Okay guys, you have me. I'm going to get every little thing you guys make for this game. There's just one problem... it doesn't fit. I've managed to barely put every thing in that can fit but one more expansion and the box will burst open. Here's what I thought to fix the issue:

The next large expansion should have a replacement item holder (black plastic thingy that holds cards and pieces) that will easily accomodate everything and more. The other option is to sell a replacement item holder for the box.

Also keep in mind the height that is created because of extra boards. The lid doesn't go all the way down anymore.

Oh, one more thing... just a question: Why are there six shallow card spaces? I understand one where you can place the 6 dice, but 5 other sahllow card holders seemed useless. I have to stick the cards in sideways. The image illustrated below.

Take out the plastic part from the box, and You will have space for all the cards.

Yeah, that option sucks. I might as well get a cardboard box and throw everything in there and just write "talisman" with a sharpie on it. It's lame.

Honestly, I took plastic out and in that alone box I'm able to put all official expansions and few homebrew expansions. All the cards I have I put to small pouch each, and they are enough small so I can put all of them to the box and close it properly.

I realize there are different ways to fit it in the box. My brother uses a similar method. It just seems lame every time he brings someone new to play over and he opens the box to what looks like a poor quality game box. You then have to say "Oh no it came with a nice plastic thing that held all of the cards, but there's not enough room after all of the expansions". * waves little plastic thingy at them *

I would purchase just the card holder thingy.

I think the solution of the main box is fine.. it made the first several expansions fit nicely, and to be honest it's hard to make a waaaay too big box in the beginning not really knowing how the future sale of a game will be. However, with even more expansion in the future space will be a problem.

So, the easiest solution would just be using the expansion boxes, highland cards and board in the highland box and so on.. It take some extra time to get all the things out, but hey, talking about 60-120 seconds extra..

SC

I actually think that's the least easiest solution. I don't play at my house, I take it to friend's houses. Carrying all of those boxes would be a huge hassle.

Really, if they hadn't made 6 of the card holders shallow then there wouldn't be an issue. However, when other expansions come out, that won't be enough either. The only solution is for a larger box to be made. And again, I'm willing to bet if it was, others would buy it. Something with some awesome artwork on the top and plenty of room for extra boards and cards would be nice right?

turch said:

This is the most pertinent point you make. Those slots could have been made to full depth, costs nothing more, and allowed more cards from expansions to be stored.

For mayself, I make custom deck boxes that function for both storage and play. Others here have purchase similar plastic ones at office supply outlets. Perhaps someone here could share those sources again or find the link to the old topic in which many were displayed and discussed.

Here is where some people posted some of their solutions. It isn't the only place on this forum where people have talked about their solutions though if you look you could find some more.

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp?efid=49&efcid=1&efidt=434686&efpag=0

Unfortunately we cannot make FFG make every solution for us. If you want something you consider professionally done you might have to find someone who can make what you want and commission them to do so. If not then you will just have to live with what you have or make something yourself.

For me I like one of the solutions on that link and if I could find the material I would make it myself. I have less space than you do Turch because I have every single one of my cards in a card protector (including my character/alternate ending/ toad cards) which makes them thicker. I use multiple boxes to store everything currently.

turch said:

You are, of course, entitled to your opinion, but I don't think removing the tray liner is really equivalent to throwing everything in a cardboard box and writing "Talisman" on it with a sharpie. You'd still have the professional box on the outside, and you could make your own tuckboxes for the cards and such to keep the interior looking relatively professional, too. Get a plastic tackbox to hold all the counters and figs in a nice, organized fashion. Heck, this has basically become a tradition for me when I buy a new FFG game.

Regarding the six shallow card slots, the obvious reason they're shallow is because they were never designed to hold expansion cards in the first place. They were sized to fit six of the original card decks (particularly the really small ones like the alignment cards) and that's all. I don't think you can really fault them for doing it that way either - firstly they were working with components originally designed by Black Industries before they took over the license, and secondly to make a game that intentionally leaves room for expansion material, to me, says that the base game was never designed to be a complete product in itself. "Please buy half a game for $60.00, we'll make the other half later and charge you again." That's not a very endearing attitude, to me.

To fix the shallow card slots, if you sit down and crunch a few numbers you can probably find a way to make a few cuts and "flatten out" the sides to make those slots deeper. Or you cut out the shallow inset entirely and find some way to wall off the holes that would create. Assuming, of course, that this is also not equivalent to throwing everything in a cardboard box and writing "Talisman" on the side.

I'm not trying to invalidate your position - you certainly have every right to feel the way you do. I'm just saying that there comes a point when you have to choose to either live with what you have or take action to fix it yourself. Perhaps you're opposed to DIYing stuff because it will look unprofessional, but if you do a little research on the subject, I think you'll be surprised with just how professional you can make DIY components look with relatively little expense or effort.

Steve-O said:

I don't know anyone involved in Fantasy games who would think that way. I'm not saying no one would, and likely some might, but is that really something that would occur to the majority? Those who think so would still have the game and play it, easily seeing it is a game unto itself.... complete. The extra space could then just as easily seen as "hmmm, why the extra space, considering the game plays as complete as is?" It could then been see as a hidden teaser for "what's next?"

Obviously arguments go both ways, and I agree with much of your position, but this one argument holds as little water as those undersized slots. Don't dismiss everything in the original post in whole because of the way it was presented. And any smart company listens to what its customers have to say about packaging as much as anything else. And all companies that took over Talisman for a current or new edition knew well there was more to come.

Bah! I want another 2 corner pieces (perhaps a city and a forest region?)... Since my box split along the side, long ago, I bought a plastic tub with a lid and have used it ever since. Yes, with 2 more side boards and additional characters, I MAY need to get a larger box, but I still think that bigger is better in this game. To really make this game more interesting for the Merchant and Leprechaun, we should get some sort of expansion that makes money more interesting. For example, that horse market card that lets you buy a warhorse (it came from the Sacred Pool expansion set), has certainly become a favorite for my friends.

Unfortunately, once the last corner piece shows up at my LGS, I may stop buying each and every expansion set. So, it behooves FFG to only release the smaller expansions.

Just because there are many expansions that overflow the starter box, doesn't mean that there isn't a market for some of us gaming addicts.

I agree with Turch that it would be nice to see a talisman box to store all your cards and character cards in it.

They could also release a box to store all the 4 regions+dragon region in 1 box.

If it has some nice talisman artwork, i would pay easily 3 boxes from ffg. Maybe more if needed!

Turch has a point. It's difficult to bring your talisman game to somebody else, unless you find something where everything fits in.

If FFG would make special boxes for boards and for cards. I would buy it!

I had the same problem in the eighties with first editions as I do with fourth edition. I just use two boxes. One box for boards and instructions and one box for cards and pieces. Why let the dungeon, highlands or dragons boxes go to waste. And bringing two boxes to a friends house isn't too bad.

turch said:

Hahaa, yeah Im so with you on this one (the general idea, the "talisman" with a sharpie-part was a bit harch I think). I use one of the large compartments for standard adventure cards (currently fit like a glove w all expansions) and one side-expansion adventure card deck. Cant fit characters though but its ok since I pain them and dont want the pain to wear =P

Reason for shallow slots is because the life tokens etc use to be placed down there I think..

Nioreh said:

I think you are right.

Each one can be place in a slot.

But i never do this

I keep them in plastic bags..

I'm so with Turch on this.

All he's really saying, from what I've read, is that it would be wonderful if FFG made a box and plastic tray that would fit all the material in the game for their next expansion. I mean, why not do this? It would make everyone who's bought everything feel good, and it would make everyone who hasn't bought everything want to buy everything. Win/win.

No problem on my side, I use 3rd edition box to store everything from the 4th edition and it all fits in with room to spare.

Of course this is a usefull solution only if you own 3rd edition or a similar size game box and the 3rd edition box is professional and TALISMAN is written on it, no sharpie needed

Cheers and happy new (dragon) year to all Talismaniacs out there...

to keep things neat, i have spread the items out over 2 big boxes and 1 small talisman boxes, the main box keeps the adventure decks in their slots, the cones in their holes, fate, gold, sleep tokens and dice in a sealable bag in the character card section of the main box and the purchase deck, spell deck, reward deck, quest deck and alignment cards in a sealable bag in the character compartment of the main box.

while in a second big box the character cards and dragon cards are stored on one side of a divider while characters are stored on the other.

and the small reaper box has the dragon scale tokens ready to be used.