6 ms·

Catan-Style Board Game with Indiana Jones Feel

47 points by randyhoyt 13y ago

bendog24 13y ago
I've played this game a bunch and can't wait to get my own copy. Randy has done so much amazing work to make this fun for gamers and non-gamers alike, and our kids! It's awesome to see somebody who works in the digital realm manifest a physical product. :)
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
sokrates 13y ago
The description sounds exactly like Tikal (1999), although Tikal seems to be more focused on strategy, rather than short-term tactical decisions. More info: http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/54/tikal http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/54/tikal
- randyhoyt 13y ago
  The theme is definitely similar to Tikal. Relic Expedition is a simpler and shorter game, emphasizing the exploration and the unpredictable nature of the board. Tikal is more about the worker placement. The objective requires different tactics, working to get four matching treasures instead of amassing as many treasure points as you can.
- craigching 13y ago
  Collecting relics and getting out of the jungle reminded me a little of Forbidden Island [1]. FI is a great game to play with younger kids. [1] http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/65244/forbidden-island http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/65244/forbidden-island
rrreese 13y ago
This looks really cool, but the look of the "pawns" feel really out of place.
- bendog24 13y ago
  One of the stretch goals of the Kickstart campaign is to upgrade to "Explorer Meeples": http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2046785826/relic-expedition-a-jungle-adventure-game/posts/444290 http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2046785826/relic-expedit...
ajanuary 13y ago
I wouldn't describe this as Catan style at all. Almost every mechanic is different. 'Euro-style' would be a better term.
- randyhoyt 13y ago
  That's fair and I agree. I wasn't sure how well all the game industry jargon is in the tech industry. Catan is probably the most popular Euro-style game. Many reviewers have said that players who love Catan will love Relic Expedition, so I thought it seemed like a good description.
  - walshemj 13y ago
    Your right I am sure some of us on HN know what is meant by a coffin box game or what a coop game is or describing a particular faction in a minatures game as "stabity" or "runny shooty". But the majority probably do not.
dr_ 13y ago
Hmmm....an action adventure game featuring Mitt Romney as the hero. Interesting.
joshguthrie 13y ago
Is this really relevant to HN? Telling us about "Wow, that KS project got 2M$ in ten minutes" is nice and often appreciated for the angle. Now making an account on HN just to advertise a board game that's missing 10K funding and has 9 days left? This is just cheap advertisement.
- javanix 13y ago
  Is it really any different than the YC job postings and constant posts from TechCrunch and the like? Why wouldn't you make a post on HN to try to get some extra eyeballs? It isn't like you can pay to have posts on the front page - you still need support from viewers to move it up top.
  - joshguthrie 13y ago
    The YC job postings are relevant HN. They may seem like bacon to people who're not looking for a job (or are not interested by the YC club, but they are still a part of HN/YC. TechCrunch is a different issue. Yes, cross-posting everything here through ghost accounts is a sucky move, yet their subjects are "relevant" (when it's about tech, silicon valley life),... And I wouldn't go as far as say "People don't post on HN for extra eyeballs", but there's a difference between a member advertising a tech product and someone who creates an account just for advertising a non-tech product. If not, what's next? Anybody here trying to sell his car?
    - javanix 13y ago
      Again, the fact that enough people cared enough about his project to get it to the front page is enough for me to say "This is relevant to HN". He's an entrepreneur, it is a project well within the demographic for this site's purview, and he didn't do anything except submit it for people to look at and approve/disapprove of. More power to you if you can get people to up-vote your ad for a 1992 Toyota Corolla without people flagging it into submission.
- replicatorblog 13y ago
  The creator is a hacker and teaches for treehouse. He's also gotten some fairly prominent techies to play test so there is some good will in the community. The interesting bit, IMO, is that it's now pretty feasible to have manufacturing/product design as a hobby rather than vocation.
9999 13y ago
This looks terrific! I'm a big fan of Carcassonne and the theme of this is very appealing to me. I hope you make it to the explorer meeple stage. Anyway, I pledged.

47 points by randyhoyt 13y ago

I've played this game a bunch and can't wait to get my own copy. Randy has done so much amazing work to make this fun for gamers and non-gamers alike, and our kids! It's awesome to see somebody who works in the digital realm manifest a physical product. :)

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

sokrates 13y ago

The description sounds exactly like Tikal (1999), although Tikal seems to be more focused on strategy, rather than short-term tactical decisions. More info: http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/54/tikal http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/54/tikal

randyhoyt 13y ago
The theme is definitely similar to Tikal. Relic Expedition is a simpler and shorter game, emphasizing the exploration and the unpredictable nature of the board. Tikal is more about the worker placement. The objective requires different tactics, working to get four matching treasures instead of amassing as many treasure points as you can.
craigching 13y ago
Collecting relics and getting out of the jungle reminded me a little of Forbidden Island [1]. FI is a great game to play with younger kids. [1] http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/65244/forbidden-island http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/65244/forbidden-island

rrreese 13y ago

This looks really cool, but the look of the "pawns" feel really out of place.

bendog24 13y ago
One of the stretch goals of the Kickstart campaign is to upgrade to "Explorer Meeples": http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2046785826/relic-expedition-a-jungle-adventure-game/posts/444290 http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2046785826/relic-expedit...

ajanuary 13y ago

I wouldn't describe this as Catan style at all. Almost every mechanic is different. 'Euro-style' would be a better term.

randyhoyt 13y ago
That's fair and I agree. I wasn't sure how well all the game industry jargon is in the tech industry. Catan is probably the most popular Euro-style game. Many reviewers have said that players who love Catan will love Relic Expedition, so I thought it seemed like a good description.
- walshemj 13y ago
  Your right I am sure some of us on HN know what is meant by a coffin box game or what a coop game is or describing a particular faction in a minatures game as "stabity" or "runny shooty". But the majority probably do not.

dr_ 13y ago

Hmmm....an action adventure game featuring Mitt Romney as the hero. Interesting.

joshguthrie 13y ago

Is this really relevant to HN? Telling us about "Wow, that KS project got 2M$ in ten minutes" is nice and often appreciated for the angle. Now making an account on HN just to advertise a board game that's missing 10K funding and has 9 days left? This is just cheap advertisement.

javanix 13y ago
Is it really any different than the YC job postings and constant posts from TechCrunch and the like? Why wouldn't you make a post on HN to try to get some extra eyeballs? It isn't like you can pay to have posts on the front page - you still need support from viewers to move it up top.
- joshguthrie 13y ago
  The YC job postings are relevant HN. They may seem like bacon to people who're not looking for a job (or are not interested by the YC club, but they are still a part of HN/YC. TechCrunch is a different issue. Yes, cross-posting everything here through ghost accounts is a sucky move, yet their subjects are "relevant" (when it's about tech, silicon valley life),... And I wouldn't go as far as say "People don't post on HN for extra eyeballs", but there's a difference between a member advertising a tech product and someone who creates an account just for advertising a non-tech product. If not, what's next? Anybody here trying to sell his car?
  - javanix 13y ago
    Again, the fact that enough people cared enough about his project to get it to the front page is enough for me to say "This is relevant to HN". He's an entrepreneur, it is a project well within the demographic for this site's purview, and he didn't do anything except submit it for people to look at and approve/disapprove of. More power to you if you can get people to up-vote your ad for a 1992 Toyota Corolla without people flagging it into submission.
replicatorblog 13y ago
The creator is a hacker and teaches for treehouse. He's also gotten some fairly prominent techies to play test so there is some good will in the community. The interesting bit, IMO, is that it's now pretty feasible to have manufacturing/product design as a hobby rather than vocation.

9999 13y ago

This looks terrific! I'm a big fan of Carcassonne and the theme of this is very appealing to me. I hope you make it to the explorer meeple stage. Anyway, I pledged.