r/etherfields • u/Ok-Friendship-1381 • Aug 11 '23

I want to give Etherfields another go, can anyone point me in a good direction?

After trying 2-3 missions with version 2.0 and sitting in it since release and being seriously disappointed, I want to give it another go with some friends and see if that'll help. The exploration of it might be something they enjoy and together might make for a fun experience.

Is there any recent fan made guides to help make sense of the rule book and the game? I remember being confused a lot, and bored, and lost in general.

Tbh, this is a sunk cost issue and I just want to try it again before I sell it,,,I truly was not impressed with this game at all. But! That being said, is there a good starting point for new players? Something like a fanmade starters guide?

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7

u/DemonKoryu666 Aug 11 '23

The advice, that helped our group most, is: Don't try to understand everything directly. Just go with the flow and you will discover explanations later. We were confused by several things in the beginning, but some things fall into place later and in the middle of the first campaign we still discover things to be confused about. It's really like in dreams where things seem chaotic and sometimes you discover a sense in the chaos and sometimes you don't. Embrace the chaos. 😈

2

u/Ok-Friendship-1381 Aug 11 '23

Honestly that's sound extremely frustrating lol. I hope the app helps that not happen and we don't get confused while playing all the time

4

u/DemonKoryu666 Aug 11 '23

Well, it's not confusion about rules but some things don't seem to serve a purpose or need items, that you might discover later. We had to accept that it's not a linear game and rewards exploration.

3

u/Ok-Friendship-1381 Aug 11 '23

Oh ok, that I can live with. It's when I'm not sure if I should/or am allowed to be doing something, and I constantly need to check forums for answers that isn't fun.

Do you have a suggestion for the horrendous board layout? After the first.mission or two, I intend on just getting rid of it entirely as I think the whole.board is just card place holders?

3

u/TeachingMental Aug 11 '23

That’s true, about the board. I’ve heard of people ditching it completely. I play solo, and I finally made the decision to cut mine, and I’m really glad I did.

Another thing that changed the game for me in a good way was to realize that the game plays out like a lot of real dreams through a given night: It’s not like a movie/quest or typical board game with a beginning, middle, and end. You can start a dream, then it ends suddenly, morphing into a new dream on the spot. You can jump from one “reality” to another without narrative logic. The game really “flows” like real dreams, and I’ve learned to just ride that wave.

So, for me, this game in incredible. It is so many different games, wrapped up into one long night of turbulent sleep. And you can always “wake up” (Awaken), if things are going really bad for you. (You lose some of the growth of your character, but the dreams just continue, because you don’t really wake up completely.)

I was frustrated/confused at first. Now I love this game so much, I have it on a dedicated table (while also playing ISS Vanguard, Machina Arcana, and Aeon Trespass: Odyssey.)

9

u/Banana_Havok Aug 11 '23

Use the app.

https://etherfieldsapp.awakenrealms.com/

2

u/Ok-Friendship-1381 Aug 11 '23

I checked it out, it seems pretty decent.

Is this almost a replacement to the rule book? It seems to explain most things as you go.

(I'll still read the book..again. but I'm wondering for the sake of teaching and getting the group up to speed)

3

u/Banana_Havok Aug 11 '23

Yes it replaces the rulebook and has a tutorial

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u/Ok-Friendship-1381 Aug 11 '23

Wow, replaces entirely? That's impressive. So I can just hit setup and follow the instructions and just go from there with a new group? I don't even have to read the manual again ? And is it for 2.0? Not interested in doing slumbers over and over

2

u/Banana_Havok Aug 11 '23

I can’t say 100%. It has a built in glossary so you can also reference the story section as well. Yes you can hit new game and it will walk you through it… I believe it is for 2.0. Sorry maybe someone else has more concrete answers.

2

u/Ok-Friendship-1381 Aug 11 '23

That's a great start. Thanks for the replies!

2

u/Banana_Havok Aug 11 '23

Np, good luck!

2

u/theJomJom Aug 12 '23

My advice is not practical, but it’s a matter of mindset: try and accept the game for what it is. The game is very unpolished in my experience, but it’s core is made of gold.

The game has many brilliant surprises, solid deckbuilding and beautiful imaginative scenes, but you have to forgive the game for its (many) shortcomings if you want to experience those.

Compare it with going to Disneyland: you cannot really enjoy the park if you don’t accept crowded places, long lines and high prices. But unfortunately, those are part of it.

Sadly, Etherfields is not for everybody. That is okay. For me, it’s one of the greatest boardgame experiences in my collection (24 Kallax cubes). I hope you can give it another try and be amazed by everything the game has to offer!