Terraforming Mars Unboxing - Prelude 2, All The New Maps, Automa & More!

[@mylor1066]

Love a good ramble. I realise it's one of my fav parts of your channel.

[@stormburns]

Yes review the automa! Would love to know of its good or not. Its from the same guys (David Turczi and Nick Shaw) who did the new Castles of Burgundy solo mode!

[@BoardGameCo]

I need to play that too 🙂

[@samirjafri191]

​@BoardGameCo I would love to see the solo as well. Nick Shaw had it on BGG as a PnP a while ago. I printed it out, but haven't played it yet. Then he and David Turczi (who is also a great solo designer) got together and made this version. Insuspect it is different from the PnP, but I don't know. I really liked the look of the PnP better than the original solo. So yes, please play it and let is know how it is. To me, it was the most interesting part of the KS.

[@srebme2]

This unboxing was especially fun to watch because of your enthusiasm

[@FxBrawler]

I've only been in the gaming hobby for a few years, but I must say that every time I play TM, I'm in awe of the people who created it. There is so much depth and detail.

[@BoardGameCo]

It's so great :)

[@INSPirrationalNATURE]

Thank you sooooo much! This is really helpful! I am overseas and received the parcel at my inlaws. They'll visit us during the holidays and won't be able to bring everything over. So this reeeaaallyy helps me deciding on priorities!!!

[@BoardGameCo]

Awesome! I'm glad I can help 🙂

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

"I'm going to play Terraforming Mars tonight." Say that while wearing a Deadpool costume.

[@BoardGameCo]

Lol I should

[@marcosseven8872]

Great vid. I really like the Milestones module! That’s phenomenal!

[@BoardGameCo]

Yep! Love the variety

[@robertcrist6059]

The cardboard Vastitas Borealis map has the ocean spot on it...

[@jtt8886]

I've had the maps for a while (but except the new big one). Fun playing on different layouts. I haven't played with the new random milestones and awards, but I like having diversity. My wife and I play with all the expansions and she tends to take her time and even isn't in a rush to go up the tracks. Makes for a long game (a couple hours on each of two days), but it's still fun.

[@Dhalious]

I really REALLY would love your opinion of the automa game play, as I’m very interested in and I love your reviews!

[@BoardGameCo]

I'll be diving in soon 🙂

[@RaduStanculescu]

I totally agree with you about the base game, Prelude, and the maps being the best TMars has to offer. Venus Next balances some strategies but adds more stuff that doesn't help advance the game. Colonies can create huge swings depending on the available colony tiles and on getting cards that let you add cheap colonies. And Turmoil actively makes the game slower. I never want to play with that one again.

[@AlanCastellon-0K4M1-]

2:49 That corresponds to the Turmoil Expansion, it's an interesting expansion but tends to extend too much the game and some of my friends don't get used to it, so we often play all expansions but Turmoil and Corporate Era. This is our favorite boardgame! loving all the new stuff! Can't wait to play with that!

[@LisaSueMarieHuffman]

I love your passion! 😊

[@snaksnak792]

it's switched on Elysium because Elysium is the other side of Mars (as its description says). And the "no commercial use" noted on it is because the neoprenes are originally from fan-made before cooperation with fryxgames (and are also available as print free on the designer's site)

[@BoardGameCo]

Interesting point on Elysium :) As far as the texts, seems like a weird thing to put on something that was sold

[@samirjafri191]

​@@BoardGameCoIt means that YOU (the buyer) cannot use it for commercial purposes, for example, charge people to come and play on it. In general, you cannot make money off of it. It's just like when they say that on televised sports. You cannot use their telecast to make money.

[@robertcrist6059]

Regarding playing games at every configuration (player count, expansion, modules etc.) I want to do two crazy things with TM now with all these maps. The first is what I'm calling "Mars Tour" where you simply make a campaign game out of all the maps and play one after the other. Combine scores. You get all 7 corporations at the start of the first game, but only choose one per game to play with, and you can't choose it again. Do a basic map, then a map with Venus ex, another with Colonies, another with Turmoil, a map with all of them, and for the final two whoever is in last place gets to choose what they want the configuration to be. The second thing I created is "TM" (Terraforming Mars) where all 7 maps are in play at the same time. They all need to be terraformed to end the game. Players start with and use 4 corporations, 12 Prelude cards. You can play any card, and tile, on any map where it's conditions are met, and cards will gain stuff (think Pets) from all maps simultaniously. It's all meat to be a silly crazy experience, so play fast and just go, meaning you must play two actions per turn, no one turn stalling tactical stuff. Seriously if you want to do either of these, over a weekend/week, I would consider taking some days off work, driving up from Kansas City, MO and giving it a go. I've got custom 3D tiles (not from the KS) so it's a cool setup.

[@DukeJohnny]

The events on the right are for the Turmoil expansion :) so is the "parliament" above. The Venus track is above both with percentage tiles and a "V" at the beginning :) MAN those mats look GOOD, I've backed all in on this and can't wait till it arrives!

[@BoardGameCo]

It does make playing the game more fun 🙂

[@DukeJohnny]

@@BoardGameCo well NOW I can't wait even more!

[@Musicvault2k6]

Every time you talk about how much you love asymmetric powers/abilities and card drafting I get curious to see what you'd think about Tsukuyumi. The factions are very asymmetrical, there's card drafting, and when you engage in combat you choose an option on the card and then have to hand that card to your opponent to choose a retaliation option from the same card.

[@dannyverbraeken7729]

Thanks for showing the new things (I'm still waiting to arrive). As you love Terraforming Mars, have you ever heard of the Giga expansion ? Do you have any thoughts on this ?

[@sadekhanna]

Please do an Automa first impressions with the base game because I'm only getting it if it's easy to manage and Turczi solo modes aren't known for that.

[@BoardGameCo]

I plan to

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

I thought I was going to be able to back the "next Terraforming Mars Kickstarter." I was wrong. I hope that I can afford their next KS if it ever happens.

[@BoardGameCo]

Hope so too

[@buddyberglund]

a few things: First, the boxes that the playmats came in were specifically made as a way to store/transport the playmats, so you talked about needing to figure out how to store them, but that's what those boxes are specifically for. Although, I'm slightly bugged that the side of the box doesn't stay tucked closed, which seems like a design flaw that should have been caught. Second, if you roll the playmats in the right direction, you can see the map name much more easily on the map, itself, because the map name is close enough to the end. That makes the tiny label much less necessary on the bags, if you wanted to get rid of those. Third, I'm surprised that you kept calling the money "M-E" because, as someone who has played it so much, you should know that it's not an "E" it's a "C" that happens to have the two little lines crossing it just to make it a monetary symbol. It's a "C" because, it's "Mega Credits." Thus the "M-C." Yes, it looks similar to the symbol for the Euro, but if you look at it closely, it curves down/up further at the top and bottom on the right, making it not an "E" but a "C" with cross lines. I only tease you about this, because I literally was just correcting my game group about this when we played the other day.

[@samirjafri191]

We just call them megapesos, a throw back to my previous life playing Junta in college in the 1980's 😅

[@interstellardave]

The neoprene maps are cool, and I’m really looking forward to Automa, but it still feels like they’re just stomping over the same old ground. When I first heard “Venus Next” I was very excited that it was going to be a full game focused on terraforming Venus, and there would, of course, be lots of different things to do, and considerations to make since Venus is so different. But it’s just an add-on to TM., which I found disappointing.

[@aSyphodias]

I really wanted more prelude cards but since I will never play with the expansions prelude 2 was not worth it.

[@robertcrist6059]

Best solution for playmats, don't get them. Buying them encurs needing to purchase more things just to make the viable. They don't fit in the game box and require needing to carry them separately and run the chance you forget it, and then can't play the game (assuming you toss the cardboard map). Rerolling them and fitting them back into their container is so much more envolved than just folding a cardboard map and putting it in the game box. I definitely regret getting the all in Western Legends playmat...and throwing away the cardboard maps.

[@srebme2]

Do your 12x12 reviews do well? I love them but they are a massive time commitment for you. I’m wondering whether they are worth it.

[@Diablo_rdk]

Just as an FYI the big board is for the new 5 player mode. That is also why there are extra tiles etc.

[@BoardGameCo]

Umm...so if I played it at 3 players and had fun what's the takeaway?

[@ichhabe330]

@@BoardGameCo We have played another fan made map with the same size as the largest map and we had a ton of fun and then some more.

[@Diablo_rdk]

@@BoardGameCo ah not what I ment. I just ment its bigger for a reason and had the extra tiles so you can play with up to 5 people. (you seemed to be confused about the reason for the size) You can of course play the big map with any number of people, or you could even play a regular map with 5 people, I really don't care... The point was not to call you out, the point was trying to be helpfull and educate. Of course if thats is unwanted then I shall refrain in future. All that matters is having fun playing boardgames. (at least for me)

[@samirjafri191]

​@@Diablo_rdkStand down...Although I have never me him in person, Alex strikes me as one of the least judgmental (of other people) content creators around. He has always expoused the philosophy that you should play whatever and however you want to get enjoyment out of the hobby. What I like a out his content is that he is never afraid of giving his honest opinion on games. I don't think he was trying to challenge you. Thank you for your comments clarifying the larger map.

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

I know you've mentioned this before, but can you please tell me which apps you use to rank your favorite games list and track game plays and scores? Thanks.

[@BoardGameCo]

Bgstats :)

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

@@BoardGameCo - Do you use the same app for both ranking and score keeping?

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

@@BoardGameCo - Just to be sure I'm looking at the right application. It's the one that costs $5.99, right?

[@samirjafri191]

Hey Alex, only the big map has the space for the oceans. In fact, even Tarsis which has a water space on the original board doesn't have one on the mat. Also, the expansion with the Senate that you don't remember is Turmoil. You probably are blocking it out because it is terrible and drags the game out.

[@Coatzecouatl]

You need to include Venus Next. Is it the best expansion overall? No. The Venus track is a mixed bag, I’ve seen games where it’s maxed out before any of the main tracks, and other games where it isn’t touched at all, and the 4 cities are tied in with specific cards so may or may not be used. The main reasons you’d add it in are that it’s very little overhead on the teach, and what it does add is more cards and corporations which can boost certain tag strategies.

[@klaxxon__]

Also it interacts well with the Floater-based cards in Colonies, which are sort of meh without Venus.

[@ichhabe330]

Incorporator- Most cards that cost 10 or less.

[@BoardGameCo]

ah gotcha

[@joeferreti9442]

Alex, you should try the Turmoil expansion (with the Parliament and the events). It's a lot of extra rules and bookkeeping and losing TR every round is unnerving, but the political parties and the events offer some neat thematic flavor and it changes up the game a bit. But careful, if played together with Colonies expansion, games can take extra long.

[@TheMiguel42]

I Care

[@Kensai_]

Hey Alex. It's Automa not Autonoma 👀

[@BoardGameCo]

Thanks!

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

Yeah, I would definitely remove that Recession card from the game.

[@BoardGameCo]

It's just not a fun way to start.

[@joeferreti9442]

I couldn't care less about the Automa. It can't be good. I openly hate cheating AIs (those that only roughly simulate the progress of an opponent and then magically come up with a points total or something like that). It stinks! If it doesn't play like a human player, then it's not intelligent and it's not offering a normal game experience. Then it's just pointless. And on top having to read and apply all those extra rules about how to execute the automa is just work.

[@samirjafri191]

@joeferreti9442 Wow! I guess you shouldn't play the Automa then. 😊 Fortunately for you, there is a non-Automa solo mode in the original rules. I wish I were lucky enough to have a regular gaming group to play games multiplayer, but solo modes are sometimes better than not playing at all.

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

I hate coffee.

[@BoardGameCo]

I'm so so sorry.

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

@@BoardGameCo 🤣🤣

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

Dear God! People weren't kidding about these cards being mega ugly! I've only played the game online and it's nothing like this.

[@BoardGameCo]

Lol yep