Age of Conan – sudden death

[Uthoroc]

Also I do have an official reply to my question over on BGG.

Roberto:
From what I remember about the expansion development – the number of adventure cards in hand is a little tricky, because 1 is not enough to make the mechanics meaningful enough. 2 works just fine in 2-3 players, but I can see it’s a little too much in 4 players.

Originally, the mechanics used 1 card only. When it was changed to 2 cards, we playtested it (but mostly in 3 players games), and I guess we did not realize it could make the game too short in 4-player games.

I think only allowing the “sudden death” in the 3rd age would be a positive change. Or, as Christoffer suggests, removing the rule completely in 4 player games.

Amado (lead playtester):
After having discussed with the game designers, they agree that the rule could be reverted to the playtest variant we previously used as a possible fix, if this issue is coming up in your games:

Page 9, under Drawing and playing Story Cards.
In two-player games, a player may never have more than three Story cards in hand (two in a three-player game, and one in a four-player game).

[Universal Head]

Hmm … slightly disturbing there wasn‘t a bit more playtesting! But well done on getting an answer on that mate. I think I’ll include that in the rules summary.

[CK Lai]

Sigh. A year late for a supposedly tiny, “easy” expansion… and even then they skimped on the playtesting.

Not something you’d expect from a publisher of Ares’ caliber.

[Uthoroc]

I know Ares definitely doesn’t skimp on the play-testing for “War of the Ring” and now “The Hunt for the Ring”. We’re playing tons of games. 🙂

[Universal Head]

I have a teeny-weeny, totally speculative suspicion that the whole Age of Conan expansion idea was a way to shift a big backlog of stock of the base game purchased from FFG. Those of us who got a copy with the Kickstarter got original FFG versions, so the stock was there.

It’s just an idea, I may be completely wrong, but I don’t blame them at all if it’s true. The people at Ares are excellent and it’s a perfectly legitimate way to shift the stock. I just wonder if it’s the reason that it appears that the expansion perhaps didn’t get quite as much playtesting love as their other games?

[Uthoroc]

It does sound plausible, at least as part of the motivation.

Note that according to the project notes the expansion playtest was interrupted by the demise of Nexus Games – so they might have not gone back to it with quite the necessary care, thinking it was pretty much done. But as you say, it’s all speculation.

[CK Lai]

Yes. That’s why I said the seeming lack of intensive playtesting surprises me, coming from a company of Ares’ caliber.

[Author]

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