Hi

My game group is not very willing (sometimes) to play a 3 or 4 hour game.

Has anyone tested variants, or has any idea on how to make the game shorter?

I read an interesting idea at Boardgamegeek ( http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/340262 ):

1- Humans win when they reach 8. They do not need to jump one more time.

2- to balance this, you ramdonly remove 5 crisis cards with FTL icons

Has someone tried this? If the starting resources are also reduce, would that help in making the game shorter? (may be a 20% reduction)?

Just play faster. If you don't dilly dally it shouldn't take too long.

Havok said:

Games are taking 3-4 hours long? They shouldn't be. I'd say 2 hours on average, but it all depends on what destinatio cards are available. In my last game we got a 2, then 3, then 1, then 2, then the final jump. So only 5 jumps. Unless you have a bunch of people in the brig or all your cylons are revealed you should be able to jump (at the -3 spot) every once (or 1 1/2) times around the table in a 5-6 player game. The FTL icons are on at least 2/3 of the crisis cards .. and you can usually easily jump at the -3 spot with the help of cards (or just having high enough pop).

The only thing that stretches out our games is someone taking a long time on crisis card decisions (when there is one to make).

I'll have to keep track next time we play how many full times around the table a game lasts. My guess at the last 5 player game was about 10 times around the table.

Last_Crusader said:

No, the thing that stretches the game out is the humans bickering at one another. Really, if the table talk is minimized (hard to do until everyone knows the game) then it should only take around two hours.

10 times around?! I haven't tried to count this myself, but it sure seems like we go around more often than that.

If a shorter game is desired... play something else. Taking a hatchet to a game that's already so carefully balanced is going to be more trouble than it's worth. Changing the number of jumps is only strengthening the Cylon position. Reducing resources will make for a shorter game... by allowing the Cylons to win more easily.

Trump said:

10 times around the table? Ya . .I think I underestimated a bit! I was just figuring (on average) if you get an FTL icon 4 out of every 6 crisis cards ... that is about 1 jump (if you jump early) per game round. Average about 5-6 jumps to win the game. Factor in crisis cards not drawn for the brig and revealed cylons ... I think about 10 times around the table should do it in a 6 player game. obviously more times around in a smaller player game.

Ya .. definitely avoid houseruling. That last jump really only takes another once around the table usually .. it's not like it saves that much time.

thank you all for your comments.

Actually, I agree that experienced players can play very quickly.

this ideas was more for unexperienced players, that may be bored by a long game the first time they play....

Any ideas for that?

If I was teaching the game to a group with limited attention spans I would only play until the sleeper phase. If everyone was having fun then you could playout the rest of the game, or even start a new one. If people aren't having fun you've only invested an hour or so - plenty of time breakout Ticket to Ride or BANG!

Havok said:

All I have for you is another callous answer. Play something else. I understand that this game takes longer than many and that might sound intimidating to some, but everyone I've played with has had a great time and not really even noticed the time flying.

Thanks all for your comments

Sam Gamgee said:

That is a great idea! For newbies, I think up until Sleeper phase, they already know if they want to keep playing or not...

Havok said:

That's tough .. a LOT of games take a long time the first time through.

I guess the key is:

1) Have someone there who knows the game really well (like yourself) .. maybe don't even play .. just "judge" so there is no rulebook referencing and you can "push" the game along if it bogs down.

2) Like was suggested above .. maybe just play a game to sleeper phase .. but as the "judge" make sure that cylon cards are dished out right away.