GameVaults WoW Edition: Ein beeindruckendes neues Brettspiel
Die Betreiber von GameVaults durften mit dem Segen von Blizzard Entertainment vor Kurzem wohl eine Kampagne auf Kickstarter dafür starten, um ein Produkt mit dem Namen „GameVaults: World of Warcraft Edition“ zu finanzieren. Dabei handelt es sich um ein asymmetrisches Brettspiel, welches wohl auf einem jahrhundertealten klassischen Brettspiel basiert. Dieses auf direkte Duelle zwischen 2 Spielern ausgerichtete Spiel legt dabei dann viel Fokus auf das Austricksen des Gegners, das Manipulieren von Sichtlinien und das korrekte Aufstellen von Umgebungen. Dadurch entsteht eine wirklich interessante Spielerfahrung, die dieses Brettspiel recht einzigartig macht. Am Ende des Beitrags gibt es ein Video, welches das Gameplay komplett erklärt.
Auch wenn die Idee hinter den Spielregeln bereits interessant ist, so kann „GameVaults: World of Warcraft Edition“ auf den ersten Blick aber wohl mehr durch die verwendeten Spielelemente überzeugen. Das Spiel kommt nämlich mit enorm detaillierten Modellen für bekannte Charaktere der Lore, die Monster von Azeroth und die Gebäude von WoW, die sich perfekt als Sammlerstücke für Fans von Blizzards MMORPG eignen. Die pro Spiel verwendeten Figuren bestehen zusammen aus mehr als 600 Einzelteilen und sie sollten es den Spielern erlauben an die 88 Millionen unterschiedliche Spielzüge durchzuführen. Es sollte also genug Abwechslung und taktische Tiefe in den gespielten Partien geben.
Wer sich für dieses Brettspiel interessiert, der kann das Ganze aktuell auf Kickstarter unterstützen. Das Grundspiel erfordert dabei dann eine leider nicht unbedingt geringe Zahlung von 499USD und die komplett in schwarz gehaltene OnyxEdition kommt mit 20 zusätzlichen Monstrositäten und kostet 649USD. Zusätzlich dazu muss an dieser Stelle auch noch erwähnt werden, dass die Kampagne aufgrund des Umfangs der Box wohl nur an Unterstützer in den USA liefert. Wer also in Europa oder in einem anderen Teil der Welt sitzt und dieses Brettspiel besitzen möchte, der muss einen Freund in den USA anliefern lassen und das Ganze von dort aus dann weiterschicken.
Folgend könnt ihr euch die Modelle aus diesem Spiel anschauen.
Informationen zu dem Gameplay:
Player One—referred to as The Vaulter—has command of only 4 game pieces.
Player Two—referred to as The Blocker—controls 20 game pieces.
Unlike traditional tabletop games, the GameVaults playing area sits over 4 inches tall above the table surface. With the addition of iconic elements placed on the gaming platform, game landing spaces are raised in some areas as high as 8 inches, creating a level of distraction never before seen in tabletop gaming. These elements can be placed strategically or removed depending on player preference, creating visual obstructions, ultimately obscuring the line-of-sight of all game pieces.
The game spaces are designed with a series of indicators (directional arrows) and can be seen even with the game piece in place. Both the game pieces and the respective game spaces have embedded magnets, helping center the game pieces on the spaces, allowing full view of the indicators. The indicators on the spaces are used by both players. The game pieces can only move in the directions dictated by the indicators. There are 7 unique game spaces making up a total of 25 playable spaces on the GameVaults‘ playing surface.
There are 2 levels of game play. Level 43 is the initial setup phase and precursor to the impending battle. If the battle has not been lost during this level, the game moves on to its final conflict and the winner will live to see another day.
The Win
When The Vaulter captures 5 of The Blocker’s 20 game pieces, The Vaulter is deemed the winner. If The Blocker surrounds all 4 of The Vaulter’s game pieces, restricting the Vaulter from being able to move or jump to an adjacent free space, The Blocker is declared the winner.
Level 43: The Initial Play
The Vaulter initiates the skirmish by placing their game pieces in each of the four corner spaces of the playing surface. Only then does the game begin. The Blocker can lay down their first game piece on any open game space, avoiding being jumped by The Vaulter’s game pieces. From this point on, the players alternate turns throughout the remainder of the game.
Level 43 refers to the amount of moves before the actual skirmish begins. While reaching Level 43 during game play, the game can be won or lost by either side before the main skirmish ever begins.
The Skirmish: The Final Play
The Skirmish begins only after all of The Blocker’s 20 game pieces have been placed on an open space, thus ending Level 43. At this point the Blocker can begin to move their game pieces to an adjacent and open space in an attempt to surround The Vaulter’s pieces. Depending on the player’s strategy, each skirmish can take thirty minutes, three hours, or three days. It’s up to you.
The Dungeon
When one of The Blocker’s game pieces is removed from the playing surface, it is placed in The Dungeon — a panel revealed on the front of The GameVaults. It features 10 magnetic spaces — 5 for each player, to be used to detain their captured pieces during.
The Vaulter, x4 Game Pieces
The Vaulter’s 4 game pieces can move to any adjacent free (open) space dictated by the indicators. In order to capture The Blocker’s game piece, The Vaulter must jump over The Blocker’s game piece. This can only be done if there is an open space to land on in the direction allowed by the indicators on the opposite side of The Blocker’s game piece.
The Vaulter can capture the Blocker’s game pieces at any time during the initial Level 43 phase and does not need to wait until all 20 of The Blocker’s game pieces are placed on the playing surface.
The Vaulter can only capture one of The Blocker’s game pieces during each turn and cannot double jump at any time.
Vaulters can never jump their own game piece in order to travel to another space.
If The Vaulter captures 5 of The Blocker’s game pieces, game over.
The Blocker, x20 Game Pieces
The Blocker’s 20 game pieces can move to any adjacent free (open) space dictated by the indicators.
The Blocker can never jump their own game pieces or the game pieces of The Vaulter.
The Blocker cannot begin to move any of their 20 game pieces until all their pieces have been positioned during the Level 43 phase.
Once The Vaulter has captured (jumped) a Blocker’s game piece, that game piece must be removed from the playing surface and placed into The Dungeon.
If The Blocker surrounds all 4 of The Vaulters game pieces, restricting their movement, game over.
If players opt to continue after 5 of The Blocker’s game pieces are captured, the game will continue forever as a stalemate. Trust us, we’ve tried.
