So, I just got my copy of Labyrinths and was very excited. I had organized before hand a group of nine friends and we were all stoked to try the epic game mode.

Imagine my disappointment when I start reading the rules and realize you need three copies of the scenario pack in order to play epic mode.

Now just to say this upfront - my issue is not that you need 3 copies in order to play. I think that's fine. My issue is that all marketing material I've been exposed made it seem as if one pack would be enough.

I don't mind requiring 3 packs to play with 3 groups. That makes sense, but be upfront about it.

The back of the Labyrinths of Lunacy packaging says: "This scenario can be played with a single group of 1-4 investigators [...] It can also be played with three simultaneous groups of up to twelve investigators".

The release announcement is even worse, saying "This Scenario Pack can accommodate up to twelve investigators divided into three teams in the Epic Multiplayer Mode.". The use of the singular "scenario pack" is pretty hard to misunderstand, and nowhere does it mention that you would need three copies.

I know a lot of people like to criticize the LCG business model for requiring players to buy multiple copies of certain items. As I said above, that's not the issue here. Even for a single group, this is still an excellent value for a 3-scenraio mini-campaign. The issue is the marketing making it seem like one pack would be needed. When marketing the core set - it was very clear that one set would support 1-2 players, while two sets would be needed for 3-4. I don't understand why the same approach couldn't be taken here.

I just thought it would do well to bring this issue to the attention of FFG in the hopes that future marketing would be clearer in what actually can and cannot be done with each product.

Hmm that does suck. I listen to so many Arkham podcasts I took it for granted that everyone knew that it required one pack for each group of four but reading that article it definitely isn't as explicit as it should be. Hope it doesn't turn you off the game!

To be frank, the mini-campaign mode sucks, because the scenarios are too similar. On the other hand, the 3-table mode rocks.

Im thinking of doing a big three room, three deck labyrinth... Is there any way without spoilers that you would suggest I set that up? Three tables separate rooms and floors? Maybe some thematic food and drinks? Can you do it with just two tables and two decks?

2 hours ago, Bibbles said:

Im thinking of doing a big three room, three deck labyrinth... Is there any way without spoilers that you would suggest I set that up? Three tables separate rooms and floors? Maybe some thematic food and drinks? Can you do it with just two tables and two decks?

It doesn't work as two groups at two tables. Also, without giving away spoilers, it doesn't work if the 3 groups are too far apart either, as all 3 groups must start each turn simultaneously and there is some interaction between the 3 groups

At GenCon, the groups were next to each other. The best might be 3 tables in the same room (or adjacent rooms).

10 minutes ago, Khudzlin said:

At GenCon, the groups were next to each other. The best might be 3 tables in the same room (or adjacent rooms).

Yeah, at Arkham Nights they were 12 people at each table.

23 hours ago, IronSyndicate said:

The back of the Labyrinths of Lunacy packaging says: "This scenario can be played with a single group of 1-4 investigators [...] It can also be played with three simultaneous groups of up to twelve investigators".

You're spot on, the new packaging has no such information on it. That's an oversight on the packaging, and is unfortunate for existing players who did not know. It will be worse the farther away from now that we get, as future players will have even less chance of knowing what we know.

23 hours ago, StormyWaters said:

Hmm that does suck. I listen to so many Arkham podcasts I took it for granted that everyone knew that it required one pack for each group of four but reading that article it definitely isn't as explicit as it should be. Hope it doesn't turn you off the game!

I listen to several of them, and I still didn't know multiples were needed. I posted the question on BGG a few weeks ago. All the literature from FFG definitely implies you only need one.

Agreed. The preview articles and packaging are astonishingly poor in this respect. You'd think when mentioning epic multiplayer mode the requirement for three sets would be the first thing that you would bring to people's attention.

18 hours ago, Somatose Boy said:

It doesn't work as two groups at two tables. Also, without giving away spoilers, it doesn't work if the 3 groups are too far apart either, as all 3 groups must start each turn simultaneously and there is some interaction between the 3 groups

So three groups say on one floor but separate rooms that can yell stuff back and forth would work? It's timed?

1 hour ago, Bibbles said:

So three groups say on one floor but separate rooms that can yell stuff back and forth would work? It's timed?

Separate rooms might slow the game down. The scenario isn't timed, just that at the end of each round before placing doom on the agenda and (possibly) advancing, you have to wait for each group to signal they are ready to advance, as sometimes things may happen that affect other groups or the advancing of the agenda.

Edit: you wouldn't want to yell things back and forth. Trying not give away spoilers!

7 hours ago, Bibbles said:

It's timed?

At GenCon, it was 1h for each agenda (it's a suggestion, not an absolute rule).

7 hours ago, Khudzlin said:

At GenCon, it was 1h for each agenda (it's a suggestion, not an absolute rule).

Same at Arkham Nights.

I have my doubts I'll ever be able to do this outside of a convention, but supposing that I do: would it be acceptable to be in different rooms and have your lead investigators on a text chain for signaling? It's possible that other things may need to be communicated, but for the sake of advancing the agenda only.

Thanks guys. I think I can do this. 3 players per table is what i'm aiming for and separate rooms but very close.

11 hours ago, Khudzlin said:

At GenCon, it was 1h for each agenda (it's a suggestion, not an absolute rule).

I ran it locally a while back, and while the 1h may not be a hard rule, it's more important than it seems. Most of the challenge (and fun) of Labyrinths comes less from the game mechanic than the players actually puzzling through things and putting the pieces together with the limited interaction allowed. Removing the time limit dramatically reduces the challenge of the scenario.

Oof, that definitely seems like a commiunication failure.

That is a huge oversight and FFG has no excuse because LotR has two Epic mode scenarios and those clearly say "Note: Epic mode requires three copies of 'blah'". (paraphrasing here, I was just looking at them not long ago).

Yeah, I am usually, its no big deal with FFG and stuff and I agree this needed to be on the tin. The did a bad job.