http://www.mikkosgameblog.com/2007/02/age-of-steam-in-northern-california/ Mikko Saari on board games. Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:14:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.mikkosgameblog.com/2007/02/age-of-steam-in-northern-california/comment-page-1/#comment-2484 Ilari Thu, 08 Feb 2007 10:41:27 +0000 http://vintagemahjong.com/gb/?p=4102#comment-2484 Hmm, for me it just doesn't make sense to count the different parts of San Jose as different cities. Strategizing with moving goods between the cities where goods can be moved with zero cost anyway just seems counter-intuitive and illogical. (Thematically it's even more strange, but Age of Steam has some weak points in its delivery theme anyway so I'll ignore that.) I don't see how it'd damage the game — San Jose loops are only a small part of the dynamic of the map. The SJ-complex would still remain an interesting place as it has huge output and multiple connection points. But I guess it's just a matter of taste. That's what house rules are for. :) Anyways, I liked the map regardless of how San Jose is played. Hmm, for me it just doesn’t make sense to count the different parts of San Jose as different cities. Strategizing with moving goods between the cities where goods can be moved with zero cost anyway just seems counter-intuitive and illogical. (Thematically it’s even more strange, but Age of Steam has some weak points in its delivery theme anyway so I’ll ignore that.) I don’t see how it’d damage the game — San Jose loops are only a small part of the dynamic of the map. The SJ-complex would still remain an interesting place as it has huge output and multiple connection points.
But I guess it’s just a matter of taste. That’s what house rules are for. Anyways, I liked the map regardless of how San Jose is played.

]]> http://www.mikkosgameblog.com/2007/02/age-of-steam-in-northern-california/comment-page-1/#comment-2483 Mikko Saari Thu, 08 Feb 2007 09:34:37 +0000 http://vintagemahjong.com/gb/?p=4102#comment-2483 Yes, goods can only go through each city once per delivery — but it's definitely correct to visit separate parts of San Jose. I don't think going to the extremes of your house rules is necessary. If cubes can't visit the same piece of San Jose twice, that eliminates the loops that feel like cheating. Moving stuff between parts of San Jose outside the city is a perfectly acceptable strategy and removing that would damage the game in my opinion. Sure, it removes the worst offenders, but it also removes some very simple and elegant moves. Yes, goods can only go through each city once per delivery — but it’s definitely correct to visit separate parts of San Jose. I don’t think going to the extremes of your house rules is necessary. If cubes can’t visit the same piece of San Jose twice, that eliminates the loops that feel like cheating.
Moving stuff between parts of San Jose outside the city is a perfectly acceptable strategy and removing that would damage the game in my opinion. Sure, it removes the worst offenders, but it also removes some very simple and elegant moves.

]]> http://www.mikkosgameblog.com/2007/02/age-of-steam-in-northern-california/comment-page-1/#comment-2482 Ilari Thu, 08 Feb 2007 09:29:31 +0000 http://vintagemahjong.com/gb/?p=4102#comment-2482 I'd definately like to know how the San Jose deliveries are supposed to work. I felt a bit bad using the small loops in San Jose to increase my delivery links. They weren't that critical — I certainly might have won anyways, but they sure gave me nice lead. Anyway, they even if they are supposed to work that way, I really don't think that's a good element. It just feels like cheating and against the spirit of the game. For later plays, I'd use a house rule that a goods can only go through the same city once during delivery — counting the San Jose complex as a single city. I’d definately like to know how the San Jose deliveries are supposed to work. I felt a bit bad using the small loops in San Jose to increase my delivery links. They weren’t that critical — I certainly might have won anyways, but they sure gave me nice lead.
Anyway, they even if they are supposed to work that way, I really don’t think that’s a good element. It just feels like cheating and against the spirit of the game. For later plays, I’d use a house rule that a goods can only go through the same city once during delivery — counting the San Jose complex as a single city.

]]>