As predicted, I bought it. The interface seems fine to me. The tutorial is pretty bad, I think, but I already know the game so I’m approaching it from a different angle. I haven’t played online yet but I’ve explored the options and lurked I’m the lobby to see what people were saying. Nothing much.
btw after the install the game wanted my allowance to send notifications.
just for testing i have opened a private game. my friendslist came up and players could be added by +
i invited robthomasson and created the game.
“waiting…” was shown for robthomasson and for some time nothing happened.
i minimized the game into background at last. when trying to come back i got a “you have been disconnected from server” message and couldn’t see the game any more.
no problem when Rob will be able to join now (as it had been in the beta: “the game dropped out of sight until all had joined.”)
but Rob can’t see the game either. let’s hope not yet (?)…
Or is it like other Asmodee games where everyone has to be online for the game to be created?
No, thankfully, it is not like that. You can set up a Private Game and invite players from your Asmodee friends list (have to scroll through - no filtering on who has the game). When they next log on they will see the invite.
@JammaTal created a Private Game on iOS for he and I. When I next logged on using the Steam version I saw his invite - so cross-platform play is a thing.
I can’t get the iOS app yet - I still have a game running on the beta and we want that to finish (the full release might overwrite the beta?). But I share the dread that Asmodee have pushed it out the door without fixing the async “foibles”. Such a pity as the implementation of the game play is great.
One non-obvious “foible” in the beta was that, when choosing cards at the start of a new generation (and maybe at the start of a game), it had to be done in player turn. The game would let you choose them out of turn - but nothing stuck until you did it in turn. Manageable by communicating outside the app but just pain annoying.
I love digital board games like everyone here but as pretty as they are (and Terraforming Mars is sure pretty) I refuse to buy another Asmodee game unless they fix their shit and put a proper async engine on their games.
Also would be cool if they acknowledged their actual async implementation (in most games but Small World 2) is really sub par.
Would help if they listened to their testers too (I lost count of how many of these async issues I submitted in around 10-15 games I tested for them).
The BARE MINIMUM async implementation on iOS should have:
- notifications for game invites.
- notifications for game turns.
- friend list.
- timers set up (expecially with random people).
- Game list that actually tells at a glance who is who and who are you playing with.
- last turn replay.
Probably many others I forgot that I simply think are a given (at bare minimum).
Some of their games are really really suited to async play…yet they are totally ruined by their async implementation (besides Roll for the Galaxy I play single player in these games without a campaign just 1-2 days for rule learning, then it’s multiplayer only).
I’m still waiting for Terraforming Mars having a proper lobby where I can see who am I playing with…or that they solve Harald async multiplayer (Harald is a really underrated gem that would play so great async).
Sorry for the rant but Terraforming Mars was the last nail in the coffin for me.
And my understanding is that many of these issues won’t be solved because they are the byproduct of something that Asmodee thinks is very important: cross platform multiplayer.
Something I personally don’t give a damn about…all my friends have iOS or Android devices anyway and generally I much prefer board games there over playing on a desk (without notifications too).
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i’m not sure that you have followed the new insights on TfM’s async multiplayer, @Pitta.
update:
Rob has confirmed that my invite had found its way to him, just not on iOS, but only because he is still playing the beta version!
so i have no doubt now, that async online play is ok for TfM, including async invites and game openings.
so i think TfM might not be the fitting nail for your coffin.
Rob sent me a test invitation from his PC and this is what i got to see on my iPad when loading the game today.
45 days timer is the maximum. fine!
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In the last beta run, notifications didn’t work for invites (you had to manually enter the game to see if there were any invitations which is absurd).
They did (well, not consistently but it was a beta) worked for turns.
In the lobby if you have multiple games going you couldn’t see who you were playing to (in game too, they used different colors and you had to rember who was who Or using the chat). Actually there was a time when they were called all the same so it was impossible to see where you had to take your turns in…you had to enter each one.
So at one point I just asked myself…why I have to go through all these hassles when meanwhile I can play like 15 games of Shards, RoftG, Ascension, Carcassonne, Star Realms and the like without any issues, just playing and having fun?
And why they insist NOT to just copy what other people did perfectly since years?
(I’m not talking about TM now, it’s a general mood…TM had Unfortunately other problems with the developmen).
I’m glad if they fixed all this (I personally submitted these and others several times plus wrote on the forums)…even more because I hope after countless half baked async implementations maybe they are finally getting their shit together and doing what indie devs with a small fraction of their economical power and resources has done for years.
We are talking about Asmodee here, the boardgame juggernaut…not some 3 people team.
I’m so mad at them at times because I really LOVE many of their (or FFG) games (in paper form).
I want to believe 
Ironically, their best async implementation was their first one if I’m correct (Small World 2).
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So can anyone confirm if there are or are not notifications on iOS devices? I have some friends I’d love to gift the game to but it will be a non starter if we aren’t getting turn notifications.
Just wanted to add that I didn’t want to derail the thread or trash talk Terraforming Mars.
It was just something I had brawling in me since months and months but it’s a more general things that this game in specific.
Actually, besides potential async issues (which I’m super glad if they are all squashed out), the game is really good for both people already familiar with the game and people just looking for a good boardgame with STRONG scifi vibes.
The general presentation is really AAA level, and it oozes ‘Mars exploration’ vibes all over the place.
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Trust me, you’re not the only one who has gone off on Asmodee lately…
But on the topic of detailing the thread, perhaps we need a new Terraforming Mars thread for future discussion.
That was done by Days of Wonder way before Asmodee gobbled them up, I think.
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there have been heavy problems with async for Small World 2 too (introduced by an asmodee update. it had been perfect before)
matchmaking was shaky and only the player performing the last move could see the final scoring ceremony and standings.
but i think they got it fixed. so Small World 2 is a banner for hope.
Potion Explosion async play is ok.
but bad news for TtR! in our running 5-player game on the France map @Zebracadabra was just kicked from the game with still 3 days on his timer clock. he was running strong and is totally disappointed.
this bug is known since 2017 (see whovian’s comment) but obviously still not fixed.
so we did the right thing to kick TtR from the Decathlon.
Roll for the Galaxy beta sign-ups are out!
I requested Steam. Let’s see if I get in.
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Went for Android. The physical copy on the shelf next to my computer desk is giving me some serious side eye.
iOS request here!
Yellow & Yangtze to be released on “Steam, phone & tablet” next week.
So says a Dire Wolf marketing email … and they are to be trusted.
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Yes! I’ve been waiting for a new game to buy for some friends and force them to play. Not that I don’t love TTA, but when you play 50 games in a row you need to throw another game into the rotation every once in a while.
There is a new game coming in the Pathfinder: Kingmaker series. It isn’t a sequel; rather, it is a new story based on the Wrath of the Righteous adventure path. Now, I haven’t had a computer outside of some busted old laptop that struggled with Starcraft, but I’m going to be building a new rig soon, so I’m going to check out Kingmaker, and likely the new games as well. I’ve heard good things.
Weird.
I didn’t get that email
Good news though!