Betrayal at House on the Hill, 2nd Edition

[John]

Read the post here: http://rpg.geekdo.com/thread/466307 (copy below):

By Bruce Glassco

The news we’ve all been waiting for has finally come down from Hasbro - Betrayal is going into a second edition! The projected release date at present is the fall of 2010. Here’s what we’re working on with the new edition (note, some of these may be subject to change, so don’t write anything in stone [or blood] just yet):

 New Haunts!
 Revised and rebalanced old Haunts!
 New Item and Event cards!
 New counters, now with more graphics!
 New cover art!
 Revised rules, based on the FAQ!
 Revised and updated components (the Underground Lake goes underground once more)!
 New mechanic (for certain scenarios): hidden traitors!

If you’re interested in participating in this process, I could use some help. Read on for how...

The revisions to the old Haunts will be based primarily on the comments that have been posted here on the BGG discussion board (just as I did with the last revision). I’ll be trying to do a bit of tweaking based on Haunts that seem frequently imbalanced, or unclear, or not fun for any reason. If you’ve posted anything whatsoever on any of the BaHoH forums, you don’t need to do anything else -- I’ve already copied them. One thing I’d be particularly interested in hearing is which are the best and worst scenarios in your opinion -- we may be cutting a few of the weaker ones in order to add some new ones in their place. Reply to this thread to weigh in.

Also -- contest time! -- if you’d like to participate even more, I’m looking for some new scenarios to add to the ones I’m currently writing. If you think you’ve got what it takes, send me your scenario, and if I like it, I’ll send it along to be included in the new Haunt book. I want complete scenarios, not just "it’d be cool if you had a scenario based on this one set of movies." I’d also love getting ideas for new item and event cards. The deadline for scenarios is December 23rd (so I can playtest them over the holidays); the deadline for cards is January 1. Unfortunately, we aren’t offering anything to the winners other than the eternal glory of having your name in print in the new Haunt books, but that’s worth something, isn’t it?

As far as what makes a good Haunt, in my opinion: my favorite Horror paradigm is the one where the Threat, whatever it is, cannot be confronted directly. There are always more monsters, or the single monster is too tough to just be defeated in combat. Instead, you’ve got to hold the threat at bay just long enough to locate the widget or perform the ritual that will defeat the threat indirectly.

I’ll be keeping an eye on this thread to answer questions, so ask away!

[Adrian (the other one)]

Hasbro?  Rereleasing Betrayal?  An improved Betrayal?

The world is coming to its conclusion.  This is a herald of the end of days.  Hell hath frozen over.  [Insert your favorite doomsday quote here].

I'm not sure Hasbro is the right company to do this?  What games have they made recently? Transformers? GI Joe? Candy land?!?

I'm half jubilant, half fearful for the rerelease.

[Gaebril]

Good news. The first betrayal was good enough but felt incredibly sloppy (particularly the haunts), so I'm looking forward to a more polished game.

@ Adrian: Well, Hasbro published the first Betrayal, so it just makes sense. And in case you were serious, Hasbro owns all of Milton-Bradley (Heroscape), Wizards of the Coast (M:tG), and Avalon Hill (uh, Betrayal, Nexus Ops among others)

[Adrian (the other one)]

@ Adrian: Well, Hasbro published the first Betrayal, so it just makes sense. And in case you were serious, Hasbro owns all of Milton-Bradley (Heroscape), Wizards of the Coast (M:tG), and Avalon Hill (uh, Betrayal, Nexus Ops among others)

It was part jest, part serious.

Well, I was reacting to the fact that Hasbro made the news.  I'm sure things will be slightly better if the game gets produced by their Avalon Hill division.  My only (small) contention is that AH-Hasbro is not your innovator in the boardgame industry.  Aside from releasing a million Axis & Allies expansions and stand-alones (can anyone spell M-I-L-K-I-N-G), their last success (in my opinion) has been Nexus Ops back in 2004.  That's a long dry spell there.  Monsters Menace America in 2005 and Rocketville in 2006 were panned.  Plus, miniatures (i.e. Heroscape) and cards (M:tG) are a different model altogether.

Yes, AH-Hasbro can rerelease Betrayal.  They own the rights.  Plus, they've done the 1st version.  Do I think the game is better off in the hands of other publishers?  Yes. 

[Brel]

Pic of the new box art

[Talismanic (Mark)]

Interesting art, a little to much Amityville in the mix there though. But the question remains, is this a more polished game or just shiny bits and pieces hiding a total rehash?

[Brel]

Interesting art, a little to much Amityville in the mix there though. But the question remains, is this a more polished game or just shiny bits and pieces hiding a total rehash?

We'll know soon. I'm just glad that one of the games which reintroduced me to the hobby is being republished! 

[xtriker]

is this like arkham horror?

[Talismanic (Mark)]

is this like arkham horror?

A little, though its more like BSG with a secret traitor who the other players must eventually deduce and defeat. Must be RP'ed to get the full effect, so quiet Euro players need not apply.

[Rolf]

I'd say the only thing it has in common with AH is the horror theme.  Betrayal feels more like every "haunted house"-type of horror movie that you've ever seen.  It's all random; the traitor is not "revealed" so much as "assigned" in the middle of the game.  The first edition of the game has some balance issues and some vague rules, so it's best played with people who aren't too competitive and are just playing for fun.

[ClaroPaulo]

Just bought this last weekend while I was in Singapore. Reading still the rules so hopefully I'll be able to give some input once I get a play through

[dyeyk2000]

Claro! Laruin natin toh sa next boardgame session natin! Hehe

[ClaroPaulo]

Sure ba! I read through the rules. Gonna familiarize myself with it so we can Jim right in. When are you free ba hahaha!

[dmnyo]

I'd like to buy the 2nd ed of this game.

Is it available here? I have unreliable family in the US and would like to grab a hold of this soon.

[xanpu]

Is there anyplace here that carries this game? Having it shipped and stuff sounds terribly complicated for me, I'd really rather buy it directly from anyone. :<