The feel is what I want when I play a board game. Almost every time I’ve gone to play a digital version, it’s feels almost hollow.
I own a hard copy of Gloomhaven and it was frustrating to not be able to find enough friends and time to play regularly enough to really get out of it what I wanted. Also I found the solo experience frustrating because it’s so much work to set up for just me. I thought the TTS version would be a good way for me to experience the game without the other frustrations. Finished the first scenario and then uninstalled. It just doesn’t capture the magic when it’s played in that format.
Side note - Saw the picture for Arydia and thought it looked interesting, so I looked into it. I haven’t been looking at new board game stuff much over the last year because trying to save money. But holy crap that game looks awesome. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna back it so thanks for including the picture 😁
I absolutely love quality components in a game. Metal coins are on of my favorites, but a new favorite is the berries from Everdell and the arrowheads from Lost Ruins of Arnak. Those components completely change the specialness of the experience.
I wonder if Catan wouldn't have been as big of a hit if it didn't have those relatively unique (for the time) wooden components. I remember even just placing roads and upgrading settlements feeling great and meaningful.
They're so good, right? There's definitely a needle to thread around special components enhancing a game's fun, and "bloat" components that just feel more like Kickstarter bait.
Love this whole Paperwave concept, so bravo!! Just watching Ep 646 of Game Scoop and had to reply the part with the URL to get it :)
Agree 100% with you on the Love/Hate of Digital adaptations. For me its been great for some games like co-ops (where unless you have a good group, they can be a bit Alpha gamer time). Also, games that are a bit complex so you can figure them out OR that you cannot find someone to play them with (Twilight Struggle or similar).
Tabletop Simulator has been amazing for me over the years as it allows for me to play with my OG game group back in Michigan since I moved to Bay Area! Love the games with scripting in them to help automate/keep track of things...always funny to play the physical versions of those games after a time...you forget how to do anything...lol!
I just love physical games overall but think digital definitely has its place for sure. I own close to 800 games so love the tactile feel and things like sleeving cards...very therapeutic!! Prob have sleeved over 10k+ over the years and enjoyed every minute! With the addition of Etsy and BGGs Geek Bits, "blinging" out your games is a BLAST and so enjoyable! Playing something like Twilight Struggle with Azul type of ceramic-esque pieces is AMAZING! Dont even get me started on things like Folded Space/Broken Token!
Keep up the great work here and I will keep reading!
Hey Justin, another great read and totally agree with your points. Nothing quite replaces that tactile enjoyment of a well built game. I also am glad digital games exist as that's how I discovered Small World and Agricola and Puerto Rico. It is good way to inexpensively try games before buying. All of which I now own and have never gone back to the digital editions
While I haven’t played the digital version of Gloomhaven and can’t attest to its quality, it definitely doesn’t appeal to me as much as the physical game, for many of the same reasons you described here. HOWEVER, I am totally guilty of buying the Gloomhaven Helper App and having it open on an iPad next to the scenario. I played a couple scenarios without it at first, but the app helped so much with things like tracking enemy health, shuffling the enemy modifier deck, and tracking the turn order. It feels like cheating, but it made the game more enjoyable for me at least.
Wow! First - I can't believe Arydia made it into Paperwave - I almost cried, haha! Second - I completely agree with you on almost every line - the physicality and lean-ness of board game design is so great!
Third - I think the one thing I love you didn't mention, is how the board game 'programing' runs on you, the player. Everything transpires because of the processes inside of you, and that is such a different feeling to a video game - you get to mentally 'hold' every aspect of the design. Your example of digital games handling the 'upkeep' is exactly this - in a video game, so many systems are hidden and possibly unknown to the player - in a boardgame, everything is exposed, and is required to run through your mental process - which brings you that much closer to the game, in my opinion. :)
You bring up a good point on hidden information, under-the-hood math. Just as physical games force game design discipline, it's a good shout that they also encourage discipline in exposing critical information, keeping all math readable. Introducing just the right amount of "fuzz" as SUSD likes to say.
The feel is what I want when I play a board game. Almost every time I’ve gone to play a digital version, it’s feels almost hollow.
I own a hard copy of Gloomhaven and it was frustrating to not be able to find enough friends and time to play regularly enough to really get out of it what I wanted. Also I found the solo experience frustrating because it’s so much work to set up for just me. I thought the TTS version would be a good way for me to experience the game without the other frustrations. Finished the first scenario and then uninstalled. It just doesn’t capture the magic when it’s played in that format.
Side note - Saw the picture for Arydia and thought it looked interesting, so I looked into it. I haven’t been looking at new board game stuff much over the last year because trying to save money. But holy crap that game looks awesome. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna back it so thanks for including the picture 😁
I absolutely love quality components in a game. Metal coins are on of my favorites, but a new favorite is the berries from Everdell and the arrowheads from Lost Ruins of Arnak. Those components completely change the specialness of the experience.
I wonder if Catan wouldn't have been as big of a hit if it didn't have those relatively unique (for the time) wooden components. I remember even just placing roads and upgrading settlements feeling great and meaningful.
They're so good, right? There's definitely a needle to thread around special components enhancing a game's fun, and "bloat" components that just feel more like Kickstarter bait.
So true!
Love this whole Paperwave concept, so bravo!! Just watching Ep 646 of Game Scoop and had to reply the part with the URL to get it :)
Agree 100% with you on the Love/Hate of Digital adaptations. For me its been great for some games like co-ops (where unless you have a good group, they can be a bit Alpha gamer time). Also, games that are a bit complex so you can figure them out OR that you cannot find someone to play them with (Twilight Struggle or similar).
Tabletop Simulator has been amazing for me over the years as it allows for me to play with my OG game group back in Michigan since I moved to Bay Area! Love the games with scripting in them to help automate/keep track of things...always funny to play the physical versions of those games after a time...you forget how to do anything...lol!
I just love physical games overall but think digital definitely has its place for sure. I own close to 800 games so love the tactile feel and things like sleeving cards...very therapeutic!! Prob have sleeved over 10k+ over the years and enjoyed every minute! With the addition of Etsy and BGGs Geek Bits, "blinging" out your games is a BLAST and so enjoyable! Playing something like Twilight Struggle with Azul type of ceramic-esque pieces is AMAZING! Dont even get me started on things like Folded Space/Broken Token!
Keep up the great work here and I will keep reading!
Thanks!
OneBoardGamer
Thanks for reading!
Hey Justin, another great read and totally agree with your points. Nothing quite replaces that tactile enjoyment of a well built game. I also am glad digital games exist as that's how I discovered Small World and Agricola and Puerto Rico. It is good way to inexpensively try games before buying. All of which I now own and have never gone back to the digital editions
While I haven’t played the digital version of Gloomhaven and can’t attest to its quality, it definitely doesn’t appeal to me as much as the physical game, for many of the same reasons you described here. HOWEVER, I am totally guilty of buying the Gloomhaven Helper App and having it open on an iPad next to the scenario. I played a couple scenarios without it at first, but the app helped so much with things like tracking enemy health, shuffling the enemy modifier deck, and tracking the turn order. It feels like cheating, but it made the game more enjoyable for me at least.
I think I would play Gloomhaven a lot more if I had a permanent place to leave it set up. The game is just A LOT.
Wow! First - I can't believe Arydia made it into Paperwave - I almost cried, haha! Second - I completely agree with you on almost every line - the physicality and lean-ness of board game design is so great!
Third - I think the one thing I love you didn't mention, is how the board game 'programing' runs on you, the player. Everything transpires because of the processes inside of you, and that is such a different feeling to a video game - you get to mentally 'hold' every aspect of the design. Your example of digital games handling the 'upkeep' is exactly this - in a video game, so many systems are hidden and possibly unknown to the player - in a boardgame, everything is exposed, and is required to run through your mental process - which brings you that much closer to the game, in my opinion. :)
I'm an eager backer :)
You bring up a good point on hidden information, under-the-hood math. Just as physical games force game design discipline, it's a good shout that they also encourage discipline in exposing critical information, keeping all math readable. Introducing just the right amount of "fuzz" as SUSD likes to say.