What would you like to see us play on Tabletop Season Three?

Posted on By Wil

Anonymous asked:

Second Season of Wil Wheaton Project. Yes or No? I hope SyFy channel has the foresight to keep it going.

So for those of you who don’t know, earlier this summer, I did 12 episodes of a silly comedy show on Syfy called The Wil Wheaton Project. It was basically The Soup for people like me who enjoy sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, as well as jokes about those things. If you’d like to see a bunch of clips from the show, they’re right here on my YouTube thing.

We’re officially on hiatus right now, and we don’t know if the network will order more episodes. I know that they liked us in a creative sense, but the ratings weren’t very good (ratings are generally not very good in summer, and while I don’t believe that ratings are as important as they once were, my opinion on the matter isn’t particularly important to the decision makers), but the people who did watch us really liked us. So I won’t know for a few more weeks, but until then, I’m on hiatus, which means I get to write more, play more games, and prep for season three of Tabletop, which goes into production in October.

Part of that preparation includes finding 20 games to play on the show, and as of today, I have eight (maybe nine) that are strong contenders.

What do you want us to play on the show next year? Would you tell me the game, the publisher, and why you like it?

Keep in mind the criteria for Tabletop game selection:

  1. Plays well with 4 people.

  2. Plays in under 90 minutes.

  3. Can be generally explained in about 5 minutes.

  4. Has a high ration of luck to strategy, so everyone has a chance to win the game.

  5. Looks great, has clear graphical design and photographs well.

  6. Is not something we’ve played before.

I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments.

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Comments (2,070)

  1. Hi Wil,

    Here are two that even gamers don’t often know and meet your criteria.

    Tongiaki
    Publisher: Überplay
    Tongiaki has a high chaos ratio (especially with 6 players) but plays well with 4 players. It’s colourful, and the placement of the tiles could make for a great “fast forward” when shot from above. Simple rules, simple play, but tons of fun. And it’s not too long. The element of chance is the random tile draw.

    Web of Power
    Publisher: Rio Grande Games
    Web of Power is pretty straight forward, play one to three cards to place one to two cloisters, advisers or both in a country. The real trick is playing in a way that gives the most points with the least pieces. It’s got a fixed time limit (twice through the deck), and the payoff of seeing who get’s the extra points when the “web” is calculated at the end.

    I don’t know if you’ve played these (probably, because they are not new), but if not, give them a shot and let me know what you think.

  2. My recommendations, based on the criteria:

    1) Hornet by Zman Games. Plays really well in 90 minutes, and with four players. Really easy to teach, very simple to play, but surprisingly deep. Has the plus that a more “worker” strategy (as opposed to a “fighter” strategy) is highly viable.

    2) Ghost Stories by Asmodee. Fun co-op game with an awesome theme. One of the best looking games out there.

    3) Wings of War/Wings of Glory. Simple but not simplistic wargame. The only negative is that it might be too similar to X-Wing. If this won’t work, I’d love to see Sails of Glory, the Napoleonic ship combat game using a similar mechanic.

  4. Survive: Escape from Atlantis. The island is sinking and everyone must flee to safety. Classic “take that” game, plays in under an hour.

    Quantum – a really great abstract game, wrapped in a science fiction theme

  5. We Didn’t Playtest This (I’m always the first one out and have fun watching my friends continue to play – I imagine it would be amusing to viewers.)
    Red Dragon Inn
    Rampage (My son wants this one!)
    Dix It Jinx (I still haven’t gotten to play this yet!)

  6. Kennerspiel des Jahres winner Istanbul, Alien Frontiers. Both are beautiful and play well with 4

  7. Zombicide, Bohnanza, CV, Dead of Winter, Dominion, Ghost Stories, Mice and Mystics, Village, Stone Age and Sentinals of the Multiverse would be my picks.

  9. I’m looking at my pile of games for those that fit tabletop:

    Quarriors (by WizKids)
    Domaine (by Mayfair)
    Entdecker (by Mayfair)
    Shadow Hunters (by Z-Man)
    String Railway (by Foxmind)

  10. I would love to see you play Space Alert.

    I am not sure it would fit the format well, but Among the Stars or 7 Wonders could be cool.

    I also have to second Guillotine as an idea.

    Eminent Domain, Trains or Race for the Galaxy could be promising too.

  13. Thieves of Baghdad. It’s a fun, easy to explain game with a good amount of strategy in the form of moving your guards to block other players, but also luck, as in the cards you draw from the pile dictate what moves you are able to make.

    1. I just checked the name of the board game again and it’s actually called The Thief of Baghdad. In my mind it always had the other name as I usually play it with German speakers and have to translate it accordingly.

  14. Red Dragon Inn by Slugfest Games would be great for a Tabletop episode. It’s really easy to figure out how to play and doesn’t take a long time. The luck to skill ratio is even. I mean the last time I play it, we had 5 players 2 with a lot of knowledge of the game, 2 with basic game knowledge and 1 player who had never heard of the game and he was the one who won. Also, the cards for the game look great and really funny and the game concept is hilarious. I’m mean what is not to like about game where adventuring party is gambling and drinking there gold away

  16. Having played Scotland Yard as a kid, I heard Letters from Whitechapel was similar, so I’d like to see what it brings.

    Others I’d like to see,
    Zombicide
    7 Wonders
    Mice and Mystics

    Can’t wait for the new season!

  17. Cutthroat Caverns, by Smirk and Dagger;
    Machi Koro;
    and Bang!…Bang! would need five or more players, but so fun if you can get them!

  18. Tokaido by Passport Game Studios. I played this with some friends during a game night I hosted. The directions in the booklet are a little hard to follow (or maybe they seemed that way because alcohol was involved) so we actually tried to look it up on Tabletop to see if you’d played it and were surprised and disappointed to see you hadn’t! Particularly since there is a Felicia Day promo card for it.

    It’s really fun, plays in around 45min, the artwork is amazing, and once we got started it was actually pretty easy (it is recommended for ages 8+). I am going to be recommending it to pretty much everyone from now on =]

  20. I would LOVE to see you play the Firefly board game by Gale Force Nine. It meets your criteria, except most goals require about 2 hours to play (I have finished it in 1). However, it has great replayability AND has a very good single-player variation out of the box. So, I think it’s an excellent game for your viewers to know about, and also probably hits a pretty big demographic crossover!

  23. Elevenses: Get an all-dude cast for this one and throw a tea party. Elevenses is sort of like Love Letter but with more theme, more potential for strategy, an expansion, a solo variant, and even a little silver bell to ring when you call Elevenses (if you backed the Kickstarter edition). Adventureland Games.

    Euphoria (Build a Better Dystopia): The gorgeous board and components aside, this worker placement game promotes intrigue and so many options that no two games are alike. As someone who gets paralyzed with indecision when trying to strategize, I appreciated the structure that allows for several paths to recover from bad decisions (or unlucky dice rolls). Stonemaier Games.

    Forbidden Desert: Taking Forbidden Island to the next level on the show fits in with your decision to play Tsuro of the Seas last season. Shifting sand storms, oy! Gamewright.

    Mice and Mystics: I’m betting this is already on your list. Getting to be an adorable mouse wearing thimble and button armour will attract those who may be tired of or uninterested in the typical dungeons, ogres, etc. You could even make this a gateway episode to miniature painting, maybe with a separate bonus clip. Plaid Hat Games.

    The Road to Canterbury: Lead pilgrims into temptation then sell them pardons and indulgences to so kindly help them back onto the straight and narrow. Rinse and repeat for a wonderful medieval racket, unless you get someone killed (without being there to capitalize on Last Rites). English majors will buy it just for the board. Gryphon Games.

    Letters from Whitechapel: Lovely to look at, strong theme, with a real sense of needing to act quickly. Viewers might enjoy watching three of the players (the police) try to deduce the location of and capture the fourth player (Jack the Ripper). Fantasy Flight Games.

    Winter Tales: Who doesn’t love twisted mash-ups of fairy tale characters with Burtonesque art that are acting out the greatest struggle between summer and winter since Heat Miser and Snow Miser? I don’t know because my husband and I haven’t found anyone to play this with us yet. Let us live vicariously through Tabletop! Fantasy Flight Games.

    Robinson Crusoe (Adventure on the Cursed Island): Great looking. Highly replayable. Cooperative. My only hesitation is that the rule book is a bit disorganized (okay, I think I cried), but an experienced player can definitely explain things in under five minutes. Also, a game is likely to take two hours, not 90 minutes, but following an easier variant might change that. Z-Man Games.

    I’d love to see a two-player game episode, even if it’s just rules, setup (parakeeting over the components), and accelerated play (opening turns and last turn) for several games/guests. Suggestions: Morels, Twilight Struggle, Hive, Jaipur, Lost Cities, and A Few Acres of Snow.

    1. I agree with Forbidden Desert, such a great game .. and get Matt Leacock on to play!

  25. I hope someone else, many someones in fact, recommend Robinson Crusoe. Here’s a link… http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/121921/robinson-crusoe-adventure-cursed-island
    This game is visually exceptional, basics can be explained quickly, but there is a wealth of strategy and not just a little luck involved. Replayability is enormous too, so many factors will vary each playing experience, and it literally had my heart racing more than once. I also like the fact that it is co-operative, if we win, we all win, and the same goes for losing (sorta). It would make for a great addition to the TT pantheon, and I think with your geeky pals, some great character back stories would be in the offing. This my second favorite multi player boardgame behind Pandemic with expansions. Hope you give it a consider! Been playing more games… so thanks for that! 8D

  27. Wil,

    One board game that I played recently thanks to a friend of mine was Quantum by FunForge.

    You can find the BGG URL here: http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/143519/quantum

    And a write up from creator Eric Zimmerman here:
    http://ericzimmerman.com/portfolio/quantum/

    It’s a space colonization/combat game, which plays extremely quickly to decently quick. The biggest downside I’ve seen in the couple games I’ve played is some of the ‘Advance’ cards you get can completely turn the tide in favor of one player. It kinda sucks but at the same time, it can make things go by so fast that you just shrug and start up another game.

    I’d recommend giving it a look.

  28. Ones I haven’t played but would like to see:
    Krosmaster Arena
    Mice and Mystics

    Ones I have played (but may not work with the format?)
    7 Wonders
    Race for the Galaxy

    🙂

  29. Discworld: Ankh-Morpork. Hidden victory conditions would be great for the off camera interviews and player interaction. The cards all do different things, but they’re mostly a combination of 5 different actions. I think the board would show up well on camera too. And there’s also Terry Pratchett who can’t be brought up enough in Sci-Fi/Fantasy shows.

    1. Great game, good shout. The art is beautiful and the pieces look cool. It’s a really fun game too, one of my favourites

  30. I would vote for Legacy: Gears of Time, by Floodgate Games. One of the more unique concepts for a game I have seen in a long time, the game centers around a group of “antiquitects” (time traveiers) who journey back in time to inluence the progress of technology, each with a specific goal which is designed to give the player a track to pursue to make winning the game easier. I find the design to be striking, owning the first printing, and having seen the later printings the last two years at GenCon, the production values have only gone up. It may require a touch more strategy than you have in mind, but with a card-based mechanic, luck is definitely a significant factor.

  31. Coup seems a good fit, but would need to be part of a multi-game episode of other quick games.
    Quantum, because it’s a good balance of strategy and luck.
    City of Remnants, because gangs and alien overlords.
    The Resistance: Avalon, which is different enough from the original Resistance to count as not having been played on the show before.
    Kemet, because, War Elephant.
    Terra Mystica, even though it might not fit the “can be explained in 5 minutes” criteria.

  32. Seeing as how you’ve had Fortune and Glory, and Last Night on Earth, I feel like the next choice is “A Touch of Evil” Set in the 19 century, you’re monster hunters, tracking down threats such as the Spectral Horsemen, werewolves, and… scarecrows…

    cough

    In order to destroy them, you first have to find them, and be able to beat them in a knock down drag out showdown! That involves moving around the board collecting investigation, equipment, and allies, which you will later use when you reveal the monsters secret location, and form a hunting party with the town elders,

    Elders? Oh, yeah, there are six really influential people in town who will give you significant bonuses in the fight against the monster… but… each of them has secrets that may help, or hinder you in the fight. And it may be revealed that an elder, has been working with the monster all along! BWA HA HA HAHA !

    It has the game play similar to Fortune and Glory (Same sort of skill checks, but you only get one chance to succeed), but the learning curve of Last Night on Earth. All dripping in 19th century theme! It’s very exciting, provides a great narrative, and is just such a treat to play. An absolute must have for season 3!

  34. City of Horror seems like it would make for a really entertaining episode – especially because there’s plenty of opportunity for Wil to lose his shit when he gets voted out of the safety of shelter back into the street :p Spartacus would also make for a great episode due to all the player interaction and opportunities for fuckery 🙂 Love the show and look forward to seeing the new episodes when they come out.

  37. Dead of Winter
    Camel Up
    Splendor

    I also loved watching The Resistance and would love to see other hidden role games. There are variants of Werewolf that might work with fewer players. Coup would be good if you are doing an episode with multiple shorter games.

  39. Other versions of Muchkin. There’s about 20 versions/expansions out there. Pick one! Or Epic Munchkin which goes to level 20!

    Also, is there going to be a Tabletop RPG show? I would love to see D&D 5th edition or Werewolf: The Apocalypse.

    Finally, you should play Magic the Gathering with Sean Plot on his show Spellslingers!

    Love your show! Keep up the good work!

  40. Camel Up. Not only is it this years Spiele des Jares winner, but it’s easy to explain and teach, plays in around 45 mins, and is VERY immersive watching the Camels move around the track. I often see players rooting for a color of camel as they bet on the winner.

    Also, Bang the Dice Game. Easy, short, good for gateway gamers.

    Coup. Same as above, but with deductive and bluffing elements.

    Sushi Go. Very fast card drafting game that is super simple to pick up. This is what you use to teach card drafting games instead of 7 Wonders.

    Cash N Guns 2.0. Easily accessible now of this classic game with foam guns!

    Hope this helps!

  43. Dread Curse from Smirk and Dagger allows the fun of piratey voices, drawing coins from a bag, stealing from other players and bidding for pirate roles. Lots of fun screw you moments and fits all the criteria you mentioned.

  44. Biblios might be a good fit. I don’t recall you doing a game with an auction before.

    Guildhall I think would work well. Good deal of player interaction and nice artwork.

    DC Comics Deck Building Game would be a good deck builder to go with. Not as quiet add Dominion can be, cool artwork, good amount of interaction.

    Along with Coup for an episode of shorter games I’d recommend For Sale, Cockroach Poker, and Hey, That’s My Fish.

    Bohnanza would be a fun one to feature. Lots of interaction and great art.

    Some other suggestions:
    Seeland
    Tikal
    Survive: Escape From Atlantis
    Star Realms
    Ubongo
    Ingenious
    Zombicide

    Looking forward to the new season!

  45. Ladies and Gentlemen is a game I’d love to see you playing on Tabletop. I’m fascinated by the idea of an asymmetrical game, and I also love the possibilities of the reversal of traditional gender roles.

  46. I’d like to see Agricola or Caverna played. I think 7 wonders would be great or even Dominion. I wouldn’t mind seeing some of the more ‘geekier’ games. Stuff like Power Grid.

  48. I love anything you play, but here are my suggestions:

    Cash N Guns
    Dead of Winter
    Life Boats

  49. Cards Against Humanity! (never played it, but heard good things about it & would like to see it played)

    1. Wil said in a video for Comic Con that they are going to do “Cards Against Humanity.” Even trying to have Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes to be in that game.

  50. Pandemic has two expansions… and maybe could be played on a non-legendary difficulty (because as much fun as it is to watch you guys play a co-op game, it is definitely enjoyable to see you win those games).

    1. Well they have played Pandemic. Yes there are two expansions that greatly change game mechanics but if he does that we will not be able to convince him to do Pandemic Legacy when it releases.

      Just my two cents.

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