Game: Triagonal

Thread: Re: Triagonal

nello — 2008-04-25T23:43:46+00:00

very nice review

Thread: Triagonal

jammylane — 2008-04-21T21:57:57+00:00

What a fantastic little game, it’s colourful, fun, tricky and crafty all the way, and with so much choice of games in one box our family and friends will never become tired of it.
All the moulded game parts are nicely finished, all being textured to create a matt finish cleverly stopping any reflected light.
The two die are used in different game options in different ways which we felt was very creative.
There’s one printed with 1 x Zero, 3 x Ones, 1 x Two and 1 x Three.
The other die is printed with Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Black and White.

In game options which use the number die, when a player rolls a Zero they miss their turn but if they roll any other value they place formers into the slots of the board while attempting to win sectors of the board. So the higher the value the more chance you have at winning more board sectors.
In game options which use the colour die, this has different effects in certain games but generally it determines which player will place black formers into the board or, it can determine which colour tile must be placed into any newly formed sectors.
If a player rolls black they always miss their turn (with just one exception in option 12).
If white is rolled the order of play is reversed from left to right or vice versa.

Triagonal can be won in 3 different ways; by winning the most sectors; by forming a large triangle of 9 tiles or by forming a pre-set line of tiles like ‘Connect 4’.
After we’d played all twelve options on the list we just couldn’t decide which option was our favourite because all of them are very good in their own unique way, there appears to be something to suit everyone’s taste. We just loved the laughs, the strategy, the chance and the tension in all options.
The box lists seven playing options, but we took advantage of downloading the extra free ones from Acumen Board Games web site and were very impressed with the list of twelve games that we received.
The downloaded rules are a little more expanded than on the box and so are really worth downloading especially as they’re free; someone must have spent a very long time designing all the different options included in this game.

After opening the box we started at the top of the list playing option 1.
This is a strategic option where die are not used so it’s all up to each player what happens in the game.
During this game we were all playing in fear of helping each other so we avoided placing our one former next to any others already in the board. Early in the game things started quietly but suddenly we became aware that it was now difficult to avoid forming sectors as the board closed in on us causing some real tension. It’s only then that you realise this game requires a great deal more planning before placing any formers… Very scary…!
We gave this option a rating of 7/10.

We then moved onto option 2 which uses just the number die.
One excellent point to mention here is, after playing option 1 the board was cleared and ready to play again in seconds. It was so nice to get instantly back into a game without all the usual setting up found in many other games.
In this game each player rolls the die on their turn to obtain a value which is translated into the amount of formers a player is allowed to place in the board.
Sometimes because other players might roll a zero, you wish you had taken the chance of placing a former next to another so that you might complete and win one or more sectors on your next roll, but it is scary. The first time I rolled a 3 it won me two sectors but it is possible to win even more, it depends on what has previously been placed on the board as to what you choose to do.
We felt option 2 would be a good starter game for children to acquaint themselves with the basics of how the games work because it’s so simple to understand… Just play what you roll.
We gave this option a rating of 8/10.

Onto option 3 which uses just the colour die.
This is a great game for when children want to play just one more game before going off to bed.
Before playing the game players have to agree an amount of formers each will place into the board.
Each player then rolls the die on their turn to reveal a colour.
If it reveals the colour tiles you are playing then you would place the pre-set amount of formers and maybe win a sector instantly. If everyone agrees to place 5 formers per turn the board can fill up quickly and so the game can be very fast, which keeps Mum happy.
If the die reveals an opponents colour they steal the points and get to place the formers.
We gave this option a rating of 8/10.

Moving onto option 4 which uses both the die.
After playing this option we fully understood why it’s called confusion… It’s just brilliant!
Each player on their turn rolls both the die to reveal a value and a colour.
Any points revealed on the number die are played by the player of the colour tiles which match the rolled colour.
It’s a real laugh when other players roll high points and your tile colour because you get some good chances to form hexagons and earn 5 bonus points for each one.
If you roll a colour that isn’t being played you play the points; roll black miss your turn; roll white and place any formers and then the playing order is reversed left to right or vice versa.
This is a really savage game with lots of laughs, especially if players keep rolling your colour.
There were times when my colour was rolled but the accompanying value was zero which gave other players something to laugh at as I sighed deeply.
We gave this option a rating of 9/10.

Option 5 can be a fun guessing game for all, but can also be used for some serious gambling among adults. I did think of taking Triagonal down to my local and playing to see who buys the next round..!
In this option each player has to predict which colour they think will win the most sectors and if they’re correct they win the game and if gambling - the kitty too.
In this option the colour die takes on a different roll (pardon the pun)…
Each player on their turn rolls both die and places the amount of formers shown on the value die in the usual way. The difference is… When a player forms any new sectors they place tiles of the colour shown on the colour die into them. If playing the real hard cash choice the player must place a coin into a kitty for each and every tile they place.
It’s a great laugh when other players roll the colour that you bet on and are forced to form new sectors because they’re helping you to win and paying for the privilege.
It’s not mentioned in any rules but as we like a bit of a flutter we chose to make the game even more interesting by including option 10 tile values. Now when a player places a blue tile they place 5p into the kitty, for yellow they place a 10p into the kitty, 15p for green and 20p for red, I’m sure you get the picture. This option is a truly brilliant concept in its own right and if this was the only game option Triagonal would still be brilliant…!
Rating for this option is 10/10

Option 6 is another quick game where players first agree how many tiles each must play and clear.
We played the suggested 8 tiles each and at the moment haven’t handicapped anyone with more tiles.
This could change in the future though. It can be played as option 1, 2, 3 or 4. The objective being once a player places their last tile on the board they win.
Rating is a 6/10 from us.

Option 7 can be played over a time period or, an amount of games.
Not really a different option as such, but is a way of accumulating points over a set time period whilst playing your selection of favourite options of maybe 10 games.
When time is up the player who has accumulated the most overall points must be called ‘The Champ’ for a whole week. We rate this one 5/10

Option 8 can be played as option 2, 3 or 4.
This is a really challenging strategic game where you need to watch and block opponents while everyone attempts to form a pre-set line of tiles. Players can pre-decide to form a line of 4, 5, 6, or 7 tiles. It’s like playing ‘Connect 4’ but it isn’t too. It’s different because you have to first win the sectors before you get to place your tiles. A fantastic game in its own right (again)…!
Rating for this one is 8/10

Option 9 is a team game for 4 players using option 2 or 4 rules.
Play option 2 rules you play what you roll but if playing option 4 rules remember your opponents might steal your points. The white die face can cause some tension in this game, play it and see why.
Rating is 7/10

Option 10 is a fantastic maths game and is great for getting the kids do some addition and multiplication.
Tiles are given different values and placing reds can win you big points.
Score 2 points for each blue tile placed, 3 for each yellow, 4 for each green and 5 for each red.
Only one thing to say about this option…. Absolutely fantastic…!
Rating 10/10

Option 11 is a completely different game which is played quite amazingly without the board…!
Players collect the same quantity of tiles of one colour.
This could be all 30 or just 10 for a short game.
Rolling both the die players pass to variable amounts of opponents variable amounts of tiles and also put tiles into an ‘out of play’ kitty until only one player has any tiles left and so wins the game.
This is brilliant and rates a 9/10.

Option 12 plays just like option 4 but in this game when a player rolls ‘Black and 3’ on die, instead of missing their turn, they are instead allowed to exchange any one tile on the board for one of their own.
If I’d had an extra roll of the die I might have won a game by forming a line of 5 tiles.
This option can change a players fortune in one roll of the die.
It deserves another 9/10 rating.

We’ve all been so busy playing the amazing game options we just haven’t found time to try out the colour pattern creations which we also downloaded free but we’re sure it’ll be good.
All game options played equally well with 2, 3, or 4 players.
Overall the game is colourful, interesting, has strategy and chance games and even a gambling option if you like, and we think it’s a fantastic game that anyone can enjoy anywhere.
It’s a great family game that has to be played to fully appreciate all of its many hidden qualities.
We commend all the effort which has been put in to creating such a fine little game.
It says on the box we can take it on holiday with us and we certainly will, if fact, I may even buy another copy just to keep in the caravan.
We look forward to seeing more new games from this publisher soon.

Thread: Re: [Review] Triagonal

Acumen Board Games — 2008-02-26T15:25:55+00:00

Thanks for your review Tom and for noticing Triagonal’s similarity to the old paper based game we all played in school many moons ago, only now, it’s triangular in shape making it more scary, and includes two custom dice which allow for the creation of several additional and different game options.

Generally the objective is to be the player who wins the most sectors of the game board, and during the game, for players to always look out for the opportunity to form as many hexagons as they can for additional bonus points, whilst also watching out for others doing likewise and to prevent them from doing so wherever possible, or to attempt to win the game ‘Instantly’ by forming either a ‘Pre-Set line length’ or a ‘Large Nine Piece Triangle’.

Both dice are included to bring “CHANCE” into the game, giving the dice thrower an ‘Unexpected’ result each time they are thrown… This is why dice exist and are used in dice related games.

The ‘Numeric die’ informs a player ‘how many sector formers to play’ (0 to 3) but it is the player who decides where to place them hopefully winning them more than one or two sectors of the board.

The ‘Colour die’ informs each player 3 pieces of information… Firstly, who will play any formers gained on the value die, Secondly, whether a player will miss a turn and thirdly, whether the game-play order is to be reversed.

So when Triagonal is played using either or both of the dice, Triagonal is a ‘Chance Game’ which requires skill from each player to… Win the most sectors on the board, form as many ‘Bonus Hexagons’ as possible, obtain an ‘Instant Win’ by forming a line of 4, 5, 6 or 7, or a another ‘Instant Win’ by forming a ‘Large Triangle’ containing nine pieces.

Millions of kids have played a similar paper based game to Triagonal, however Triagonal is far different including many different game playing options, using either ‘none, one or both of the custom dice’. One thing Triagonal doesn’t do is create mountains of waste paper.

All game options are included to give everyone the opportunity to play a game which suits their mood. A particular option may not suit you personally, but it could suit lots of other people so, why not include them for the people to make their own choice…!

Some game players like to play ‘Very Serious Games’ like ‘Risk’ etc. and cannot abide having to ‘miss a turn’ at a crucial point in a game…
Others like to play ‘Just for Fun, or a Laugh’, and if a player has to miss a turn, which may or may not give other players an advantage, then what’s wrong with including a ‘Zero’ on a dice that causes exactly that to happen?
Triagonal is a ‘Game of Fun’… It’s not meant to save the world, although it may help with the waste paper and dead pen mountains.

Maybe the game rules could have been included inside the game box rather than on the box base, however, if the rules on the box are followed in the order printed, the rest of the game options are easily understood with only the few lines of text.
As of today, a full printed list of all 12 game options will accompany all new orders and the downloadable file will remain online for anyone to download at will.

Now let’s take a DEEPER look into the game options and the ‘sometimes missed’ subtleties within them.

Option 1: In this game we use no dice at all.
As the game progresses and the board closes down on you, you must be careful to select the best placement of you sector formers, otherwise another player may take control.
Remember: You gain five bonus points for ‘Each and Every Hexagon’ you form in your colour.
Also within this, and some other options, players can choose to win more bonus points by forming a pre-set line length too…
i.e. a line of four tiles = 4 bonus points and so on… (This is optional).

Option 2: In this game we use the ‘Numeric Die Only’ which displays values ‘0’ to ‘3’.
Usually in a ‘Game of Fun’ it is often very pleasurable for other players when someone has to miss a turn; well, by using a die which contains a ‘Zero’ this is possible, and is included for just that kind of fun.
The ‘Zero’ value can change a game quite dramatically in so much as, if you had taken risks and ‘almost’ completed a ‘Bonus Hexagon’ and opposing players throw a Zero each, they would not be able to prevent you forming that hexagon.
If the die displays a positive value, a player may win 0, 1, 2, 3 or even 4 sectors of the board on their turn.
If you don’t like a Zero on your die, then simply play one of the other options which don’t use the numeric die, or re-value the die to suit.
Remember: You gain five bonus points for ‘Each and Every Hexagon’ you form in your colour.
Also, players can choose to win more bonus points by forming a pre-set line length too… i.e. a line of five tiles = 5 bonus points and so on… (This is optional).

Option 3: In this game we use ‘The Colour Die Only’.
The colour die displays a colour for each player, plus a black face and a white face.
This game is designed to be a very quick game for kids wanting to have ‘just one more game before going to bed’.
Players decide how many ‘Sector Formers’ to play on their turn, five for example.
If ’Red’ is the result on the die, then player ‘Red’ places their 5 formers and scores any winning sectors, at least one or more each time. So obviously the board fills much faster and the game is finished quickly.
Sector former placement skills are required as in all games.
Remember: You gain five bonus points for ‘Each and Every Hexagon’ you form in your colour.
Also, players can choose to win more bonus points by forming a pre-set line length too… i.e. a line of Six tiles = 6 bonus points and so on… (This is optional).

Option 4: In this game we use ‘Both dice’. This game is a mixture of games 2 and 3, and so…
Any points on the ‘Numeric Die’ are played by the person playing the ‘Colour Shown’ on the colour die’.
It’s a game where players can effectively ‘Steal’ points and play them for their self.
Remember: You gain five bonus points for ‘Each and Every Hexagon’ you form in your colour.
Also, players can choose to win more bonus points by forming a pre-set line length too… i.e. a line of seven tiles = 7 bonus points and so on… (This is optional).

Option 5: Option 5 can be played in ‘Three’ different ways as follows…
5a.
Play it solo (but don’t cheat, because you’ll only be cheating yourself)…
Before starting try to predict what colour you think will win the most sectors of the board.
Throw both dice and place the quantity of sector formers indicated on the numeric die, then place tiles of the ‘Colour Shown’ on the ‘colour die’ into any newly formed sectors.
Can you predict the future?
In option 5a, a solo player throwing ‘White’ or ‘Black’ simply re-throws the dice.

Option 5:
5b.
Play this option as ‘5a’ but with upto 3 opponents.
Players would normally declare to each other which colour they predict will win the game, however if players wish to write down their prediction and keep it secret until the end, that’s fine too.

If two or more players declare the same colour to win and actually win the game, then the game will be a draw.

If a player throws ‘0’ or ‘the colour black’ they miss their turn and pass the dice to the next player.

Any time ‘white’ is thrown on the colour die two things happen…
Firstly: The player would place any formers as usual, and then insert ‘their own chosen colour tile’ into any newly formed sectors.
Secondly: The white face indicates ‘a reversal of game-play order’, so after placing any formers and tiles, both dice are now passed to the previous player and play continues in reverse until white is thrown again.

Option 5:
5c.
Play this option as ‘5b’ above.
The ‘BIG’ difference with this option is… It will cost you something each time you place ‘any coloured tile’… That’s one coin for each tile placed - Like it or not…!

This can be a ‘simple fun game’ or a ‘serious gambling game’ so, you choose whether to play it just for ‘Buttons’ or for ‘Real Hard Cash’. If playing for real cash, players must set the ante before each game begins.

Players would normally declare to each other which colour they have bet on to win, however, if players wish to write down their choice and keep it secret until the end, that’s fine too, it really doesn’t matter, because the dice and or skill will ultimately determine the fate of each player.

If several players choose ‘the same colour to win’, that’s okay because ‘IF’ their colour wins they simply share the kitty equally between them.
If ‘no one wins’ the kitty is ‘left as is’ and built on during the next game.

After throwing both dice a result might be for example…‘Red and III’…
If the thrower had bet on ‘Red’ to win, they would immediately form as many sectors as possible using the 3 formers and then place ‘Red’ tiles into them, giving them an advantage, being one step closer towards winning back the coin(s) they must now input to the kitty.
If however, the thrower had bet on ‘Yellow’ to win, they would try their very best to avoid forming any new sectors and having to pay coins into the kitty - to ‘Yellows’ advantage.

If a player throws ‘0’ or ‘the colour black’ they miss their turn, but don’t despair if this happens to you, because it is still possible to win this game without you placing a piece on the board and here’s how…
Your opponents might have thrown lots of ‘Your Bet-On Colour’ and had to place ‘Your Colour Tiles’ onto the board and pay into the kitty for the privilege of doing so...!
You on the other hand… Could have always thrown a ‘Zero and/or Black’ - resulting in you never placing a thing on the board…
Also the effects of the ‘white’ die face, may have allowed you to just sit back and watch it all happen before your eyes without lifting a finger…! Now that is wicked..!

Any time ‘white’ is thrown on the colour die two things happen…
Firstly: The player would place any won formers as usual, and then insert their own ‘chosen’ colour tile into any newly formed sectors.
Secondly: The white die face indicates ‘a reversal of game-play order’, so after placing any formers, tiles, and coins, both dice are now passed to the previous player and play continues in reverse until white is thrown again.
Just for a bit more fun, try throwing the dice one after the other, in any order, and watch their faces!

Option 6: Anyone considered to be a ‘Lucky Player’ can in this option be handicapped by loading them with more tiles to play with than the less lucky players.
Before starting the game, players decide ‘how many’ tiles each must play – 8 for example.
You can if you wish handicap lucky players with extra tiles - 10 for example.
Play this game as detailed in option 1, 2, 3 or 4.
Once a player places their last tile on the board they win.
But of course you could continue to discover who wins 2nd, 3rd and 4th places.
If players choose to play 13 or more tiles each, and the board fills up before anyone places all of their tiles, the player with the most on the board wins.

Option 7: If players wanted for example, to play an assortment of different game options over a period of time to finish at say 7pm. and to see who is the ‘Overall Winner of Points’ then this is the option to play. If you just want to play a single game, then just play a game but you won’t achieve an overall score.

Option 8: Wow..! Tom really liked this one, “It makes sense and is an innovation” just like the first game apparently… And I’ve got to agree, it is one my favourite options too …!
It is a variant of ‘Connect 4’ which can be played on the Triagonal board, only now, you have to first ‘form and win’ the sectors in order to create a winning line of 4, 5, 6 or 7 sectors of your colour tiles, without others destroying your chances…
Whoopee! So if nothing else then…
“Game Option 8 makes Triagonal an Innovation”… Brilliant…!
So all the other included game options are all free, and if you like any of them too, then you’ve got yourself a real bargain.
Please note that…
Triagonal was designed to ‘Include Something for Everyone’, and it is now proven ‘It does that’.

If anyone wishes to know why ‘Options 8 to 12’ were not included with the production game…
The reason is… They didn’t exist at that time, and once created were posted as ‘ADDITIONAL OPTIONS’ to the game on the web.

Options 9 – 12: What’s wrong with a game being fun?
Should a game be thrown aside or be ridiculed if it’s not deadly serious?
I’ve always believed a game should be ‘Fun to Play’ and several of our customers believe Triagonal is just that, and came back to purchase five, yes that was five, more games for their friends and family because they know it’s an absolutely brilliant game, because, it offers so many fun options to play for an absolute bargain price of less than a Tenner.

Option 9: is a team game where two players can compete against two other players.

Option 10: is a Mathematical game to assist kids with their maths, some people may think this isn’t necessary these days but, as a parent myself I think ‘Option 10’ is absolutely fantastic as it requires maths to be calculated using addition and multiplication throughout the game.

Option 11: is a game that’s played without the board altogether. A game where tiles are passed among players and the kitty until only one player remains with any tiles.

Option 12: This is the ‘Exchange Option’ and can be included into any of the standard games you might choose to play.
By including the exchange option, players can, if they get a “Lucky Chuck” on the dice, exchange any one piece on the board with one of their own, which just by chance, might allow the player to form that missed hexagon and gain themselves 5 bonus points; they might also form a winning line of 4, 5, 6, or 7 they missed earlier, or they may even form the instant win triangle of 9 pieces.

We’re certain that, just as Tom did, players will find at least one game option to suit their taste.

All additional game options are included for your entertainment and are in addition to you receiving the normal one game option in a box.

And if you want to make further use of the game, you can spend hours doodling with the 200+ pieces to create some colourful designs… It really is enjoyable!

David Barnes
http://www.acumenboardgames.co.uk

Thread: [Review] Triagonal

TomVasel — 2008-02-22T23:47:59+00:00

I wanted to pick up a game of Triagonal (Acumen Board Games, 2006 - Dave Barnes), simply because it looked so colorful and entertaining. And, a quick overview reminded me of a time-wasting pen-and-pencil game that we played as a kid when the teacher got boring in class. Most people use squares to play this game - drawing a line between two dots one at a time, with the person completing a square putting their initials in the square. I enjoyed playing with triangles, and this game looked exceptionally similar.

Guess what? It IS the same game, in a board game version, with some additional rules. The game comes with seven different options of play, and more are available online. However, some of the options are absolutely silly nonsense, and only a few make for a decent game. The rules are frankly too short in the game, although the components are decent, and I keep thinking that Triagonal has a lot of potential, but that much of it is unrealized. A few variants can make games interesting - as it stands now, most games either follow the same pattern time and time again, or are completely ruled by luck.

The game board is a large triangle, made up of forty-nine smaller triangles. Each player takes a pile of small triangles of their color, and a pile of black sticks are placed to the side. Players will be playing these sticks on the sides of triangles. When they form a complete triangle, the player places a triangle of their color in the spot. The components are quite nice - everything is plastic, and the black pieces fit snugly into recesses in the board, with the color triangles easily inserted between them. The four colors (red, yellow, blue, and green) look quite good, and a completed game has a very pretty and geometric look to it.

The rules, I am sorry to say, are quite poor - being simply printed on the back of the box. Each game has around three lines of explanation, and this won't answer every question asked - or have any examples or diagrams. There is a longer, better rules explanation on the internet, but one shouldn't have to hunt there to fully understand the game. Games ARE easy to teach, taking only moments to get up and running.

Let's take a look at each of the seven games:
1.) Pure Strategy: In this game, players place one black piece per turn. If they form a small triangle on their turn, then they may place an additional piece. This can lead to a chain reaction, and a player continues to go until they do NOT form a triangle. At the end of the game, players who have the most triangles on the board win, with five bonus points going to anyone who creates a hexagon shape. Players also win automatically if they form a larger triangle (nine small ones) in their color. I don't mind this options, although it leads to situations where one player invariably ends up placing 16 or so triangles at the end of the game. Clever placement ahead of time can mitigate this, but it all comes down to one other player making a mistake. In a multiplayer game, this can be extremely annoying, especially if the poorest player does NOT play before you. I've seen teenagers enjoy this game, but they played for entirely too long, analyzing moves, and never were they completely satisfied with the outcome of the game. It's strategic, but I'm not sure if it's too scripted. If there were more shapes that players could get bonus points from, I might be more interested. Rating: 5 out of 10
2.) More Chance: In this game, players roll a die, and place as many black pieces as shown on it (0-3). This is so ridiculous I can't imagine anyone enjoying it . Rolling a zero on your turn has to rank as one of the most annoying things ever in a game. Other than the die, everything is the same as above. Rating: 2 out of 10
3.) A Quicker Game: Here, players roll a color die. That person gets to put out five (or whatever number players determine at the beginning of the game) black pieces. White and black are ignored. This is even WORSE than the game above - more chance, and so annoying I shall no longer speak about it. Rating: 1 out of 10
4.) Confusion: Here player's roll both dice on their turn. The player whose color is rolled gets to place the amount of pieces shown on the number dice. If a color is rolled that is not in the game, then the player whose turn it is gets to place the tiles. This is just as random as the above game, but I rate it higher because there is slightly more of a chance that the player whose turn it is gets to place the tiles. Rating: 2 out of 10
5.) Place Your Bets: In this game, players are NOT a color, instead they simply guess what color will win the game. They then roll both dice as in game # 4, and do the same thing. This is easily my favorite game in the lot, as it offers the most strategy. (especially if the guesses are secret - something the rules don't mention). Players can attempt to mess certain colors up and help their own colors. The biggest problem this variant will experience is when two players pick the same color. Still, it's slightly interesting, and certainly better than the other included games. It can be played solo, but I don't recommend it. Rating: 6 out of 10
6.) First One Out: This is exactly the same as the first game, except the first player to get rid of a certain number of tiles wins (like 10). What's the point of this? How is this any different than the first game - except to end it quicker? Rating: 4 out of 10
7.) Marathon: Play a pile of games, choosing from the above six options. The first player to win a certain amount (5-20), wins the marathon. Right. Rating: This ain't happening.

A few other games are included in the internet rules
8.) Line 'Em Up: YES! This is innovation, something that makes sense. It plays just as the first game, but the first player to form a line of a certain number (I recommend five) wins the game. This makes the game a strategy game - and this is the best game of the lot - why wasn't it included with the game? Rating: 8 out of 10
9-12) Not worth mentioning. Variations that are either too lucky or just don't work.

So is this game worth picking up? My first inclination is to tell you no, but I really think the extra game # 8 is fairly interesting. Still, there are other games with "five in a row", such as Pentago and Quinamid, that are just as interesting with absolutely fabulous components. Triagonal looks good, is fairly enjoyable with kids, but I think it falls short of being a complete, excellent package. I'll hang onto my copy, but I don't think it will be played often.

One saving, possibly buying grace, is that the black rectangles and colored triangles can be used to design patterns and pictures. You may find that enjoyable.

Tom Vasel
"Real men play board games"
www.thedicetower.com

Thread: Like game variants...?

Acumen Board Games — 2008-02-20T19:29:22+00:00

If you like game variants...
Take a very close look at >>>Triagonal<<<
This game contains plenty of different games, but they're all in one box.

Thread: great for kids..excellent strategy for adults

MAQUA — 2008-01-18T20:26:17+00:00

Triagonal is a really fun game to play because players can improve their Thinking Skills whilst deciding where to locate their sector formers to the best advantage, hopefully winning them one or more sectors of the game board each time.

Strategy & Planning Skills are developed as a player seeks out opportunities to form six of ‘their colour tiles’ into a Hexagon and win 5 bonus points for each, also whilst looking out for a mid game Instant Win opportunity… [Game Option IV is particularly good for hexagon forming].

Counting Skills are required when the numeric dice is thrown; a child must recognise the value thrown and collect the corresponding amount of sector formers to place into board.
Addition is also required at the end of each game to determine who wins 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th places.

Challenge is in the game at all times, challenging players to win the most sectors of the game board and possibly zoom ahead during the last minutes with any additional bonus points.

Hand-Eye Co-ordination is required when collecting, aligning, and placing sector formers into the board slots which are at three different angles, also when placing the triangular scoring tiles..

Geometric Patterns and Designs can be created by anyone during or after gaming, making an extended use of the 204 game pieces, and game board too if desired.

A few Game Options ~ if you please:
.- a strategy game -
- several chance games -
- a solo game -
- a team game -
- a gambling game -
- a Connect 4, 5, 6 or 7 game -
and more.

Triagonal’s compact ‘Eco-Box’ benefits everyone too by using less cardboard resources, it weighs far less than other ‘big box’ games, requires less space during transport, an ideal size for posting and can be stored almost anywhere, at home, in the caravan, or boat.

With a strategy game option, a quick game option, a confusion option, a guessing or gambling option, a connect 4-7 option, a team option, a mathematical option, a pass over option, an exchange option, bonus point options, instant win options, artistic creation options, maths and educational options [BGCOLOR=#CC0066]Triagonal will most certainly be a future classic.[/BGCOLOR]

Triagonal : game designer David Barnes

contents : 1 moulded game board, 2 custom dice,54 sector formers and 120 marker tiles

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Acumen Board Games — 2007-09-28T18:17:58+00:00

Drive players to dispair by including the colour dice

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Acumen Board Games — 2007-09-28T17:54:03+00:00

Yellow just missed an instant win opportunity

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Acumen Board Games — 2007-09-28T17:52:30+00:00

Red almost had instant win... But Green almost has 5 in a row

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Acumen Board Games — 2007-09-28T17:50:10+00:00

Corner Close up Showing Moulding Quality

Thread: Get the 'Latest Expanded Game Options' for Triagonal.

Acumen Board Games — 2007-06-26T12:35:58+00:00

Download FREE from our website... The 'Latest Expanded Game Options'.

Option I ...... Strategy............ A strategic game.
Option II ..... More Chance......... An easy chance game.
Option III .... A Quicker Game...... A quick game for when time's tight.
Option IV ..... Confusion........... This drives players to dispair.
Option V ...... Place Your Bets..... Lose your shirt if you wish.
Option VI ..... First One Out....... Another Quick variant.
Option VII .... The Marathon........ A marathon of games.
Option VIII ... Line Em Up.......... A Connect 4 thru 7 variant.
Option IX ..... Team Game........... A Team game for 4 players.
Option X ...... How Many............ A game which requires maths.
Option XI ..... Pass Over........... Play without the game board.
Option XII .... Exchange............ Swap-out any piece for your own.
And the Latest addition...
Option XIII.... The Big One......... This could cost you dearly.

Enjoy.!

Last updated on 17 Sept 2008

Thread: Re: A Round Each of Options 1 and 2

Acumen Board Games — 2007-06-18T15:24:06+00:00

Just wait while you play option 4 with 3 or 4 players... It's a real scream!

Then set the ante (be it a Quarter or a Dollar) before you play option 5 and see how much cash you can win or lose.
Remember this... If you're feeling really lucky, you know - like you're sure you are going to win, you can always raise the stakes during the game. But remember... things can change at any time and it could cost you dearly.

Thread: Re: A Round Each of Options 1 and 2

klarkinhistrep — 2007-06-11T22:52:17+00:00

By the way, I am grateful to both Acumen and to Kidsgameratings.com, who awarded us a free copy of triagonal in kidsgamerating's monthly contest.

Thread: A Round Each of Options 1 and 2

klarkinhistrep — 2007-06-11T22:45:53+00:00

Triagonal is an abstract strategy game that comes in 7 different flavors. The game is simple enough that the rules for all 7 options fit on the back of the box.

The triangular board has 49 triangular spaces, divided by little grooves. Players fill these grooves with black plastic "sector formers". Once a player have completed a triangle out of sector formers, he or she claims it by placing a triangular tile. The objective is to claim the most triangular sectors, with a bonus for creating a hexagon of 6 sectors (a giant triangle of 9 sectors results in a sudden death victory).

My wife and I played the 1st 2 options last night.

In option 1, players place one sector former per turn. If you complete a triangle, you get to claim it with one of your tiles AND go again (your turn only ending when you can no longer complete a trianglular sector). In a sense, option 1 turns into a tenser version of the pen-and-paper game Dots. The cascading effect of continuing your turn every time you score and the 5 point bonus for creating hexagons kept both of us carefully avoiding filling in the 2nd side of any triangle until it was impossible to do otherwise. At that point, the triangle tiles started filling the board at increasing speed. In the end, Clarissa had claimed 27 of the 49 sectors, and out-hexed me 3-2 for a 42-32 win.

It seemed like the 2-player version of option 1 was a bit processional- it is possible that surrendering a triangle earlier in the game might pay off later, but I worry that we would fall into the same game each time if we played this option 2-player often. We'll see what happens if we can next avoid the game of chicken that kept us avoiding creating a 2-sided sector (for fear of the opponent closing it) until the last possible instant. It is possible that a more careful selection of where to place the fateful 1st triangle could have changed our outcome.

In option 2, players roll a 6-sided die before each turn. The die has numbers from 0-3. The number you roll dictates how many sector formers you may place on the current turn. In this option, there could be higher risks or higher rewards in filling in the 2nd side of a triangle, with the result depending on how your opponent rolled the die and where they chose to build. Clarissa again managed to get 27 tiles on the board to my 22, and we both finished 1 hex (we played more defensively with the hexes, since a couple of good rolls could allow your opponent to quickly fill a hex out), giving her the 32-27 win.

Before we go on to try some of the other options, we'll try playing with our 4-year old daughter. (I have now also played a round of option 2 with her, since I thought she would lack the look-ahead skills needed to play option 1; it took a little generosity on my part to avoid making her cry, so I think she is not quite ready for this game just yet).

-kl

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Acumen Board Games — 2007-03-23T15:34:01+00:00

A close-up view of a 'Black Former' & 'Red Scoring Tile'

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Acumen Board Games — 2007-03-23T15:12:14+00:00

Lucky 'Green' - Just formed a '5 bonus point' hexagon...!

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Acumen Board Games — 2007-03-23T12:20:26+00:00

Matthew looks very serious..!

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Acumen Board Games — 2007-03-23T12:09:33+00:00

A view of the Triagonal Game box

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Acumen Board Games — 2007-03-23T11:50:19+00:00

Rapid Spin Effect

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Acumen Board Games — 2007-03-23T11:44:32+00:00

A pleasing but tough symmetry