Poll

Which versions of the River do you own or want to own?

I already own all three versions of the River.
31 (41.9%)
I own only the River I and II, but I think the River (III) is essential to completing my collection.
10 (13.5%)
I own only the River I and II, and I think that's enough for a complete collection.
25 (33.8%)
I own only one river and I think that's enough for a complete collection.
3 (4.1%)
I don't own any versions of the river.
0 (0%)
Other (please explain below).
5 (6.8%)

Total Members Voted: 73

Author Topic: Completionism Poll #3: The River  (Read 25711 times)

Offline ARabidMeerkat

  • Count
  • **
  • Posts: 256
  • Merit: 2
  • To play or not to play... that is the question!
    • View Profile
Re: Completionism Poll #3: The River
« Reply #15 on: January 25, 2016, 08:23:33 AM »
I own I and II, which I consider to be enough for a complete collection.

I wouldn't play with I, II and III in Mega-Carcassonne, whereas I have played with I and II together. III would replace I, in my opinion.

I feel the same and this goes for all other slight variants. However,  I do consider River 1 and 2 to be different because the tiles in R2 are a lot better and are also an expansion and complementation to R1. R3 is, in my opinion, just a rehash of R1.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2016, 08:26:22 AM by ARabidMeerkat »
If only I had another Halfling.....

Offline Hounk

  • Baron
  • *****
  • Posts: 965
  • Merit: 15
  • I haven't updated my profile yet!
    • View Profile
Re: Completionism Poll #3: The River
« Reply #16 on: January 25, 2016, 09:53:38 AM »
I own I & II, and don't consider getting III, but there is a tricky explanation for that. I would actually quite like having the H&S features on the tiles (and probably more features of different expansions to mix and match with the expansions in play), but I didn't get the "River III", when it was possible at Carcasonne Shoppe because of a single purpose: I disliked the fact, that the backs are not in starter tile colours.

I obviously got first River II through "King, Count & Consorted", then bought River I at CundCo, when I made my big "mini expansion order" with Halflings, Phantoms, etc. there. I actually hesitated, if I "need" River I, owning II, but besides the fact, that it was cheap and available and would not increase the postal fee, there were two reasons, I decided, to buy it. First I like the "house rule", that the river has two springs and one lake rather then the opposite. (I use the one with Volcano, if playing P&D, the one with city, if using River II without this particular expansion.) Second, i thought (though have not tested jet), that a combo of 23 River I & II might be a good start for Plague, instead of having to fiddly counting 18 tiles for a "plague free" stack.

Some time after the discontinuing of Carcassonne Shoppe, I by chance got hands on the blue Carcassonne drawing bag. So with that, River III would have been more interesting, because the different backs of the tiles is no issue for me any more. However, since it just includes features of one expansion, it did not give me a big grief, not having this one.

Offline Whaleyland

  • Great Khan
  • Global Moderator
  • Marquis Chevalier
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 2743
  • Merit: 101
  • Toulouse: Carcassonne's insignificant neighbor.
    • View Profile
    • Derek R. Whaley, PhD | Librarian, Historian, and Writer
Re: Completionism Poll #3: The River
« Reply #17 on: January 25, 2016, 01:05:26 PM »
I of course clicked the first option because I consider the additions of the Hills & Sheep features to mark this as a new, albeit lazily implemented, edition of The River concept. However, I also hesitantly say "Other" in that The River (III) is really just a better implementation of The River (I). The addition of the watermark, so long missing from The River (I), rather confirms for me that the Big Box 5 edition of that expansion is the definitive version of it – the one that is worth getting. Thus if I were to give away an expansion at this point (which I'm not planning to do, but I digress), my original River (I) expansion would probably be it. It is now redundant, replaced by The River (III). In other words, while I find The River (III) essential for a complete collection of Carcassonne, I no longer consider the original River essential so long as you have its new iteration.

The River (III) IS The River (I), and should be considered the only version of that expansion that's absolutely necessary.

As a side note, The River (I) was the only stand-alone Hans im Glück boxed expansion that had no watermark on its tiles until BB5 released. Yes there were plenty of promos and expansions never intended to be sold separately (like The Festival or The Windroses) but The River (I) was the only early mini expansion not to receive the watermark treatment, even after its initial release in Big Box 1 (that's where my copy came from). Thus the fact that it finally has a watermark suggests to me that Hans im Glück finally considers it en par with The River II and the other mini expansions. Watermarks are an important cue to me that I should consider an expansion different from another expansion (Spielbox vs HiG watermarks, usually), but a lack of a watermark does not necessarily tell me anything worthwhile.

Offline Andrew the Ambo

  • Count
  • **
  • Posts: 355
  • Merit: 26
    • View Profile
Re: Completionism Poll #3: The River
« Reply #18 on: January 25, 2016, 04:43:06 PM »
I happened to have just ordered this through eBay. A user called gameshelf.
I also got the WoF tiles and language independent wheel.

I blame ARabidMeerkat for mentioning it in the WoF buy post and making me spend more money.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2016, 04:48:20 PM by Andrew the Ambo »

Offline Khonnor

  • Duke
  • *
  • Posts: 210
  • Merit: 10
    • View Profile
    • ~ add me on Facebook ~
Re: Completionism Poll #3: The River
« Reply #19 on: January 26, 2016, 01:23:29 AM »
I own all three.

R1 - This is included with Inns expansion in The Netherlands. Over here it's actually just called "The Expansion", although I believe this will be changed for C2.0 editions.

R2 - This is included with the Count/King/Consorts expansion in The Netherlands.

R3 - I did buy a Big Box, for the R3 tiles, the text-free wheel tile and the Hills And Sheep tile that was missing a watermark in the stand-alone expansion box. And that would just drive me crazy  ;D All the other BB tiles are still unpunched and might be used as spares/replacements in the future.

Offline Decar

  • Owner
  • Chatelain Grand Officier
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 6719
  • Merit: 317
  • Shut up and take my money!
    • View Profile
    • tehill.net
Re: Completionism Poll #3: The River
« Reply #20 on: January 26, 2016, 04:48:50 AM »
No one has mentioned thw River from Carcassonne2.0.  No river collection is complete without it  :))

Offline jungleboy

  • Viscount Chevalier
  • ****
  • Posts: 3045
  • Merit: 89
  • Nine points!
    • View Profile
    • Spirit of the Camino
Re: Completionism Poll #3: The River
« Reply #21 on: January 26, 2016, 04:54:24 AM »
The River (III) is really just a better implementation of The River (I). The addition of the watermark, so long missing from The River (I), rather confirms for me that the Big Box 5 edition of that expansion is the definitive version of it – the one that is worth getting.

A couple of things here. Perhaps the River II is the exception, but typically I prefer expansions not to have other expansion elements on them. For example, I play with the halflings quite a lot but never with the expansion ones unless we're already playing with H&S and Crop Circles. So it would kind of bug me to have the River (III) and to use it in a game that did not feature H&S, the same way it bugs me that there are Inns on the BC&B tiles (although in this case I think this is more of a hint to get you to use Inns to make bridges more worthwhile).

Secondly, the watermark. I see watermarks as nothing more than a way to identify and separate tiles. So for example, the lack of a watermark on the GQ11 tiles is annoying, because it's harder to sort them at the end of a game. But since River tiles are so easy to distinguish, it doesn't bother me in the slightest that there is no watermark.

So I guess what I'm saying is that if I had neither the River I nor III, and I had the chance to choose just one of them, I'd take the River I, because the watermark is a non-issue for me and because I'd rather the H&S elements not be there.

And one final thing to add: most of this is all moot for me, because for some reason, probably because my usual playing partner doesn't like it, we never play with any river!
« Last Edit: January 26, 2016, 06:09:22 AM by jungleboy »

Offline jungleboy

  • Viscount Chevalier
  • ****
  • Posts: 3045
  • Merit: 89
  • Nine points!
    • View Profile
    • Spirit of the Camino
Re: Completionism Poll #3: The River
« Reply #22 on: January 26, 2016, 04:55:11 AM »
No one has mentioned the River from Carcassonne2.0.  No river collection is complete without it  :))

Err, what's Carcassonne2.0?  >:D

Offline Decar

  • Owner
  • Chatelain Grand Officier
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 6719
  • Merit: 317
  • Shut up and take my money!
    • View Profile
    • tehill.net
Re: Completionism Poll #3: The River
« Reply #23 on: January 26, 2016, 04:58:17 AM »
It's the brilliant reimagining of the award winning Carcassonne. The artwork has been delicately updated to reflect today's Carcassonne. The base set includes The River and a brand new expansion called The Abbot.

...and there are giants roaming the French countryside.

Offline Hounk

  • Baron
  • *****
  • Posts: 965
  • Merit: 15
  • I haven't updated my profile yet!
    • View Profile
Re: Completionism Poll #3: The River
« Reply #24 on: January 26, 2016, 10:10:07 AM »
Secondly, the watermark. I see watermarks as nothing more than a way to identify and separate tiles. So for example, the lack of a watermark on the GQ11 tiles is annoying, because it's harder to sort them at the end of a game. But since River tiles are so easy to distinguish, it doesn't bother me in the slightest that there is no watermark.
Agreed. I even bought "The Tower" second hand online without knowing, it was an old edition without watermarks. This was one of my first CC purchases after BB, and at first glance, I was annoyed, when I noticed that, but getting aware, that there is a tower foundation on every tile of that expansion, I didn't bother anymore. When I upgraded my Carcassonne to 8 players, I considered briefly to buy a second expansion rather then ordering the extra tower pieces at CundCo, but even then, I resisted the temptation. After all, the foundations are really good to spot.

Offline JoeSesquipedalian

  • Duke
  • *
  • Posts: 153
  • Merit: 10
  • ǝuuossɐɔɹɐɔ
    • View Profile
Re: Completionism Poll #3: The River
« Reply #25 on: January 26, 2016, 01:39:42 PM »
What about River IV?   I'm talking about the one included in Carc 2.0 with the gardens for the Abbots?   I guess I have River II, III, and IV.  Still missing River I. 

When the Carc 2.0 Big Box is released, might it come with a River V with gardens and sheep? 

(Please don't scold me for mentioning Carc 2.0!!!)
Who got a smudge on the tile?

Offline Whaleyland

  • Great Khan
  • Global Moderator
  • Marquis Chevalier
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 2743
  • Merit: 101
  • Toulouse: Carcassonne's insignificant neighbor.
    • View Profile
    • Derek R. Whaley, PhD | Librarian, Historian, and Writer
Re: Completionism Poll #3: The River
« Reply #26 on: January 26, 2016, 02:06:22 PM »
Technically speaking, Carc2.0 River is just yet another iteration of The River I with a few Gardens. So .:.sigh.:. The River (IV).

Offline Decar

  • Owner
  • Chatelain Grand Officier
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 6719
  • Merit: 317
  • Shut up and take my money!
    • View Profile
    • tehill.net
Re: Completionism Poll #3: The River
« Reply #27 on: January 26, 2016, 02:31:17 PM »
If the addition of Hills and Sheep can make 'River I', 'River III'.  I guess some gardens makes 'River I',  'River IV'.  But if we did that 2.0's 'Inns & Cathedrals' should be 'Inns & Cathedrals II' because it added some gardens making the configuration slightly different.  Likewise for 'Traders and Builders'.  When will the madness end!

Offline Safari

  • Count
  • **
  • Posts: 327
  • Merit: 11
    • View Profile
Re: Completionism Poll #3: The River
« Reply #28 on: January 26, 2016, 02:39:49 PM »
Decar, I guess we should strictly separate these two versions of Carcassonne.  O0

Talking about the rivers, In theory I'd own all three versions, but only can agree with whaleyland and some other users, who stated that River III is River I with some extras and therefore the version to have. I never play with RI, as I only include RIII and RII in my games. Some day I might sell my River I.

Furthermore, I have bought the GQ expansion. In my opinion a real river completionist needs the GQ river tiles too, in order to have the complete River!  8)
Safari

 (\__/)
 (O.o )
 (> < )
 This is Bunny. Copy Bunny into your signature to help him on his way to world domination.

Offline Decar

  • Owner
  • Chatelain Grand Officier
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 6719
  • Merit: 317
  • Shut up and take my money!
    • View Profile
    • tehill.net
Re: Completionism Poll #3: The River
« Reply #29 on: January 26, 2016, 02:47:46 PM »
I'm pretty sure the River 2 for Carc2.0 can be called River IIII - except it won't be 4.


Share via delicious Share via digg Share via facebook Share via furl Share via linkedin Share via myspace Share via reddit Share via stumble Share via technorati Share via twitter

  Subject / Started by Replies / Views Last post
exclamation
Completionism Poll #10 - Favouritism Poll #3 : Die Schule

Started by Decar

33 Replies
17300 Views
Last post September 21, 2023, 06:39:35 AM
by Meles
xx
Completionism Poll #2: Crop Circles

Started by jungleboy

51 Replies
25216 Views
Last post January 27, 2016, 08:05:47 AM
by DIN0
xx
Completionism Poll #6: German/Dutch Monasteries

Started by jungleboy

24 Replies
13962 Views
Last post February 22, 2016, 03:28:47 AM
by Whaleyland
xx
Completionism Poll: Index

Started by quevy

1 Replies
27702 Views
Last post March 06, 2016, 05:32:09 AM
by jungleboy
question
Completionism Poll #12 - Phantom Boxes

Started by Decar

21 Replies
10202 Views
Last post May 08, 2016, 01:56:46 AM
by Curt194