Waning interest in expansions...

Asmor · Oct 23, 2008

I've got a compulsive collector personality. I've got thousands and thousands of Magic cards, both online and off, hundreds of movies, etc.

This also means that I have a feeling of discontent when I don't have all the expansions for a game I like. Heck, I don't even have to like the game. I own every expansion for Killer Bunnies & the Quest for the Magic Carrot (there's somewhere between 9 and 11, I think) even though I stopped really enjoying the game less than halfway through that treadmill... I bought Infernal Contraption and Infernal Contraption 2 at the exact same time, having never played the game at all.

Now, however, I'm starting to change. I'm finding I'm attracted to the closed nature of a board/card game. I want to get Race for the Galaxy, for example, but I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in any of its expansions. There's an elegant beauty in the thought of a game as a closed system, the way it was originally designed, and the idea of the game being complete as is.

Of course, I'm not completely over my expansionphilia... Looking forward to the Brood Wars expansion for the SCBG, for example.

Does anyone else ever feel this way?

scitadel · Oct 23, 2008

Yeah - I rarely buy expansions unless I feel a game has desperate need for it (and the expansion will fix it) or I just need the pieces to add more players (Settlers as an example).

San Juan and Citadels I'm big fans of just because I don't have to add anything to them to make them really good games. Ditto with Frontiers - great game, doesn't require a single thing more.

Kingsburg is good but I'm already curious to see what the expansion will do (more development tracks sound like a good thing).

Descent NEEDED the Road to Legend expansion. And so far, it's played well (we've only had 1 session) but oh-my-god the complexity level has multiplied. I'm sure I'll feel better after a few more sessions, but it certainly has changed things up.

I find I just like getting / playing some newer games, though that always makes me feel guilty about not replaying the really good one's more times to see what else I missed.

Asmor · Oct 23, 2008

I never use the expansion for Citadels, except when we need to add a queen so we can support more people...

Holy Bovine · Oct 23, 2008

I am also a bit down on expansions myself. Sometimes they do add a lot to a game either cleaning up rules ambiguity or enhancing re-playability. More often than not, however, they add unnecessary clutter to a game (my #1 example of this is Cities & Knights for Settlers of Catan - imo an expansion that destroys the game for me) or, worse, add nothing in terms of clarification, enjoyment or re-playability (Munchkin and its seemingly dozens of add-ons in guilty of this but I really hate the game itself so I might be biased here).

Fortunately I seemed to have killed my collector personality dead long ago with Magic. That was one game I was completely obsessed over for a long time. I finally sold my collection 5 years ago and haven't gotten into the mentality of needing everything for a game since.

Kwalish Kid · Oct 23, 2008

Holy Bovine said:
I am also a bit down on expansions myself. Sometimes they do add a lot to a game either cleaning up rules ambiguity or enhancing re-playability. More often than not, however, they add unnecessary clutter to a game (my #1 example of this is Cities & Knights for Settlers of Catan - imo an expansion that destroys the game for me) or, worse, add nothing in terms of clarification, enjoyment or re-playability (Munchkin and its seemingly dozens of add-ons in guilty of this but I really hate the game itself so I might be biased here).

I 'm with you here.

The Avalon Hill Dune game is one where the expansions have a mixed effect. They work well with some gamers but not with others. The thing is, the game itself is so complicated that the extra complication from the expansions doesn't add too much. People who would play a lot of the game have to already have a head for rules.

Fortunately I seemed to have killed my collector personality dead long ago with Magic. That was one game I was completely obsessed over for a long time. I finally sold my collection 5 years ago and haven't gotten into the mentality of needing everything for a game since.

Really?

Really?

I guess it's true, it seems like you only need 80-90% of a product line now.

Cadfan · Oct 23, 2008

I want expansions if they exist for a game I have.

So I intentionally buy games that do not have expansions, or are unlikely to have expansions.

Because expansions are expensive and often disappointing. And I spent enough money pimping my all-wood all-meeple Agricola.

But I'll probably get suckered into buying the Zooloretto expansion that's coming out, because, man... its Zooloretto... chicks love that game...

Good to know that I'm boardgaming for the right reasons.

Frostmarrow · Oct 23, 2008

I lack the collectors' gene. I see no reason to have a complete collection. In fact, having everything released for a game makes it 'finished' in my mind. And therefore I don't need to play it. I love fixing imperfect games.

I do, however, own a ridiculous number of Formula Dé tracks. Something that'll come in handy now when the game is re-released. Good thing I didn't throw the boards away as I usually do with stuff I'm done with. Good thing they are still compatible too!

Holy Bovine · Oct 24, 2008

Kwalish Kid said:
Really?

Really?

I guess it's true, it seems like you only need 80-90% of a product line now.

Hey that is a far cry from the height of my Magic addiction. And I'd put it closer to 50-60%

scitadel · Oct 24, 2008

Holy Bovine said:
Hey that is a far cry from the height of my Magic addiction. And I'd put it closer to 50-60%

*Shudders* Let's not discuss Magic. I stopped 'cause I realised I was sinking ALL my money into it as a teen. Not fun when you realised you couldn't afford to date 'cause you had to buy another booster or two...

Asmor · Oct 24, 2008

scitadel said:
*Shudders* Let's not discuss Magic. I stopped 'cause I realised I was sinking ALL my money into it as a teen. Not fun when you realised you couldn't afford to date 'cause you had to buy another booster or two...

Well, to be fair, the fact that you were spending all your money on Magic cards in the first place makes it kind of unlikely that lack of money would be the biggest barrier to dating.

(And before anyone accuses me of being mean, that also describes my own adolescence aptly

)

Waning interest in expansions...

Asmor

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scitadel

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Asmor

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Holy Bovine

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Kwalish Kid

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Cadfan

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Holy Bovine

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scitadel

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Asmor

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