Hi
This weekend I went to a game convent and got a lot of games tested. Some of them where mine and some was from other persons (I had 17 games with me and 8 of them where mine).
A friend was going to help me, but he become sick so I was not able to test all the games (I had to drop some games). I was still able to run tests for more then 27 hours in a 3 day event. (I also played a lot of other games) with between 40-50 gamers.
The tested prototype games where: Pirates trust (2 times), Sands of time, Darebase (around 10 times), Devils deeds (10+), Last rat standing, The siege, Dragon attack, Chicago, Art attack, Knights glory, Feeeeed Meeeee and finaly Build and Plunder.
For you that had a game included in the test, the result will be presented the way we agreed on and I will do that during this week.
If you know that we agreed on a test and it is not on the list, It will be tested July 2 (I had to drop some games)
// Johan
Lets start with Sands of Time.
We played this game one time with 4 players. No player had play this game before. We used the new map but not the quick set-up. I explained the rules and then was I only observing and helped with rule questions.
After the game, we had nearly no time to talk about the game (they where on there way to the next event), so this is more my opinion from observing. I had also another group going so I did not see everything.
The overall impression where "OK but...".
Strong parts:
- There where no rules that failed (when we had a situation and looked it up, the rules where there).
- The action selection mechanism is the strongest part in the whole game (you can only the same action once in a turn and that action will exclude another action). I think that the mechanism is what does this game unique among civ. games and make the game interesting.
- You have always a choice on the actions (this is no game that play itself).
Week parts:
- Still the downtime between actions for the players. The symbols on the game board helped but the downtime where to long.
- All those options sometime gave a nearly a analyse parlays situation (many options are both week and strong).
Other configurations:
- I printed the game board on 4 A4 pages (2x2) but this game board needed since you have at lest 3x3. I used to large markers and the game board did get overcrowded.
Hope this help.
// Johan