I'm hosting a Twilight Imperium game this weekend, and I intend to bring it up to seven or eight players - Six players being our previous maximum. Things tend to drag out with this game though, so I'm going to do my best to keep things running at an optimum.

I found these helpful hints - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/1290832#1290832 - so I've been compiling a list of things to take care of:

0) Have everyone show up on time! (Big deal for some of us )
1) Premade galaxy.
2) Using simulated early turns.
3) Tell players to announce who's next once they've done their move.
4) Assign a whip to help with 2) (Se link)
5) Tell players to be ready to place their command counter/activate their strategy card as soon as they're up.
6) Pass around the strategy card for secondary activation (Se link)
7) Food break.
8) Stop at 9 or 8 VP rather than 10. Establish a time (Like 9 PM) for when the game is over, regardless.

What else can you think of?

Arvidos said:

Depends on how experienced the players are. You might want to have all strategy cards listed with secondaries on a sheet of paper. Same with technology.

Someone uses stand-up numbers after strategy cards selected to show in what order the players goes in. Filp down when they have passed.

I will try to think of others.

Bill

Arvidos said:

Be sure to mention the time at regular intervals. You wouldn't want people to be surprised by the deadline. And you best finish the game round so everyone has time to do 1 last thing. (so check during each status phase, when you reach 8pm, you state "we're now entering the last game round". It makes a huge difference if you know its the last turn or not.

all good points but if you have 1-2 players who are unable to make decisions it's useless ^^

Arvidos said:

I might be a bit extreme, but here are my thoughts...

0)Had everyone pay $20 for food/refreshments (which was much more than what was needed). Everyone who was late did not get the rest of their $20 back and the amount was evenly distributed to those who showed up on time.

1)Faster yes, but less fun.

2)Don't like em, don't use em. Faster to me would be eliminating Distant Suns, but I can't bring myself to do it.

3/4/5) I don't let individuals try to do this. I tend to be the most attentive, so I keep up the pace by announcing 2ndaries/who's next and who's on deck. This only works if you have someone willing to do it.

6)I think it would slow down the game. I would suggest reading it aloud, then go around the table and get a confirmation one way or the other about it.

7)No breaks! Have the food ready before or delivered (pizza is fabulous for this) and have players get it on not their turn. We eat while playing.

8)Time limits are good and playing with Bureau or Imperial II speed up games nicely as well.

9)Have neighbors keep track of hits during all combats. This speeds things up and keeps people honest (not that my group lies, but they we are notorious for forgetting Cybernetics for example).

10)Make "passed" look distinct so people don't keep coming back to the player. We simply turn the fat end of the strat card towards the middle of the table to designate a pass.

11)Remove confusing/complicated races; Yssaril, Naalu, Saar.

I've played two 8-player games and one 7-player. My 5 cents:

• DEFINITELY NO BREAKS. With this many players there is plenty of time to eat while it's not your turn.
• Print out play sheets with techs on them
• Make sure the next player is ready to take an action while the previous is making his.
• If you have inexperienced players, the most important rules to revise are the secondaries and all the rules for space docks. Most newbies just build and turtle.

All this said, we probably will cap the player number at 6 in the future.

In my playgroup, I am the designated timekeeper/person in charge in keeping the flow of the game.

-Thinking is allowed, as long as you acknowledge you know it's your turn. Obviously it's preferred if you had your turn planned before you start.
-Chatting,negotations are allowed as long it does not disrupt the flow of the game.
-I always let people know it's thier turn, and keep track of whos turn is next. It also keeps the game play fast.
-if a strategy card is being played, I announce it. Everyone in the playgroup knows all strategy cards in my games as we are all vets.

In the 2,4,6 hour mark we tend to have a 10 minute washroom/drink break.

Remove Secret Objective cards that require holing enemy home systems.

Remove races that cause headaches/aren't straight-forwards.

The game will last a maximum of nine and-a-half turns after the simulated early turns. Arange a ten minute break at trhe end of turns three and six. This prevents people becomming restless/bored and helps to keep focus on the game.

nice ideas ppl.

Her is how we play 6-8 player games.

1:pre made map thats balance got a few one thats getting pretty dicent now.

2: vanila game, only leaders and racial tech any more and it gets boged down, maybe early turns but remobe yin and saar then as there racial abilityes aint good then.

3: all show up on time

4: after evryround a smal break 5 min or so evry 3 round a 10-15 break and after round 5-6 we take a long break 30 min to get food, dont whant to spill it on the game and eating fresh eair helps ppl focus on the game.

5: got a nifty idea on getting ppl to keep there round andsecondayres, a item , white the text its my round(inyour hand) and a second item my secondary. to pass around so nobody forgets its there round and no one forgets second on SC. And teas it may look dorky but it helps.espacial when you got players who talke and foget to do there action.

6: its game have funn and dont drage it out to long, better to end the game when your not finished or drage it out into 10 houers, And never ahve players who realy are a ASS in your game.(We have and sometimes i whant to kill him)