For those who don't know, this is the reprint + retheme of the ever Grail, Big Boss.

with quite a few changes.

Should appeal to the acquire fans.

Okay, is this in any way related to the old Ascendancy computer game from back in '95 (done by The Logic Factory)? The theme sounds vaguely similar and I happened to love that game (even if it did fall foul of the standard 4X micro-management problem later in the game.) If so, cool! If not it sounds interesting anyway ^_^

Awesome! That was a great computer game- Civ II in space, and 3D! The custom shipbuilding was very satisfying, and the personalities of the alien races was hard to criticise. It was massively flawed, of course (what do you expect from 1995?)- If you like checking several dozen planets every single turn for a couple hundred turns, you'll love Ascendancy. I wish Galactic Civilizations had been an Ascendancy update instead of a Master of Orion update.
It's on Home of the Underdogs: http://www.the-underdogs.info/game.php?gameid=1525

Not sure this will be ready for Nürnberg 2008, but should be released in 2008.

Not related to any computer game, other than the same title, or if there is any similarities they are coincidental, as I haven't played the computer game Ascendancy (or even heard of it before seeing the reference here).

Game scale is large - each map tile is a sector of space, you move fleets around (rather than ships), each round is about 100 years. But there are similarities to 4X games, you move fleets to take sectors (combat is dice-less), you build shipyards and defences, you assemble fleets, you research (and technology gives you bonuses). Most of the map is seeded with a non-player Empire, that slowly develops as the game progress. There is a progress chart that you advance along to get VPs.

There are 2 versions of the game (a bit like my previous game Celtic Quest). The short game is playable in about an hour, the long game twice that. The short game has elements of the long game removed to make it quicker and easier to learn. For example the long game has player races, so there is an asymmetric start - the short game everyone has identical starting setup.

The current plan is that this will be released at the UK Games Expo on May 31st/June 1st. It is not a Nuremburg release.

David.

Now scheduled for Essen - but you can pre-order it details on the JKLM website:

http://www.jklmgames.com/gamessin.php?game=421

designed by Fréderic Moyersoen

Will not be finished (latest info from the designers said: End of May). I don`t know, if Alan Paull will be there with another (last?) prototype fr some testing, but I think, the rather commercial atmosphere is not really inviting ...

This is a great game, and I am proud I got to playtest it (so maybe I am biased... but you should give it a chance, believe me!)