BGG.con 2010 Prototype Testing Sign-up
Seth Jaffee
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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I always bring prototypes of games made by me and/or my friends to BGG.con with me, and now it's grown into a somewhat organized unofficial event: Proto Alley. This year I'm bringing some games that Tasty Minstrel is considering for publication! I have seen Zev do this in the past, but never got in on it - I always regretted that.
This is your chance to say "I played that before it was published!"
Here is a list of the prototypes I'm bringing so that people who find them interesting can "sign up" to play them, and I'll organize a time for each if I can. I'll be in the Tasty Minstrel booth for most of the vendor hours during the con, so if you want to play these prototypes outside of Proto Alley, come look for me there - I'll probably be wearing a t-shirt with my Avatar on it!
Since these are prototypes, you'll have the opportunity to give the designers feedback on what you thought was good or bad in the game. This is your chance to be a part of the development process!
If you are bringing a prototype of your own (perhaps to show off in Proto Alley), feel free to add it to the list with a description of the type of game, length, and etc.
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Seth Jaffee
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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Michael and I will have protoype copies of my latest game, Eminent Domain. A few other people will have this with them as well. So if you want to give the game a shot, find one of those avatars! Then if you like it, you can pre-order a copy via Kickstarter through 11:00pm EST on 11/23.
BGG entry wrote: Survey the galaxy to expand your civilization... Will you colonize nearby planets, or take them over by force? Harvest resources for trade, and do research to improve your technology. Build the best civilization and win the game!
Eminent Domain is a civilization building game in which your civilization's abilities are based on a deck of Role cards. At the beginning of the game each player has the same deck of cards, with just 2 cards for each Role in it. Every turn you must choose a Role to execute (and like Glory to Rome or Puerto Rico, your opponents will get a chance to follow suit), and in doing so you will add one of those Role cards to your deck. When executing a Role, you can boost its effect by playing cards out of your hand matching the Role you have chosen. So for example, the more you Research, the better you get at Researching (because you'll have more Research cards in your deck).
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Seth Jaffee
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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Train of Thought is a Party/Word game in the same category as Taboo. The object is to get other people to say a particular word, while being restricted in what you're allowed to say. Unlike other games of that type, the thought process required to succeed at Train of Thought is different, unique, and a ton of fun!
In Train of Thought you create a chain of references from one word to the next until you finally reach the target word. You literally follow a train of though, and sometimes you need to derail that train and go at it another way in order to get people on the right track.
I look forward to Train of Thought becoming a big hit with fans of games like Taboo, Scattergories, and Time's Up!!
We look forward to having copies of Train of Thought at the convention this year!
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3.
Board Game: Belfort
[Average Rating:7.57 Overall Rank:294]
Seth Jaffee
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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Tasty Minstrel's next big strategy game, Belfort is a Worker Placement game with Area Control scoring in which you employ Elves and Dwarves to collect Wood, Stone, Metal and Gold to build Properties, hire Gnomes to run the Properties (and gain the their abilities), and use Guilds to ensure your dominance in the various districts.
Unfortunately, this game won't be ready in time for the con, but I';ll have a prototype with me for anyone interested in giving it a try. I think this 90-150 minute game will be a big hit for strategy game fans.
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Seth Jaffee
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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Jump Gate won the Games Magazine Traditional Game of the Year award recently, and it's available at The Game Crafter. It's a solid game, Tom Vasel really liked it, and it won that award... why not give it a shot and let me know if you think Tasty Minstrel Games should add it to our lineup!
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Seth Jaffee
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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Equilibrium by Shea Parks is a quick card game with a novel concept - it turns deck construction games on their head! Each player starts with the same deck of cards, and you DEconstruct it as you play.
Give it a try and let me know if you think we should publish it!
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Seth Jaffee
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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Roman Emperors (which may be renamed something like Roman Legacy) is a submission from a member of the Board Game Designers Forum. I had a chance to play this one, it's an interesting twist on a civilization building game.
In Roman Emperors, players take turns controlling the Roman empire. On your turn you:
- Collect taxes and use them to...
- Honor one God of the Pantheon
- Build Buildings, Legions and Fleets
- Attempt up to 3 Military Campaigns, in which you get an advantage if the Senate supports you, and a disadvantage if they don't
- Build a Wonder with the resources currently available in the empire.
Then the next player picks up the reigns and expands the empire further. There are some really neat ideas in there, and I look forward to playing it some more.
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Seth Jaffee
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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Titans of Industry! is a heavy economic game that was submitted to Tasty Minstrel Games. I like economic games, so I'm excited to give this one a try. I also think it has a very cool name!
I haven't had a chance to play this one yet. It purports to be a longish (3 hour) game if I remember correctly, so you know what you're in for if you sign up.
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Seth Jaffee
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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BrainFreeze! is the very definition of a quick filler. The whole game lasts less than a minute.
Each player has a deck of 25 cards (5 shapes, 5 colors, 1 card for each combination). Turn 3 of the cards face up in front of you. Your opponent plays a card to the center of the table, you must match either shape or color. If you cannot (or don't want to) do so from the face up cards in front of you, then you reveal cards off the top of your deck until you get one you can (and want to) play. Then you hit the chess clock, starting your opponent's time, and replace the card played (or scoop the revealed cards up under your deck).
Each player has 30 seconds on a chess clock - if you run out of time then you lose!
I've described BrainFreeze! as "2 player Toppo with strategy."
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Seth Jaffee
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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Wizard's Tower is a somewhat abstract game, similar to something you'd see from Leo Colovini.
Summon apprentices to construct towers or attack opposing towers. Towers have abilities depending on the type of space they are built on. Score big points for tower groups, or score bonuses for having the most towers and apprentices in each region.
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Seth Jaffee
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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All For One is an older design that I've brought to BGG.con just about every year. I haven't played it much lately, and I look forward to playing it again. I remember it was always well received in the past!
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Seth Jaffee
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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Of course, I'll have Terra Prime with me for anyone wanting to learn the game, and we should have copies to sell at the Tasty Minstrel booth.
I'll also have the expansion prototype with me for anyone interested in that.
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Seth Jaffee
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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We'll have Homesteaders with us for anyone wanting to learn the game, and we should have copies to sell at the Tasty Minstrel booth.
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Bring your friends and all that...
Ottawa
Ontario
Freudian slip?
Tucson
Arizona
Freudian slip?
That's just wishful thinking...
(In your mind does "big" refer to the girls, or the convention?)
Arlington
Texas
Count me in for playtesting. I'll be there all day Wednesday. I have a couple of prototypes of my own that are looking for a few good playesters.