Ascension: Card game for iPhone/iPad/paper

ChrisGwinn wrote:

I think it would substantially change the balance of the game - you're effectively prolonging the early phase, which shifts the value of a number of cards. It might be interesting, but I don't know that it would be a good kind of interesting.

I'm not saying it would be a better change. I just want the option to try it.

Also, anyone notice a bug where if you load an online game it sometimes starts with round 1 and starts replaying the entire game up to round x instead of only replaying round x? I usually fix it by closing and reloading it but it can be annoying.

I, too, would be curious to try some longer games. I think it's balanced well now, but especially with all the cards from both sets, longer games might be interesting.

I'm with Big Red in that I'd be interested in trying that, even if it fell into a pool of ruination and un-fun.

Not having chat is such a flaw! I defeated a friend in an epic 84-83 result which had multiple changes in momentum and was exhilarating!!!!!!

Then...I got on facebook to congratulate him...

Yes, the game needs chat. Has for a while.

gg bigred!

I finally decided to register and come out of the shadows now that I gave in and bought the iPad. Ascension is definitely my favorite game thus far, so feel free to invite me for 2 player games; I keep weird hours though so it'll have to be a fairly long timer. Should be able to do at least 3 turns a day though even when I'm working. Also, exceptions for anyone who is looking for more 10 minute games around 4-5am in the U.S. as I am churning out a lot of games each night about then. I go by the name Ventripotent on Game Center.

So, is there any realistic way of coming back when your opponent plays first and gets say a deck culling card and a cycler and there's nothing at all left on the board that you can afford to grab or it's all creatures? He just cycles and wins however he wants. The only thing I can think of is grabbing honor-granting Life cards and Heavy Infantry and praying the game throws down nothing but monsters, hopefully clearing out the honor before his card drawing machine gets going. I've tried that each time in this situation and it has only worked once I believe. Also, I've been on the other side of that of course where I get everything; it just seems there's no mechanic at all for the second player to have a chance in these situations unless I'm missing something.

For example, if your opponent gets a first round with 5 mana and takes an Arbiter that lets him draw 2 cards then banish one from hand, plus say a Hectic Scribe (draw 2, discard 2). Everything else on the board is either 7-8 mana, or a creature. You've got the oh so common 4 mana 1 power draw, what would your plan be?

I can't say you'll recover, but you'll just have to go mystic/heavy (pick one based on whether there's more monsters or heroes/constructs on the board) and hope for the best.

Outlandish wrote:

For example, if your opponent gets a first round with 5 mana and takes an Arbiter that lets him draw 2 cards then banish one from hand, plus say a Hectic Scribe (draw 2, discard 2). Everything else on the board is either 7-8 mana, or a creature. You've got the oh so common 4 mana 1 power draw, what would your plan be?

They don't have any way to score at that point either, and the Hectic Scribe is more useful to cycle towards singular cards than it is to build up to a big card - you draw 2/discard 2, but the scribe is dead weight in your hand. Their next hand's going to be a 3/2 split, so there's no way they'll have enough mana to buy a seven point anything for their next three turns (at least).

That means you're actually ahead of them on the path to pick up one of the 7/8 mana cards early. Depending on what the creature is, I'd probably buy a mystic. Do the same next turn, and you have a reasonable shot of getting both of them in your hand on one of the next two draws.

There aren't that many 7/8 cards in the deck, so if you're facing a row of them, one is probably Murasama - taking that gives you a major honor source, which can let you catch up pretty quickly - you can ramp up on the heavy infantry.

Does anyone know if there's an ETA on Storm of Souls for iOS? Just played that at a friend's and very much digging the changes in that block.

shoptroll wrote:

Does anyone know if there's an ETA on Storm of Souls for iOS? Just played that at a friend's and very much digging the changes in that block.

I can't find anything concrete but most discussions suggest it will be released when the new expansion (Summoner Wars) is released for board game. Apparently RoTF was released on iOS when SoS was released for board and Playdek said they will probably follow the same pattern in the future.

Quote from their boards as of 4/11/12:

Playdek has stated (on numerous forums) that the development of SoS is running parallel to Summoner Wars and should be ready in the next few months. Check the FB page and BGG.

Summoner Wars isn't the next expansion for Ascension. Summoner Wars is a different game entirely that Playdek is also adapting for iOS.

The next ascension expansion is called "Immortal Heroes" and is supposed to be out this summer.

Disclaimer: I never know what I'm talking about...ever

I only know because I'm really looking forward to the Summoner Wars iOS port, and just bought the master set.

ChrisGwinn wrote:

I only know because I'm really looking forward to the Summoner Wars iOS port, and just bought the master set.

Hehe, I just did the same. I'll ( hopefully ) be playing with my daughter. We've been watching the Watch It Played series about it ( a fun series in my biased opinion ) and she thinks she'll enjoy it.

And once it comes out for the iOS, I'll have even more people to play with

ChrisGwinn wrote:

I only know because I'm really looking forward to the Summoner Wars iOS port, and just bought the master set.

Demyx and I are pretty much hooked too right now after demoing SW at PAX and then buying the Master Set two weeks ago. Really really good design and it plays pretty quickly too.

Sorry about the delay in doing my turns, folks. I forgot my iPad at work over the weekend.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

Sorry about the delay in doing my turns, folks. I forgot my iPad at work over the weekend.

Usually this is punished by you allowing me to win once or thirty times.

I think you've had enough winning today bigred; I thought I had that game in the bag until you made me discard all my artifacts not once but twice. I'd never seen it happen before that so many artifacts were on the board that I didn't get a choice between discarding or ditching all the artifacts, had to hunt through the turn log for a minute to figure out where all my shiny things went. Good game!

Outlandish wrote:

I think you've had enough winning today bigred; I thought I had that game in the bag until you made me discard all my artifacts not once but twice. I'd never seen it happen before that so many artifacts were on the board that I didn't get a choice between discarding or ditching all the artifacts, had to hunt through the turn log for a minute to figure out where all my shiny things went. Good game!

We all win some and lose some. Clockwork just pulled some 20 point final round out of his *** and beat me by 2 points. It included getting the 7 point power guy (which allows you to acquire any card) to which he got the 8 point samael the fallen.

bigred wrote:
Outlandish wrote:

I think you've had enough winning today bigred; I thought I had that game in the bag until you made me discard all my artifacts not once but twice. I'd never seen it happen before that so many artifacts were on the board that I didn't get a choice between discarding or ditching all the artifacts, had to hunt through the turn log for a minute to figure out where all my shiny things went. Good game!

We all win some and lose some. Clockwork just pulled some 20 point final round out of his *** and beat me by 2 points. It included getting the 7 point power guy (which allows you to acquire any card) to which he got the 8 point samael the fallen.

I think I once used Adayu to kill The Avatar, which let me take down Sammael. That was just unfair.

ChrisGwinn wrote:

kill The Avatar, which let me take down Sammael. That was just unfair.

It's pretty sweet to pull off, but I feel like an ass whenever I do it.

From boardgamegeek:

Playdek Celebrates One Million Games of Ascension, Announces Storm of Souls

In their latest press release Playdek celebrated one million online games of Gary Games’ Ascension and announced that its next in-app purchase of the first full size expansion Ascension: Storm of Souls will be released in May 2012. Playdek states that Ascension achieved one million plays in less than nine months. To celebrate Gary Games and Playdek will offer Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer at $.99 for a limited time. One minor item we were not expecting is that Playdek says Storm of Souls will support up to six players if combined with other Ascension games.

Sweeet. That was faster than expected. Hopefully that means Summoner Wars isn't far behind.

Figures, I just bought Ascension a week and a half ago. Too bad they're not also discounting the expansion.

Early May pretty please? I'm pretty sure I won't get many games in for awhile after Diablo drops, and Guild Wars can't be all that far behind that (I hope).

I declined the 4-player game invite that was sent my way. Nothing personal, I just don't care for either 4-player or expansionless games.

Curious-

ChrisGwinn wrote:

Summoner Wars isn't the next expansion for Ascension. Summoner Wars is a different game entirely that Playdek is also adapting for iOS.

The next ascension expansion is called "Immortal Heroes" and is supposed to be out this summer.

SommerMatt wrote:

From boardgamegeek:

One minor item we were not expecting is that Playdek says Storm of Souls will support up to six players if combined with other Ascension games.

Did the boardgamegeek author mistakenly think Storm of Souls was an Ascension expansion or did Playdek change Storm of Souls to fit into the Ascension universe?