American Megafauna

Simple question; I have the first edition, should I buy the second + expansion?

So no one has any opinion on the pros and cons of the two editions?

If you're asking you probably like the first edition. The 2nd edition and expansion play mat/tents are better quality than the first edition printing (which isn't saying much). It also includes the errata and variant to speed up the game that you can download off the geek or www.sierramadregames.com anyway.

The expansion, for me, adds three improvements over the base game.

1st
The additional 5th player is nice for that once a year group game you can get started. If you play more regularly the game's new proto-animal adds some new challenges and variety.

2nd
The additional starting biome tiles add a bit more potential wiggle room in the early game.

3rd
I like the end game potential of having at least one wild trait to play with. The new gene types add several new options for potentially getting mid/late game wild traits. They can also hinder early development if you pull too many early, as many of the new cards have gene prerequisites.

I bought it. I love the game and hope that purchasing the game will support Sierra Madre Games continue to make extremely complicated esoteric games.

Thanks. I like the sound of the wild traits.

If the expansion worked with the first edition it'd be a no-brainer; but needing to buy the second edition base game as well triples the price. The oddity is, it says the expansion requires the second edition, yet there's apparently very little change to the rules. So why does it require it? The best I can come up with is because it's in colour.

I don't own the 1st edition, I've only seen it, but I suspect that the cards for the 2nd edition may be printed on different type cardboard than the 1st. So if you bought the expansion and mixed them with the 1st edition you'd know when you were about to pull an expansion card.

If you're going to WBC this year you can look and feel both the expansion cards and the 1st edition cards to see if you can get away with just buying the expansion.

Yeah, that's what I meant by "it's in colour".

I doubt I'll ever be going to the WBC since I'm in England.

Well, I have until October to decide whether to add the expansion or the second edition + expansion to my pre-order.

About once a year I get to where I really, really want to try this. But realistically, no one I know will play it except for _maybe_ Frank. How is the solo game?

Michael Barnes wrote:

About once a year I get to where I really, really want to try this. But realistically, no one I know will play it except for _maybe_ Frank. How is the solo game?

It's very good. The game comes with a solo variant that's highly entertaining, challenging, and quite different from multiplayer play. You can also adapt the regular game if you're willing to play more than one evolutionary branch (i.e. multiple sides) at the same time, and you adjust the method of acquiring genes (from an auction to a straight purchase system).

Theme is brilliant, and blends perfectly with the mechanics, which means you can be wiped out randomly, regardless of how well you play.

In a nutshell, it's a pure experience game. If you like that sort of thing, and the theme grabs you, you'll probably like the game. There's a good official solo variant session report here . (It's a bit technical in terms of rules and evolutionary terminology, but it might give you a sense of whether this game will be to your liking.)

This is - almost certainly - a ridiculous question ... but does anyone here still have the 1st edition of AF?

I should still have it

Is there a way to message you? LOL

I'm wondering if I could get a scan of the 1st edition rules ....

You can use our private message system.

Thanks! Yes, I did see I could do that from the profile page. Sent a message (but haven't heard back -- hopefully, it went through correctly)

I'm sure it went through fine. Someone may just not want to do what you're asking, which is well within their rights.

Of course. And, in that case, a simple, "No" is always okay

This has become the most elusive thing I've encountered. Even reaching out to Phil E himself didn't help (he doesn't have a copy of 1st edition, himself -- only 2nd edition) .