Anyone had a chance to play Dungeon Command (http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Product.aspx?x=dnd/products/dndmin/397530000) yet? Last saturday we had a demo session in The Netherlands with our current DDM 2.0 European Champion (Miniatorix) explaining the game. We had 3 people from our regular group show up plus some random people visiting the shop.
I've played 4 games (2 with the Cormyr set, 2 with the Lolth set) using the "my first game" scenario (which means you only use the tiles and minis from one box; a normal game would require the contents of two boxes).
It was nice to see familiar minis (such as the drow assassin), tiles and concepts (melee, ranged attacks, slide, shifting). The inclusion of order cards and creature cards (you can't employ your entire army at once as with DDM) adds a nice new twist to the game. However, at this point, I have some mixed feelings about the game. On the one hand it felt new and exciting, especially when "fodder" units turned out to be very useful as well or when an order card enabled you to take out your opponent with a nasty effect. On the other hand, it felt really frustrating to be hit by an order card of my opponent. Wizard claims to have replaced chance (the D20) by strategy (the order cards), but in fact they have replaced one form of randomness with another one. The game offers plenty of choices to be made however (which creatures to employ, which order cards to put in your deck, the use of "cowering"), which will keep players satisfied over time.
At this point, I really need to play more games to get the hang of it. The demo session convinced me to buy the first two boxes and start experimenting.
Any opinions on the new game? Will you (or your gaming group) drop DDM in favour of the new game or will you play both (or not play the new game at all)?
For people who want some more discussion/help on this new game, the most active forum I've found so far is: http://community.wizards.com/go/forum/view/75882/198841/dd_board_games
P.S. I opened this topic only with the intention to exchange thoughts and opinions on the new WotC game that has plenty of things in common with DDM. If you feel the DDM site and forum should only concern itself with DDM, please accept my apologies and remove this topic.
Hmmmm.
Mixed feelings. I'm proud of the job Kevin did in design (he accomplished the goals that were laid out for him, with just a few bugs in development sorted out by Rodney and Peter).
Do I own a copy? Yep.
Will I play it? Yep.
Is it my obsession/mainstay? No.
I just don't think of it in that category.
Even with deckbuilding, which I would want formalized for competitive play, AND which could eventually build an interesting meta, it still lacks the ebb and flow of DDM turns, and doesn't allow one to set the same kind of 'traps.'
I also prefer a purely destructive game (not building), and I'm not positive I want the balance system (vault) for a head-to-head, competitive game, even as I completely appreciate it for an at home beer and pretzels game. There is room for everyone.
Does this make any sense?
Guildmaster Head of Organized Play
A chance we have DDMGuild cards for Dungeon Command new scult & fig from board games ???
ill prolly pick up a copy 4 use with the board games, but DDM is the game we play when R chapter gets together.(O.E & 2.0.) other members here have told me that they would pass on this system. (manly the lack of A D-20.)
Oregon North Coast Chapter Master.
Art Director for Blue Moon Miniatures.
are these compatible with the board games?? (Ravenloft an such.)
tankz!!
Oregon North Coast Chapter Master.
Art Director for Blue Moon Miniatures.
The minis are compatible with the board games, there are stat cards for the board games included with each set.
sveetness! tankz!!
Oregon North Coast Chapter Master.
Art Director for Blue Moon Miniatures.
This game is really nice. The object of the game is to have the highest remaining Morale when an opposing warband's Morale has been reduced to 0 or below. - Mercy Ministries