Trashdome - Fury Of Dracula v Battlestar Galactica

I finally played FoD a couple weeks ago, and though I am hoping to play it again soon, it seemed to be the kind of game that I could appreciate more than enjoy, if that makes any sense. I was really engrossed in it for about the first hour and then it kind of got tedious and repetitive, especially when Drac played an "Evasion" card and basically reset the game after we'd closed in on him. I love the basic system and premise of the game and the way Dracula's encounter track works is brilliant, but actually playing it wasn't as much fun as I'd hoped it would be (and it was a fun group I was playing with).

As my recent blogpost indicated, BSG has been very much hit or miss for me depending on certain factors like whether or not enough Cylon ships come out after the first jump, but when it hits it hits really big. I'm not sure I could ever see the best game of FoD being quite as big of a hit for me as the best games of BSG.

Grudunza wrote:

I finally played FoD a couple weeks ago, and though I am hoping to play it again soon, it seemed to be the kind of game that I could appreciate more than enjoy, if that makes any sense. I was really engrossed in it for about the first hour and then it kind of got tedious and repetitive, especially when Drac played an "Evasion" card and basically reset the game after we'd closed in on him. I love the basic system and premise of the game and the way Dracula's encounter track works is brilliant, but actually playing it wasn't as much fun as I'd hoped it would be (and it was a fun group I was playing with).

As my recent blogpost indicated, BSG has been very much hit or miss for me depending on certain factors like whether or not enough Cylon ships come out after the first jump, but when it hits it hits really big. I'm not sure I could ever see the best game of FoD being quite as big of a hit for me as the best games of BSG.

Really, I wanted to post first, but figured someone would give voice to how I felt about FoD. I can apprecaite it more than enjoy it - absolutely. And I can't imagine the best Fury game topping the best BSG. Thanks Grudunza!

Did you know that GW signed a deal with FFG in 2008 to publish and develop board games, collectible card games and role playing games based on Games Workshop properties?

Sounds like GW is a FFG goose stepper too.

"Android" bombed. Conan is in the shitter and BSG in the bargain bin.

FFG has to try to get SOME good games from somewhere!

Fury of Dracula -- there seems to be more of a game there. A lot of BSG feels like a process and the skill checks become repetitive and tiresome (not that we still don't play BSG quite often). Fury of Dracula is basically Scotland Yard for adults, I loved the latter as a kid and I love the former as an adult.


@Weeks: Android bombed among some of the more vocal here. The learning curve is steep and to fully get everything out of the game, I am convinced that it needs at least 8 to 10 plays -- which is a big investment if you are waiting for the payoff; however, it seems people are discarding it after only a couple of plays (what happened to really getting to know a game?). There are tons of innovative things in there (in my opinion), and the tales that it weaves is great.

@Weeks: Android bombed among some of the more vocal here. The learning curve is steep and to fully get everything out of the game, I am convinced that it needs at least 8 to 10 plays -- which is a big investment if you are waiting for the payoff; however, it seems people are discarding it after only a couple of plays (what happened to really getting to know a game?). There are tons of innovative things in there (in my opinion), and the tales that it weaves is great.

Good point, but unfortunately that is too big of an investment in today's "instant gratification" game market.

Both games are among my favorites although my group has tweaked the balance on each.

With BSG, we use the No Sympathizer option and also give the humans a +1 bonus to each resource. The game is a lot of fun, especially when accusations and cylon reveals surprise the players. The dread and despair weighing on the humans is great as well. However, the game can sometimes turn into a rout for the cyclons (hence our balance tweaks) such as when it takes more than 4 jumps to get to Kobol.

With FoD, our rule changes give Dracula a better chance. We've removed the Sense of Emergency option from Resolve and when a kill result is scored against Drac, the combat ends. Such a great cat and mouse game. FoD also has the flexibility of being good with 2-5 players.

As a side note, I played the GW version of FoD once a while ago and thought it was okay. I like the new version better.

This is a little like choosing between your kids, but I'll vote for Fury of Dracula.

the*mad*gamer wrote:

Good point, but unfortunately that is too big of an investment in today's "instant gratification" game market.

This is an indictment of gamers, not the game (nor the game company. If anything, it's a mark in their favour).

the*mad*gamer wrote:

@Weeks: Android bombed among some of the more vocal here. The learning curve is steep and to fully get everything out of the game, I am convinced that it needs at least 8 to 10 plays -- which is a big investment if you are waiting for the payoff; however, it seems people are discarding it after only a couple of plays (what happened to really getting to know a game?). There are tons of innovative things in there (in my opinion), and the tales that it weaves is great.

Good point, but unfortunately that is too big of an investment in today's "instant gratification" game market.

I'm confused Steve are you saying Android bombed because as an FFG game it sucked or because it too big of an investment for you? Are you an "instant gratification" gamer? Is Natus using your account as a sock puppet? Is the Mad Gamer an agent from TOS sent to destroy F:AT? I WANT ANSWERS!!!

This is the toughest Trashdome yet- these are two of my top games, and I wouldn't be surprised to see BSG move into my top five games of all time before long. Some 20 plays in, and it's still holding up. We played saturday and had a very rare human win that was a real nailbiter. Too bad I was a Cylon.

FURY is a bona fide classic- it's been around for nearly 20 years and it's a masterpiece on every level. The GW version is probably the all-around best, but the FFG edition is almost as good and improves on some things while adding a couple of things that aren't so great for "balance". I do really like the greater detail in combat and the time element in particular. I remember the first time I played FoD, with Robert Martin no less, I was totally blown away at how well it captured a sense of time, place, atmosphere, and the concept of tracking Dracula. It does require a good (and not cowardly) Dracula player to avoid spiralling into endlessness though.

BSG is still the new kid on the block, but it's almost certainly destined to be a classic- regardless of the longevity of the license. It's also a masterpiece, but it's a very different type of design. It's much looser, more freeform, and dependent on interaction, subterfuge, and careful cooperation. It totally nails everything about the show and manages to even dig into some of the deeper, human themes that the show addresses- something very, very rare for a board game.

In the end, I have to give it to FURY if only due to seniority.

As a side note, Robert "I hate all new games" Martin loves BSG.

As a member of an oppressed minority group (Evil-Americans) I judged these games on the basis of whether it was more fun to be a Cylon or to be Dracula. Dracula won. So my vote is for FURY.

Michael Barnes wrote:

In the end, I have to give it to FURY if only due to seniority.

This is also why Steve voted for it. Its interesting because I wouldn't have expected length of time in print to be a factor. Although you seem to be using it as a sort of arbitrary tie-breaker amongst favorites whereas he seems to consider it a definite indicator of which game is better.

Mad Dog wrote:

Michael Barnes wrote:

In the end, I have to give it to FURY if only due to seniority.

This is also why Steve voted for it. Its interesting because I wouldn't have expected length of time in print to be a factor. Although you seem to be using it as a sort of arbitrary tie-breaker amongst favorites whereas he seems to consider it a definite indicator of which game is better.

It's a proxy for how enduring the game is...Fury has proven itself. BSG might, but hasn't had the chance to yet.

BSG is still the new kid on the block, but it's almost certainly destined to be a classic- regardless of the longevity of the license. It's also a masterpiece, but it's a very different type of design. It's much looser, more freeform, and dependent on interaction, subterfuge, and careful cooperation. It totally nails everything about the show and manages to even dig into some of the deeper, human themes that the show addresses- something very, very rare for a board game.

Nobody wants to dig into deep human themes when playing a board game, they want to have fun. The word "classic" and "masterpiece" are thrown around too much on games these days. My prediction is that the game will not become a classic and fall between the cracks as the market continues to be flooded with new Johnny come lately "classics"

Ironically there have been very few true "classics" released since...Fury of Dracula in 2006.

So yeah. Twice in 2.5 years have we seen what we'd call modern 'classics.' 2004-2005 was chock full of them (War of the Ring, DOOM, Descent, Twilight Imperium, Twilight Struggle, Nexus Ops) but that was an anomaly. That was also four or five years ago.

Ska_baron wrote:

Grudunza wrote:

I finally played FoD a couple weeks ago, and though I am hoping to play it again soon, it seemed to be the kind of game that I could appreciate more than enjoy, if that makes any sense. I was really engrossed in it for about the first hour and then it kind of got tedious and repetitive, especially when Drac played an "Evasion" card and basically reset the game after we'd closed in on him. I love the basic system and premise of the game and the way Dracula's encounter track works is brilliant, but actually playing it wasn't as much fun as I'd hoped it would be (and it was a fun group I was playing with).

Really, I wanted to post first, but figured someone would give voice to how I felt about FoD. I can apprecaite it more than enjoy it - absolutely. And I can't imagine the best Fury game topping the best BSG. Thanks Grudunza!

This is pretty much my feeling with Fury of Dracula (FFG edition, never played the original), after 2-3 games. The games are kind of boring, the chase is too long and can be reset with Evasion, players don't have much to do on their turn. Maybe as a 3-player game, with the hunters each controlling two figures, the game would be more interesting. Or maybe I'd rather simply play Dracula. I'd definitely play it again, but not with some players, and because I'm so lukewarm about it (I'd like to love the game, but...), other games edge it out when it comes time to choose what to play.

Vote: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA