Risk: Legacy

[Ancient History]

Link: http://kotaku.com/5833788/risk-gets-eve ... -decisions

The gist is that the new version of Risk involves permanently marking the board, so that subsequent games are affected by the decisions and results of previous games. I think this is a great idea, and wonder if it might not take off for other games.

[Nebuchadnezzar]

I think it would get messy fast, particularly if people have a few drinks with their board games. What will end up happening is people will just print out paper versions of the board and play on that.

Two alternatives: either imitate rail games and use crayon which can be cleaned with effort, or incorporate a series of manipulatives inside the board, so as to, for example, increase the Ukraine's potential unit production, or make Kamchatka harder to conquer without losses. The latter adds value to the game, and half of the appeal of games like Risk is fiddling with all the small pieces, anyway.

[Hieronymous Rex]

This is making me consider playing Risk again. I don't like the game (too random), even having played in several times when I was a child, but the corporeal entertainment of tearing up a card and drawing on the board is attractive.


It would seem reasonable to make the game "resettable": crayons or dry erase on the board, and packs of replacement cards. On the other hand, the permanence might be part of the fun, in a transgressive way.

[TheFlatline]

Over on Boardgamegeek it's getting a good bit of attention, but people are wary because it's still Risk.

It looks interesting. OCD game collectors will probably pass.

[Chamomile]

So it's a game of Risk with an ever-dwindling pack of cards, and you're expected to make decisions based on how it will impact future games when your actual victory or defeat in the current game has no impact whatsoever? That sounds like a terrible idea.

[Guyr Adamantine]

Wouldn't it make more sense to implement those changes to the territories during the game, instead of later? For example, an Agent Orange card that remove all supplies from a region and stuff.

[Cynic]

Really, this isn't a permanent solution. It basically works until one person takes over the world.

Rather than removing individual players in a single game, you do it over time. It might work better with a dedicated group that would play the game over a period of time.

So, as time goes on, Charlie (germany) could be obliterated and wouldn't play until the entire board is SOviet territory. Then you reset.

[K]

RISK 2210 is the "playable version for adults." It lasts five turns until you declare a winner, partially randomizes the board, and introduces bidding and semi-random effect cards and is basically the game you always wanted.

Thus, a disposable version that might lack any of these refinements is not a step up.

[Lokathor]

games don't always have resets. play more roguelikes, or low level shadowrun, or whatever.

[angelfromanotherpin]

RISK 2210 is the "playable version for adults."

Oh my god, yes. Here is a transcript of every time someone comes into the store looking for Risk.

ME: Here are our variety of Risks.
THEY: Whoa... which one do you like?
ME: The 2210 AD version. It can be played just like the original, but it also has a lot of things you can add to increase replayability. A turn limit to reduce turtling, underwater cities to break up the old chokepoints, event cards to weaken old strategies like putting all your armies in one country and stomping everything, and invading the moon: because it is awesome.
THEY: I want the one with the little cannon pieces.
ME: Of course you do.

[Zinegata]

Yeah, I don't see it as much more than a "persistent campaign setting with shittily balanced options" gimmick. Sometimes a group may come up with a memorable campaign. Most of the time I suspect the result is a simple train wreck.

I don't see Risk 2210 as losing its title as the best Risk ever; and even that is still mostly won or lost at the peace conference table.