know. I can explain as needed. Itās like Great Western Trail in that you race around a track, only there are no tolls to pay and you donāt have to herd cattle. (Itās actually nothing like Great Western Trail.)
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Iāll for sure play this!
Thanks for playing GWT everyone. Hoped you all liked it. I was pretty invested in exploring how a pure-builder strategy could work, and though I didnāt win, I still think it could be viable. Iāve only played the game with two players before, and tolls and blocking are just not really something worthwhile at that player count. So it was fun to go all out with us four playing.
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Again?
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Iād play again if others want to. Or if anyone wants to suggest another game, Iām fine with switching things up. (Or both at the same time.)
If anyone who hasnāt been involved in our async games thinks the idea sounds like fun but is hesitant due to being unfamiliar with a game, Iām happy to teach any game I know, either by text or voice chat, and/or answer any questions as we go.
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Weāve been playing a lot
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Itās been good. I like how consistent itās been.
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I got to play Parks for the second time the other night, this time with an expansion or two mixed in. Itās a very nice-looking game and has fun basic mechanics, and Iāve wondered at times whether I should add it to my collection.
But now Iāve decided that thereās just too much luck to it. I won this game but it didnāt feel like it was because I made better decisions than the other players. I drew a random gear card at one point that perfectly aligned with my secret goal and made my victory almost inevitable.
Itās not a game Iād turn down playing in the future but I donāt see myself ever owning it.
I also got to play Eclipse (second edition) over the weekend. Iāve played it six or seven times now, and I still think itās a great game. Iāve never played Twilight Imperium, and I sometimes wonder whether that game offers anything meaningful that Eclipse doesnāt.
(Eclipse would be a great game to play at a SB meetup. I could theoretically borrow and bring it, but I think it would have to be a time when Iām driving and not flying.)
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Yeah I played Parks only a little and thought those cards could lead to swingy games too.
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Iāve played eclipse many more times than TI (the former probably 5-6 times, the latter only once in 3rd Ed and once in 4th) and while I think the consensus is that Eclipse is too dry and combat heavy, whereas TI is more politically engagingā¦ I really, really donāt love the latterās pacing and complexity, whereas I can usually cram plenty of negotiation and cooperation into Eclipse
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The designer of Great Western Trail came out with Maracaibo a couple of years ago, which is a euro that people praise in similar ways to GWT. I own but havenāt got to play it yet, but it just got put up on BGA. Would love to give this a try sometime.
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I would definitely play another game by that designer. Count me in if youāre looking for players.
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realizing that talking shit at the table is 75 percent of the fun of 18xx games to me, probably not gonna train game online for a bit after this itās really hard to get into without the actual game
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same, count me in
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yeah I absolutely cannot play a board game without committing a whole solitary afternoon to that and only that, and taking time to like, cook/smoke/drink/etc, which is why my board game playing fell off completely after the pandemic as social circles rearranged themselves
boardgame simulator is no fun for me at all but then again Iām also worse and more reluctant at committing to regular online gaming with a group than just about anyone I knowā¦ I am just really unwilling to commit to not multitasking unless Iām like, having a little party
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Iāll read up on the rules sometime soon and then we can get a game going.
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I prefer this way too. Some games my partner and I can hang out and watch a movie while playing, but this isnāt as satisfying and in fact feels harder to me than if we were just to focus on one thing. Itās been nice to schedule some stuff with friends where we will play a game on tts. It really isnāt so bad, just depends on the game, and the demeanor of the group.
18xx is particularly dry
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Iām impressed that youāve played 18XX games in real life. If I decided to buy one, itās hard to imagine actually getting to play it even with the board game enthusiasts I know.
I think board games are definitely better in person. And for me, itās almost the only social thing Iām comfortable doing so one reason I play them is to avoid being too reclusive.
That said, Iāve come to like play-by-mail Board Game Arena games. Itās fun to take a turn at night when going to bed, or on a break at work, or in a car, or on a ship. (I have done all of these things.)
Unrelated, but I taught a friend who doesnāt really play tabletop games Arkham Horror: The Card Game last night. I hope Iāve made a new convert.
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