DinoGenics Review - with Tom Vasel

[@jbthefirst960]

The Kickstarter for the expansion, Controlled Chaos, is live right now! You can also purchase a 2nd printing of the original game!

[@danmaynard748]

Am I the only one wishing Tom was dressed like John Hammond?

[@LeeroyPorkins]

All three should have been in this video dressed up as different characters. Zee could be Denis Nedry, as Zee is ALWAYS the hidden traitor in BSG & SOC. Lol

[@disciplerocksmysocks]

Pretty spot-on review for the most part. I love the game and am very glad I backed it!

[@wizo656]

Funny that this one looks more serious and gamer-y and Dinosaur island more family friendly, but it's actually the other way around...

[@69robtaylor]

I love this game. Early game is when you sometimes put dinosaurs in your park that rampage. It’s worth it for the points early on. Then hopefully in the first or second season you’ll have them fenced in properly or have the goats to feed them.You may get scandal tokens, but the agency is good at covering up those scandals

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Definitely one I got to check out but I'm not seeing it beating out Dino Island. I was talking to some players over the weekend though and the first thing they said to me was "the rulebook is horrible". Did you find that as usually you're the first one to call it out?

[@MariusKaiser]

Ninth Haven Games are planning a second Kickstarter at the moment. There will be an updated and improved version of the rulebook. Just for your information.

[@LeeroyPorkins]

@@MariusKaiser Cool. I bought Dinosaur Island instead as it would/is more readily available (I have LOVED Jurassic Park since I was kid when the first one was out). I will keep my eye out for Dinogenics: The Lost World.

[@lokihve6591]

Not just improved rulebook also an expansion which will add to the "complexity" or meat of the game ;)

[@pjpaella]

Rulebook is lacking for sure, but the designer replies VERY quickly to ALL questions on BGG, unlike Dinosaur Island where they rarely reply and haven't released a much needed proper FAQ. That's my biggest beef with DI.

[@LeeroyPorkins]

@@pjpaella What was needed for a Dinosaur Island FAQ? I have the newer edition & that's the only version I have played.

[@GameWeekendChalbie]

Dinosaur island is one of my favorite games, but I think I might still get this one too. Only because my wife loves the theme, but won’t play dinosaur island. It’s just too much for her as a family weight gamer. This one might be able to give her the theme that she wants, at the complexity she likes.

[@BreezingThrou]

So a little more realistic / easier version of Dinosaur Island. Oh it just got answered.... thanks Tom. Was just wondering this myself. Awesome. I like DI and not sure if there is room in our collection for two games like this, not sure if this is different enough to get played instead when someone wants to play DI.

[@bricelory9534]

From what I can tell, it seems like Tom says, more like tyr family version of Agricola, just instead of horses and cows, you habe Trexes and Triceratops. I think if you find room for both more family-weight or light gaming alongside the more weighty experiences like Dino Island, then the similarity in theme isn't a problem. It seems like maybe a step up from Lods of Waterdeep, really, and less in conflict with Dino Island.

[@Acroherd]

@@bricelory9534 I own both and feel like they play very different.

[@lokihve6591]

Tom...the threat... is actually a risk it for the biscuit mechanic. You see sometimes especially if you are trailling you need to risk it and thus get your backside exposed, thats the catch if you play it just safe, you are actually "playing it wrong" or let's say not optimal. P.S. scandals are relatively easy to get rid off for that reason also ;)

[@kavitahatwalkar3539]

Thank you Tom. I really hope you make a video comparing this with Dinosaur Island.

[@KungfuTrickster]

Speaking from experience, DG looks way better and is more fun than DI

[@69robtaylor]

Tom Mischief Agreed.

[@cthulwho8197]

It all also much, much lighter which may make it better or worse in your eyes.

[@billlau9505]

Do you find the genetic card draw too random ? If so, any alternate play rules suggestion ?

[@unsingefou]

I'm curious, was the review based on the old rules or the newly updated rules? www.kickstarter.com/projects/1541227444/dinogenics-dinosaur-park-management/posts/2474532?fbclid=IwAR2ZZsjl50QwVMufsUcokhRifexPnPVmgKuW43Lsz0TQI1BbSMSxFzpfbm8 I'm definitely interested, but to Tom's point, would like more tension regarding dinos breaking out.

[@RazBaz07]

Would love a more in depth comparison with DI! :)

[@LeeroyPorkins]

I was originally going to get this one, until the publisher said that it wouldn't be at retail for long. So I got Dinosaur Island instead. Dinogenics looks like Dinosaur Island + Alien Frontiers + Lords of WaterDeep

[@robertmaniac]

That means I should get it, I love Alien frontiers and Lords of WaterDeep.

[@LeeroyPorkins]

@@robertmaniac Sounds like a plan. Just be sure to get signed up for the release date, as the publisher doesn't have a bunch of copies for retail.

[@MariusKaiser]

Do you think this game has a runaway leader problem? There is no catch up mechanic implemented in this game. Players with high reputation get more visitors+money and get first to place their workers.

[@Acroherd]

This game definitely makes you have to as heavy card board says #playbetter.

[@CatLegoDiver]

I saw that as a potential problem too. Though I suspect there's a BoardGame geek out there somewhere who has come up with a workaround. Let me check. Yep, here's one, answered by the developer: boardgamegeek.com/thread/1861933/question-about-player-order-and-catch-mechanics. Looks like Reputation dictates player order. According to the developer, Reputation will likely eventually self-regulate, especially if the current Reputation Leaders have gone Carnivore-heavy. They'll likely spend their first actions going to the goat farm to feed their meatasauruses. :-) I would read his comments for the full details.

[@timdertim]

This might be my favorite outfit yet.

[@gnobahdi]

Not sure if Tom will answer this but maybe one of you can, he mentions that the threat isn't so prevalent a theme in this game, however, is it more present in Dinosaur Island? Is there a greater chance of a dinosaur escaping their habitat?

[@lokihve6591]

In Dino Island Dino escaping turns into a joke really... so not really no and Dino escaping is a real thing if you play the game in a more risk manner

[@simonlavender]

Uptime (event). TM meets Viticulture meets a little bit of Agricola and the workers are where Scythe workers are

[@MrVilou]

And if you compares it with the other game who had similar Jurassic Park theme and mecanics, called "Dinosaur Island" ? Witch one to get ?

[@trojan403]

It depends how heavy/in depth you want your game to be. I live Dino Island, but have yet to play this one

[@anotherdimension6053]

Would love to get this to play with my daughter, but the 90-120 min playtime kills it for me. Seems way too long for what it is, and definitely too long to play with my family.

[@ViperaRaddei]

The game is a tad more luck-based than I’d like, especially if you’re working for a harder dinosaur like a Bronty. Visually though the game is spectacular, and as your boards fill up with dinos and buildings, it all gets really exciting..

[@raffaelbaumkaenguruh2654]

dinogenics is pretty cool, but just a bit weaker than dinosaur island( a very similar game) i enjoy both to be honest!

[@vinclash7763]

Oh Dinosaurs ya!👍👍 (10:00-10:05) 😄😄cool approved 👍

[@kevinbhieey9188]

It about me that they included Brontosaurus. There's too much history on what they actually are, and if they even exist. The word Brontosaurus didn't return to the lexicon until 2015. Some paleontologists don't agree with the name coming back and still believe that the "Brontosaurus" was just an Apatosaurus with the wrong head attached. They should've just gone with Apatosaurus since there's no argument about that name.

[@philkeil822]

According to the designer, they went with Brontosaurus because of theme, setting it in the time and world of Jurassic Park. That was back when people thougjt there was a Brontosaurus.

[@patharty7507]

First thing I thought when seeing "Brontosaurus" was, "Noooo! It's an Apatosaurus!"

[@wetwillyccma]

Looks cool.

[@sebastianyanez2039]

whoever played both, this one and dinosaur island, tell me which is better please

[@philimanilie9293]

very different fam. i like this more tough because it's more thematic

[@mrdrock]

This looks like what I want over Dinosaur Island.

[@lokihve6591]

You should. Better game with a lot more theme in it which will also be getting imo a great expansion

[@SeerMagicX]

Can't believe you didn't talk about the 2 biggest problems with the game. Rich going first. And score position don't change. Every time we played it, where everyone was in score position at the end of round 3 (first, second, third, etc) is exactly where you end up at the end of the game.

[@Rufiy0]

Love the TIe!

[@BobaGabe1]

I love the idea of this game but I am worried that it has a run away leader problem.

[@juliesquirrel5269]

It sure does.

[@JacobLikesMusic]

A lot of people say this, and it's easy to spot how there might be a problem (highest rep gets first pick and most visitors) but there is also people saying a player was behind in rep the whole game and won. The problem for me is I don't like the playstyle: to counter the high-rep-player you rely on mutants, goat denial and/or the underhanded cards.

[@juliesquirrel5269]

In one game the winning player was using the underhanded cards. One stole guests and took all of them from the last place player. Not fun.

[@cthulwho8197]

Julie Squirrel this is always a problem with putting in “catch up cards”, because sometimes the person in first place will draw them and they become “Move even further ahead” cards.

[@simonlavender]

Didn't with us. I won 142, 138, 117

[@TheOldMan-75]

I would've bought dinosaur island a long time ago if it didn't look so fucking weird.

[@jensich3300]

come this game in german lokal

[@vinclash7763]

Ew dinosaurs ya!😄

[@katieellinger5058]

coyote peterson

[@juliesquirrel5269]

Played it an hated it. The person in last chooses last. Winning players get the powerful cards and actions. And despite an all herbivore park, a few die rolls at the end of the game due to a card and my dinosaurs rampaged killing people and pushing my score down further. Awful. Like Monopoly.

[@KnakuanaRka]

I played this once, and thought I could have enjoyed it; I messed up strategically by holding out too long for the more valuable dinosaurs, so maybe another play would have given me a better idea of what it was like. I do agree that the snowball effect could be a concern, and that Dinosaur Island (another worker-placement game with a very similar theme) did it better by having the last placer go first.

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Rich get richer and swingy results?................not a good sign. I don't foresee this beating out Dinosaur Island at all.

[@Acroherd]

@@TheBrokenMeeple The planners get better is how i see it. Plan poorly and you will fail.

[@lokihve6591]

Make a house rule and last picks first better?

[@Acroherd]

Loki Hve I’m pretty sure sarcasm lol. I like that the game rewards good play

[@justanerd1138]

Am I the only one who just doesn't like the look of the game? DI has this outlandish look which really works but this has a modern age look which feels boring. After watching the review again Tom seemed like he was not completely convinced he liked the game.

[@bricelory9534]

I see what you mean...the color pallette is a bit drab, without much pop, but I imagine the actual pieces make at least the islands look cool. I didn't get the feeling Tom was waffling on liking this...he wasn't jumping up and down, sure, but it does seem like a solid lighter style game with a good theme that is executed pretty well. Maybe not mind blowing, but certainly looks pretty good to me.

[@philkeil822]

To each their own. I wanted to like DI but cant stand the game visually. This is way better IMO