02-03-2020, 02:45 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
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Co-operative games
I'm looking for suggestions for games which meet several criteria - probably too many, so there may be no games that meet them simultaneously, but it's worth a try.
I'm looking for co-operative games that are constructive, in a fairly loose sense: specifically, not fighting off the armies of darkness, or racing against time/sea-level/epidemics etc. (I have several games of that sort, and they are fine, but not always what we want to play.) Ideally there should be no information that isn't shared (again, I do like games like that, but it constrains the interaction between players in a way that doesn't always fit the mood). Definitely no hidden traitors! And ideally not real-time or requiring physical dexterity; yet again, that's fine sometimes, but usually I don't enjoy it. Thematic probably preferred to abstract, and good with only two players if possible. Actually, I'm interested in any suggestions of genuinely cooperative games that are constructive in that sense - there seem to be hardly any - and I'll happily then dig into reviews etc. But I'm having difficulty generating any candidates. Thanks in advance, Paul. |
02-04-2020, 01:51 AM | #2 |
Experimental Subject
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: saarbrücken, germany
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Re: Co-operative games
The difficulty might be that you exclude almost anything which might pose a challenge of some sort. If there‘s no external enemy or threat, no time pressure and perfect information, then what‘s the problem to solve? What could be a win condition, or how could you lose?
All I can think of are cooperative storytelling games, such as the Mythic GM emulator, and it’s arguable whether that qualifies as a „game“ (as opposed to an activity). Even games such as Hanabi or Belratti seem to fail your criteria.
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02-04-2020, 07:57 AM | #3 | |
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
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Re: Co-operative games
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So, I like Hanabi and some similar games, but I'm excluding them for present purposes because the lack of perfect information excludes some sorts of interaction. Games like Forbidden Island etc are great; the co-operation between individual characters, with different abilities and some light role-playing, are spot on. But the tone of them - rush around and try to construct a means of escape while holding back the flood/sand/demons etc - is not always what I'm after. What I have in mind is something more constructive/creative. To give an example - albeit flawed - imagine a game of Settlers, where the players are each trying to construct their own nation, but co-operatively. There might be robbers or even other "players" with simple rule- or card-driven AI, but the human players are co-operating to ensure that e.g. all their nations reach X victory points before any AI player does, or within Y turns. Or even just play for Y turns, and the players' score is the smallest number of VPs that any of them has. I know that won't work, because of the details of how Settlers works, but the point is that it would definitely be a game, and even have enemies, but be very different in feel from the games I seem to be able to find. On the time pressure issue, I did just mean real time - again, I have some games like Magic Maze where real time matters, but I really have to be in the right mood for that. A fixed number of turns, on the other hand, isn't a problem. Paul. |
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02-04-2020, 08:09 AM | #4 |
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Re: Co-operative games
I haven't thought of any specific games right now, but I wonder if you might find anything at this site:
http://dragonphoenixgames.com/friends-and-lovers/ This is a site where some people have taken a bunch of popular games and created co-op versions of them. I admit, I haven't actually tried any of them yet, but it sounded like an intriguing notion, and might expand the range of possible titles for your criteria. |
02-04-2020, 08:46 AM | #5 | |
Experimental Subject
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: saarbrücken, germany
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Re: Co-operative games
Quote:
In any case, I‘d recommend you ask that question over on BGG, where there is a somewhat broader boardgame interest than here (as well as a searchable database).
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Like a mail order mogwai...but nerdier - Nymdok understanding is a three-edged sword
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02-04-2020, 09:47 AM | #6 | |
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
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Re: Co-operative games
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02-04-2020, 09:49 AM | #7 | |
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
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Re: Co-operative games
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Thanks, Paul. |
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02-05-2020, 01:34 AM | #8 | |
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
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Re: Co-operative games
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Many thanks for this tip! For anyone who does visit: many of the links currently lead to a contact page, perhaps to promote their kickstarter. For the rules adaptations themselves, go to https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...aZMzsF3WdLkx4P Paul |
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02-05-2020, 09:35 PM | #9 |
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Austin TX
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Re: Co-operative games
Check out Escape the Dark Castle. It's an atmospheric, card-driven co-op with some dice rolling, and you do have to sometimes fight common enemies to reach your goal.
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02-06-2020, 04:19 AM | #10 | |
Join Date: Feb 2020
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Re: Co-operative games
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It does feel a bit futile going up against bosses but that makes it more epic when you win. |
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