I played two games of Canvas, and found changing the Rule cards to be very interesting: the first one was with the suggested starter set of 4, which are very easy to meet. On her first go my partner achieved all 4 of them for some paintings.
Then we switched it around and took 4 advanced Rules, and it became much more like Calico: you can’t do everything, so at some point you have to decide which you’re going to drop and go after the rest. It’s possible to have rule cards that make another rule very difficult to do at the same time, so you’re trading perfection for “it doesn’t matter as long as I get more points than my opponent”.
But there’s a big difference in feel between the easier rules (relaxed, high success) and the harder ones (tight trading, compromises, panicked checking of the opponent’s progress).
Crash Octopus is been shipped and am lost for words
“The estimated time of shipment is 2 months in a normal status of things, but please be patient with it as we are now in a global logistical slow-down due to the pandemic. Please note that there is no tracking number for this shipment as we have opted for the most economic shipping option available to keep the shipping charges minimal.”
I had to look up the game, just for the name of it. I remember reading about it after seeing some pictures. Looks like good fun, sounds like a boss from a Mega Man game.
Yeah, especially when it crosses borderlines. Often the package disappears from the system, and doesn’t update until after the game is delivered. Makes tracking quite redundant. No point worrying until the KS update stating all orders have been shipped.
I’m tempted by Transmissions. It looks really nice. However it’s light and the shared pieces might either make it interactive (good) or make the choices so banal and pointless (bad) that I might as well just play Guillotine.
Delivery attempt 2 delivered. 30 min of assembly, a few minor issues because of shoddy cardboard–in the center of the board no less–and I am ready to learn the game.
Maybe it is worth checking my own indie success quota. Does Button Shy still qualify as “Indie” at the time of their publishing of Sprawlopolis?
Karmaka - donated
Sprawlopolis: YAY! Awesome!
Villagers - given to friends hope they keep it (but it got a sequel and localization so maybe it’s just me)
Lovelace & Babbage: given to friends (I hate the amount of math)
Periodic Table of Elements - trying to find someone to take this
Obsession: YAY! I love this one. But I got in on the second expansion KS… so no surprise this one is good.
Moonrakers: after some conflict during our first game this has languished in a corner but still it is an awesome production, has a decent solo mode and is probably a good deck builder/negotiation game with more than just 2 players.
Way of the Samurai: my first play didn’t quite grab me, have to try again
Izayoi: lovely little game, cannot play with 2 people…
Micro City: it’s not a bad game and if Sprawlopolis didn’t exist I’d love this one more.
edit: forgot Mint Cooperative. It’s fine. If traveling still were a thing…
So 2 stand out, 4 are in the “no keeps” section and 4 need more plays.
My other Kickstarters were all on the “big names” side or haven’t delivered yet. I have a few weird ones on my list. But mostly I wait until a game is into “first expansion” …
Hmm, what have I backed that’s indie or indie-adjacent? (Being generous here.)
Space Race - it’s OK but I don’t love it. May well get sold/traded at some point.
Illimat - still one of my standard small-box games to take to conventions.
Who Goes There - traded away.
Human Era - I like it rather more than most people I might play with.
Darwinning - haven’t played since it arrived.
Small Star Empires - I like it but I haven’t actually played with my own set yet.
Project L - love it.
Human Punishment - actually found this at Essen, backed the Hell Gate expansion, haven’t played with the expansion yet. Desperately needs a better rulebook which I have so far failed to write.
Sensor Ghosts and Assembly - not played yet.
Dwarf - haven’t played since it arrived.
Gladius - only just arrived.
Riftforce - love it, but not yet played with my own copy.
I’m not sure what qualifies as “indie” (even though I’m the one that brought it up)
I’ve had a fairly good track record:
Bargain Quest Second Printing + The Black Market Expansion! – at the time, this was an indie title. By the time the Kickstarter rewards delivered, they had signed on to partner with a publisher/distributor (not sure you’re indie if you get a SUSD recommends badge)
Arcane Alley – I would later go on to pledge for the expansion during that campaign. A lovely card game based on Golf (the traditional card game) but with special card powers.
Whales Destroyed the World - bluffing card game – a hidden traitor game with very smooth mechanisms. I’m not big on hidden traitor games, but this one worked well
Chai – An Immersive Tea Board Game! – This may be my least favorite of the indie projects. The creators only seemed to care about their Facebook group, which soured me on them. The game is… fine.
The Champion of the Wild – I backed for the 2nd edition after buying the 1st edition and having it shipped from the UK. Again, SUSD recommends badge probably negates the “indie” status.
Mechanica – haven’t played this one yet, but it looks gorgeous and it seems like a “conveyor belt” game that may actually be fun to play
Wavelength – Perhaps my best indie game? Alex Hague and Wolfgang Warsch are both established names… maybe it doesn’t count
Matryoshka: A set-collection and trading game for 3-5p – Haven’t played it yet. Simple card game that could be introduced to anyone.
1861: Russia / 1867: Canada – reprint by indie publisher. So… not sure it counts
Ausonia – haven’t played it yet. But by making this list, I’ve noticed that I seem to be more willing to back an “indie” project if it has great art. Or… maybe indie projects are just more likely to have great art?
I’ve been thinking of doing a “how good did stuff you backed turn out?” thread for a while. I think everything I’ve backed has been pretty indie?
In Security - First game I ever backed! Cheap - just some cards and dice, no box! Not the best game ever, but worth a play every now and then.
Dragon Punch - Same designer as In Security. I went all in for the fancy deluxe version (a whole £15), so I actually have two copies. Very basic 2p fighting game. Still pretty good.
Skulldug! - Silly fun if you’re fine with a swingy game full of “take that”. It’s hard to get rid of a game where you can throw a bear trap at someone.
10 minutes to kill - Not the best social deduction game, but certainly unique and weird.
Grim - Pretty bad push-your-luck game with some unclear rules. Now gone.
Terrible Monster - Simple 2p card game. Haven’t played it as much as I’d like.
Overseers - Lovely art. So-so game - like an overcomplicated Sushi Go. Got rid of it.
Temp Worker Assassins - Decent deckbuilder/worker placement, but the theme has absolutely nothing to do with the mechanics. Now up for trade.
Braggart - Reasonable storytelling game, but just doesn’t have any longevity. Currently in the “for trade” pile.
Mint tin games - Mint Works is a good worker placement game and nicely portable. Mint Delivery is quite bland and is in the trading pile. Mint Cooperative has only recently arrived and I haven’t played it yet. I wasn’t interested in their most recent offering (Mint Bid, was it?).
Tao Long - Made by the same company as Overseers. Again, very beautiful but not a great game. In the trading pile.
Tortuga 1667 - A decent social deduction game, but it doesn’t work at lower player counts, despite what it says.
Monikers - Probably my favourite party game. Eventually picked up practically everything for it.
Long Live The Queen - Good 2p game with some fiddly rules that I keep forgetting.
The Lady and the Tiger - Gorgeous art. Good selection of games to be played with the components. Some are better than others.
Hardback - I like it, but I think I prefer Paperback? Keeping it for now.
Heroes Wanted - This was just the last expansion, as I bought the base game and other expansions at retail. I like the game, but wish it were better. Still need to build an organiser for it and see if I can tweak the rules.
Consentacle - Only played once, because you need the right partner, but I’m glad I have it.
The Metagame - Good, but not as good as Monikers.
The Champion of the Wild - A rival for Monikers’ crown. Definitely more portable! (Because I have the More Monikers box and packed a few other party games in there too.)
Songbirds - Lovely little game that’s similar to Arboretum.
Village Pillage - Great game. I was a bit disappointed when I realised how little you got in the expansions compared to the cost. But that’s the magic of international shipping
Mr. Cabbagehead’s Garden - One day I will understand the rules to this.
Welcome to Dino World - I’m not big on roll-and-writes, but I’m a big fan of drawing bad dinosaurs. I’ve yet to try the more complex ruleset.
Jabberwocky Sequel to The Lady and the Tiger. Disappointed in the pointlessly larger box. Haven’t played it yet.
Reigns: The Council - Yet to play this, as it just arrived today!
Kittin - Lovely portable dexterity game. Only had one play, but it’s fun.
Night Clan - initially a Japanese game reimplemented to Western markets. SOLD
Star Realms: Frontiers - Really liked SR before. Now I’m not into deckbuilders, especially with a rolling/random market. SOLD
Mint Delivery - Cute but eh. SOLD
Palm Island - innovative idea. Got old fast. SOLD
Spirits of the Forest - not Michael Schacht’s best, but it’s an old Euro that’s ideal for my taste. KEPT
Pocket Sub - bad. SOLD
Villagers - awful. SOLD
Multiple Monikers KS campaigns - best party game. KEPT but SOLD because I want the newer editions.
Bargain Quest - one of the first games that make me stop listening to SUSD SOLD
Hanamikoji promos - the promos are great. But I sold the game as it is very Knizian, but I end up preferring Battle Line/Schotten Totten instead. SOLD
Inhuman Conditions - never played as the box is huge and impractical. SOLD
Welcome to Dino World - this one I actually enjoy. But I decided that I want either party games that makes us laugh or heavy filler games. WtDW didn’t make the cut it on either criteria. SOLD
Q.E - one of the best party games I have. Deep and funny. KEPT
Ragusa - interactive Euro by the same deisgner of Calimala. Too fiddly and not as good as Calimala. SOLD
Shipwreck Arcana - co-op puzzle game. I don’t know why I backed this in the first place! SOLD
Dracula’s Feast New Blood - a party deduction (no. Not a social deduction) that I end up liking. KEPT
Wavelength - SOLD this first. I end up buying it again as it is the only way I can get the new Monikers edition. Will sell once i’m done showing this to non-gamer friends.
Root & Expansions - I have too many area control, and I end up preferring area controls like Kemet and Cthulhu Wars, as CW can be GASP taught to non-gamers. However, this is a very solid game. So you’re wrong, Quinns! You’re wrong! SOLD
Dice Hospital + expansions - Good game, but I need space and didnt made the cut. SOLD
Pax Pamir 2 - played both IRL and TTS. KEPT
GPS/Sequoia/Mountain Goats - SOLD, KEPT, KEPT respectively. GPS is boring. Also, Sequoia’s tiebreaker is boring, so I imported Renature’s tiebreaker rules. The Fuzzies - good fun KEPT
Pending
Forks - I believe the designer reads this forum. I’M SORRY!
March of the Ants - I just haven’t focused on this one yet, but I intend to try it.
Shores of Tripoli - I was one of the playtesters so I’m obvs biased. But I enjoyed this one before it was released. I might keep this.
Pax Renaissance
Tacticum - defo an indie game. Need to find time.
Rurik Dawn of Kiev - I’ll wait for the expansion and decide if I’m keeping this. I have played it and liked it.
Final tally:
Sold: 16
Kept: 9
Pending: 6
roughly more than a third I have kept. You’d say: “Stop backing games on Kickstarter!”. But I’d disagree. Most of the games I’ve recently backed are bang on my tastes as I have gauge roughly on what I’d like and don’t like, and I don’t back as many as before.
SOLD