Re: Sarcophagus session report

["Benedict" <boycat_oh@...>]

Hi, Iain

Thanks for the session report and comments on this game (and 
I also enjoyed your report on Chariots, esepcially the bit about 
'nul point').

Clark gave me some of his thoughts after playing Sarcophagus 
and he also felt the game was a bit mechanical, especially once 
the Sarcophagus tiles have been claimed.

One idea I had was to do some re-arranging of the tiles to have a 
smaller pyramid with more hidden tiles that were part of the 
Sarcophagus on the bottom, rather than middle, rows.

Another possibilty would be to expand on the special functions of 
some of the tiles.

I'll let you know if I come up with an improved version, but in the 
meantime thanks for trying it out.

Phillip

> 
http://cheyne.net/blog/index.cgi/board_games/Sarcophagus.html
> 
> Here is what I wrote:
> 
> Sarcophagus is an area majority type game, rather like a 
simple El 
> Grande or Web of Power, the only one I know of for the 
piecepack. It 
> fits the restrictions of the piecepack neatly, with every 
component 
> used. The rules are similarly tidy and organised, with good 
examples. 
> It also plays quickly, from initial instructions to the end of the 
> game only took about 45 minutes. My only complaint that it is a 
bit 
> mechanical and lacks the fun or serious skill that would made 
it a 
> great game. It lacks fun because it does not have much direct 
player 
> interaction or aggression. I can forgive a game for being 
serious if 
> there is a lot of skill involved, but there was not a huge amount 
of 
> that either.
> 
> I am not sure what I could suggest that would improve 
Sarcophagus, 
> because it is a well tested, tight design and I cannot easily see 
> what could change without wrecking it. It might work better with 
a 
> more serious group of analytical players, but it did not light a 
> spark for us. However, I did not think this is a bad game at all 
and 
> must congratulate Phillip Lerche for doing such a thorough job. 
I 
> will definitely check out his other games, like King Arthur's 
Court 
> and Pharoh's Heir.
> 
> -- 
> Iain