Notes from Playtest One Hundred and Eighteen

There were only two players, so I joined this playtest myself

What we tried

The cost of arrows was restored to 1 point. Bow & Arrows was overpowered, costing only one more than Atlatl, but being better at shooting everything and with free ammunition. The Bow cost was lowered to 4, but the damage reduced to 1. Sling damage was increased to 2.

Spring: Public Goal of having 0, 1, or 2 face down tiles on board.
Summer: Public Goal of claiming an edge space (too easy).
Fall: balance scores

Notes

• Two arrows and two knife stabs, killed a bear!
• Death on seasons needs to clarify that this when you revive or die (leaving burial ground vs. dying).
• Bow has an ammunition cost problem.

Graphic Design & Corrections

• Number the seasons, and maybe use arrows to reinforce the order.
• Goal should say ALWAYS draw 2 keep 1.
• Things that give you retries need to say crystal.
• Winter is misspelled on winter season, capitalization not consistent "players" and "end".
• Crack shot still says squirrels.

Goals & Events

• Gambler: note that happens at end
• Wise Woman: needs to say what happens at end, explore his space again?
• Wandering Trader: still sucks. Maybe he creates a new village?
• Tornado: actually did something, one player couldn't make it home. Wouldn't it be great if it always did something fun? I could make it choose the longest available path.
• Territorial: does it need "in a group?".
• Hapless was easily scored, but probably because I also had Temperate, and was unable to score more points the last couple turns.
• Gambler did not draw a goal that could be scored.
• Rockslide: (should have the character knocked on it's side as a reminder) One player, with the secret goal Isolationist, was caught in a rockslide and, because nobody else was near enough, had to rescue himself.

The hunter in the lower-right is trapped under a rockslide,
must be rescued by the same player's gatherer.

Ideas

• Create new village on the western edge?
• Season cards should say END under the tiles
• Could key events off of how many events have been drawn.
• Death idea: don't discard lost tiles, they go under the deadly animal. Player that kills the deadly scores them immediately at lowest market value.
• Equipment: single use 2-3 cost item that lets you draw pick a tile. Time to try the moccasins!
• Special locations (altar) items (artifacts) or animals (mammoth, sabber tooth) at the western edge of board. 

Length of play pushing 120 minutes.

To try next

Only one event per season, less down time. More events on the board? Yes, 3 on the western edge.

Reduce the cost of arrows back to zero.

The Summer goal of claiming edge spaces should require two spaces be claimed.