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Bugs: Recent Topics Paging, Uploading Images & Preview (11 Dec 2020)

Recent Topics paging, uploading images and preview bugs require a patch which has not yet been released.

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Asmodee Conquers Catan

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07 Jan 2016 09:00 #219231 by san il defanso
It was announced today that Asmodee has acquired the English-language rights to Catan. Sounds like a move designed to get the franchise in even more stores.

Here's the news on BGG.

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07 Jan 2016 09:11 #219232 by Michael Barnes
Next week- Asmodee acquires exclusive rights for checkers.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Ska_baron, Rliyen, Gary Sax, OldHippy

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07 Jan 2016 09:12 #219233 by san il defanso
I confess to not knowing a lot about how this stuff goes down, but at some point does Asmodee attract attention from Hasbro? What does that look like?

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07 Jan 2016 09:16 #219234 by SuperflyPete
Replied by SuperflyPete on topic Asmodee Conquers Catan

Michael Barnes wrote: Next week- Asmodee acquires exclusive rights for checkers.


For Immediate Release:

January 6, 2016
RESPIRATION: THE GAME
Asmodee North America is announcing that they have just secured the rights to RESPIRATION: THE GAME. Along with the license comes several patents, not the least of which is for the eighth element, oxygen. This game is being released as a "Living", subscription-model game. Each time a player RESPIRATES, Asmodee North America will receive a royalty, taken directly from PayPal.
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07 Jan 2016 09:25 #219235 by Sagrilarus
Replied by Sagrilarus on topic Asmodee Conquers Catan
I believe Asmodee isn't the top of its particular heap. I think it is owned as well by a company the size of Hasbro.

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07 Jan 2016 10:12 #219239 by Ken B.
Replied by Ken B. on topic Asmodee Conquers Catan
Well, fuck.

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07 Jan 2016 10:42 #219245 by charlest
Replied by charlest on topic Asmodee Conquers Catan
Star Wars Catan where largest army lets you blow up tiles?
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07 Jan 2016 11:24 - 07 Jan 2016 11:24 #219249 by ChristopherMD
Its about time the French conquered something.
Last edit: 07 Jan 2016 11:24 by ChristopherMD.
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07 Jan 2016 11:35 - 07 Jan 2016 11:37 #219250 by OldHippy
Replied by OldHippy on topic Asmodee Conquers Catan
One of the things that was always appealing about board games was the small businesses it helped out. With an influx of board game cafes and big press and all the crap the board game evangelists wanted - the industry got bigger and bigger and this is what happens when that graph is put up in a presentation. At some point, they conglomerate and at some further point they become a huge corporation. That isn't necessarily a bad thing but it does make the hobby feel less friendly, it does make it seem like just any other business - it loses it's special-ness. Supporting people like Nate Hayden or John Clowes feels good. Even playing the games feels good partly because you know it's one dude working his ass off and he actually gets the money you spend. When these things happen (which the community begged for and totally deserves, that's what all that proselytizing leads to) we can only blame ourselves. We get the industry we deserve.

I'm sure Asmodee will do a fine job, I've supported several of their games in the past and they seem like a good company for the most part. But this is still sad, the industry is growing and becoming completely legitimate and that doesn't appeal to me. I'll still buy and play boardgames (c'mon man, I do love them after all) but I will miss that time period before all this stuff started happening. I liked it being small and niche, that was part of the appeal and isn't really true anymore.

It will only get worse given time. A brief glance at popular culture makes it pretty clear that boardgames are doing better all the time. At least there will be more people to play with, there's nothing wrong with that aspect. Or is there?
Last edit: 07 Jan 2016 11:37 by OldHippy.
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07 Jan 2016 11:45 #219252 by Cranberries
Replied by Cranberries on topic Asmodee Conquers Catan
Morgan Dontanville got a promotion, so that's nice.

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07 Jan 2016 11:53 - 07 Jan 2016 11:54 #219255 by repoman
Replied by repoman on topic Asmodee Conquers Catan
JJ, you got your skinny jeans on too tight today.

You liked boardgames before they were cool?

C'mon, you can't make the claim that boardgames, by and large, aren't still small time cottage stuff. Jesus, if nothing else, kickstarter proves that it is.

So Asmodee gains Settlers. Great. The game is over 20 years old. Here's to hoping that thing ends up in every home.
Last edit: 07 Jan 2016 11:54 by repoman.

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07 Jan 2016 12:01 - 07 Jan 2016 12:04 #219258 by OldHippy
Replied by OldHippy on topic Asmodee Conquers Catan

repoman wrote: JJ, you got your skinny jeans on too tight today.

You liked boardgames before they were cool?


I knew someone would reduce what I was trying to say into typical anti-hipster BS.

Not at all what I meant.

But your point can still be valid without that part.

BTW, I hated hipsters way before it was cool ;)
Last edit: 07 Jan 2016 12:04 by OldHippy.

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07 Jan 2016 12:14 - 07 Jan 2016 12:15 #219260 by Mr. White
Replied by Mr. White on topic Asmodee Conquers Catan
It already should be in every home...it's been in Target for the last decade (at least).

My concern here is that in order to further push the brand, they're going to try to find a way to bring it down to Monopoly or Stratego costs...~$10-15. Likely means being made in China.

I'll pass on that.

My copy of Catan is all beat to hell. Guess I'll pick up a copy of the current Mayfair edition before it's gone.
Last edit: 07 Jan 2016 12:15 by Mr. White.
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07 Jan 2016 12:21 #219263 by Legomancer
Replied by Legomancer on topic Asmodee Conquers Catan

san il defanso wrote: I confess to not knowing a lot about how this stuff goes down, but at some point does Asmodee attract attention from Hasbro? What does that look like?


Hasbro doesn't care about games, it cares about licensing properties. They have plenty of games already they can Force Awaken, which will sell because people already know their names.

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07 Jan 2016 13:17 #219272 by stoic
Replied by stoic on topic Asmodee Conquers Catan
Corporate Leviathans have a tendency to produce a counter-culture and a Rebel Alliance will form. Eventually, board gaming will go counter-culture again, won't it? Gygax, Eon Products, anyone? Didn't Catan's designer Klaus Teuber design his game in his basement?

In a nutshell, it's also fortunate that game designs cannot be copyrighted. www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html To protect their product lines, these Leviathans have to bank on obtaining expensive and popular media licenses for their games, e.g., Star Wars. They must focus on the creation of luxury products, e.g., games with expensive artwork, game pieces, and miniatures that require economies of scale to produce at a point where profitability remains and the market will still clear their products.

Of course, Leviathans attempt to control their markets and prevent competitors; i.e., they attempt dominate the brick and mortar retailers by the creation of exclusive dealer relationships--they impose restrictions on the market and create barriers to entry. They'll attempt to limit the free market and prevent competitors from introducing competing product lines and hope that their retailers won't be able to add competitors. Corporate Leviathans will also attempt to SLAPP those entering the market; they'll have a law firm working full time to intimidate competitors to product their turf and intellectual property--they'll test the limits of property rights.

But, 3-D printing technology and Internet marketing will allow independent Mom and Pop Garage designers to come in and compete. They'll partner up with a lawyer to fend off the Leviathan SLAPP's. Mom and Pops have the independence which Leviathans don't to be creative and they gamble--they don't have to worry about stockholders, design committees, or venture capitalists looking over their shoulders--they dream, foolish dreams, they suffer for their art. But, they are the ones who create those crazy works of art that Leviathans cannot capture under a corporate model. When independent designers and small companies develop successful product lines, they'll eventually get bought out and absorbed by the Corporate Leviathans, but, this process drains the capital of Leviathans until it stretches the bounds of profit and they collapse. The cycle repeats.

Gamers are fickle. Brand allegiances are weak. Gamers look for the most creative designs. Indie designers will continue to compete--they'll do amazing things on a shoe-string budget--they'll win my dollars.

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