Lucky enough to grab my iPhone5 on Friday, upgraded from my old 3GS, after 2 hours in line at a local carrier store. Installed the Ascension, RD is very nice, but the experience is still no match on iPad.
Yeah. I feel the same way, I use my iPad for 95% of my gaming now. I still have Ascension loaded up on my iPhone if I have to check on multiplayer games with no pad around or if I'm doing cardio at the gym and I'm bored of reddit.
Yup the same thing is happening with summoner wars as well.May be because of their about to be released game can't stop
Yes, server problems - it might be related to the natural hazards hitting the US big time. I know there are some companies who are having server problems because of that.
Finally caved in and bought Ascension after deliberating for months and months (at least 6). Like KoDP, should have bought this sooner - especially given a) different take on deckbuilding card games, b) extremely slick UI, and c) the usual suspects worth whom we share the same tastes appear in this thread I've played over a dozen games against the AI (easiest level) and am surprised at how easy it is to pick up and to immediately develop strategies. Of course, a degree of exposure to MtG and strategies helps (although I'm but a novice), but the differences are both elegant and subtle re: sharing the same cards and building hands turn by turn. I'm about 50:50 in terms of win ratio, with most successes coming through Lifeblood cards mixed with Void for thinning the deck to allow for more rapid recycling. Of course, the great leveller is the cards that appear on the centre board. More than once, I've been recycling hands but due to the board, no real options to play or not realising that it benefits the AI for the none of the central board cards to be bought and rapidly recycled. There are elements that remind me of mahjong and da lao er (大老二）'Big Two' in observing the cards / tiles, observing what your opponents do, and not necessarily playing based upon your hand because it may suit your opponents gameplay. Mechanas completely flummox me. Can't seem to develop a strategy. Have more success using Snapdrgon or Yggsdrasil staff (which feels over-powered) for constructs. The only time I've won using Mechana cards is picking up the big constructs for honour points towards the end of the game. Re-reading this thread (currently on page 37), and look forward to 4 player multi-player games. P.s. Am I one of the few who really like the art?
While still no expert myself, the Mechanas seem to be all about obtaining constructs, especially the Mechana ones. While the effects of their cards (heroes and constructs) can be fairly lack luster, they always tend to be worth much more vps than other cards.
The Mechana strategy is arguably (at least for me) the most overpowered strategy in the game. Their structure combinations are staggeringly powerful when used properly. This strategy mainly revolves around the use of the Hedron Link Device and the Hedron Cannon, along with any combination of other structures (Mechana or otherwise) to feed to the Hedron Cannon. The essentials of the strategy is to use the HLD's ability to change all constructs to Mechana, and then to use the Cannon's power to convert each Mechana construct to a power resources each turn. With enough constructs, say 10, you'll be getting at least 10 free power each turn, not including the abilities of each of those individual structures to generate power (eg. Voidthirster, Yggdrasil Staff). It also helps that Mechana structures like The Grand Design and Watchmaker's alter decreases the resources needed to acquire other Mechana constructs, which when combined with the HLD's ability to turn all constructs into Mechana make it that much easier to get out constructs quickly.
Also the Mechana constructs have argueably grown stronger with each expansion, especially with Storm of Souls and promos where you can pull off some pretty incredible combos. I almost always try to snag the Mechana constructs even if I don't really need them because of the 1:1 power/honor ratio of each card. Glad you like the game riotgirl, once you get comfortable with the play mechanics feel free to hit some of us up for some online games
4P games seem to drag-on a bit, 3P seems to be the magic number. As for the art, I don't really like it... I LOVE IT! The tarot style art is so fresh and unique and Sabee's work on Immortal Heroes is looking appropriately gorgeous.
Mechana gamebit is about getting high-face-value honors, but it alone cannot win you a game, especially when your opponnet has >30+ lead in the table value. The mechana in the latest SoS is more about combo, but not quite so in the previous one Ascension is the game about when you should change the gamebit at the right moment. There are a number of combos here which can raise the hair of your opponent but they are stuffed here and there within this long thread. I am not an expert here so I am not entirely sure what they are. You learn more by playing against real person. My GCID is griffin611, feel free to send in a game. BTW, I find 2-player games play very differently from 3- and 4-player ones. Like Camzy, I find myself addicted to 3-p lately. P.S. I secretly install this on my wifie's Mini, and the experience is pretty as good as the full-size iPad P.P.S. I may arrange another round of play-by-my-daughter some time soon.
Lost a frustrating game to the AI by 3 measley points: 65-68. One of those games when the centre board didn't recycle until well into the middle game because it was clogged up by high cost rune cards - either the odd construct or Flytrap Witch and Master Dartha (the latter ended up being banished). Myself and the AI played a similiar game in both playing a card drawing deck, with a balance of runes and power. I snickered to myself when the AI bought Druids of the Stone on the very first turn. Sadly, none of the 1 rune 'draw a card' cards turned up, and the Banish didn't turn up until the end-game (useless). In the end, the AI won by card acquisition [honour] having 17 Heavy Infantry! We both played spoilers i.e. banishing the arbiter in case we gave each other advantage. Have to pencil it down to one of those games; although I'm glad it was fairly tight and could have gone either way. On page 98 of the thread! Haven't bought the expansions yet as I want to get a better handle on the existing cards - especially Mechana. Look forward to playing online this weekend.
No time to play MP. Weekend is a mixture of girlfriend (currently asleep next to me), playing 'Werewolves' with my Chinese social group (they are mostly Chinese - I'm not, but speak some Chinese), and sadly, need to jump on the laptop and work today as I need to clear a backlog of work. I'm still playing base game CotG and from reading strategies and from playing, it boils down to: 1. Early turn card choices (starting hand 8 apprentices and 2 militia: can predict turns 1-2, and get a good feel for turns 3-4 depending on how fast the centre board gets flipped) 2. Centre board 3. Opponent signals More and more, I'm drawn to the parallels with Mahjong, and to a certain extent da lao er ('Big Two' 大老二) - what signals are you giving to your opponents and what signals are they giving to you. Which makes early turn card choices 'interesting' when you can predict initial turn rune and power for both you and your opponent i.e. knowing what cards you can leave on the centre board, and when they are likely to be picked up. Mediocre card choices hurt not only because of padding your deck, but flipping the centre board and possibly giving your opponent an advantage. Picking up a turn 2 Arbiter when the board was pretty lacklustre (poor 1 rune cards and 4+ rune cards of middling effect), definitely gave me an advantage to banish militias - I ended up following a Mechana power strategy by giving up early-mid game on table honours (15-20 behind at one point) to take on-table lead in the end game due to Hedron Cannon. Whilst the AI was happy to snag honour with Yggdrasil staff, it allowed me to control the centre board - I was in a position to dictate the shape (banish monster cards). Hedron Cannon + 4 Heavies sealed the AIs fate in the mid-game when I killed Avatar of the Fallen. No surprise that I also crushed the AI on off-table honour acquisition. Look forward to MP and being exposed to a wide variety of different playing styles and crushing defeats. Then I have the expansions to buy and will have to relearn how to play the game!
Ok! Last post replying to myself because a) bad form, b) monologue, and c) this isn't a blog Sat on Primrose Hill on a lovely Autumn afternoon, after playing the orange AI on CotG. Played 3: won 1 - lost 2 (68 - 67 / 69-77 and 65-68). Really satisfied with my play in all of the games because they all have been very similar by switching from power to runes with Lifeblood / Enlightened draw card combination. Snapdrgon in first game (loss) and All-Seeing Eye in the next game (loss). Oddly enough, my sole win came without playing a single construction! Muramasa kept me competitive in power in the last game until the AI forced me to discard it at the end game. Unlike the green AI, no wild swings in scoring. Very consistent, tight focused play, with both of us playing banishes to disrupt the other's game (I had to banish the Hedron Cannon to prevent the AI crushing me in power). After playing 2 dozen games against the [mostly green] AI, but especially after reading 180 pages of this thread and the strategy links, I'm more and more impressed at the balance of the game design, and how little luck plays a role compared with assessing the centre board and the opponent's signals. Card evaluation and knowing what to flip and when are much more vital than luck. Also, card synergies and card order regularly see 10 cards per turn. The beauty is that different strategies are all viable, based upon the centre board and different people have different opinions on what to play at a given time. It is telling that the designers are MtG veterans and have avoided the pitfalls of a 'I win' card and/or strategy. This is just the base game (CotG) with the orange AI! Cannot wait for MP (2, 3 and 4 players), plus buying the expansions once I have considerable MP experience. Not only has Ascension relegated other games like Avadon, KoDP and Tigris and Euphrates on my iPad, more importantly, I'm going to buy the physical copy to play with my Chinese social group (if I can drag them away from Werewolves). P.s. GCID is [riotgirl]. Hit me up for either 30 min games (weekend or weekday evenings - arrange in advance so we can play in real time) or 14 day async. Note: I've set-up a 14 day CotG game available on the 'Games List'. Looking to arrange in advance a 30 min 4 player game i.e. real time. I'm on GMT, so Friday evening / weekend is best. Cheers! Note: lisapook thrashed me 84-49 in my 1st MP game. I couldn't decide what strategy to play at the start, despite the centre board appearing monster heavy. I stuck to my card-drawing game which initially paid off. But my lack of power killed me. She picked up a couple of Temple Librarians, but more importantly, picked up a couple of Shadow Stars and controlled the board. I had to discard my All-Seeing Eye, which I never got back and then had to discard Snapdragon. It was all over by that point, because she was racking up the points killing monsters and I couldn't kill the critical ones i.e. banish. Killing Avatar of the Fallen was just gravy for her. Good game! Time to lick my wounds and offer her a rematch.
Riotgirl, I'm always looking for someone to play Ascension with. If you'd like, please add me. GC = tecwrtr. I also love Nightfall and some SW. Btw, if anyone else is looking for a game, I have all expansions. Seems as if many have stopped playing. Maybe waiting for the next expansion?
I'd stopped playing, but I'm up for starting again. I love this game, I just got burnt out from playing too much. I'd like to keep games to a minimum, though, to avoid that again. Just 2 or 3 games tops, so any beyond that I'll refuse. I'll probably go nuts when the next expansion is out, though.
