From my point of view I've played the xbox, nds and psp versions and now the iPad version, I didn't really enjoy playing it with the controller on Xbox, I'd say I'd prefer the iPad version but I'm probably biased as I play quite a lot of turn based games on my iPad because I like the touch to move controls when playing on iPad. Graphics aren't even something I consider when playing a game anyway as growing in the 80's I'd be happy with anything more advanced than a square so long as it has the correct rules and stats etc then I'm happy. This was a no brainer for me anyway because for less than the price of a pint I now have blood bowl again on a new platform.
Ridiculous to say that. People want a portable version, i cant really play Blood Bowl on my PC on the train. For the price it doesnt seem bad at all.
Yeah. Maybe people want a mobile version to play on the train (not for me as I can't keep my eyes off the women). But I'm just wondering if is playable enough that you don't end up wanting to smash your iPad. Lots of times in even simple strategy or sports games I may want to scroll the gameplay area and end up moving something that I surely didn't want to move. And I got thin dexterous fingers.
Started playing an online game, was kicking ass, 2 touchdowns and a bad injury on the other team, then got a network sync error. That was the bane of the early days of the PC version too. Cyanide eventually fixed that so I expect that they will fix this. I've already chosen to reward them by buying all of the DLC. I hope they bring more of the BB team to this game.
Played my first exhibition match, humans vs orcs on medium difficulty. Managed to squeak a 2-1 victory by running a touchdown in the 15th turn. Enjoyed it enough that I went to the store and bought all the teams (was only going to get Elves and Dwarfs, but had spare credit so went hogwild.) The best part about the a la carte pricing is that most players will have a preference for how they like to play Blood Bowl, and there are some teams you just will never want to play because they don't fit your personal preference. If you like to treat Blood Bowl as a combat simulator (wait, there's a ball?) then the fast and fragile running game of the Wood Elves would be torturous for you, so as a separate purchase you don't need to spend cash on them unless you want to. It's definitely a solid enough port to be worth $5. It's a tiny bit sluggish on original iPad Mini, but as a turn-based game that's not a dealbreaker. Lots of ways to play here, live online multiplayer, local hotseat MP, single matches, solo competitions, and a campaign where there are some team management aspects. It's good value for what it is. The only drawbacks to the game is the learning curve. Honestly, you are going to need to RTFM on this one. Yes yes, I know we don"t like to study manuals these days, but you've got to learn the game mechanics. The tutorial is a good start, but it's just a glimpse at the underlying structure. For one thing, all the dice markers, the skills etc. I was picking combat results semi-blind in my exhibition match, and I used to play a little of the boardgame back in 2nd edition (with the Astrogranite pitch). A couple of quick tips from my ancient and hazy memory: 1/ Do the safest things first each turn. Certain actions, if failed, instantly end your turn. The gamble is what order you do the risky stuff, that literally is the core part of the game. So, do the freebies like standing up all your downed guys, then make safe moves that do not pass through any tackle zones, then send in the players to positions to support your block attempts, and only then start blocking/passing/blitzing/dodging. 2/ You cannot move and block (attack) in the same turn, apart from blitzers and then only once per turn. You need to plan ahead, put your players into position where the opponent has to run past you. Overlap your tackle zones, form a passive defence. If he tries to dodge through, eventually the dice will turn on him and he'll go down. If he chooses not to risk it, you can block (attack) the following turn to make a hole for your runners. 3/ Gang up on them. Block attempts made with friendly players nearby help greatly. Move up the support dudes, then make the block. The most likely successful result is a pushback, not a knockdown, so think about which direction you want them to go so your catcher can move past. Knock them off the pitch if you can, the fans will... assist them back to the dug out. 4/ Play to your team's strengths. Humans are average at everything, orcs a little tougher but slightly less finesse. Dwarfs are slow, but made of stone and slowly grind their way up the pitch. Elves will melt in a fight, but skip past opponents and actually try to win by carrying the ball to the end zone, the weirdos. Chaos are your ultimate combat team, and once they've murdered everyone they'll score a touchdown while their opponents' remains are carried off the pitch in small buckets. Skaven, fastest team, bit fightier than Elves but not as graceful. 5/ Seriously, RTFM, because this port provides the game but you've got to learn how to play it.
I played quite a bit of this when I was a teenager. I want to check this out, but I'm not sure if I can tear myself away from Hearthstone.
That's a VERY relative statement. Maybe if you have the latest $2000 Alienware PC and use terms like "Master Race", then this port might look poor to you. But if you have a couple year old laptop with an integrated GFX card, then this port will most likely look as good or even better.
Here is a link to the PDF of the Blood Bowl living rule book: http://www.bloodbowlonline.com/LivingRulebook5.pdf And if nothing else, save the attached photo of the block dice remembering that sometimes you're the defender, sometimes the attacker. Sometimes you get to choose which die is used, or if you want to use a reroll. The tutorial does NOT go through the dice markings, so that picture is your new best friend. As an attacker just remember that skulls are bad, arrows are good, explosions very good. Flip that for defending.
Thanks for the link Parkingtigers, I'm always looking for good PDF rule books to keep with the games I really enjoy and plan on keeping on my device for years to come.
Hmmm looks interesting. I love me some Football and I also love me a good strategy game. I'll wait for a video by Sanuku if we're lucky enough to get one
Sadly, this doesn't always seem to attract players. But yeah, it really, really is. I'd gladly exchange the upcoming iPhone port of Hearthstone for Blood Bowl.
