Tiago Luchini
Finland
Oulu
Oulu
-
There are plenty of reviews around there explaining the gritty details of Galaxy Trucker. I will stick here to the main reasons why you should try this games and those why you shouldn't.
3 reasons why every gamer should try Galaxy Trucker
1) Spaceship building mechanics is very interesting
The simultaneous "pick and build" system works very well. It reminds me (very tangentially) of Factory Fun. It is the same feeling of picking up the best tiles and putting them on the best spots of your board. Galaxy Trucker fixes the minor problems of Factory Fun very nicely as well. The multiple picking of tiles and minor penalty for giving up one (making it available to others) adds a lot of freedom to the strategy. The connection system is also pretty simple but still very challenging (compared to Factory Fun again, where it was even simpler, but many find the whole "input/output" thing boring). Galaxy Trucker has even the merit of having several different tiles with different functions but still very simple to learn, memorize and teach others.
2) Interaction level is very good
Be at the fighting for best tiles or at the ordering of ships on the hyperspace, it is always fun to affect other player's games in such a straightforward manner. There are no hidden mechanics here: any newbie can quickly see that if he lands on a certain planet, he'll mess up everybody else's voyage.
3) Schadenfreude feeling
Seeing other players' ships fall apart at each adventure is great fun. Can't say the same if this takes place the other way around though and I'll come to that later  .
3 reasons why some gamers would not like Galaxy Trucker
1) Quick visual mind required
The core mechanic is based on mentally visualizing the required tiles and then scavenging for them or potential replacements. If visual mind is not your best sport, you might be frustrated at it.
2) Random factor is there
Even though ships can be built to withstand lots of threats there are still random factors that can affect the outcome of your voyage. This explains the need for dice-rolling. Some people might not really enjoy that factor.
3) Early frustration
It eventually happens that a player's ship is destroyed or left without crew members very early in the voyage. This is not very fun if taking place on your own ship. It is pretty frustrating to lose your [precious] ship and then having to wait for all other players to have fun while you weep over your left overs.
-
Timothy
United States
St. Charles
Missouri
-
Great points.
We tried this in my small group and I feel the game connects as you saw it. I loved the game (ok, perhaps I was biased because I bought it) and enjoyed building sturdy ships that had a decent shot at completing the missions. Another friend of mine found it too frivolous. He's a strategist who likes figuring out the patterns to winning different games (such as Puerto Rico or Race for the Galaxy).
The semi-randomness of GT annoyed him I think.
-
John Lopez
United States
Tucson
Arizona
Get off my lawn!
The explanation: Impossible Triangle + TW (my company initials) = my logo.
-
This is pretty much the game in a nutshell. If you don't mind some chaos and don't care that this isn't an economic engine game, it is a lot of fun.
-
Jay Sheely
United States
Pleasanton
California
-
Agreed! My friends and I are totally in love with this game and play it every chance we get. And I completely agree about the quick visual mind point. We played one time with a lady that just was not a visual type and had an impossible time "seeing" connections. The game was absolute torture for her and probably made her feel pretty dumb I think, and she has a PhD. My science-math mind loves this kind of stuff.
-
Stephen Stewart
United States
Visalia
California
-
Quote: 3) Early frustration
It eventually happens that a player's ship is destroyed or left without crew members very early in the voyage. This is not very fun if taking place on your own ship. It is pretty frustrating to lose your [precious] ship and then having to wait for all other players to have fun while you weep over your left overs.
I usually feel this way in most games...HOWEVER, my very first game My ship was bisected by an asteroid and it RIPPED in HALF with an entire loss!!
IT WAS GREAT...I don't know of any game that you could take this...dare I say "Critical Hit" on your ship and you lose instantly!!
Very fun game!!
-
Craig Phillips
United States
Columbia
Missouri
-
I think you are right on. I think the key to the game is not to take it too seriously. If you can laugh when half your ship gets blown off and you you have to lug around the debris, then you'r in great shape for a fun ride.
-
I am glad that Johnny Jaws is my friend.
United States
Enumclaw
Washington
Happy New Year!!! Try to embrace GROUND TURKEY!!! Even if it is vile.
-
For me I was really excited to get this game for Christmas, it was on the top of my list.
When you first break into this hobby, you really are on an exploration of yourself. What type of game will "click" with you. I have been a wargamer for many years but only recently discovered BGG and the world of Eurogames. I embarked on a few purchases based on reviews and study of rules where available. Some of the games I have purchased recently I really like, a couple are fun, but I can take or leave them. Galaxy trucker is the 5th Eurogame (if GT fits that classification) I acquired. I thought, given the reviews and the interesting mechanic, it would click with me and my family.
I have played the game 10 times with 2-4 players. It does not click with me. Too fiddly, too random, too frenetic, too anti-climatic.
In the exploration of this new hobby, I have discovered there are certain games that others love and games that are just "meh" (an expression I discovered in this hobby) to me, and vice versa.
I would like to discuss a trade with anyone within a reasonable shipping distance.
-
Paulo Santoro
Brazil
São Paulo
São Paulo
-
Interesting... I usually dislike games with a lot of luck like this AND I usually dislike Sci-Fi themes, BUT Galaxy trucker is the great exception.
Fast and fun, you can handle with luck at some point, and for sure this is a game where I don't bother to loose. 
Galaxy trucker is a great idea, a very nice design with solid development.
-
|
|
Posted Mon Nov 3, 2008 9:57 am
