The Gothic Game 2nd Edition Announced

Ugh...the artwork is not good. I love the scratchy, atmospheric pen illustrations of the original. This looks like any other boring board game art. I’ll still definitely get this IF they don’t fuck with it because the game is basically perfect...but I have doubts. For example, are they going to “redevelop” the screaming bullshit that is oubliette or the endless staircase? Or the instant death cards? Stuff like that, the patently unfair and unbalanced stuff is what makes this game great.

Back when I was tentatively in touch with the designer and trying to figure out how to pull out a 2nd edition, one thing I was clear about was making the game one hundred percent playable in its original form. I hope these guys do that.

Eh, crap...there are “playable characters”...which is automatically NOT in line with the original design. Looks like miniatures too. Disappointing.

So will this be Kickstarter? I have never played the original but am intrigued due to its love around here. Half of my group would hate it.

Well I for one am stoked. I actually don’t like the old art the old art (sorry, worst thing about the game) and I like the new stuff. The characters, so long as they don’t have special powers or anything dumb like that, I’m fine with them. I saw a pic of their prototype board and it looks identical to the old one. I suspect no meddling will be done to the original game, or worst case scenario, you have the option of a new or classic version. I’m really glad I might have the chance to own it, it’s been a big hit with my wife.

I’m all about this. You lot have been gumming on this for ages. I kind of have to have it

If you can play the original game as originally published...then I don’t really care about what they add to it and the art can be excused. FFG’s Merchant of Venus is the gold standard here- you can play either the classic or revised game, and ain’t nobody unhappy.

Special player powers...god, I hope not. But I think that is where this is heading.

They actually polled people on Twitter to gauge interest in roll and move...if they take out roll and move, I’m out.

Of course this is a Kickstarter so we’ll see more when their campaign goes up, whenever that is.

I am in touch with Black Letter Games. Inquiring to see if they will sit for an interview about this.

Meh.

I got my 1st edition Gothic Game a few months ago, so my interest level in a new edition is low. There are some things about the original that could be fixed without harming the charm of the game. A few standard icons on the cards would be great: play immediately, hold, attack, and something that draws more attention to the cards that can be discarded whenever for immediate healing. It would also be great if they put vp track around the border of the board, except use it to track health instead of hit points, with a different colored health token for each player. Then there would be no need for the pencil and scoring sheet. But I'm betting that they will go for a variety of changes that this game doesn't need: miniatures, named characters with special abilities, movement cards instead of dice, etc.

I'd be very surprised if you couldn't still just play the old way with the new pieces.

We just played The Gothic Game last night. We had a crazy amount of fun.

However, I think it could stand a clean up of a few ambiguities:

• Landing on a space during your movement vs ending your movement on a space.
• What happens to a player if they are in the vault when Dracula returns?
• When you control another player's movement, do you just indicate the direction they go when their move starts, or do you control their entire movement.

Also

• Having "Keep" vs "Play Immediately" on the cards would help.
• Marking the entrances that you come in on from the Moat with their entrance numbers.
• Making the doors to the rooms a bit easier to see.

But other than those few things, it's pretty perfect just as it is.

If you want a second for an interview, I am so curious. I know a publisher who was in contact with the original author, but could never lock down the rights.

Uba:
1. Only ending your movement matters.
2. Bit.
3. Entire movement.

I don't think the game is perfect, however. It needs a clock or external force driving the players into conflict. If you've played Towerfall, the screen begins to contract after about 45 seconds.

Also...becoming Dracula is usually a death sentence. It is rarely worth it as too many objects will kill you outright, and it is too easy for others to hide in rooms.

And there REALLY needs to be more cards.

moofrank wrote: If you want a second for an interview, I am so curious. I know a publisher who was in contact with the original author, but could never lock down the rights.

Uba:
1. Only ending your movement matters.
2. Bit.
3. Entire movement.

I don't think the game is perfect, however. It needs a clock or external force driving the players into conflict. If you've played Towerfall, the screen begins to contract after about 45 seconds.

We play that if you pass over a green square you can use the secret passage and continue your movement where you come out. It speeds up the game, essentially making the board smaller and makes it much easier to end you movement adjacent to another player.

For number 2, you mean "bit" as in dead, right?

ubarose wrote: We play that if you pass over a green square you can use the secret passage and continue your movement where you come out. It speeds up the game, essentially making the board smaller and makes it much easier to end you movement adjacent to another player.

For number 2, you mean "bit" as in dead, right?

Playing the green squares that way makes it too hard for Dracula to catch anybody.

We play it that Dracula immediately bites the person who was already in the Crypt. Let's say Orange was Dracula and just managed to get back to the Crypt in time to avoid dying. And Blue was already in the Crypt, thanks to rolling a 6 to get out of the Moat. Dracula bites Blue, costing Blue the usual 20 points, and now Dracula covers the Blue pawn as usual. Orange is safe for the moment because he is inside a room, but both Dracula (Blue) and Orange will be leaving the Crypt on their next move because players are not allowed to loiter in rooms.

Those are some very worthwhile suggestions you guys made. I don’t think getting drawn into conflict is so much the problem as being able to do so is. I was the second to last person in the game last night and at no point did I have a weapon. It’s funny that I lasted so long without, but I think making it easier to get weapons would go a long way.

Regardless, the publisher really should be in contact with this site. This is their audience, not BGG, full stop.

I really like the new item card art. It kind of looks like it was done on black scratch board. My ideal art style for the game would be something like Mike Mignola or something like the video game Darkest Dungeon, where it’s more about what you’re allowed to see in the shadows than anything else.

They are in for an interview- if you folks have questions you want answered, post here and I will include them. Try to do this by Tuesday.

Aside from the obvious ones (Is this a straight reprint, if not, what additions will there be and will there be the option to play the classic version)....

-What kind of contact have you had with the original designers? What kind of input or suggestions have they given if any?

-I’d like to know a bit about your history with the game. It’s no secret that the game isn’t really what we’d call a modern design and is a fairly obscure cult classic to boot, so what encouraged your decision to pursue a new edition?

-Nobody comes away from the original with loving how the Dracula pawn swallows up the smaller pawns. Do you have anything planned to replicate that even though you’re using miniatures?

Anything else I can think of would be more reactive questions. It’s not like the game has this well known legacy where it’s name means something to those who haven’t played it, so if it’s being changed to appeal more to modern gaming sensibilities, why put the name on it?

Finally, please tell them to fix the entrance path on their prototype board. Theirs is two spaces wide, it should be one.

-Nobody comes away from the original with loving how the Dracula pawn swallows up the smaller pawns. Do you have anything planned to replicate that even though you’re using miniatures?


Do mean WITHOUT loving? Because I love it!

Michael Barnes wrote: -Nobody comes away from the original with loving how the Dracula pawn swallows up the smaller pawns. Do you have anything planned to replicate that even though you’re using miniatures?


Do mean WITHOUT loving? Because I love it!

Shit, OF COURSE I mean without loving it. My bad.

I received some corrections to my announcement from the publisher/designer. I don’t want to spoil Michael’s interview, but I have update the announcement:

A Kickstarter for the second edition of The Gothic Game, with all new artwork, will be launched most likely in the first quarter of 2019. There will be significant changes to the original to reduce randomness, with movement being goverened by multifunction cards. Rules for classic play will be included.

It’s starting to sound kind of like Wiz-War, which could be cool. Plus you can still play the classic version.

Reduced randomness? That sounds horrible.

Glad there’s the option to play classic. Just hope the board is fixed. None of this two space wide bullshit for babies.

Josh Look wrote: Reduced randomness? That sounds horrible.

Yeah, once I start using strategy I'm playing a different game!

engineer Al wrote:

Josh Look wrote: Reduced randomness? That sounds horrible.

Yeah, once I start using strategy I'm playing a different game!

There’s all kinds of strategies in The Gothic Game

The Hide in the Lavatory Strategy
The Jump in the Moat when Dracula is Coming Strategy
Make a Run for the Tower Before Everyone Gets on the Board Strategy

This is finally launching on October 24. There’s a how to play video on the new variant. That’s right, variant. I haven’t watched it yet.