by Ecosmith
The Grinch wrote:
I think whether you purchase multiple disposable sets or a single reusable set, the element of discovery will be deminished or lost after your first series play, much as rereading a book the second time will be a different experience regardless of whether you have destroyed your first copy of it or not. And with a reusable set, specific "worlds" can be preserved simply by recording positions. So the game will play the same whether the set is reusable or not. (Hence a reusable set is no more a "variant" than a game of checkers played with edible pieces.)
And some months later, I am now in the position of being on game 10 of our second campaign of RL, played properly (as I see it). Most of the players this time round played the first time (during which all packets were opened according to their cover instructions), but a few did not.
Earth #11283 has developed in a remarkably different way to Earth #10094. Having pre-knowledge of what was in the packets didn't seem to lessen the enjoyment any for me and the others who 'knew'. In fact, there was a different sort of awesomeness about RL this time round - Knowing what was in the '30+troops + missile' packet, for example, made our last game hinge around who was going to get to trigger it.
We haven't noticed any balance issues with some players being privy to what's in the packets and some not, either.
All we have left this time round is the World Capital pack, and I've forgotten what's in it, tbh.
I haven't looked at the Earth # 10094 board since it was put away, in July. I just got the box down from a top shelf in my gaming room and opened out the board. Looking at the signatures, the victory doodles, the renamed countries, the giant octopus that was drawn in the South Pacific for no apparent reason other than 'What?' by one of the players, the World Capital named after my mum, and that wonderful 15-line handwritten legacy of FUN, in black, green, red and blue permanent ink, culminating in 'The World Of Natasza's Playground', forever immortalising my best friend's baby daughter - well, 'recording positions' in a sterile excel doc or whatever just doesn't compare.
Earth #11283 will be named after game 15, and then it'll go on the shelf, and I'll get another one.
:D
Eco