Author Topic: New editions of games  (Read 11246 times)

Offline jungleboy

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New editions of games
« on: February 11, 2016, 10:39:36 AM »
It seems a lot of games are getting new editions these days. Of course, Carcassonne has a controversial new edition that most people don't like. But this isn't another discussion about Carcassonne II; it's about new editions in general.

If you love a game, and a new edition comes out, will there automatically be some resentment because a game you love has been changed, even if the new artwork is generally considered an improvement? Or can you objectively look at various editions and decide that a new edition is better than the one you first played, have lots of memories with, etc.

I bring this up now because it's the last day of a Kickstarter campaign for a new edition of an old game: Medici. There are at least four previous editions of Medici (some with different editions for different languages), and I think it's fair to say that the artwork for most of them, including both English editions, is fairly awful. Of the four versions below (courtesy of BGG), the only one that I remotely like is the French edition at the top right, but while the towers are cool, apparently this design is not very functional.



Now, Grail Games is producing a third English edition which has raised almost AUD$50,000 on KS. I think the artwork is spectacular.



I've never played Medici but I learned about it through the KS campaign, I've backed it, and I can't wait to get it and start playing. For me there is absolutely no question that this is the 'definitive version' of the game. But if I had already played and loved one of the earlier editions of this game, would I still feel that way, or would I be 'against' this new edition the way many of us are 'against' Carcassonne II?

To conclude, here are some discussion questions:
  • Can you love a new edition of a game you already loved?
  • Are there other examples (like Carcassonne II) of new editions that were not well received?
  • Can the artwork, components etc of a new edition dramatically change the way you feel about a game?
  • Are there any other games with new editions coming out or that have recently come out? What did you think of these new editions?

Finally, feel free to use this thread to talk about new editions of any games you're interested in and we'll see if we can find common themes or trends.

Linkback: https://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=2439.0
« Last Edit: February 11, 2016, 10:42:10 AM by jungleboy »

Offline MrNumbers

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Re: New editions of games
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2016, 11:01:45 AM »
Classic example is "The Settlers of Catan". I have new edition and never played old edition, but saw it once. Despite of they changed wood to plastic, I like new edition more, it looks more beautiful, more detailed. Maybe it is so because I had new edition right from the start. Still I heard many bad words about new edition (crocodile roads, etc.).
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Offline Paul

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Re: New editions of games
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2016, 01:02:11 PM »
Dungeon Quest had a few (two that I know of) new editions. Unfortunately the game changed so much it was a bit of a let down.
  The original version was extremely difficult and playing with the sun we rarely (any player) managed to come out alive with booty. :)
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Offline Hounk

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Re: New editions of games
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2016, 04:12:18 PM »
Regarding Catan, I have the new edition as well. (Not the newest, which got rid of the Settlers, but the one before, which is quite close to the most recent.) I, too like the Menzel artwork best, but regarding plastic vs. wood, I would have preferred, if they would have stuck with the old. I too have the "Rivals of Catan", never played the old "Settler Card Game", but I think, that had been streamlined to the good.

Offline Whaleyland

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Re: New editions of games
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2016, 07:19:28 PM »
Every version of Catan has been better than its predecessor. Same with Catan Card Game/Rivals for Catan. They've greatly strengthened the theme and the idyllic realism of the tiles. The originals were literally photographs of the real-world features, which then became hyper-stylised by the 3rd edition. Each generation since has become better with the current my favourite. The Card Game used mostly computer-based images that were also used in the 3rd edition of Cities & Knights. The new one uses a consistent set of images that match the other games fluidly. It is a shame about the wood pieces, though.

Regarding other games, the new Pandemic does look better than the old, although I still won't buy any of it (except Legacy, which is stand-alone anyway). The Lord of the Rings co-op was mostly an improvement graphically, but they resized everything and have yet to release any of the expansions, which is a huge negative. Axis & Allies has something like a fifth or sixth edition out now, which is much superior to the first few graphically and gameplay-wise. The best so far was the Pacific and Atlantic maps which combined to make a truly-massive world map/game. I was tempted by Medici but pretty much am dirt poor right now, so that didn't happen, but I agree it looks tremendously better than previous renditions of the game.

Except for Catan and Rivals for Catan, I have never upgraded to a new edition of a game but that's mostly because I haven't been drawn to games that have been updated (Pandemic and Carcassonne excepted). I assume this will change soon, though, and I have a suspicion Alhambra may be an upcoming game in need of visual improvements. I never much liked that game's graphics, although I will not replace my Big Box simply due to cost.

Offline jungleboy

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Re: New editions of games
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2016, 03:48:12 AM »
I have a suspicion Alhambra may be an upcoming game in need of visual improvements. I never much liked that game's graphics, although I will not replace my Big Box simply due to cost.

This is an interesting one. I am considering getting the Alhambra big box this year, but if there's a new edition coming it might make sense to wait (assuming they don't mess it up like Carcassonne II  >:D). Alhambra/Carcassonne also create a new problem with new editions, though, because they're games with many expansions. And as Carcassonne II is showing, it takes a while to reprint old expansions in new artwork. So if a new Alhambra came out this year, it might still take two further years for a big box to become available. And I've heard that the expansions really make Alhambra.

Offline Decar

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Re: New editions of games
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2016, 05:01:50 AM »
Crossbows and Catapults  - Any version is good with me  :(y)

Offline Valheru

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Re: New editions of games
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2016, 06:08:14 AM »
Crossbows and Catapults  - Any version is good with me  :(y)

I forgot about this game, I played it a lot of times with my best friend when I was still a kid. Damn, it sure costs a lot though.. Great game!
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Offline jungleboy

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Re: New editions of games
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2016, 06:47:07 AM »
I was tempted by Medici but pretty much am dirt poor right now, so that didn't happen, but I agree it looks tremendously better than previous renditions of the game.

That's what you get for buying 5 Carcassonne Star Wars games!  >:D

Offline ooh_jim

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Re: New editions of games
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2016, 07:32:30 AM »
The two games of mine that first came to mind are both reissues rather than reprints:

 Tsuro of the Sea has been discussed on the forum recently; I think that's a good example of a game that changed its theme & tweaked it's mechanics, but as a result lost some of its simplistic elegance along the way.

On the other end of the spectrum, Boss Monster 2 was the result of the game's creators taking all of the criticism for the first printing and using that to inform the changes made to the second edition. Best of all, they did so in a way that kept both versions compatible with each other and the previous expansion.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2016, 07:49:10 AM by ooh_jim »

Offline jungleboy

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Re: New editions of games
« Reply #10 on: February 15, 2016, 03:34:08 AM »
Let's talk about Tigris and Euphrates, which I just bought two days ago.

The old Mayfair editions (last one 2008) had wooden pieces, and the new Fantasy Flight Games edition (2015) has plastic pieces. Many people (including me) almost always prefer wood to plastic, and that's true for me in this case even though the plastic pieces in the new edition are really well done. I think the tiles in the new edition are superb, though, so that left me with a bit of a dilemma. I wanted the game, but I thought the best version of it was a combination of two versions, using the wood of one and the tiles of another. But I believe the Mayfair editions are out of print and therefore expensive (e.g. there is a new 2008 Mayfair copy going for $150 on BGG). Because of this and other reasons, I thought the FFG edition was the best single one to get.

Then on Saturday in Madrid I made a surprising discovery: that there is a 2014 Devir edition of Tigris and Euphrates, and it's basically the 2008 Mayfair edition but with better box art (it's actually based on the 2007 German Pegasus edition). So I bought it for €40, thinking that I would still try to get the FFG version at the next opportunity. But I just unboxed it now and I think the tiles are very nice in this edition, even though I still prefer the FFG ones. So maybe I'll just stick with this one edition after all. In any case, I'm glad to have found it and I can't wait to play this classic game!

Here is the BGG thread on discussing the various editions. And below is the Drive Thru Review on the component differences between the old Mayfair versions and the FFG version. He likes the FFG version better. What do you all think?


 
« Last Edit: February 15, 2016, 03:35:49 AM by jungleboy »

Offline jungleboy

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Re: New editions of games
« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2016, 10:11:13 AM »
There's a new edition of Finca coming out in the second quarter of next year (so a year from now) by Crash of Games. Finca is an out-of-print HiG game where you harvest fruit on the Spanish island of Mallorca. I'm keen to get the game so now I have to see whether it's worth trying to get the original edition this year or just wait for the reprint next year.

EDIT: A disappointing update from BGG: Crash of Games plans to release its new version of Finca in Q2 2017, keeping the farming-based nature of the original game, but moving the setting to North America and using new artwork throughout the game.

That means I'll still be searching for the original after all.

Here's the Crash of Games announcement:



Here's Rahdo's runthrough of the game:

« Last Edit: May 23, 2016, 11:13:47 AM by jungleboy »

Offline franks

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Re: New editions of games
« Reply #12 on: October 18, 2016, 08:11:35 PM »
Maybe should have posted this in the 'Love the Postman' thread but thought this spot was just as appropriate. I was able to track down a copy of Finca, Hans im Glück German SdJ edition (2009), from a private BGG seller at a reasonable price that arrived today.

Just to pass on a tip: There weren't any copies for Canada in the BGG market place but I did notice there were a few for 'Trade'. I reached out to one of the users and he was willing to sell outright.

I've heard/read a rumour that the new version is changing the theme, (which could be good or bad but didn't want to take a chance). Sorry I don't have a reference nor can I remember where I heard/read this. I am partial to original HiG copies and the nice fruity wood components in this edition. I took the chance on this copy and it came in perfect order with nicely colour printed English rules.

Also just placed an order for its only mini expansion, Finca-El-Razul https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/70463/finca-el-razul from Speilbox, (2010 Issue 2) which is still available; https://nostheide.de/webshop3/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=spielbox+2010%2F2&x=0&y=0

Franks

Wanna play Carc? Can we add just one more expansion?

Offline jungleboy

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Re: New editions of games
« Reply #13 on: August 01, 2017, 10:39:57 AM »
An old thread but I thought this bit of news belonged here. The long-awaited reprint of Through the Desert was announced today, from Z-Man Games. No release date yet but great news nevertheless! Original artwork on a lot of the Knizia classics is pretty ordinary but the games are still great, so it's fantastic to see the art/components being upgraded like this, such as recent new editions of Medici and Tigris and Euphrates and the fan-made retheming of Battle Line.




Offline jungleboy

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Re: New editions of games
« Reply #14 on: August 05, 2017, 04:20:56 AM »
While I'm on a roll, Grail Games (who have been republishing Knizia classics through KS of late) are printing the first English edition of Kashgar, which previously came out in German in 2013. The English edition is available for pre-order now and will ship in early 2018.


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