Reiner Knizia's Through the Desert HD [$4.99 -> $2.99] Universal App

[torulf]

funambulist: we got the multitasking bug fixed in an update that we're sending in today.

Thanks for the idea about the longest caravans. We'll have a look at how hard it would be to implement. My gut feeling is that it is not that hard..

[funambulist]

Originally Posted by torulf

funambulist: we got the multitasking bug fixed in an update that we're sending in today.

Thanks for the idea about the longest caravans. We'll have a look at how hard it would be to implement. My gut feeling is that it is not that hard..

@Torulf That's great thank you! I think it will make it much easier (and the gameplay edgier) when casual players (like me) can easily see and factor in the final 10 pt. additional score awarded for longest caravan in each color.

The iPad is better at bookkeeping than I am.

[FPE]

I agree ... I get tricked by forgetting about the longest caravan ... but I would suggest to have it as an option that can be turned off. Like for other games where a player is forced to count or remember things.
I am sure that making this aspect permanently easier will alter the gameflow.

[blindspot]

I'll add my vote for asynchronous online. It's great for the most casual or busy of gamers. When it comes to strategy games, it's a great way to allow someone to savor the decisions or (if you implement it like carcassonne) play as fast as you like.

I've made a short list of some great iOS board game apps that feature online asynchronous multiplayer at:

http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/60...the-iphoneipod

[LordGek]

Originally Posted by FPE

I agree ... I get tricked by forgetting about the longest caravan ... but I would suggest to have it as an option that can be turned off. Like for other games where a player is forced to count or remember things.
I am sure that making this aspect permanently easier will alter the gameflow.

I guess I'm a lazy gamer but I too like these sort of things highlighted some way as well.

While I haven't even played yet, it sounds like the AI has more issues with the claiming of territory than simply making viable caravans. Perhaps if the devs ever get into creating AI personalities one key aspect could be how they weight these relative scoring aspects with some focusing far more on one aspect than another and perhaps some personalities much more willing to adapt to whichever opportunity seems greatest at the moment (as I sort of imagine the AI personalities are working in Carcassonne).

[FPE]

Originally Posted by LordGek

I guess I'm a lazy gamer but I too like these sort of things highlighted some way as well.

While I haven't even played yet, it sounds like the AI has more issues with the claiming of territory than simply making viable caravans. Perhaps if the devs ever get into creating AI personalities one key aspect could be how they weight these relative scoring aspects with some focusing far more on one aspect than another and perhaps some personalities much more willing to adapt to whichever opportunity seems greatest at the moment (as I sort of imagine the AI personalities are working in Carcassonne).

LG I think it should be an option but should be in.
I would love something like carcassonne ai. Including also simpleton AI or crazy one. The current AI is not the most difficult bit neither super easy if played with four players.

[blindspot]

Originally Posted by torulf

We considered asynchronous play, but as TtD games tend to be quite short compared to e.g. Carcassonne games, we thought it was more neat than necessary. Again, we'd love to hear your feedback.

In comparison to Carcassonne, you should consider the total number of turns a player will take in the game. In a 4 player game of Carc a player will take roughly 17 turns total.

Compare that to TTD. A 4 player game could feature as few as maybe 5 turns and as many as about 22 turns total. The point of this comparison is that the number of turns a player will take in a game is in a range of comparison that is acceptable.

Consider also that BoardGameGeek.com has offered Tigris & Euphrates (the real Knizia masterpiece) for years. In T&E you usually place two tiles on your turn. This is not that much different that what you do in TTD, place two camels. T&E is actually a much more complex case, whereas TTD is quite simple since there are no "interrupts" that occur on a given player's turn. Compared to T&E, TTD is pretty streamlined for asynchronous.

I believe this game is a natural fit for asynchronous and will be disappointed if it's not added at some point.

[torulf]

The iPhone version just went up, here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/reiner-knizias-through-desert/id409332419?mt=8

Also, thank you for all the feedback. We are working on a better network play, and some other fixes for the next update.

[funambulist]

@Torulf/Tribeflame:

Congratulations on the GLOWING review that TtD got on the TUAW site.

Everyone else: the above review mentions a very nice UI detail which I had completely missed. You don't have to drag a camel from your carpet/corner onto the board in order to add it to one of your caravans. Instead you can drag a camel from one of your caravans to a new hex in order to place a new one there.

[mrbass]

Ah sweet will do that. Maybe it's in the tutorial but I skipped that.