Trashdome - Cosmic Encounter VS Titan

VOTE: Cosmic Encounter. My one play of Titan took forever without any payoff.

Ah, poor Titan. I really don't think it stands a chance, and even though I own 7 copies of CE and it's probably my favorite game in the world, I still appreciate it.

Titan has a lot going for it. The Masterboard part of the game sports most of the concepts we've identified as things that make a good game. There's deduction, bluffing, actual negotiation (not just "Hey, let's leave each other alone while we kill our respective opponents), big swings of fate, and an emphasis on doing the best you can with the options you're given.

between the excessive playtime

The game's playtime is not as bad as people make it out to be. If you're playing with a bunch of people, inexperienced players, and people who'll fight every damn battle out to the bitter end instead of simply making deals (there's a reason that rule exists), then yes, the game is going to take forever. On the other hand, if you're playing with a 3-4 people who know what they're doing, the game takes about 3-4 hours.

Is 4 hours too long for a game like Titan? Maybe, but at the very least, it's no worse than one of those annoyingly protracted games of Arkham Horror or Talisman.

overly fussy rules that sort of betray the whole "monster slugathon" idea

OK, the playtime thing was a fairly legitimate gripe, but this complaint is just wierd. The rules are, what, 12 pages long? In a time where most rulebooks weigh in at 40+ pages, Titan is actually a pretty lean game. Basically, a turn consists of moving, getting some new monsters, then fighting. Yes, there's some wierdness to the rules, but the administration is kept to a minimum, and there's almost no tedious procedure to deal with either.

and the- YES- abstract nature of the game

And this statement is mind-boggling considering the game's being compared to Cosmic Encounter, one of the most abstract sci-fi games ever made.

Remember, before the AH edition, you didn't have "ships" in CE. You had tokens. Not tokens that represented ships, tokens that represented fucking tokens, unless they were on a planet, that is. Then, they represented bases provided, of course, that you played a "Challenge" card with a high enough number (that represents who knows what) to overtake your opponent's defenses. The special cards are similarly vague and abstract, and almost all the alien powers are simply named according to their function in the game.

CE is pretty much completely built around rules, mechanics, and different ways of changing those rules and mechanics. It's a great game, but thematic it is not.

Quick vote, not much time, but it is easy to make with no burning questions in my mind, as Titan strkes me as being a much lesser game, obviously old design. Unlike CE's which plays suprisingly well still today.

vote: Cosmic Encounter

Cosmic Encounter

Even though Cutthroat Caverns has utterly and completely replaced Cosmic Encounter at our table (for some reason, it scratches the same itch, maybe we'll try it again during the weekend), Titan is just a sad sorry game.

I really really love the zoomed in version of the game, when the battle starts and it's time to roll dice. The zoomed out game where you go around mustering units is just plain retarded. What the hell? Pegasus and hydras and centaurs all fighting on the same side? Nothing makes any freaking sense. And the board. Dear lord, it's confusing.

Somebody should make a game that plays like Titan, but the board isn't as dumb and you actually muster sensible units. I would totally buy that.

vote: Cosmic

Cosmic is a stupid game that is stoopid fun. Last time I played was a mix of 40-year-olds and teenagers of both genders, and it was a total blast. I got the retarded power that generates something like extra ships whenever I win an attack; of course, I never won a single attack (so never got to invoke my power), but I managed thru ultra-conservative play to wrangle a four-person "victory". The way the game ended was just another chapter of the whole amusing game, not the essential piece

Titan is a bear. We play with the Canadian Wargaming Journal's CRT variant instead of the battleboards, but our matches are still pretty disappointing due to my impatient insistence to get it on with my Titan early on. We love the recruiting board so much that a friend of mine designed an entirely different game using it and new components. I like Titan, but somehow it just never makes it to the table anymore... unlike Cosmic.

Hatchling wrote:

Are games separable from the people we play them with?

What sets Titan apart is that unlike other boardgames this one for me comes with a live human host, a gamer I know who acts as the master of ceremonies, moving things along, providing little tips and warnings, facilitating battles and so on. And he does it with his usual wit, wry humour and undying enthusiasm for the game. I only play face to face Titan with this guy. Each time the game has reached an unsurpassed pitch of suspense and excitement. I hope one day I will know the game well enough to be able to facilitate it in the same way for other players.

Vote: Titan

Can't argue with that!

Cosmic is so great. Tons of variety, conflict, negotiation, and just the right amount of take-that cardplay. Not to mention, it's a light ameritrash game in a sea of heavy titles.

I've never played Titan, and I suspect I do not wish to.

VOTE: COSMIC

Titan looks older than John McCain shuffling across the floor in the second debate against Obama. Still, if I'm not mistaken Matt DP loves this game and in the past I know a lot of FATties raved about it(although always versus eurogames - not a giant like Cosmic Encounter).

Poor Titan.

Vote: CE

Oh, this is tough, I love both games but Cosmic is so much fun I can't let it fall.

Cosmic Encounter

What's with the Titan hate?

I haven't played CE and probably never will because I'm not buying a game that requires more than 2 players. I'll try it if I get the chance with some of the friends I only game with occasionally, but from what I read I'd rather play Titan.

I just love the concept of the separate master board and the battle boards. The way you actually play out the battles tactically instead of just using some quick and abstract method. In fact I'd like to see this concept brought into other games (as an example someone developed a similar idea for Wizard Kings that seems pretty interesting).

I wish I had the original edition with it's unique hand drawn counters, but I'm happy with the VG copy, and although we don't play it much (yet?!) I'm still drawn to that game. It's also an excellent 2 player game, and as a 2 player game is not that long. Also the rules are pretty simple... I had no trouble explaining them on my first play, learning while we played.

And last, Titan seems to be a game that rewards players that stick with it and it seems to me you really need to play it a lot to really understand it. Few games nowadays have this depth, and even though I'm just a beginner, I appreciate it.

Vote: Titan

scissors wrote:

Still, if I'm not mistaken Matt DP loves this game and in the past I know a lot of FATties raved about it(although always versus eurogames - not a giant like Cosmic Encounter).

I do. But here's a bit of a surprise for you - I've only had the chance to play Cosmic a couple of times, but I thought it was really, really good. Good enough, possibly, to be better than Titan.

However for one reason or another (usually because there's not enough players) I can't seem to get a run of play on it as I'd like to do. So for the time being the tried and trusted has to reign surpeme and I'll vote Titan. Cosmic is a lot of fun but it's a bit of a one-trick pony mechanics-wise. Titan continues to have the best balance of strategy, tactics and random that I've ever seen in a game design.

But for once, I won't be all that sad to see the game I'm backing in trashdome loose. They'd both be worthy winners.

I thought CE was entirely overrated and in no way does it rate higher than Titan in my book.


vote - Titan


-Will

Vote: CE everyone already said what I would.

MattDP wrote:

Cosmic is a lot of fun but it's a bit of a one-trick pony mechanics-wise.

Say wha?

NeonPeon wrote:

MattDP wrote:

Cosmic is a lot of fun but it's a bit of a one-trick pony mechanics-wise.

Say wha?

You pick a random enemy, negotiate, and then play a card to see who wins. All the fun and interesting stuff in Cosmic comes from the middle bit, the negotiation - that's arguably even where the special powers have the most effect. This isn't meant to be a huge criticism because Cosmic's simplicity is very much a part of it's appeal.