High Frontier

[Rolf]

Because maskmanjoe wanted this game to have its own thread.

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/47055/high-frontier

[maskmanjoe]

And because we are such lazy bums to start it ourselves

High Frontier is a game of rocket science and all the difficulties it entails. More accurately, its a game simulating the efforts of planning and executing a space program (and I guess it gives a pretty good explanation as to why, after 40 years of landing on the moon, we are still no closer to seeing lunar colonies or manned missions to Mars).

At the core is a VP-race game where achieving certain conditions gives you glory (VPs), such as being the first to return a manned mission to Mercury back to Earth or building space factories. Game ends when enough space factories have been built commulatively. The simplicity ends here. Planning a manned mission to Mars is an exact science, and this game shows this painfully well. Flying through space requires perfect calculations of mass, fuel consumption, thrust, and plotting a course through our gravitationally-convoluted solar system. A matter of leaving earth without sufficient fuel will mean a great setback in your space program (worse, a crew stranded on the polar ice caps of Mars for decades). And all this perfect math screwed around occasionally by chance and a roll of a die. 

I guess the beauty of this game imo is that its theme runs deep in its mechanics. Running a space program isnt easy and this game definitely gives you an inkling of why. You experience great frustration if your plans fail to meet your objective due to the math. It feels even worse when, due to the erratic orbit of comet Encke, your rocket and all its perfect calculations, blows up. But when the math works (and in most occasions it does), there is glory to be had.

Make no mistake, this is definitely a brain burner (that lasts at least 3 hrs!). But its rare that some of us would be willing to put ourselves through this grinder of a game repeatedly. There is just so much to try and accomplish in this game (such as Tom's favorite, Project Orion). Its a must try for those brave enough

[Rolf]

Do you actually have to do heavy math calculations in the game??

[Zinegata]

It's less math and more of "you need to remember a lot of little details". Otherwise your crew could be stuck on Mars and you need to spend 28 years (essentially the whole game) just to bring them home because you remembered to bring enough fuel to do X and Y, but not Z.

Also, yes, Project Orion is very fun. We had a game last Saturday wherein Nathan got Project Orion and won the game. After the game, I said, "You won partly because of Project Orion". Nathan responded, "No, I won almost entirely because of Project Orion!"

(Science note: Project Orion is a 60s proposal for a very powerful and efficient rocket. How does it work? By farting an atomic bomb behind the ship, triggering the bomb to explode, and using the force to propel the ship forward. You can get to Mars with it in less than a year! )

[maskmanjoe]

Do you actually have to do heavy math calculations in the game??

Its not heavy math but you do have to be precise with your calculations. Its a bit hard to catch up if you miscalculate a particularly ambitious endeavor. Tom above describes it well: you need to consider everything you need to do in order to achieve X, Y and Z before you even launch your rocket. Coz once its in space, there's very little room for adjustments.

[hisashi]

There's little to no room for error allowed in the game.., Me think that it was designed to make us feel how hard it is to prepare to conquer space thus the reason we're still not playing boardgames in Jupiter...

[catch8088]

I just discovered that Hans doesn't carry the game, just the expansion.

[xtriker]

I just discovered that Hans doesn't carry the game, just the expansion.

I can source it for you if you want

[maskmanjoe]

I would like to congratulate Claro, for braving the solar system with us last night and garnering 2nd place. Claro, you are now a man You now too have the bragging rights to say that you're a rocket scientist. Good game last night guys! Inner solar system glory run for the win!

Also Adrian, Tom, pimp your copies!

[Adrian (the other one)]

Also Adrian, Tom, pimp your copies!

Sigh.  As much as I want to, price is a bit prohibitive - he sells them for 25 + 8 USD here.

I'll settle for the Alpha Centauri map for now.

[togashi]

I want to try this game! When I get back?

[ClaroPaulo]

The game left me wanting...

1.) Moar
2.) Solidifying my intent to get bios: megafauna

Also, next game:
No more project orion for me. I wanna try new thrusters!!! and lets have a rule of not going for the solar system!!! To infinity and beyond na to!

[Talismanic (Mark)]

The game left me wanting...

1.) Moar
2.) Solidifying my intent to get bios: megafauna

Also, next game:
No more project orion for me. I wanna try new thrusters!!! and lets have a rule of not going for the solar system!!! To infinity and beyond na to!

Dagnabit! I want to play in outer space too. Too bad Saturdays are a little difficult for me to schedule gaming right now 

[xtriker]

Currently in talk with phil. Gaming library will be carrying this

[maskmanjoe]

I'm glad to read that regardless of the quandary of a situation he found himself in during the beginning of the game, Claro ended up appreciating the game. It does leave you with that feeling of trying something more challenging next time.

Currently in talk with phil. Gaming library will be carrying this

Good man Hans Its not a game for all but can be a diamond in the rough for some

I want to try this game! When I get back?

When are you back Carlos? End of the month right?

Dagnabit! I want to play in outer space too.

I believe we will reopen ventures into outer space when Adrian's and Tom's poster maps come in and we can all attempt Sid Meier's dream of colonizing Alpha Centauri (that and Carlo's less glamorous dream of shooting his rocket into Uranus... )