The Castle - Expansion
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Author Topic: The Castle - Expansion  (Read 17093 times)
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« on: April 10, 2008, 10:08:00 AM »

Myself and a colleague at work play The Castle on a fairly regular basis during lunchtimes (as well as most of the other Carcassonne games). Today we had a fantastic game which ended with us just points apart. Afterwards we sat there and started dwelling on the fact that only the main game has ever been expanded, the scout expansion for H&G hardly counts!! So...

I got to thinking about it a bit more and with a certain mount of ease came up with what I think would be a good expansion for The Castle. It would introduce a new building, an addition to an existing type and a special bonus score tile. There would also be an extension to the Castle walls along with a few more tiles based on those currently existing. The Walls would have about three extra Towers, but you wouldn't need any extra wall tokens as there are several more than required at present. So, now I need to get my ruler out and do a few calculations regards that Castle wall...
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« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2008, 12:53:44 PM »

I was thinking this very same thing on the weekend!  Actually I'd made a "For Game" field in the variant registry, to specify what game a variant was for, even though right now they're all for base Carc or big box.

Since we just got the Castle, Nat & I will be happy to playtest it for you!
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« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2008, 01:58:19 PM »

I was thinking this very same thing on the weekend!  Actually I'd made a "For Game" field in the variant registry, to specify what game a variant was for, even though right now they're all for base Carc or big box.

Since we just got the Castle, Nat & I will be happy to playtest it for you!


Excellent! Though God knows when... I'm still working on my 'Solstice Wars' game, but this may just get the jump when I get a moment here and there. I'll post a bit more when I've finalised a few issues I have.
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« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2008, 12:50:02 AM »

No rush, I've been working for the past 2 weeks on a 7 day a week, 16hr day project, and i'm about half way done.  Not much spare time for a couple of weeks.
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« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2008, 07:59:57 AM »

I've got a bit further in my 'development plans' for this.... I will post some more details sometime over the weekend...
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« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2008, 11:15:50 AM »

weekend? what is that?  Coffee Bored at work
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« Reply #6 on: April 15, 2008, 05:08:18 AM »

weekend? what is that?  Coffee Bored at work

Not another workoholic!! Grin

The Weekend: It's one of them things that just cam and went and allowed me to completely forget to post anything about what I'm meant to be talking about here!  Grin Grin

Maybe later this week...
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« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2008, 09:07:58 AM »

OK, this is not a completed version as yet but this is what I have so far...

New Tiles:

The Chapel
Three of these. Can be placed against any other tile (irrespective of what it is) or wall. All roads end at a chapel (In this respect the chapel is a like a portion of the outer wall).
You may place a Meeple on the Chapel tile. It is completed when all 4 sides have a tile (or wall) against them – Score 4 points.
Special Features :
·   Any road you own that ends at a chapel receives double points
·   More than one chapel still only double points
·   Any opponents road that ends at your chapel receives no points
·   In the event of their being a chapel at each end of a road belonging to opposing players they cancel each other out. Standard road points.
·   Three chapels – Strongest wins.
·   Once the chapel is built/completed on all 4 sides, the meeple is removed and the tile is no longer counted regards road scores.
·   End of game – If not fully surrounded, no points are awarded.
 
The Portcullis
Only one in set. This is a Tower piece with special rules.
Special Features :
·   Can only be placed next to the (score) Wall.
·   May not be placed on any of the standard start positions.
·   Can be placed against the wall as a single tile for the start of a new build.
·   If no blank wall remains (unlikely) miss a turn and discard it – (or keep until end and disclose, then discard - if playing the hold 2 tiles variant)
 
Double Score Tile
Only one in set.
Features 2 Houses, 2 Towers and Cross Road with dead-ended centre (so four roads terminate on tile).
Has 'x2' printed on it.
Special Features :
·   All builds that include this tile double their score.
·   The 2x tokens will double the already doubled score.

Other Tiles
Versions of existing tiles.
 
New Wall Parts
Allow the score wall to increase to around 125 and extend the area that includes the Start (0/1) Tower outwards. Wall will include around 3 more towers. Space generated will be around 12 tiles size. No new wall tokens will be required as there are more than currently needed in standard set.

A total of 10 new tiles will be required :
·   3 Chapel tiles
·   1 Portcullis tile
·   1 Double Score tile
·   5 tiles based upon existing set designs
 
With it being bigger, it may also be possible to introduce a Third player - Not to sure about this yet though...

So there you have it. To my knowledge the first attempt at a true expansion to The Castle. Finally the truth is out why I've been asking for those strange tiles to be created!!
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« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2008, 12:34:33 PM »

I love the portcullis idea... nice job! can't wait to playtest this one too  Cheesy
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« Reply #9 on: April 17, 2008, 01:24:33 PM »

Thanks. My problem is creating the tiles and Wall in such a way to make them available for download, and at the right size. My Solstice Wars tiles are bigger than Carc ones, but not on purpose, not sure where I went wrong either!

I'm not too hot with PC painting and drawing, so I could end up Drawing them by hand and scanning in... if I can get that size setting correct!!
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« Reply #10 on: April 17, 2008, 03:57:07 PM »

For people like me who don't have this game yet, it will be useful to familiarize yourself with the rules:
http://www.riograndegames.com/uploads/Game/Game_54_gameRules.pdf

I like the idea of adding Chapel tiles, but I have this feeling that they would be better as cloister-style tiles rather than abbey-style tiles. However, this would eliminate/reduce some of the special features. In the end, it's your expansion so it's up to you.

From a realism standpoint, the portcullis makes sense, but I'm confused what benefit it has from a game standpoint.

Double-score tile sounds good.

I understand the need to increase the wall size to accomodate the new tiles, but I'm concerned that people might have trouble doing the math when they exceed 125 points. Consider that white's scoring meeple is laying on it's side, on space 37. 125 + 37 = ? It can be done, but it's slightly more difficult than 100 + 37 = 137.
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« Reply #11 on: April 17, 2008, 07:18:59 PM »

From a realism standpoint, the portcullis makes sense, but I'm confused what benefit it has from a game standpoint.

Of course not having playtested it, this is just my thoughts, but during play I've always thought that there are open areas that you can't get to unless you use a starting wall point (I forget what they're called). Anyhow, sometimes bad tiles get laid such that an area becomes a bit ignored for a while, this tile could give you the opportunity to start making use of such an area. Could be a strategic asset.

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« Reply #12 on: April 17, 2008, 09:53:35 PM »

Hmm... in such a situation, it could increase wall points at the end of the game.
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« Reply #13 on: April 18, 2008, 01:28:29 AM »

Gantry - You have the same thought pattern that I had when I came up with the Portcullis!

Scott - Yes, the wall maths is a bit of a problem I agree, and I've not come up with an obvious way to crack it.... short of abandoning the wall in favour of a standard Carc score board, and that would not be good at all!!

The Chapel score will stay as I have it. The Castle is faster moving than other Carcassonne games and it would take just too long to surround and also make the chapel far too powerful over the other tiles. My idea was to introduce a little more without changing the main balance of the game... Not an easy task as I think this is probably the best of all the Carcassonne games.

Please keep the comments coming.
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« Reply #14 on: April 18, 2008, 02:17:02 AM »

I'm not too hot with PC painting and drawing, so I could end up Drawing them by hand and scanning in... if I can get that size setting correct!!
Heh, I'm not too hot with PC painting and drawing either, but I get by Wink  You just have to take the effort and learn how the cookie crumbles.  It's pretty easy if you know ...
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