SpielByWeb

[stargate]

OK --- I just did a quick survey of Tikal games since game number 8965
we have 98 games with end-to-end worker movement and
we have 40 games the old way --
these numbers are from both the current and complete game lists

so it's time to make end-to-end worker movement the default
method of movement in Tikal games

and make "painful, slow and tedious clicking" the option

it's just a thought

[freduk]

Absolutely not !
First, the default should be the way the game is played 'live'.
Secondly, have you thought that the reason so many games use the new variant is because people are trying it out, not necessarily because they know they prefer it.

[kwojtasz]

Definitely speeds up the play! Nice job!

[striking_cobra]

[TheCat]

[freduk]

You have a version of the board game that works out the best path for you ? I don't.
You may not physically dink each worker down on a tile as you pass, but you do dink it mentally. So yes, keep the default to the way the game is played live - working out optimum routes yourself.
There is scope for making errors, particularly when using (or forgetting to use) the base camps to teleport. This is part of the game.
Perhaps you would prefer a variant where the computer works out your best move for you to maximise your points?

[Bonedigger]

I'm with freduk on this one. The default game really should be the original version of the game.

The new End to End movement feature is no more than a great online variant of it, which speeds the game up and makes it easier for players to find the cheapest route.

Ask yourself what does End to End movement actually bring to the game other than speed in taking your turn???

IMO, it eliminates human error in worker movement. If you played this game "live" (face to face) then you know the value of watching your opponents make a mistake in choosing a more expensive path to complete a workers' movement, then watching them look for that extra action point to discover a treasure. It always brought a smile to my face when that happened.

I like the speed this variant brings to the game, so I'll continue to play it along with the original version. The version I really want to see implemented though is the Auction variant, as this will eliminate luck when drawing a tile, then only the best strategists/tacticians in a given game will win.

[striking_cobra]

[freduk]

[markmist]

Very interesting discussion. Personally, I didn't see a drastic change in my gameplay when I first tried the end-to-end worker movement, other than I kept forgetting to use it and just moved hex by hex anyways!

It is true that end-to-end movement can reduce newbie mistakes, but I don't think it helps to the point where suddenly a newbie will play so much better that he can beat a veteran because of it.

Finding the optimal route to move 1 worker is actually a very very small percentage of strategy in Tikal and a very elementary one anyways. I mean, anyone can figure out within a few games that it is better to move a worker through hexes with fewer stones than ones that have more stones if both routes go to the same location.

End-to-End worker movement does nothing for telling a player where to move their workers, which workers to move, when and where to place camps, when and where to place workers, when and where to upgrade a temple, when to dig for or trade treasure, etc.

The only minor strategic thing it does (which was mentioned before) is allow someone to see that they can move their worker from camp to camp when they might not have seen it. I am not sure that this is that big of deal.

Having said all that, the time savings with end-to-end worker movement is minimal - although it is enough that it is my preferred method.

What would really result in a time savings would be an option to move multiple workers from one hex to another hex at the same time (which actually mirrors real-life play - if someone is going to move multiple workers at the same time, he likely won't pickup one and move it and then pick up another and move it, but will move both at the same time).

[TheCat]

[TheCat]

[Bonedigger]

[HappyProle]

Now if only there was a way to choose which way you preferred to play the game we wouldn't have anything left to argue about...

Or not.

[TheCat]