Ghost Archipelago...

[Mr. White]

I don’t see a lot of Ghost Archipelago activity online too much and few pics on social media sites like Instagram.

Does the game not have the legs of Frostgrave? Is there something about the game that didn’t work? Was the setting not as appealing? Am I wrong and just missing all the activity?

[Ogrob]

The Facebook group is decently active, but only a third as many members as the official one.

We played a rather lengthy campaign with it, but there were mentions of prefering the theme of Frostgrave.

[scatterbrains]

I really like ghost archipelago, for me it's just a case of getting there though. There's so much to do in Frostgrave and Rangers of shadow deep that I haven't had time for it.

I do have some paper model boats and the terrain I'm building currently will fit, so I hope to paint some sailors before next year.

[Bloggard]

it's a funny one, and I could waffle on about a lot of paranoid 'sign of the times' stuff ... but I wont.

There's a Crpg correlation, arguably, with a game called Pillars of Eternity 2 Deadfire, which seems fab to me, but hasn't (relatively) done very well, sales-wise, and has a (kind of) similar setting.

In terms of GA, it's an excellent system (although I think the Warden approach does hamstring magic-use a bit in terms of 'colour' and for those expecting more familiar fantasy tropes), and the books are beautiful, although I would still wish for more 'effort' etc in the set-up of the minis photos. They could have done so much more there to get the juices flowing.

A shame too that the Erithereans (elephant folk) haven't had any miniatures realised - I think that might help give the IP a very distinctive element.

[giles the zog]

A mate and I play it semi regularly, but he is currently on a sabbatical overseas, and the last two times we played I forgot my camera.

But I think it has a smaller following than frost grave - strange because it has all the right ingredients: superheroes; magic; pirates; dinosaurs.

My guess is that you need an entire new suite of scenery, which is an obstacle for many.

[TheBlackCrane]

Jumped on the Frostgrave bandwagon when it first appeared, and eventually ended up selling it all off, not because I didn't like the system or setting or anything like that, but because the rate at which new books and figures kept appearing I found I couldn't focus on keeping it small and building up gradually.

Since Nick did his Ghost Archipelago the other weekend, in concert with Osprey having their up to 70% off sale, I've picked up several of the books and a variety of figures. Really like the premise and probably prefer it to Frostgrave; I also have a couple other projects on the go and in mind which the terrain will be re-usable for, which is easier the the frozen city setting.

I'm hoping GA will get some more releases although I know I've come to it late, but maybe because Frostgrave came first and they're from the same system the lesser attention for GA is because many of those who would have gone in for it already ahd Frostgrave and didn't really want to do two similar approaches?

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Interesting question, and one that had crossed my mind.

Frostgrave does have the advantage of potential reuse of your existing figures - but Ghost Archipelago - as mentioned above - has superheroes, pirates and dinosaurs.

Though I am not convinced by the superheroes.

[Darkson71]

I 'want' to play GA, and still mean to pick up the books, but I don't get to play FG enough as it is, and that has a considerably less (for me) cost in terms of scenery and models, because I play(ed) Mordheim and have a decent collection of generic fantasy figures.

Then add in all the other games that get played within my gaming circle (both the ones I play and the ones I don't) and it just hasn't happened.

So for me, there's nothing in the game stopping me playing it, and I'm sure I'd enjoy it, just to much other things going on and lack of models.

[necromorph]

This is a really interesting thread. For me, I much prefer the theme of GA. I think for me personally, what's holding it back a little is two things, firstly a lack of solo content. Frostgrave had Dark Alchemy, a bunch of solo missions then Perilous Dark, GA has a few scenarios here and there. With the solo focus of RoSD coming along, the hype kind of went from Frostgrave and all its many expansions to the solo/co-op focus of Rangers, while GA got left in the dark a little.

Secondly, I find the bestiary of GA a bit confusing. There's lot of entries to it that I don't really know what I could use and the mini line hasn't been flushed out. I had the same issue with the Forgotten Pacts Frostgrave expansion, loads of things added but had very unique descriptions and no official miniatures. I could proxy, but I want to feel invested in the game worlds.

Either way, I love the two games and hope they continue to grow.

[Bloggard]

Either way, I love the two games and hope they continue to grow.

absolutement

[Yeovil]

I haven't gotten into GA because of the same, there is so much going on with Frostgrave and RoSD that haven't really had the chance. For those of you who play GA, what would you say is the main theme? rules, or the setting? Is the setting a more dark ages pirate theme like when Conan was one, jungles and serpertmen?

[Bloggard]

certainly can be Conan-friendly if you want to go that way.

the 'heritor' concept, and his / her powers, well suit the idea of a 'superhero' protagnist.

Very early on Joe introduced the Eritherean race (elephant men), which is a ready-made 'tower of the elephant' connection, or certainly could be... If they were to develop that element (figures etc), I think it would get quite a good 'yep, Conan' response and hopefully improve awareness / sales.
But a big investment / gamble to do that, no doubt.

[DinoTitanedition]

To me it has a strong Sindbad flair. The narrative is also a major factor for me - Felstad is "always there", the Archipelago appears only now and then. I'd like to see something like a map with persistent isles.

If it's solo player friendly and the islands represent different adventures per book, I'd be pretty much hooked - at that point the terrain is reusable. I also like to have the warband be rather small, but have character. I don't like to run around with a bunch of Stormtrooper Redshirts (hit nothing, die quickly).

Though this is quite challenge game mechanics wise: create a warband with deep narrative character, have the scenarios still be challenging and tell a story alongside. Icing on the cake would be scenarios that expand from a small playing field (like a simple 1x1) to a growing area per scenario. This makes it an optimal experience for hobbying as well, as it grows over time.

[Bloggard]

not quite with you on the 'persistent islands' DTE ...
the author is intentionally (I assume) vague past that initial concept of ghostly isles (which is a very good one in terms of narrative flavour I think). The point being that, in game terms, the Archipelago is 'here' and there's no timer on it as such.
By the same token I don't think a detailed map of Felstad has every been officially created, right? Least I can't remember one, and I've got most all the books (despite never having played a game!).

I suspect, sadly, that the game's more obvious Sinbad (as opposed to Conan or whatever) vibe, wont have done it any favours sales-wise, such are the times we live in. Love to be wrong about that.