Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.
"This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.
Yeah, I've played the board game and it's great. One of the games my group has played the most, and it took quite a while for its flaws to start grating. But it cost more than $100 to make it shine, the game has too many fiddly bits and setting it up and putting it away was a nightmare without an insert.
1. Enemies are on the whole (at least up until now) quite a lot weaker and less versatile than your heroes. Which is always bad because it leads to huge numbers of trash mobs per encounter, leading to AoE abilities being overall the best tool you have.
2. Mercenaries not sharing xp with inactive ones is debatable. I kind of want to slot them in and out whenever I wish, but I guess this is due to the multiplayer component? They are going for that "stick to your companions" RPG staple, but it doesn't work here imo because these people don't have personalities for you to care about.
1. Enemies are on the whole (at least up until now) quite a lot weaker and less versatile than your heroes. Which is always bad because it leads to huge numbers of trash mobs per encounter, leading to AoE abilities being overall the best tool you have.
That is kind of true. At the same time AoEs are few, as they should be, and enemies rarely bunch off such that your AoE hits everyone. It's also generally better to focus on killing one enemy than to have two at low health attacking you. So AoEs are better used as openers with damage boosters.
2. Mercenaries not sharing xp with inactive ones is debatable. I kind of want to slot them in and out whenever I wish, but I guess this is due to the multiplayer component? They are going for that "stick to your companions" RPG staple, but it doesn't work here imo because these people don't have personalities for you to care about.
Nothing like that, there are no companions in the GH campaign. In the campaign characters retire to unlock classes and give permabonuses, and the retirement is mandatory.
The mechanic to support this is that new characters start at higher levels, and enemies scale to party averages. It is not uncommon in the campaign to retire a character of a party at level 6-8 and replace them with a level 2-3. By the end of multiple campaigns, or some side-scenario grinding, new characters would start at levels 6+ and some endgame content unlocked.
The game ethos is focused on discovery and experimentation, so having a mage-like archetype scaling on the background 'til they get high level spells but doesn't contribute towards retirement doesn't fit too well.
2. Mercenaries not sharing xp with inactive ones is debatable. I kind of want to slot them in and out whenever I wish, but I guess this is due to the multiplayer component? They are going for that "stick to your companions" RPG staple, but it doesn't work here imo because these people don't have personalities for you to care about.
That's what I mean. There are no companions/personalities, but the way the xp is not shared between active and inactive party members mirrors that of other RPGs where you are expected to stick with your companions of choice throughout the game. I want to switch them out to try all the classes and see which I like best or which work well together. I'm currently with Mindthief, Tinkerer, and Cragheart, and while I like Cragheart's huge health pool and some attacks I kinda find him bland compared to Mindthief and Tinkerer. However, he's already level 2 while all the inactive mercenaries are with just a few xp into lvl 1. That's what I mean. I didn't know about retirement, so I'll see if that makes it better.
As for the mobs, I kinda want fewer but tougher and more versatile mobs, rather than a huge amount of mobs which only move and attack.
I only know the campaign scenarios and I can think of a couple where just 3-4 well placed enemies can ruin your day. You know, designed encounters are always better tweaked.
Demons have spells, golems can pull and hug you, the harder ghosts have tons of resistances, mages, drakes will spit on you, the motherfucking bear in #13. It's generally the Vermling, Undead and the sewer mobs that rely on quantity over quality.
That's what I mean. There are no companions/personalities, but the way the xp is not shared between active and inactive party members mirrors that of other RPGs where you are expected to stick with your companions of choice throughout the game. I want to switch them out to try all the classes and see which I like best or which work well together. I'm currently with Mindthief, Tinkerer, and Cragheart, and while I like Cragheart's huge health pool and some attacks I kinda find him bland compared to Mindthief and Tinkerer. However, he's already level 2 while all the inactive mercenaries are with just a few xp into lvl 1. That's what I mean. I didn't know about retirement, so I'll see if that makes it better.
Gloomhaven does weird things with its levels. You should keep in mind that A) it was a originally a board game where each player plays a single character and B) in all likelihood not a single one of the characters in your party now will see the end of the campaign. Characters gain XP and gold at different rates and retire at different times. The game is balanced under the assumption your party will be unequal both in levels and in gear, and it works pretty well for the most part.
And yeah, you'll see some fun enemies later on. And some fun scenarios
Sooo, has anyone noticed the game is decently challenging on hard and there's an even higher difficulty? I've been playing this with a friend of mine (2 heroes each) and we don't win automatically, some scenarios are quite tough and require good knowledge of all cards of the currently played mercenaries and synergies, along with coordinating with your partner/s. It's *gasp* a good game. I kinda wish there was a speed-up-animations button because some scenarios can take forever due to the sheer amount of mobs at play, but they are probably working on that for full release. I don't understand why actually excellent games like this, Fantasy General 2, and Trials of Fire don't get more attention here. Solasta and BG3 have nothing on these.
I don't understand why actually excellent games like this, Fantasy General 2, and Trials of Fire don't get more attention here. Solasta and BG3 have nothing on these.
I don't understand why actually excellent games like this, Fantasy General 2, and Trials of Fire don't get more attention here. Solasta and BG3 have nothing on these.
Also I don't play early access or even follow games much before they are released, Lacrymas (with regards to your 'sperg comment in the Solasta-thread - I saw a couple of screenshots, added it to my wishlist and literally didn't look at it again until it was released). The same goes for Gloomhaven, which I expect to play the everliving fuck out of once it sees full release, since the board game fucking rocks
Gloomhaven's early access is pretty ok. You won't notice it's early access for quite a while, especially since all the heroes are now available. It's now on sale too. Go play Trials of Fire instead then, it's not in early access and it's exquisite.
It's not a political thing. I just have little enough time and enough games in my backlog that I can wait until games are done to play them and I find actively not following games under development gives me a more raw first time experience
Sooo, has anyone noticed the game is decently challenging on hard and there's an even higher difficulty? I've been playing this with a friend of mine (2 heroes each) and we don't win automatically, some scenarios are quite tough and require good knowledge of all cards of the currently played mercenaries and synergies, along with coordinating with your partner/s. It's *gasp* a good game.
Yeah, that's why Gloomhaven is top 1 on the BGG. The game has a bit of everything and well tweaked difficulty, maybe failing a bit on the story department.
Bought this just now. The graphics don't help, to be honest. I saw this floating around on steam for sometime now and never caught my attention, because it seems like any crap mobile game ever. But by yours gentlemans recommendation, I'll give it a try. Wish me luck.
The graphics looks like shit. Can’t say anything about the gameplay. Because I had to ask for a refund because suposidelly this shit graphics are too much for my toaster (that’s covered by the requirements, by the way). It is a common problem that the devs didn’t corrected to this day. The firs time you load the game, it take ages(15min in some cases, as they stated) everything freezes or crashes in the meantime. In my case, the game started to eat the RAM until it crashed. A mod in the discord server said that it maybe a GPU problem. So, go figures. I play D:OS2 on this thing and it runs just fine. Maybe after EA they fix this or when I get a new PC, I’ll try it again.
Gloomhaven is hiring mercenaries on October 20th
Full release time has come upon us, mercenaries. Prepare your weapons and coins, we’re entering Gloomhaven’s campaign.
Long time no see mates. I reckon we're all here?
Well, not all surely; may the missing ones find better fortune in the next life.
What an adventure it’s been, eh?
We cleared countless dungeons and pushed back against demons, slavers and monsters alike.
We uncovered new creatures before looting their corpses, and we settled old debts.
It's been a mighty and intense 2 years together.
We came here as mercenaries, and with all of you, we became Guildmasters.
Let us all raise our glasses to everything we've accomplished...
But there's always more to do, and we are not stopping here.
Lads, we’re going home.
GLOOMHAVEN IS GRADUATING FROM EARLY ACCESS
Lo and behold, fellow guildmasters!
On October 20th, after a little more than 2 years in Early Access, Gloomhaven will finally launch its 1.0 version with all the promises made during its development!
What a ride it has been, from Flaming Fowl and Asmodee Digital teaming up to bring to life Isaac Childres’ masterpiece of a board game, to our Early Access launch in Summer 2019, through 12 major updates and countless patches & improvements… all of this leading to Gloomhaven’s full release in Fall 2021!
And we wouldn't have made it this far, nor anywhere, without you, our community, supporting Gloomhaven in your own ways - whether buying the game on Steam, leaving us reviews, giving feedback and reporting bugs to help us improve the game, participating in building the community on Discord, Facebook or Twitter, or simply talking about Gloomhaven to your friends!
To think that our Discord server now has grown to more than 20,500 members. And we just passed 4,300 Steam reviews, I mean, what a journey.
DISCOVER THE GAMEPLAY OVERVIEW TRAILER
Unsheathe your sword, prepare your gear and… wait, wait, no. For once, just sit down and witness as the Gameplay Overview Trailer unfolds before your eyes, Guildmasters.
#ReleaseTheGloom
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS -
LAUNCH EDITION
How different is Gloomhaven Digital from the original board game?
A 1:1 adaptation was both not possible or desirable, as digital platforms and their gameplay have their own advantages and drawbacks compared to tabletop. Keep in mind that differences remain very minor and Gloomhaven Digital is a very faithful adaptation of the original gameplay and design.
Every difference implemented in Gloomhaven Digital was closely discussed and custom-tailored together with the original board game author, Isaac Childres, to ensure we stayed true to Gloomhaven's core design.
_______________________
Will I need to buy the game again if I already bought the Early Access version?
No, of course not. If you already own Gloomhaven Digital, it won't brutally disappear from your library at launch - you will simply be prompted to download an update which will upgrade your Early Access version to the full 1.0 version.
_______________________
How long is the game going to be at launch?
It varies a lot depending on how you play. There are 250+ missions in the game, shared between the Guildmaster and Campaign modes.
That should be at least 150 hours of gameplay if you are super fast and never lose, probably above 200+ hours for most people.
_______________________
Will my Early Access saves be compatible with the 1.0 version?
Guildmaster saves will for sure be compatible, however, for Campaign Beta saves, we cannot make any promises right now, it might depend on when they have been created.
_______________________
Should I start a fresh run at launch?
Yes, we strongly suggest you start a fresh run as the Campaign will be brand new.
It is also always a possibility to start a new one on the Guildmaster mode, but not necessary, as all saves (old and new) will have the same content.
_______________________
How content complete be the game at launch?
Gloomhaven Digital will be fully complete at launch!
_______________________
How many players can play together online?
All of the content Gloomhaven has to offer (both the Guildmaster mode and the Campaign) will be available for up to 4 players in co-op.
_______________________
Can we expect further updates after that?
Yes, we will be patching and supporting the game after launch.
DLCs are also a possibility, but our main focus is supporting the base game and making sure it matches the players’ expectations.
Anyway, we’re not going to suddenly vanish.
_______________________
Do you plan on supporting additional languages?
Our four languages at launch will be English, French, German and Spanish.
We can't promise anything else for now!
_______________________
Will you release Gloomhaven on other platforms?
It will be available at launch on Steam, GoG and supported both on PC and MacOS.
Our main focus for now is to make sure the game is absolutely the best it can be on these platforms before turning to anything else.
_______________________
What will be the price of the game at launch? Why is it more expensive than the Early Access?
Since the launch of Gloomhaven's Early Access, we have clearly communicated about the price increase planned for the full release. With all the content added throughout the Early Access, including the digital exclusive Guildmaster mode, online co-op mode and eventually the acclaimed original board game campaign, Gloomhaven digital's value has substantially increased. This is why we will be increasing the price of the base game from 24,99€/$ to 34,99€/$ upon release.
Very cool. And I believe that estimate of 200 hours. Each mission takes quite a while to complete, let me tell you, especially in co-op where you constantly have to coordinate your cards.
The tabletop version is 5+ times more expensive than the video game and requires far more complex logistics to get going. Not to mention friends. In the video game, there are two campaigns. The one you can play in EA right now was made specifically for the video game as far as I know. The scenarios from the tabletop game will be included in the second campaign which will launch with the release.
The tabletop version is 5+ times more expensive than the video game and requires far more complex logistics to get going. Not to mention friends. In the video game, there are two campaigns. The one you can play in EA right now was made specifically for the video game as far as I know. The scenarios from the tabletop game will be included in the second campaign which will launch with the release.
So the game is mechanics-complete and the only thing they'll be adding is a new campaign? I bought it like a year ago but have been waiting for full release coz I hate half-assed EA games.
All the mercenaries are currently in the game. I'm not sure about items and perks, but I assume at least the perks are all there. As far as I can gather, they are releasing only the tabletop campaign on the 20th, but take that with a pinch of salt
You can solo the tabletop version - as per rules, you just play two characters at once. Nothing preventing you from playing all four characters solo either, the designer aint gonna show up in your house and call the rule police.
Still, where Gloomhaven shines is party play, and I suspect it might get stale fast without other people. The most compelling part of Gloomhaven is the teams blind picking of cards and chaos that comes out of it, which can hit extreme heights with personal and mission goals. If you suspect you can get one or two players on board, I'd say the box is way better, especially if you split the costs. We 4 man it, and I love how things always seem to go FUBAR sooner or later.
For solo? Eh, i dont know. I'd prolly still get the box. Its a board game, it was made to fiddle around. And picking cards in digital version seems, well... Forced, which it is. OTOH, not sure I'd play much solo Gloomhaven, no matter how compelling the actual game is.
Also, when you finish the game, you can always empty the box and live in it, comfortably.
Forgot the most important part - if you decide to go the box route, you can (and should) get Jaws of the Lion first. Its a prequel, thats only 50$ (so, 2x times video games cost). Its a bit simplified, and envisioned as an intro, but its still challenging, and 25 scenarios might not seem as much, but actually are. 4 unique classes you get there are fully compatible with big box, so you can always bring them into GH, or eventually, FH.
