Evolution Earth: Cataclysm (TGC,artscow and pnp)

Available here now:
http://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/evolution-earth-cataclysm

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/63216/evolution-earth-cataclysm

"I haven't download it yet but i've taken a look at the rules, so I'll foward you some personal impressions:
First of all, there is yet an educational angle to develop. All species cards are generic but they could be specific of some particular species. Do some research, customize your cards and add a booklet containing the cards review. This would add to the evolution fans and may apeal to the school enviroment. Don't forget that your commecial target are kinds and teens."

You wouldn´t except Dominion to have an educational angle? Actually I think that in this kind of a game less is more and generic works better than say hundreds of cards with different taxonomical classifications. I also think that these kind of card games (e.g Dominion) are very much played by adults too. Adding a booklet would be costly to a customer and wouldn´t really help players in a playing perspective. If a player is interested in evolution he certainly can find these kinds of books elsewhere. You wouldn´t except a middle-ages booklet in Dominion? Actually I think that this game still has some educational value even though it really isn´t it´s main focus. It also can bring some interest upon prehistoric life, cataclysms on Earth and evolution as a whole. So you might want to rethink your opinions again. I actually have designed a game that maybe would fit better this idea of yours and it can be found here (indluding the rulebooks)
http://picasaweb.google.com/tomi71

"They are naturally curious, so work with that. I won't buy your game 'cause I'm just not into bugs and stuff. And this is just the typical prejudice that will get passing-by customers away from you at stores. On the other hand, it a kid IS into bugs, well, you got yourself a customer! Or at least until he finds out that the game dynamic would have worked the same for robots and space bases and that you have passed no reality-checks. "

I think that you are underestimating people. It´s not only some "bugs" etc. The game has a flowing system that brings species into a life in a way evolution developed species. I also think that my target group is not only "kids". You may want to rethink also this issue. I wonder why I should make an evolution themed game and put there robots and space bases? Dinosaurs are always cool!

"Use prehistoric continents, bugs, dinos and the same for cataclisms. You can easily date actual glasiations, meteor hits and others. Games have two main components: MECHANICS and THEME, and you have only one so far."

Um? I wonder how you know that I didn´t. Actually I designed pangea and divided those continents separately so I actually do think that these continents represent prehistoric continents as great as possible. You may also want to rethink about your concept of a prehistoric continents since they have been in so many stages. This was my artistic view of it and I think it works great. And what comes to cataclysms I certainly have studied them so are you really asking me to put some dates into them. I think that it´s much more interesting and dynamic to give players that kind of a control. You may want to rethink these thinks also.

Only one component? What? You must be kidding me? There certainly are theme and mechanics in this game.

Mechanics: hand management, deck building, world building, card drafting
Theme: Prehistoric and evolution

You may want to check your thought on this too.

"Second, deck customization drives me nuts. But that's just me maybe. I like chess-type better. If you win, is not because you know your cards or the map better, but because you used it better to your advantage."

Actually I love to play chess and sometimes I get this chess-feeling when playing Evolution Earth: Cataclysm. I wonder what you mean by deck customization? Maybe you simply should not play card games if you hate deck customization? I don´t know. Maybe you should try this game before judging it?

"Third, when in a 3-people game one looses and 2 of them go on for keeps is dull. If it has happen to you, you'll know what I mean. In a paralell-board game type like yours there is little space for players to collaborate with each other. If they shared the continents the chance of "friendly-fire" would alter the whole dynamic."

I wonder if you should play EE:C before judging it.

"Four, if decks are reduced according to the number of players, that could lead to some card draw unbalances. This is solved by unifying the deck for all players but that seems to be a major redesing. Again, maybe deck startup should be simpler. Nobody wants to spend 15 minutes shuffling decks around just to get started."

Heh. Nobody has to spend 15 minutes shuffling before the game starts. Maybe you should really re-think your whole concept about these kind of issues. It certainly looks that you don´t know anything you are talking about. You certainly can´t speak of any card draw unbalanced since you haven´t played it. Actually the game is really well balanced which I am surprised since it has so strong elements that could drive it into an unbalance yet it has not happened.

I think you simply are wrong.

"Fifth..., well, I forgot...

Anyway, this is just 10 minutes of my time, so ignore it if you must.

Keep thinking !"

I hope that my defending the game didn´t offend you. I still find it irritating and annoying that you make somekind of a prejusticed review of a game and have not even played it.

I think it´s you who should be thinking before writing into a public forum! I wish you played a game before you make your accusations based on ignorance and prejudicice.

Tomi
Finland