changing two rows, so that muscat is not too useful

I agree. as a heavier game I'd prefer better balanced cards, but not dice. Dice are fun for light games, but they tend to be too random, and I like how the cards can be used for multiple purposes.

i want to take the chance to rework some things about goa, for example less luck in the exploration row by using dice(!!), changing two rows, so that muscat is not too useful, 1 or 2 new tiles and hopefully similar good materials as in genoa.

How are dice more random than cards?

c)
the start player must begin on a fix start field (because the start player has an advantage in the actual version) in the first round

Unless you're going to turn Goa into a Settlersesque half-breed, there's no reason to add dice to it.

... add dice to the mix and it'll quickly become a game of near-total luck.

as already said i´m testing, and testing and it´s difficult to find an optimal solution .....

best regards
rüdiger

a)
two dice with the values 1-2-2-2-3-3, so you have a better chance

b)
the change of the rows "tax" and "exploration", because of the nutmeg

c)
the start player must begin on a fix start field (because the start player has an advantage in the actual version) in the first round

d)
1 or 2 tiles to make the tax row attractive, eventually leave out the A-tile, where you get 3 gold each round

e)
optimizing the exploration cards .....

as already said i´m testing, and testing and it´s difficult to find an optimal solution .....

The biggest problem with cash in a 4player game is that the money usually just changes hands; players rarely buy their own tile. That, combined with the influx of cash that comes with the '5 gold' and 'sell spices' cards, causes runaway inflation and severely limits the usefulness of the cash track.

Would it be going too far to change the 'advance with cash' card by lowering the costs for later rows? Maybe instead of 6-12-18-24, go with 6-10-14-20.

1) Switching the spice requirements for rows 2 and 3 is a simple, elegant way to make it much harder for a player to max out rows 2 and 4 early in the game.

2) I don't like the idea of completely removing cards, and I don't like making the "no ships" or "no spices" half-off. That would make them even stronger (if you round down). But those two cards really aren't the problem. The problem is the "harvest any combo of ships/spices/colonists," especially when a player has maxed out row 2. The ability to get 8 items for 1 and 1/3 actions is seriously overpowered.

3) Similarly, the ability to generate 24 ducats with 1 and 1/3 actions further reduces the value of the tax track, which in the original game is already the weakest (at least in 4-player).

4) I don't have as big a problem with the starting flag placement, though it can be an advantage if, for example, the flag auctioneer can go to a corner to force double-nutmeg and double-clove. I like Mike's suggestion of having to place the opening flag in the middle. That allows all players to benefit from the flag placement and could allow the opening flag-seller the minor advantage of taking one tile "out of play" for round 1 only.

5) Minimizing the randomness of the colonizing card draws would, I think, rehabilitate the colony track. And again I like Mike's solution. Why add dice when you can simply put different values on the cards? One of my favorite things about Goa is the elegance of the card design. Each card fulfills three different functions. It's so efficient!

6) Another way to weaken the card strategies, and to remove another frustrating bit of randomness, is to devalue set collecting. I'm not willing to devalue sets quite as much as Mike is--after all, there is some risk in the card strategy, so there should be some possible reward other than the use of the cards themselves--but I've never liked the fact that a lucky 4-of-a-kind draw is pretty much a game-winner, assuming competent play by all players. Perhaps 1-2-4-7-10? Or perhaps nothing for single cards but the same values for sets (0-3-6-10-15)? Or something like Ra, where a hand with 5 or 6 different symbols scores a bonus?

7) Another way to strengthen the tax track is to reign in the inflationary tendencies the current game exhibits. One way to do that is to cap the "sell spices" card (maybe at 4 spices, which makes it the same as a maximum tax action?). Is there another way to give players an incentive to spend money? Right now, I see almost no incentive to buy one's own tile or to advance with money except in extreme circumstances. I like the idea of removing the "4 ducats per turn" tile altogether: perhaps replacing it with a tile which requires one to spend money would be interesting.

8) Perhaps charging 1 ducat per expedition card drawn would solve a couple of problems at once? This wouldn't cripple the player who wants to draw at the 2/3 level early, and it would be enough of a penalty that the late-game card mill strategy would be a bit more costly.

For those who already own the game,will there be an "upgrade Kit"?
I just got the game used,never played it,so this is why I ask...

Thx.