Stately Citizen Journalism

Yes, the card game.

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Dang 
 I’ll be buying as soon as work gets out of the way. I remember really liking it.

Terraforming Mars releasing on iOS/Android Wednesday, 12/4:

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Awesome!

Although, Asmodee just released 3 games today and by all accounts they are barely playable, so here’s hoping it works alright


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The TM beta’s in pretty good shape. Notifications don’t work, and you have to wait your turn to pick cards at the start of each generation (even though it looks like you should be able to do that as soon as the generation starts), but those are the biggest problems I’ve seen.

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I hate everything about the TM beta and wouldn’t pay a dime for the final product, assuming it’s this same shit that they release. Asmodee is just phoning it in at this point and finger fucking what could be a great app adaptation of a great game. The lack of notifications is glaring, but made even worse by the no names in game, having to repost your turn repeatedly, and general lack of knowledge or caring of how asynchronous digital games work. I guarantee this thing will never see an update post release and will be unplayable come iOS 13.3.whateverthefuck.

The whole thing stinks of four idiots who’d never played a digital app thinking their basement “gaming sesh” would be a great app.

#rant #I’mthenewDukester

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I’ve tried a bit to temper my posts regarding Asmodee lest I begin to sound like an annoying broken record, but you just wrote my mind relatively nicely
except I’m also the idiot who will probably buy it day-1 anyways


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Hey!

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The Eve Echoes open beta starts in about 6 hours. There’s ‘only’ 10,000 places on iOS because that’s the TestFlight limit. Unlimited on Android I assume. Hopefully it’s not a complete pile of wank like Stellaris mobile was

Total agreement on Asmodee phoning it in lately.

Gang of Four (the app) is very sketchy. It looks like a number of corners were cut. The tutorial, if you can call it that, is beyond awful. The rulebook is full of typos. The game won’t play at all in landscape mode.

Best of all, there’s a crash where the AI breaks a rule and the game just stops. I mean, how does your own AI not know the rules?

Asmodee is not to be trusted.

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Have to say I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments. Boardgame app quality has been dipping consistently for a few years now imo, to the point where a premium one justifies its price by being simply one that implements the rules correctly, doesn’t crash, and has a decent multiplayer.

What would be the holy grail of apps past? Carcassone? Twilight Struggle? Agricola? TM is nowhere near any of those, and at the very least should be. I’m feeling that that mobile game landscape of years gone by, that potential, hasn’t been improved, just milked. And the well (and my goodwill) is running dry.

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I’d say Through the Ages takes the coveted Holy Grail right now. Everything about it is exactly how an iOS board game should be done.

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In my righteous indignation I sit and wish for a way for them to be called to account. Asmodee has the potential to be the ambassador for the hobby; I wish they were called out very publicly to account for their digital apathy.

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I still think Playdek has done a better job with their lobby system, and in particular inviting friends to games. I’m also disappointed that CGE decided against a rating system in the games.

On the other hand, Playdek hasn’t optimized their apps for devices over two years old, and Carcassonne has never allowed async games against strangers, so there is still room for perfection in the field! All Playdek has to do is optimize their apps!

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Well I think the TM app is a fecking good app (been playing the beta), let down only by I guess the multiplayer side of notifications.

I for one honestly couldn’t give much about the multi side. I prefer boardgames apps to be strong on UI and gameplay in favour of anything multi, so long as they have strong AI, where I know I can go in there and take A FEW turns. TM so far as UI and AI goes is fair imo. Happy to have it more than not and will be buying. So there.

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TtA is pretty flawless. I admit to looking at Playdek’s website every few weeks hoping the magic App Store black box has appeared on the Labyrinth logo 'cos that my friends is going to be stonking!

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Those of us in the decathlon did just witness Asmodee letting some Apple certificate lapse. Maybe they just hadn’t gotten the certificate yet for Terraforming Mars and there will be working notifications at launch? Here’s hoping. We should know tomorrow.

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Looks like still no in game names judging from App Store pics. Let us know your impressions if you pick it up!

I like that they’ve decided it is suitable for ages 4 and up!

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