ABC
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TimeCategoryNote
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GAME 1
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1S6UdGurhDQTrSMemi0vtBgXjEpvPPEuY?usp=sharing
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Video 1
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pxw4a-axFWmkBrQkEBhMjJETU4Ir316J/view?usp=sharing
4
0:01:00observationWondering if you have to have played Pandemic before.
5
0:02:20observationThey figure out the colored boxes match the colors of the cubes.
6
0:03:40observationThe discard tip helped.
7
0:04:30observationSlight beat of confusion over describing the "barbarian cards" vs. the "barbarian deck." Ahh, I see, it's because the well for the deck is called, "Barbarian Cards"
8
0:07:20observationNice camera work by Player 1.
9
0:08:00observationThey miss the rule that lets them start with 2 legions.
10
0:08:30observationThey intuitively get the battle effect right away. Yay!
11
0:09:10observation"I'm assuming the Revolt cards are kinda like Epidemics?"
12
0:09:20observationOne player assumes they start in Roma; he's corrected immediately.
13
0:10:00observationThey're playing with the Vestalis, Barbarian Queen, and … (can't tell). They catch the Vestalis setup rule right away.
14
0:11:40observationThey read out loud that they start with legions.
15
0:12:30bug
(fixed)		TYPO: The rules call for Invasion cards in setup, but they're Revolt cards. (now updated in the rules file)
16
0:13:20observationThey're clearly experienced Pandemic players. One of them always takes on the role of "ledgerman" who tracks when Epidemic cards are about to turn up. They record how many cards are in each pile during setup on paper. They learned how to do this after playing Pandemic Legacy: Season 2.
17
0:15:00observation"We had big spreadsheets."
18
0:15:40observationStacks have 9/9/9/8/8/8 (I think.)
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0:16:10observationThey like the days of travel from Roma.
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Video 2
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uMgy51ExlPeg2FyBr-6eXjVqwQ-Yb-hW/view?usp=sharing
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0:01:00observationThey note that Sail can go to cities using any color.
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0:01:00bug
(fixed)		Change "the" to "a" to make this clearer. (now update in the rules file)
23
0:01:15observationThey wonder about the difference between the two lines (brown vs. colored)
24
0:03:10observationThey realize the barbarians go in the boxes. (Setup diagram will help this considerably.) That'll also help them understand the arrows.
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0:05:30observationBattle dice made good sense to them.
26
0:06:00observationThe Vestalis realizes that she "sucks" at battles. :-)
27
0:06:50observationDespite having the table in the rules, they examine the dice to determine the odds.
28
0:09:20observationThey put the alliance tokens right above the alliance marker area.
29
0:10:00observationThey spend some time looking over the difference between the quick reference and the rules for the Alliance rules. I think they figure out why they're different.
30
0:10:00design ideaWe might want to include the shorthand in the rules, then explain it in detail so to bridge the different ways this is explained.
31
0:10:40observation"This is actually fairly thematic."
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0:12:30observationThey debate whether you resolve both Epidemics in Pandemic. (One player mistakenly thinks you only resolve 1 in base Pandemic.)
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0:13:50bug
(obsolete)		Looks like we still say "incursion rate" somewhere. I think it's on their (slightly out of date) board.
34
0:15:00observationThey're trying to understand the barbarian cards and want to look at one, but they're all in the deck. Would be great to have an illustration of a card in the invasion area.
35
0:16:00observationThey think that the cities that come up are just ignored (initially)
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0:16:30observationThey get it.
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Video 3
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-JktZiSwO5JcWzS1Bq3hkfPQerZxSNBP/view?usp=sharing
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0:00:00observationSome slight issue with the camera. I don't think we missed anything.
39
0:01:40observationThey appear to understand the rules pretty well.
40
0:02:20observation"How many blue cards are there?"
41
0:02:30design ideaWe could show an "anatomy of a card" illustration when we introduce them with a callout that shows how many of each card are in the deck.
42
0:02:50bug
(fixed)		"depending on what they are supported" (now updated in the rules file)
43
0:03:20observationThe "supported" phrasing appears to be working.
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0:04:00bug
(fixed)		The examples build a weird mental model for them – they wonder if each pawn only supports a single legion. This is because the examples are in the wrong order.
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0:05:00design ideaThey read the rules and it becomes clear to them. They suggest that the rule should come before the example.
46
0:05:30observationThey've got it now and recap it correctly.
47
0:06:00observationThey struggle with it a little bit – I think a lot of it was due to the incorrect order of the examples. (Player 3 understands it perfectly.)
48
0:06:40observationPlayer 1 wonders if he is there or a for is there – does a barbarian get added? Player 3 explains, "yes," confidently.
49
0:07:00observationRecap of the "four things that can happen"
50
0:08:10design ideaWe could label the "roads" and "migration paths" in the setup diagram. (But to what extent will this help… not sure.)
51
0:08:30observationThey note that the graphic design of the decline track isn't that great – it falls off completely at the end.
52
0:08:30design ideaI assumed that the illustrators will make the degradation of the column more gradual, but I'll call it out here, just in case.
53
0:11:00observationThey all joke as one player polls the group: "what do you think 'airlift' will be called?"
54
0:11:40observationThey REALLY like the decline option concept on the event cards.
55
0:12:20observationThey compare the decline option to taking a scar.
56
0:13:00observation"I like that. That's pretty cool."
57
0:13:10observationThey note that they could 'temporarily eradicate' for purposes of winning. "That's cool."
58
0:13:50observationPlayer 1 recaps the other way to explain it from the reference card."
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0:14:20observationThey get the importance of the Roma cards in the discard. "Tricky."
60
0:15:00observation"I think it'd be hard for Roma to get sacked."
61
0:16:15observationThey debate whether they should maintain a full ledger of which cards are drawn as they play.
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0:17:00observationThe fine point about gaps helped clarify that well for them, I think.
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0:17:30observationRegina Federata ("that seems cool.")
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Video 4
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1maowk6fnchYztVs6-3r1ko145KMwj4o3/view?usp=sharing
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0:00:00observationRegina Federata's second power: "you're like the Medic sorta"
66
0:01:30observationThey note the fine point that you have to go find a barbarian to negotiate with – the city doesn't matter. (Then joke that the alliance propogates to the entire population.)
67
0:02:20observationVestalis's powers read. They like the event power and say, "there's a little bit fo forecasting."
68
0:02:50observationMagister Matilium. They get it.
69
0:03:20observationBy this point, I think they've forgotten about the starting legions.
70
0:03:20design idea (adjusted)Do we say, "hand out the 2 legions" ? We might be able to make that clearer. (I made this small adjustment to the rules file.)
71
0:06:00observationThey debate where they should start, focusing initially on card exchange, then realize they should focus on keeping the barbarians under control.
72
0:06:50observationThey go over the difference between Recruit and Enlist.
73
0:07:30observationThey wonder if there's a reason you go first if you're far away. (The others reason correctly that we just needed a simple, random method.)
74
0:09:00observation"Is there a limit to the number of Romans you can have in a city? … I didn't see one." They note that you can roll up to 1 die per legion (up to 3).
75
0:09:30observationThey get confused because the Battle reference doesn't note (up to 3). Player 1 "I don't know why you think that." (They think it because they read it.)
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0:09:30design idea (adjusted)We should add "(max 3 dice)" on the Battle reference. I wouldn't use "up to" since we already say, "Roll up to 1 battle die for each legion" (Adjustment made in Kit 29.)
77
0:09:50observationThey look it up in the rulebook and all agree that that should be on the reference card.
78
0:11:00observationThey're suffering a little bit at start since they forgot to add legions.
79
0:12:00observationThey lay the legions flat on their sides.
80
0:12:00observationFirst turn begins!
81
0:12:50observationThey debate the pros/cons of removing lots of one color vs. removing a balanced amount.
82
0:13:00observationOdd. They say "2 greens" but actually pulled "2 blues" (but played them correctly).
83
0:15:00observationThey debate whether the Vestalis should battle. They haven't yet picked up on the fact that they can merely garrison legions to protect the board.
84
0:16:00observationThey discuss dropping City cards to buy Event cards with Vestalis since those are "pretty good."
85
0:16:40observationThe blues are advancing pretty quickly.
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Video 5
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m7KE7zxT0iiS5GyousfOpCh2aepglk4X/view?usp=sharing
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0:01:20observationVestalis really wants to spend cards since it's [her] thing. Other players don't want to burn cards so soon.
88
0:03:30observationLegions are now on their feet!
89
0:04:00observationFunny how they're fussing about what to do while there's city sitting there with 3 green barbarians.
90
0:05:00observationVestalis grabs and event – happy with it. (Card swapper.)
91
0:06:00observationGrabs another event card.
92
0:06:30observation"This ability seems too powerful." (The guy running Vestalis seems to love it.)
93
0:06:30observationThey drive Veni Vedi Vici and really like it.
94
0:10:50observationFirst Revolt drawn.
95
0:11:10observationThey immediately put 3 in the city. Then they wonder if it's right. They check the card and are sure it's correct. (Good.)
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Video 6
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13z2pcu6osZeJ7xqlyBGHztYC2LaKoKkP/view?usp=sharing
97
0:01:27observation"this seems really hard."
98
0:02:30observationVestalis now has 4 event cards.
99
0:03:00observationThey're playing the invasion rules flawlessly.
100
0:05:20observationReady to create green alliance next round.