A new PC game I can highly recommend

[Sitnam]

Blood Bowl (http://www.bloodbowl-game.com/)

If you're familiar with either the Games Workshop table top version or the twisted abortion (yet somehow still enjoyable) PC version that came out in '95 then this advice isn't for you, either you love it or you don't.

This is going out to those who have never heard of Blood Bowl before. Half violent American football, half squad-based turn-based strategy game, I have been waiting for this new version to come out for a year now and I have not been disappointed. I could go into gushing details, but I think the link speaks for itself and I hate sounding like a boxing promoter.

Unfortunately you can only get it on digital download in the States but the hard copy was already released in France and Germany. On September 30th it'll come out for the Xbox 360 and PSP.

I don't think it'll ever be a huge seller, but it deserves all the love I've given it over the years.

[Jimmy Chitwood]

So you've played the new version?

[Just Some Guy]

I'm not buying a download... but the DS version is just the board game on the go. That'll be nice to have though I can't find a release date for it anywhere.

[MJinks]

I would love to try out this game. I think I remember enjoying the 1995 demo version. Unfortunately, there is no way I'm paying £40 for a digital download. I'll keep an eye on it; if it drops below £30 I'll give it a go.

[DigitalC]

I played the beta version, it was very fun.

[Kobal2]

Oh cool, it's out ! I've been waiting for that one for a long time. How close is it to the tabletop rules ?

[Rigamarole]

Looks fun... reminds me of a game I used to play called Mutant League Football (and Hockey). I remember getting a really sick sense of satisfaction from that game as a kid. That and Mortal Kombat. Now that I think about it, it feels like video games as a whole have almost gotten less violent over the years. I'm probably just terribly desensitized by now...

[E-Sabbath]

My friend who was in the beta says it's fantastic. And completely faithful.

[FinnAgain]

Now if only we could get a faithful recreation of tabletop 40k, it'd be perfect :)

Seriously though, sounds interesting. I'll have to wait to see what metacritic looks like when it comes out, but it looks like something I'd really dig. For some reason I love GW's derivative, liberally borrowed IP.

[Revenant Threshold]

Well, i've grabbed it, and it's certainly enjoyable so far. They have two overall "modes" for the campaign - simply the classic game, with the current official ruleset, and then another with various additions to take advantage of what they've got. The AI to me seems pretty damn good - but bear in mind, i'm only an average player myself. I give it my seal of approval.

Oh, and Lizardmen rule.

[Kobal2]

Oh, and Lizardmen rule.

Meh. They're broken, is what they is. *begin long rant about all recent teams being utterly overpowered, frequently interjected with complaints about back problems and wracking coughs*

NOW GET OFF MY ASTROTURF ! :)

[Sitnam]

So you've played the new version?
Yup.
Oh cool, it's out ! I've been waiting for that one for a long time. How close is it to the tabletop rules ?
The turn based mode uses The Living Rulebook 5 so it IS the tabletop game. 'Blitz' mode is turn based also but adds extras like doping, equipment. There is a live action mode that seems alright from what little of it I've played so far.

[Gukumatz]

It comforts me to see that Cyanide Studios (who have gained the exclusive rights to make games about George R.R. Martins "Song of Ice and Fire" books) are putting out a decent game, at last.

[Kobal2]

The turn based mode uses The Living Rulebook 5 so it IS the tabletop game. 'Blitz' mode is turn based also but adds extras like doping, equipment. There is a live action mode that seems alright from what little of it I've played so far.

Cool ! Most probably a sale here then.

[MrSquishy]

It definitely looks cool. I've never played (or heard of) the original, but I love football and I love turn-based strategy, so I'd probably like it.

My computer just meets the minimum requirements, though (2 GB RAM for Vista). Has anybody had any problems running it?

[Revenant Threshold]

My computer just meets the minimum requirements, though (2 GB RAM for Vista). Has anybody had any problems running it? A recent patch sort of fixed a particular problem along these lines - the automatic graphics settings were set too high to start with so the game would crash before you had the options avaliable. But it's not a problem i've had, so i'm afraid I don't know how well it is sorted now.

[Kobal2]

Bought it, and it's cool. I still want to shoot the developpers though. Bunch of ... of... Germans ! You include the stupid Lizardmen and you miss my two favorite teams (Undead and Dark Elves) who've been around since the first ed of the game ? May you be sacked by a minotaur. All of you.

Apart from that, very few complaints. I've already had my share of "real game" experiences, like the cursed match (every. armor check. failed. With an orc team) and amazing recoveries from those, hail mary passes to minotaurs that *work* even without a reroll in sight... and Dwarves are still bloody annoying to play against. In short, I'm having a blast :). Best 50 euros I've spent in a long time.

The only criticism I have is that the AI isn't spectacular, it seems to be using a "one size fits all" one, the same playbook for all teams. So I've seen dwarves repeatedly try to dodge away from one die blocks like they were wood elves, or skavens go for muscle cages after their gutter runners had been mysteriously covered in boot tracks. But I hear that's also a function of the tournament you're in, and supposedly in the upper leagues "Hard" really does become "Hard". We'll see.

[Revenant Threshold]

The AI complaints generally seem to be mainly focused in that it really likes caging and really doesn't like to run a passing game, but while i'd tend to agree with the first it certainly seems to like passing with the appropriate teams for me. Dodgy teams risk more dodges, bashy teams sit on your players, and so forth fine for me.

The one problem I have seen is that the AI is far too willing to offer up an unnecessary two-dice roll in your favour with blocks - really, the times when allowing the opponent their choice of dice rolls are practically nil, especially if it's not the end of your turn.

[Sitnam]

Bought it, and it's cool. I still want to shoot the developpers though. Bunch of ... of... Germans ! You include the stupid Lizardmen and you miss my two favorite teams (Undead and Dark Elves) who've been around since the first ed of the game ? May you be sacked by a minotaur. All of you.

I fully expect those to be added shortly, if not by the company then at least by the nerd legion with photoshop and C++ skills.

[Kobal2]

I fully expect those to be added shortly, if not by the company then at least by the nerd legion with photoshop and C++ skills.

The devs have apparently stated they would both be added soon after launch, and the nerd squad confirmed that there were some files for them already in the game. I guess they rushed the launch for the holidays. As long as they don't pull a sleazy "2 more races for download, only €5.99 !" trick, I'm happy.

[Sitnam]

The devs have apparently stated they would both be added soon after launch, and the nerd squad confirmed that there were some files for them already in the game.
I was wondering why I kept seeing the picture of a Dark Elf after finishing a match.

[Tixenfleaz]

Well this thread cost me 50 bucks and potentially several hundred hours of spare time.

Thanks for making me aware of this cool little game. :)

[Sitnam]

Apparently the Dark Elves are half done and if you do this:

1. Start a campaign/competition
2. Create a team - don't buy any players
3. Save
4. Open the DB file for the save game in SQLite
5. Run the following SQL:

UPDATE Team_Listing
SET idRaces = 9
WHERE ID = 104

6. Load the save


You can play them, but they use the Wood Elf models.

[Merijeek]

Okay, I've got it, I've been playing.

One thing just makes no sense.

I just had my Orc team trash the Bright Crusaders 2-0. Fan factor of 4 for both teams.

Somehow, I got paid 30KGP while they got 60KGP.

Anyone explain that one?

-Joe

[Kobal2]

Okay, I've got it, I've been playing.

One thing just makes no sense.

I just had my Orc team trash the Bright Crusaders 2-0. Fan factor of 4 for both teams.

Somehow, I got paid 30KGP while they got 60KGP.

Anyone explain that one?

-Joe

The winnings are basically random. IIRC, 1D6 plus the FAME factor, plus an additional 10k for the winner. The FAME factor is based on the crowd brought by each team (which is, if I remember clearly, 2D6+fan factor, rolled at the start of the game). If one team has more fans than the other, it's got +1 FAME for the match, and +2 if it has double the crowd or more.

[GreedySmurf]

The winnings are basically random. IIRC, 1D6 plus the FAME factor, plus an additional 10k for the winner. The FAME factor is based on the crowd brought by each team (which is, if I remember clearly, 2D6+fan factor, rolled at the start of the game). If one team has more fans than the other, it's got +1 FAME for the match, and +2 if it has double the crowd or more.


Spot on.

I'm not sure if this is in the computer game, but the winner is also entitled to reroll their winnings roll if desired. i.e. if they roll a 2 for winnings they can opt to reroll that but must take the new roll.

[sethness]

I smell a shill/clacquer doing sock puppetry & astroturfing. Get a life-- this topic has no place in the Straight Dope forum.

[Kobal2]

Zombies ! Kill 'em with fire !

[Gukumatz]

I've got just the thing, Kobal2.

Mod note: Thread closed.