NARRATIVE CAMPAIGN AND NEWTON CARDS
almost 2 years ago – Tue, May 31, 2022 at 03:05:40 AM

Dear backers,

you are 3000+ now and we would like to thank you for your amazing support!

As for those who have not yet backed: if you were waiting for the last moment ... well it has arrived - there are less than 2 days to pledge!

SOLO LIVE

Soon (today at 9 pm CEST) there will be the live twitch with the Solo Designers: David Digby and David Turczi. Don't miss it:

https://www.twitch.tv/craniocreations?lang=en

A NEW REVIEW!

The Game Boy Geek has just joined our ranks of reviewers.

Don't miss his review:

NARRATIVE CAMPAIGN

So far we have talked little about the narrative campaign of Origins of the Gods expansion.

We strongly believe in this game mode, but at the same time we don't want to spoil it, because the beauty of a narrative campaign is precisely to discover the story little by little.

Therefore we will only do a brief explain of the components of the first scenario of the Campaign: A DOOR TO THE NEW WORLD, without share a lot, to avoid ruining your game experience.

The Anunnaki live togheter on their original planet. Find a way to travel across the galaxy and discover new worlds!

Therefore, forget about Gaia planet: the 14 Territory tiles will be used to form the original planet of the Anunnaki, while the (future) House planets will be empty at the beginning - the goal of the mission will be to colonize them.

The problem is that the Houses do not yet know the portal technology (the new Action tiles replace the basic Portal Action tiles, which at the beginning is not available). The study of the Shrines will be fundamental in order to discover this new technology and activate the Portal token.

After that, it will be a race for the conquest of the outer planets – the space travel is a key focus in this scenario. In fact, the starting planet is small (the local resources will run out soon) and one of the Goal tiles is replaced by a Goal tile that provide scoring for the number of colonized planets.

As end-of-scenario bonus, the reward pack of this Scenario provides 1 Planet Development per player (they choose in descending order of scored VPs), with a permanent asymmetrical Power for your planet.

I'm sorry I can't share more, but the scenarios include:

1) A different key focus for each scenario

2) New map configurations

3) New Action tiles (replacing the basic ones)

4) New Goal tiles (replacing the basic ones)

5) New scenario mechanics

6) Reward packs that add asymmetry (also usable outside the campaign)

for a huge variety of situations, mechanics and objectives and an engaging story that you will unfold scenario after scenario.

NEWTON SUN SET

This Newton add-on provides 6 new Action cards (+1 rule card). Each player starts with one of these cards (they are assigned through a draft during setup): these are all travel actions, linked to a specific city on the map. Whoever plays such cards gets a very interesting power, but only if have visited the showed city (so providing a mid-term game objective).

Davide

Community & KS Manager

SOLO MODE, PRELUDE CARDS AND METAL COINS
almost 2 years ago – Fri, May 27, 2022 at 02:12:53 AM

Dear backers,

SOLO LIVE

Many of you asked about Solo Mode, so we planned a dedicated live with the Solo Designers (this Monday – May 30th at 9 pm CEST).

If you have any questions, post them in the comments below and we will answer in the live.

PRELUDE CARDS

Many of you asked us how Prelude cards (asymmetrical setup cards from Fall of the Gods) work.

Since the core game already features several asymmetrical elements, all players start with 2 Mana crystal, 1 resource of each type, 2 Followers in the player Capital and 1 Follower in the adiacent territory with the Shrine. Furthermore, the first turns are shorter because the mana action is not always possible and the free actions are scarce.

Prelude cards are a game variant that allows you to build your own starting resources and units as well as providing boosts (free actions) for a (slightly) faster start.

Players create their hand of 3 Prelude cards through a draft. Then, in the upper part of the 3 chosen cards, they will find their starting resources and Mana crystals. The lower part of the cards show the 3 territories in which deploy the 3 initial Followers. Finally, in the central part, each card shows a one-shot boost that you can take as a free action.

Choose your cards and your starting 3 boosts carefully. If you want an aggressive start, accumulate Metal & Wood and pick boosts that give you weapon cards. If you adopt a commercial strategy, take a lot of Food and get the boosts that let you pick Commercial Pacts. If you adopt a  technological strategy, equip yourself with Gold and boosts that help you developing the action tiles. Whatever your choices, remember that only one House will win in the end.

METAL COINS

Some of you asked for more information about the 4 metal coins sets, and in particular on the new ones (Lorenzo and Newton) included in the add-ons.

BARRAGE METAL COINS SET

20x brown 1-value pieces Hexagonal (diameter 20 mm thickness 1.5 mm)

15x grey 3-value pieces Octagonal 20 mm (diameter 20 mm thickness 1.5 mm)

10x yellow 5-value pieces Decagonal 20 mm (diameter 20 mm thickness 1.5 mm)

MAHARAJA METAL COINS SET

20x brown 1-value pieces (diam 20x2 mm)

10x grey 5-value pieces (diam 20x2 mm)

5x yellow 10-value pieces (diam 20x2 mm)

LORENZO METAL COIN SET

22x brown 1-value pieces (diam 20x2 mm)

10x yellow 5-value pieces (diam 25x2 mm)

NEWTON METAL COINS

22x brown 1-value pieces (diam 20x2 mm)

10x grey 5-value pieces (diam 25x2 mm)

ORANGE T-SHIRT

Some of your pointed out that a “First Rule - I play <color>” t-shirt is missing for the Nypponis House. Well, the Nypponis fans will be happy to hear that we will add an orange t-shirt in the pledge manager for their favorite faction!

Note: all elements shown are still subject to minor changes and artwork finish; all text still have to be double checked by a native-language speaker.

Davide

Community & KS Manager

NYPPONIS AND SPHINX
almost 2 years ago – Wed, May 25, 2022 at 05:22:29 PM

NYPPONIS HOUSE – PART 1

Nypponis faction (orange) is included in Fall of the Gods expansion.

In contrast to Mesos, the planet of the Nypponis is rich in Wood, which helps them to build new Settlements, but is devoid of Food, which makes it difficult for the Nypponis to recruit new Followers by the mana actions.

Nypponis are extraordinary extractors of minerals that they are very skilled in forging weapons and equally trained in using them.

Normally a player have to resolve first the primary action, then the mana action and only after can take free actions (all different).

On the other hand, from the beginning of the game, as basic House power, the Nypponis can ignore this limit and take their actions in any order. For example, they can first build a Settlement with a mana action and then take the Settlement Income primary action for deploy new Followers there, or summon a God as a free action and then move it with a Move primary action.

Once Amaterasu is in play, the Nypponis can also spend their mana action slot to gain 1 Mana Crystal (allowing them to collect mana on turns where they can’t do a mana action). In addition, as a free action, their pawn can take a step, thus allowing them to trace on the star paths not necessarily connected each other.

The real strength of the Nypponis therefore lies in their versatility and prowess in optimize both the turn and the actions on the star. A cunning player will know how to get the most out of this faction.

MYTHICAL CREATURES - SPHINX

The Sphinx is the Anunnaki exiled from House Pharaos.

Her beauty was legendary among the Anunnaki. When she was forced to reincarnate, she tried at all costs to keep her features, generating a hybrid creature. Enigmatic and intelligent, the Sphinx loves living close to settlements and stubbornly maintain her Anunnaki identity.

To win the Sphinx's favor you need to have done 4 or more steps on the Technology track (that is, you will have to develop an adequate number of action tiles on your star: Sphinx loves conforts) and have 3 Wood. If you meet these requirements, you can deploy the Sphinx alongside your forces. When a Mythical Creature joins your ranks, apply a color base of your House to it (to claim ownership) and deploy it in any Territory you control -not necessarily where you have a Settlement, unlike the normal Followers you recruit-.

Immediately after you recruit the Sphinx, you score 2 VPs for each of your Settlements on the map. Hint: before recruiting the Sphinx make sure collecting a large amount of Wood and building many Settlements.

Once recruited, the Sphinx grants you her local power: she has strength 3 (instead of 2) if attacks or defends a Territory that contains a Settlements. This means it is ideal for protecting your recruiting centers and taking over your opponents ones.

Note: all elements shown are still subject to minor changes and artwork finish; all text still have to be double checked by a native-language speaker.

Davide

Community & KS Manager

DISTANT PLANETS AND KITSUNE
almost 2 years ago – Tue, May 24, 2022 at 09:54:02 AM

Dear Backers,

in this update we introduce the Distant Planets mode and we spoil a new mythical creature: the Kitsune.

DISTANT PLANETS

Distant Planets are new (smaller) planets located in remote areas and able to provide particular rewards. Depending on the number of players, 2 to 4 of these planets are used.

At the start of the game, each Distant Planet hosts an Alien tile (face down) in the planet's upper space. These tiles are similar to the Ancient Civilization tiles found on the main planets and their force range from 2 up to 4.

As for other planets, in order to teleport units to a distant planet, the player must resolve a Portal action.

When a player lands on the lower space of a Distant Planet, he immediately gets the reward shown on the left side (in this case 1 Weapon card and 1 Metal resource - an effective way to quickly arm yourself and explore new planets in the meantime).  You gain the reward once, regardless of the number of the landed units.

At the end of the turn he/she landed, the player can try to conquer the planet, triggering a battle, or maintain a peaceful behavior, losing this momentary opportunity. In the event of a Battle, if there is still an Alien tile on the Planet, the battle will be similar to the Battles versus Ancient Civilizations (if victorious, the player gets the reward shown on the tile and the tile is removed). Otherwise, a Battle occurs between two players (the former planet controller and the attacking player). The winner will control the planet, moving one of their units in the upper space. 

When specific thresholds on the Domination Track are reached for the first time (up to 3 times in a game), a planetary scoring phase is carried out - the player controlling the planet scores 3 VPs. In addition, at the end of the game, the player with the majority of units in the lower space loses 2 VPs, as summarized by the icons on the right.

Basically, the ideal is to maintain control of a distant planet for as long as possible, making your units coming with successive landings, in order to obtain the planet reward many times.

MYTHICAL CREATURES - KITSUNE

Kitstune is the Anunnaki exiled from House Nypponis.

The first thing that stood out about Kitsune was its long tawny hair and fiery disposition. Intelligence and cunning were only noticed when it was too late, and it had already managed to deceive someone. Now, it can only incarnate in a fire fox, as sharp and devious as it was. 

To win Kitsune's favor you need to have done 5 or more steps on the Domination track and 3 Food. The favor of Mythical Creatures always involves a requirement and never a payment: therefore the Food must be in the player pool, but it must not be spent. If you meet these requirements, you can deploy Kitsune alongside your forces.

Immediately after you recruit Kitsune, you score 1 VPs for each of your Followers on the map. 

Hint: before recruiting Kitsune make sure deploying a large number of Followers on the map.

Once recruited, Kitsune grants you its local power: you can maximize the reward gained by the culture tokens resolved next to Kitsune: you gain 1 Mana crystal and 1 Follower in addition to the normal reward.

Note: all elements shown are still subject to minor changes and artwork finalization; all text still have to be double checked by a native-language speaker.

Davide

Community & KS Manager

MESOS AND ALEBRIJE
almost 2 years ago – Sat, May 21, 2022 at 12:46:51 AM

Dear Backers,

you are just turned 2000 and we want to thank you and tell you that we are proud to have your support in this divine project!

As promised we begin to describe the the expansions gameplay and the add-ons. If you have specific requests for next updates, please write to: [email protected]

MESOS HOUSE – PART 1

It's time to start talking about Mesos faction (green) of Journeys of the Gods expansion.

The planet of the Mesos is extraordinarily fertile, allowing it to produce food in abundance and easily feed the population.

In terms of gameplay, the planet of the Mesos is rich in Food, which helps the recruitment of new Followers and the fulfillment of Contracts, but is devoid of Wood, which makes it difficult for the Mesos to build new Settlements.

The Mesos are masters of a ritual that allows them to easily create portals. They are led by Quetzalcoatl, the Precious, who is able to channel the rituals to enhance their teleport technology.

The player turn flow is as follows: first 1 primary action (mandatory), then 1 mana action (optional) and finally 1 or more free actions (optional, but all different).

With minor exceptions, the Portal action (namely the teleport from a planet to another) can only be performed as a primary action. From the beginning of the game, as basic House power, the Mesos can instead use their Mana action as a Portal action (no Mana cost). Additionally, once Quetzacoatl is in play, they can also use a Portal action as a Free action, without having to consume the mana action slot of their turn (or they can do both in order to resolve 2 teleport actions).

This makes the Mesos experienced travelers, always ready to expand everywhere, weakened only by their limit in building Settlements, at least until they have claimed sufficient Wood sources for their House.

Note: the Distant Planets mode contained in the same expansion is perfect in oder to prove this faction's supremacy in teleport technology.

MYTHICAL CREATURES - ALEBRIJE

In the Fall of the Gods expansion there are 6 Mythical Creatures and, thematically, each was banished by one of the 6 Houses: the exile of the Mesos House is Alebrije!

He always tied himself to someone to avoid loneliness. At first, he was kind and protective, but then he became morbid and tyrant, like a persecutory devil. He reincarnated in a creature similar to a strange armadillo. However, he is still willing to help when it’s time to harvest.

These exiles at the start of the game are not part to any faction and start off the map but whoever wins their favor can add them to their ranks.

To win Alebrije's favor you need to control 3 Shrines (special Territories) and have 3 Stones. If you meet these requirements, you can deploy Alebrije alongside your forces.

Beware: timing is important! Immediately after you recruit Alebrije, you score 2 VPs for each fulfilled Contract. If no one else can recruit Alebrije, perhaps it is good to try to fulfill some contracts before recruiting!

Unlike the Minor Gods of your Houses, who unlock a general power for their Houses, the Mythical Creatures are very individualistic and unlock a local power, linked to their position on the map.

In the case of Alebrije it means that you gain an extra resource when you Harvest, raising the total from 2 to 3 (all Mythical Creatures have strength 2).

Note: all elements shown are still subject to minor changes and artwork finalization.

Davide

Community & KS Manager