Game Improvements

I’ve received some amazing feedback from the diverse group of playtesters that tried the first initial batch of production copies.  The positive comments have been tremendously encouraging and rewarding.

I’m also glad to say that I also received some great suggestions on things that didn’t quite work out well in the game.  Some of these were things that I somewhat suspected might arise, but others were quite a surprise.  As a result, I made a series of improvements to the game.  Some of the changes were small (e.g., clarifications to the rulebook), but others were more significant.

The biggest change was to the Event Deck.  There were some cards in the initial version that I wasn’t completely happy with, and suggestions about incorporating more player interaction into the game was exactly what was needed to improve the Event Deck.  The new deck now includes:

• Floating Auctions – Players can now purchase goods directly from the bank through auctions with the other players.  The auctions specify a minimum bid for a certain number of goods, and players can bid against each other to win the goods.  Each good (including cotton and spices!) now has a potential auction during the game – maybe one will save you a trip to Portsmouth!

• Instant Gratification – Don’t want to slog all the way to that distant port just to sell your goods?  Drawing this card allows you to sell one good to the port of your choice without even moving your gundalow!

• Tsunami – In response to a specific request for “more punishing” Event Cards, players who are not in port will now lose all goods (but not passengers) when these big waves sweep through Great Bay.

• Nor’Easter – In a region renowned for its somewhat depressingly frequent snowstorms, players will now have to move their gundalow to their homeport to prepare for the oncoming blizzard.

I’m very happy with the improvements to the Gundalow game, and especially with the new Event Deck.  Thanks very much to all those who provided comments!