Catchupalooza - Near and Far

[@itmejlee]

I like this rebooted format... I prefer the included playthrough :)

[@robertcrist6059]

Camila would still win, but a couple things happened; blame Tom b/c he was the game master and didn't catch them. I've noticed, with only seeing her in this video, when she had a big turn planned, she gets so excited to execute it, she rushes through the turn and this can cauase mistakes. Her turn at 54:09 First, she only had 3 total movement (2 base, 1 turtle), she couldn't reach the pepper trade route on that turn. Second, she should have gotten a reputation for defeating the threat which was on the card. Third, just a point to note, you can do a quest and choose not to spend hearts and then fail, which means you don't get the rewards, that's it nothing really lost. Next, 55:59 she defeated another threat and never put a tent on it. 1:36:55 Camila is dropping her final tent (should have already happened b/c of comment above) but anyways she is paying for some cards in her hand, she points at the Lizard person in her party for the red banner she needs to pay for the card, you cannot do that and those do not count, you have to have the banner token. Oddily she also paid for a card that needed the yellow one which she did have a pay for correctly, and at the end of the game made a comment about affirming needing the token, contrary to how she executed her turn. -9 points from the artifact card with the red banner she couldn't have paid for. If caught she wouldn't have eneded the game - although she should have already had her final tent out from the one she missed. Of course Joey/Zee could score more points, or maybe she does end it and just takes the points from the resources she didn't spend, but also a -1 from the card she didn't pay for, whatever. Oddily enough 1:27:32 Camilia actually got shorted here. Her turn wasn't over. She did the quest, but doing a quest doesn't end your turn, building a tent does. She could have kept going, she had the movement to reach the cabbage trade route, which she did next turn, and she could skip the threat with her potion or whatever. Does this and illegally paying for the card mentioned above cancel out, doesn't matter, it's all for fun, it was her first game, and Tom should have caught it all being the game master so it's Tom's fault. Also, don't eat the cat!! Too cute.

[@JonoNZBoardGamer]

It's great to see catchupalooza back! For me I will only rarely watch a playthrough, but I appreciate that it exists (and I'm sure there are others that have been requesting it). Thanks for creating timestamps so I can jump to the discussion at the end which I am most interested in

[@sarumon17]

Ditto

[@lukeprior5646]

I will absolutely take being considered a name drop. Luke 'The mostest' Prior will now be on all my business cards

[@conniew5894]

I remember the first time I watched Catchupalooza. I thought it would show the playthrough. So happy that you have now included the playthrough. Love it!!

[@KevBotron1000]

Really like the new Catchupalooza format!

[@robertcrist6059]

Anyone wandering about the Campaign and/or Character modes, I have done both. I'd say do them both to get the experience, but personally the Character mode isn't as cool as you think it will be. Yes, you follow a story for your character, and there will be a branch or two based on your choice(s), but overall it's a load of text for a fine story that essentially is the normal version of the game. It was difficult to remember all the details over a few weeks of sessions. Character mode is shorter than the Campaign, but not by much. When I did the Campain I actually had way more side quests and keywords that weren't tailored to my specific character, but that is only by name, in execution I was still following the thread of the side quests and keywords so I was living out the story. Yes, anyone could have randomly done that quest first and they could have had that arc, but it was more engaging than the conglomerate of a story Character mode tells.

[@jacobstein5678]

Love the chat after play. Looking forward to more of these going forward

[@talonquestbg6830]

Referring to Camilla saying she expected more story: I think this game does a good job of letting those who want story to go and get that, where as people who just want a resource management point scoring game they can view it and play it that way. Essentially there is as much story as the individual player wants. That’s one of the strengths for me in this game as someone who loves story in games but my play group doesn’t always want story so it has a little bit of everything for everyone. Super fun watching this play through and seeing Camilla dominate was awesome considering that’s how games always go for me. I teach someone a game that’s new to them and they destroy me 😂

[@robertcrist6059]

The Amber Mines expansion is in a way lile this two sided board, once you have played the game, adding in the expansion is a no brainer. The mysitc hut gets cooler adding a magic element and some extra power cards you can use on your turn. The mines get fleshed out and you have all these cave cards you have to traverse and you can fight baddies, and there is not an area majority but if you settle on spots that have amber, whoever has the most amber gets points at the end of the game. The threats used in this game are technically in the expansion. The general store gets cooler with a special die you can get, and more actions than just an either/or thing like in the base game. I'm not sure how available it is, but definitly grab it if you like this game.

[@fairy_goddamich3057]

I like this content as well! You guys playing are so fun to watch lol

[@robertcrist6059]

Above & Below was after Catan and Betrayal at House on the Hill, the third hobby board game I ever played. The art caught my eye, and then hearing the stories, to me similar enough to N&F I don't see that much of a step up for that game, but A&B really captivated me and early year nostalgia at that point, as Catan is, but A&B is my favorite game. I have one nitpick about N&F that drops it a tick. Big points b/c of the campaing mode, I love so much building up and continuing a story. My nitpick comes with tent pushing. It is way too easy to puch the end of this game and if you don't keep pace with the person doing it, you will lose. If the others at the table don't join together to twart this person, you will lose. It didn't happen in this game, but you can push tents like this: Imagine starting out of town with 7 hearts, and using this map, head NW towards the threat. Say you have at minimum 1 packbird for 3 total movement, and at least 2 swords via whatever means. Move 1, attempt to move again but you must fight the threat of 4 and with 2 swords the worst roll of 1 causes you to spend 1 heart, not likely. So you're successful, spend 1 heart for moving over the uncovered space (7->6), drop 1 tent on the threat (14->13), moved 2 spaces (1 left), now move back through the threat. Threat is a 5, say you roll a 1 and need to spend 2 hearts (6->4), place a tent on the threat (13->12), pay 1 heart for moving over the second unsettled space (4->3), hey build a tent for the last 3 hearts (12->11). In one turn you dropped 3 tents. Now consider not dropping a tent and moving to town next turn to pick up another party memember who has a sword. Go back out, with more hearts, another sword, and do it again! Of course if you did drop the tent you save one heart per movement, and if you spend an extra turn to get another pack bird, with four movement you can really get to work. In two turns you have dropped (assuming you roll well enough to not spend too many hearts) you can drop 2 more tents, if not a third and be just a tent shy from half your tents in two attempts. Yes threats get very tough (5th one is a strenght of 8), but amassing swords isn't difficult. Cards can give you swords, and some people have 2 swords! This is such an annoying way to play for me it really ruins the game. I want this game to be a three hour game, just lazily wandering around, doing quests, and going to town to get more supplies and crew, but when someone plays like that you can't sink in a enjoy the game, you now have to be so attentive and focus on slowing them down, or just prepare to be wiped out.

[@TorIverWilhelmsen]

The stories become very important in the character campaign, where if one of the characters get "behind" before you get to the end, the other characters have to "tread water" story-wise until that character is also "caught up" for the finale. Also, you have lots of space for keywords on the character sheets, but you need to be lucky to have them actually come into play in the stories.

[@robertcrist6059]

LOL!!! 1:00:36 Tom just shaming Joey after Camilla built her third card to Joe's zero haha BURN!!!

[@robertcrist6059]

FWIW those promo tiles, they are promo tiles and you would think some rules would be on BGG, but nope. There is one thread and the op asks loads of questions about the icons and banners etc. One person responsed about the faction banners, and they said they assume you can use the normal rules of discount and counting towards chiefs, so I would say it's up to the players playing. I personally count it that way aka the fun way b/c games are fun.

[@jasontaylor8192]

Great format! Maybe formalize it with a quick intro slide with designer, artist play time etc. Keep the teach at the beginning instead of just jumping into the play. At the end would be nice if you included the previous score given from anyone who has reviewed it and just a simple did it change for that person over time. Love it keep it up folks!

[@terrytoriq]

Good game guys. I love Near and far. I am glad is the first game in the rebooted Catchapalooza. ❤

[@mohammedhossain3986]

LOVE CATCHUPALOOZA

[@Arydis4]

One of my fave games that barely sees the table. Loved watching a playthrough

[@robertcrist6059]

1:07:39 Joey should have gotten 3 coins, not 2, I think he missed an eye icon. He did it to himself sooo (shrug).

[@TylerAndToast]

The thumping i heard through most of the video sounded like someone's pulse. I assume someone's mic was by their heart

[@espenfr]

Good thing I'm not the only one that noticed. I think it might have been someone stomping their feet or something. Previously they have had ppl clicking on pens, or drumming with their fingers. It's habbits they should work on removing as audio is as much of the product they present as the video

[@gabtrat9091]

This format feels a lot like BGG GameNight! which isn't a bad thing

[@Shoitaan]

Near and Far is good, but Now or Never remains a magnificent game tarnished in the eyes of those who watched Tom's review. Definitely the best *game* of Ryan's euro games.

[@Animal_board_gamer]

Sleeping gods isn’t in arzium. Above and below Near and far Now or never Roam City of iron Islebound Creature caravan Are the only games he has made that is in arzium.

[@Trae_Lenox]

I always call it the Salon too

[@michaelzuchold9703]

Finally, we see you around the table again. S o m u c h better than your new sofa studio (everything wrong about the sofa studio, really).

[@Montag451]

I enjoy N&F but I think I like Now or Never more. But I have to say, personally, my least favorite part of both (and all RR games) is the writing. It's all pretty bland and frequently boring for me. It tries to be cute and funny (sometimes) but rarely hits.

[@jschildress1]

I know I'm an outlier on this game, but it was so disappointing. If you play the main campaign, the story seems good and then slowly, so slowly, you realize the story doesn't matter. It's just random bits. And the ending is... just a paragraph saying you beat the red king. That's it. Felt so painfully empty. And the game itself isn't that special, either.

[@TorIverWilhelmsen]

It has a lot of unique mechanisms, so what do you mean with a "special" game?