More co-op play in the future?

By sdh007, in Descent: Journeys in the Dark

Although I love playing this with my gaming group, I still see the benefits with the solo/co-op kits they are releasing now.

For me, a dungeon crawler is as much about exploring as it is about fighting and stuff. That's the only thing I kinda feel dubious about Descent. The whole map is already there at the start and naturally this is because you have an Overlord player.

That's what I like about the Night kits...it's still possible to play with 4 players, it's shorter and yes, there is that familiar exploring about it. Never knowing for certain what is behind that door or furtherdown the corridor.

But then again, converting all scenarios into co-op plays can be quite challenging/frustrating.

Any shared views or alterations?

Edited by sdh007

I have been meaning to pick up Co-op expansion Forgotten Souls. The way they tweaked the game into a Co-op there looks interesting and covers some of the concerns you mentioned, like how the map expands as you explore (based entirely on what cards you draw as the heroes open doors).

I would like to see more co-op expansions and it would be really cool if they somehow worked it into the Quest Vault. I am doubtful about that though since there are lots of challenges as the quest is so dependent on the cards and deck you draw from to create the dungeon as you explore it. Would people have to print out these cards to make a deck? As someone who has been playing TCGs for a long time I am no stranger to printed out proxies.

I am very impressed with Forgotten Souls and really like the co-op experience. Given the success of the LCG model, it doesn't seem like it should be that hard to make decks for Descent. I hope they will make more expansions along these lines.

I agree. More please!

If you want co-op for official Descent quests and campaigns, there are a number of very good fan made variants available. This one is the my favorite.

Redjak's Automated Overlord Variant

If you want co-op for official Descent quests and campaigns, there are a number of very good fan made variants available. This one is the my favorite.

Redjak's Automated Overlord Variant

Thanks for the link. Looks worth to give it a shot at first glance.

Hi -

I have also played through the Game Night kit twice --- it encourages replayability as you explore (set out) new tiles; it was also a great way to give different characters a run.

We have also been playing Nerdook's D6 Variant through the main quest and it has been quite a bit of fun. It's still pretty challenging too.

I look forward to upcoming co-ops and it's even inspired me to look into other FF games that have co-op versions, such as Mansions of Madness.

best,

j

there will be more. i would even bet that there would be a small box or even big box expansion with co-op styl of play.

If you want co-op for official Descent quests and campaigns, there are a number of very good fan made variants available. This one is the my favorite.

Redjak's Automated Overlord Variant

Spend this weekend with overlooking and eventually printing all the needed files to play it. It works pretty well and nice. Still missing the exploration phase though.

These variants look interesting, although I think playing with an Overlord player is still prob less complicated even with just two players. Are people looking for ways to play by themselves without a gamer group? That would be when I'd try one of these variants out.

From my personal experience, solo or co-op play seems to be more easier to manage. I really like Descent but in my gaming group it's not always that evident to either find a certain date that everyone can and when they can it's always with a certain time limit, so it makes that a campaign can take several months to finish. And thus it drags certain people into a long tiresome process and many times it's opted to play something else.

With the game night kits I found that our gaming group is more willing to pick things up as there is no discussion who HAS to play the Overlord and also the games are more fast paced plus the love for the exploration is a big plus!

And yes, when I just feel the need to play Descent but don't have any fellow participants I simply play it by myself and thus am looking forward to Redjak's Automated Overlord Variant and the implementation of the campaigns.

So I got a copy of Forgotten Souls, I think the content i will need to play it with three others can be fairly compact, since its a small group of monsters and map tiles that are possible, I was wondering if anyone would say its also a fairly mobile version of the game? could i take just what I need to play the Co-op and meet my group at a coffee shop?

Two question come to mind. How large can the map get and how long does the average game take to complete?

The map can get fairly large, although once you go in a few rooms you can take away the beginning area since going backwards guarantees you lose.

I have no idea about average game length. Most people I know of lose.

From my personal experience, solo or co-op play seems to be more easier to manage. I really like Descent but in my gaming group it's not always that evident to either find a certain date that everyone can and when they can it's always with a certain time limit, so it makes that a campaign can take several months to finish. And thus it drags certain people into a long tiresome process and many times it's opted to play something else.

With the game night kits I found that our gaming group is more willing to pick things up as there is no discussion who HAS to play the Overlord and also the games are more fast paced plus the love for the exploration is a big plus!

And yes, when I just feel the need to play Descent but don't have any fellow participants I simply play it by myself and thus am looking forward to Redjak's Automated Overlord Variant and the implementation of the campaigns.

RedJak just uploaded version 3 of his variant with all new cards.

The map can get fairly large, although once you go in a few rooms you can take away the beginning area since going backwards guarantees you lose.

I have no idea about average game length. Most people I know of lose.

I have played Nature's Ire 5 times: 1W (3 players), 4L (2 players).

i want a full expansion with solo/co-op , constant level up, and more exploring.

i want a full expansion with solo/co-op , constant level up, and more exploring.

i very sure that will happen sooner then later

So are you saying the Co-op game has cards to run the Overlord? Essentially automating him?

So are you saying the Co-op game has cards to run the Overlord? Essentially automating him?

Yes, and poorly at that.

No Overlord automation. It is a dungeon crawling with an "automated dungeon". You battle against the dungeon itself.

Yes!!!

The reason i bought this game was because of the co-op expansion.

If I like that i'll definetley give the "Automated Overlord" a go!

So, in short, I would be very interested in more co-op expansions and/or updates for the campaigns already available.

I know that there was another game night co-op expansion, Nature's Ire. Is there any word on if Fantasy Flight will release it as a product like Forgotten Souls? I recently bought Forgotten Souls and it was really fun. I would love to see more done for this variant.

I am in love with Forgotten Souls, and only bought it because I spot it on the POD display kiosk at my local gaming store. The store owner had no idea what it is, but I got it anyway because the idea of co-op Descent with dungeon exploring sound fantastic. Play it last night and now I am hoping FFG is planning more or full size co-op expansion that will incorporate the expansions and more flexibility to the monsters. I know that the control deck is tailor to the particular quest but there is no reason for them to not do modular system where the control decks card get add and remove base on what scenario is being used.

Our group play Descent a few times but the Overlord is probably the weakest part of the game. Not only it's not very fun to play, it's also very frustrating.

Edited by antiquegamer

Still hoping taht more will come although I think that FFG is putting everything considering Descent on hold. Probably all the focus on Imperial Assault.

But let's hope they pick up Descent after the release of Imperial Assault and they start listening to the community. It's clear that a lot of people enjoy the co-op game kits. So for the brains at FFG it shouldn't be much of a challenge to deliver us a big expansion that could be played either co-op or with an overlord player.