Interesting review from a new CE "convert"

I somehow missed most of this discussion the first time around, but it's certainly worth a quick link. Click here for a solid Cosmic Encounter review from a new-ish player; there's some interesting perspectives.

The highlight for me:

The biggest miracle though, is that it's an absolute blast to play. The game feels untamed, as if it is bucking against the confines of its own design.

Well-said, brother.

Yeah, but WHICH twenty aliens ... ?

With the official announcement of Cosmic Incursion having now rebounded back and forth across the interwebs, it's time for the speculation to begin. Just which aliens will be included in the announced 20?

So far, some of the better discussions can be found here and here.

Anyone want to go on the record here? Just hit the "comments" button, yo.

Dune Express keeps harvesting accolades

("Harvesting" ... see what I did there?)

Dune Express, mentioned briefly in this very space, has turned into quite the home-published phenomenon over the past few months, generating much praise and many player-created additions. The latest coup for the game — which shows some faint echoes of the Avalon Hill classic while still managing to go in an entirely new direction — was picking up a Golden Geek award for Best PnP Game of 2009. Pretty heady stuff for what clearly began as just "let's play a super-quick Dune using a bunch of beads we've got laying around."

For more on Dune Express, place your cursor upon this link and press once.

CE: Incursion due in February?

Boardgame News is reporting that the Cosmic Incursion expansion set is due in February of 2010, citing Fantasy Flight Games as a source. The FFG site itself, it should be noted, makes no mention of a release date that I can see.

So, for what it's worth: one site (albeit a usually reliable and professional one) is reporting an early 2010 release date. Make of it what you will.

Super-cool Founder news at CE Online

An interesting alien-gram recently landed in my in-box from Cosmic Encounter designer and CE Online owner Peter Olotka, who was celebrating a new Founder (lifetime subscription) at the online site:

Of note is wchaga's member ID of 101, having signed up on July 27, 2001 way back in the Java game days. By comparison, if you sign up today you will sport a number in the 90,000 range.*

It's always good to have an original player return to the mothership. And to return and decide to become a Founder is just made of pure awesomesauce.

*I've been playing since 2005, and my number is 38,309. I can't imagine having a three-digit number.

FFG provides a first look at the rewards deck

Interesting stuff. A 32-card deck, available only to successful defensive allies.

Details are right here, my funny little meat-puppets.

Pacifist is peaceful ... until it's not

The line of the week, via Twitter:

I think the Pacifists in Cosmic Encounter are inappropriately named.

Classic.

CE alien survey update: 30 in, need more

I'm looking for more submissions in our ongoing project to post basic strategies for all 50 aliens from the Fantasy Flight Games base set. It's a simple, two-step process:

1. Check the list below for availability;
2. Write up a short entry (using the style seen in the ones already posted) and drop it off in my in-box.

Fame and fortune are sure to follow.

(Well, not fortune. And, actually, fame is pretty unlikely, too. So forget about that part.)

Is Cosmic Encounter "worth it"?

Why, yes. Yes, it is.