Hey, all.

I have been enjoying the game tremendously. I must admit, too, that I have gotten almost more fun from the game when I am not playing it, but twiddling with my pen and spiral notebook how to strategize, designing new plots & murder rules, etc. In fact, I am getting the kind of enjoyment out of Android that I normally get out of a well-crafted RPG book, where some of the most enjoyable moments are spent in between the actual game sessions, rather than during the game itself. How crazy is that?

Are there any chances that some expansions will be released to support the game, as was done with A Game of Thrones, Arkham Horror and the like?

Thanks,

Joker.

I suppose if it does well and has a good reaction from the fans there's a decent chance of it. Plenty of FFG's other board games have them.

That's cool that you like it so much, I've only had one chance to play it and I was starting to wonder if the game is just too detailed to consistently enjoy but I guess I haven't got the right players.

I like it a lot so far just broke it out last night to finally organize all the counters properly.

Thanks. My own gaming group recently imploded due to conflicting schedules, but I think I've found another group to play with.

If you have a number of folks who don't mind keeping track of multiple pieces of info, the game can be very, very cool. Tip: have players read flavor text aloud before playing it. Adds a lot!

In my own case (and I'm trying not to sound like a fanboy, but here goes), I have been working on a number of writing projects that, for lack of a better word, had stalled.

Still, though I have been paid for my fiction & for some itsy-bitsy bits of game editing, I've never, never done fan fiction for a game before; not even when I was a green little pre-teen with my Red Box D&D set 'way back.

Part of the reason I've enjoyed this game so much is that afterwards, the events of the game truly can make for a very cool story, if spun out correctly. This game, unlike any other, actually inspired me to connect and flesh out some of the events that had gone around in various games. Playing android, in essence, helped grease the creative wheels. After doing a little fanfic, I was able to get back to writing again for the things I'll (hopefully) get paid for.

So, kudos again to the game's creators! Yes, it's complicated, but I've found it to be very, very worth it. Like anything, it's best when with the right people.

So, looking forward to the expansion whenever it chooses to arrive!

Joker

A "Mars" board seems a good option for a Dunwich Horror style expansion.

I think an expansion is very likely if the game sells/sold well enough.

One other thing I would love to see would be a novel (or series of novels) based on Android. (you can only watch Blade Runner so many times).

Burnhamalive said:

Lies.

And the game is a great, rich presentation of theme.

Burnhamalive said:

Bite your tongue! Hahaha. If you don't have the "Voight-Kampff Briefcase" edition of the 5-DVD or 5-BlueRay disc set of BLADE RUNNER , you are DEAD to me! I suppose there's an upper limit to how often you'll watch BLADE RUNNER -- because we're all going to die.

In Toronto, the independent CITY-TV station aired BLADE RUNNER after the New Year's Eve party every night for something like 15 years, until a change of ownership (which also destroyed the "Speaker's Corner" public video-booth which according to its signage was supposed to last "forever".)

I'm hoping for one. I've played the game with the wife at least 8 times since I bought it last year and it gets better every time.

I'm so torn on this one. I love so much of what I hear about Android... but some people say it needs more work.
Does it? Or does it just take some time to sort out the rules?
If there are a few issues would an expansion be enough or does it need a 2nd edition?

I'm waiting for an expansion or revision or something... but I will say this, if I get the impression they are going to dump Android I will buy it before it dissapears. Of course I really hope this does not happen. It REALLY sounds like FFG has a huge hit here if they just put a wee bit more into this game.

*Keep in mind I don't this game, haven't played it or even read the rules on-line. I've read a lot of posts and I'm a little worried about diving in... even thought I really really want to.

I've also been torn about this game for several months. I love Arkham Horror and the theme of Android seemed amazing but with all the "bad" reviews I've been quiestioning myself several times if my gaming group would care to play this more than once. As it is quite a piece of work it sure will leave a mark in your wallet.

From what people have written it still seem to be a great game, let's not forget that. But the complaints people are having also seem to be managable with a second edition or more probably an expansion.

So we can only guess what FFG will do.. maybe the are proud of this game but decide to focus on other games as people did not praise Android as they hoped. Then again maybe they decide that with some tinkering it will be enough to satisfy all those complaints and make sure the game gets a second chanse.

I surely hope they will add an expansion that take care of this. This game is so wonderful that it deserve to get more attention. Apparently the game does not really need more detectives or gameboards but rather more cards that make the conspiracy less important and maybe some way put more focus on the actual murder.

(all of this is pure speculation as I bought the game yesterday (finally) and did not had the time to play it yet, I just wanted to get a copy, increase the sale-numbers and support Kevin Wilson)

What is the chance of an expansion? I have no idea. But the game is already quite good as it stands.

I do think it would be fun if they pushed the cyberpunk elements of the game a bit. Perhaps they could have a decker/hacker character, one who doesn't move, but instead accesses areas via the net. And what kind of self-respecting cyberpunk conspiracy doesn't have an AI sitting in the middle of it?

Yeah, honestly, the game is really good as it is. Expansion would make it better, second edition would make it just great.

And don't forget the huge and amazing Variant Bleacher Lizzard did. It really changes the game mechanics, have a try, it's worth it.

Hem said:

I might as well ask here since the topic came up. As I said I have not played a single Android-game yet and between christman and New Year I will meet a couple of friends for some serious gaming. I am planning to introduce Android to them at this point but should we start with the usual rules and if they complain to much try with the Directors Cut or go straight to the other version in hope that still will make them love the game from the start? (and of cource also not make it to complicated with several rule-variants)

It feels like the right thing to do is give the ordinare rules a go befor anything is changed to tribute this great creation and my group usually end up making house-rules anyway.

My group has been playing with the rules as written. While this game does not appeal to everyone in my gaming group, there are always 2 or 3 other people ready to play when it hits the table.

After several plays, we've concluded that it's not a perfect game, but despite it's shortcoming, have a lot of fun with it and have never felt the need to change the way it's played.

As far as an expansion, I think FFG has a lot on it's plate right now, but I could see a card based expansion with new plots and murders.

Svavelvinter said:

You answered the good way to yourself I'll say it again : the game is good as it is. Even my woman, not being geeky, likes it. The world, the narrative texts, the moves... fiddly but enjoyable, definitely. The Variant of Lizzard-guy (sorry, name too long to remember... come on, me name is three letters !) his variant then is just another way of seing this world of Kevin Wilson, with other mechanics. Everyone should do the game in its original form (because ****, it IS good, thank to Wilson, period). But, I think everyone not a hundred percent satisfied with it (and who is anyway with any game ?) should give Lizzard's variant a try. Or even just someone curious, at least : because what Lizzard did is actually... hm... sorry, Lizzard, don't take it bad, but, simply put : turning Android into a more "Cluedo" approach game, the same world, but with more traditionnal mechanics kind of close (just a tiny bit) to Cluedo. And, well, it's worth a look.

Yet, I do disagree with you about the house rules coming naturally after some time - I never done that, we accept the tiny flaws of a game as the flaws of someone. Deal with it, or leave it (and to those who'll argue about my use from time to time of Lizzard's stuff, it is not house rule, it is a complete rework - you definitely don't play the same game).

Hope I answered ! Anyway, the basic point : enjoy !

Hem said:

Cluedo?? CLUEDO??!!!! Pah! Saying my variant is "a bit like" Cluedo is akin to saying that Lord of the Rings is "a bit like" Harry Potter!

By the way Hem, I've gotta say that I always love your posts. You have a style of writing that's very enjoyable to read and a smile-inducing wacky sense of humour. Keep it up!

Hein99 said:

I could resist no longer... Just last night I bought Android. I've only had a chance to unpackage it and sort the peices. It looks great and I'm very excited to start learning it.

So obvilously I don't have much to report but so far I do love seeing it stacked with my many other FFG games in my collection!

Hey Lizzard, thank you !

I knew you would show you tiny lizzard nose around here after me comparing your great work to Cluedo. Being proud makes you soooo easy to read

By the way, thanks for the compliment, especially since I'm french and always fear I may make no big sense writing in english, or loosing my reader with stylistic forms that only work in my own language, failing to be translated in english. Anyway. Keep on working with your variant, ok ?

And welcome to the show of Android, Hein99 - almost perfect, just one point ahead !

Back to the topic.. Android seem to match Fury of Dracula regarding that many people enjoy it but it works pretty well on its own without any expansions and maybe did not sell as many copies as FFG hoped for.

HOWEVER if we ever get to see an expansion to Android I surely hope the developers "dig deeper" (if you allow the usage of the phrase) into the original game instad of adding other locations like Mars etc. It's more of a journey into the detectives personalities than into space so I surely hope we get to see more mechanics that add even more flavor and theme to the game instead of piling on a dozen of extra boards like in Arkham Horror.

Sure it might be quite easy to add a couple of more murders or detectives into the mix that tie together some of the NPC's but this is all speculations. We can hope that FFG do not desert this wonderful game just yet but my gut tell me that they have moved on to other projects.

I'm totally agree with that. Maybe that novels releasing soon will develop a larger fan base for Android, so FFG would consider doing an expansion for it. Some rules may be revised, new characters added (maybe from "Free Fall" or "Identity Trilogy"), new plots, new puzzle pieces, new suspects - well, nearly any aspect of this game could be expanded. But there is no need for additional game board. Many of us are already struggling to find an adequate place to play, so no need to expand it in space. Deeper and more diversified mechanics would be a real blast though.

I'm really hope that FFG will do an expansion in next two years.

I'd love a Mars board where you could travel via the Beanstalk. More espionage, more politics. New puzzle pieces could be added with Martian groups.

With the announcement of Infiltration I would say theres a good chance of something new coming to Android.

Probably not a big box expansion, but maybe a PoD expansion?
Or maybe (if we're really lucky) they could do a big box stand-alone expansion, like for Mars?
That way, if the stand-alone sells well it would most probably boost Android sales as well.

The Rog said:

The more people banging the POD drum, the better.

Doing a stand-alone is something I never thought of, but that could totally work. Something a bit different, but also completely compatible with the base game. I love Android as is, but I realize that there are a lot of people that were interested in the IP but didn't love the game; something like this could possibly interest them, but also please the people who love the original game.

jasonpanella said:

If a stand-alone expansion was made, it would have to have 3 to 5 playable characters and a whole new Conspiracy mechanic, let alone a new board. I like the idea, but the game already has so much with the original board. You also would have to consider how much "time" goes by in a day traveling from Earth to Mars, and if that would be worthwhile (I'm guessing losing a day thematically, but the stuff up there would have to be really, really worth it; or, a teleport gate, but then where is that on the board and what is use of beanstalk if people could teleport from moon to Earth and vice versa? idk, food for thought).

I personally believe a card expansion would be terrific. After getting a small play test tonight of the game, I love the theme of the light and dark cards and the plot (definitely the foundation for the game's fun-factor, for me). Expanding on how environment cards that affect investigators independent of light and dark cards and more in-game tie-ins with the murder plots would be the best recommendation I could give FFG.

A Mars expansion is so heavily hinted, that I think that would be good too so long as its at most half the size of the original board, no bigger. As someone said earlier, AH gets very cluttered, and I personally too already have a hard time finding space for the original board.

The easiest possible expansion for Android is a bunch of new detectives, with their corresponding twilight decks, and plots.

They could put it a new murder with its specific events.

This kind of expansion wouldn't need a new board, and would add much to the game for experienced players, that have already tested fully the potential of each detective.

Indeed, it would be really difficult to play with a second board! The first one is so big that almost covers my biggest table :-)