Announcing a full-sized Playmat Add-on, a livestream, and more!
8 months ago
– Wed, Mar 13, 2024 at 01:11:32 PM
Spacefaring Supporters, Assemble!
We have arrived at the final days of our Ascending Empires campaign, and we are grateful for every bit of support you’ve shown us throughout this campaign. Whether it be with words of encouragement, sharing the campaign link with friends, or quietly choosing to be a backer, your presence means the world to us!
Today, we delve into the heart of interstellar innovation, focusing on the Technology mechanic in Ascending Empires: Zenith Edition.
But before we set a course for that topic, we have a couple of announcements!
First, we want to let you know that we’ll be seeing one final Ascending Empires livestream, this time from the wonderful Ruel Gaviola. Be sure to check out the Tabletop Tonight Twitch channelat 11am Pacific / 2pm Eastern Time!
Announcing a new full-size playmat!
You asked, and we listened!
We are happy to announce that we will be offering a 28"x28" 2mm thick neoprene playmat as an add-on for $20!
To add the playmat add-on to your pledge, simply click "Manage Your Pledge" at the top of the campaign page.
Navigating Technology
Amidst all of the exploration and discovery in Ascending Empires, the game’s four Technology tracks stand as beacons of progress. Each Technology color corresponds to one of the four primary Planet types: Orange, Purple, Pink, and Green.
Research Facilities are the cornerstone of Technological development. When one is built on a planet’s surface, we unlock the ability of the lowest-numbered available Technology of that color.
Technology in action during the Man vs Meeple video playthrough
Our Technology level of any given color is equivalent to the number of Research Facilities on planets of that same color. Once unlocked, a player can access each Technology for the remainder of the game, even if a rival attack later removes that Research Facility. However, losing a facility does mean that additional ones may be required to advance that Technology further.
Technology tiles in Ascending Empires: Zenith Edition are double-sided, offering unique abilities on each tile's A and B sides.
Example of the A and B Technology Options
For even more variety, the option of mixing A and B Technology tiles is an official variant included in the rulebook, ensuring that every game will be filled with excitement with a sprinkle of unpredictability. However, to maintain a level playing field, we do recommend that all players use the same combination of Tech!
Our next update will be the final one of the active campaign, as we prepare to land this crowdfunding ship and prepare for the long journey of production and fulfillment. Thank you for your ongoing support!
A Chat with Zev + Insert Photos!
8 months ago
– Mon, Mar 11, 2024 at 09:46:39 AM
Welcome back, Space Travellers!
One of the biggest industry gatherings of the year is the GAMA Expo, and we just returned from the event after a week of wonderful conversations and game demos!
In fact, during the event, Zev had the opportunity to sit down with Ryan from Ryan & Bethany Board Game Reviews for an exclusive chat about all things Play to Z. Watch the video below to get the latest details on the Ascending Empires solo mode, plus other games that are on the horizon!
Ascending Empires: Zenith Edition was on display at GAMA, and we captured some photos of the game's insert to share with you in today's update:
Left: Full insert with player trays and rolled neoprene mats.Right: Player tray removed from box.
Thank you for all of your encouragement and support as we enter the final week of the campaign! We'll be back again on Wednesday with our second-to-last update of the active campaign.
An intro to Warpgates & Structures
9 months ago
– Fri, Mar 08, 2024 at 12:46:25 PM
Greetings, Space Adventurers!
Slowly but surely, we are closing in on our 500th backer for this campaign. If you would like to help us reach that milestone, please download the graphic below and share it on social media!
In today’s update, we’re going to explore Warpgates and the core Structures of Ascending Empires.
Let’s Talk Warpgates!
Each player begins a game of Ascending Empires by entering the board from their Warpgate, located on the outer edge of the playing space. Unlike other planetary locations, Warpgates cannot be Attacked or Blockaded.
While it’s important to secure Locations in your Home Quadrant, the payout for controlling planets in the other Quadrants is considerable. Of course, the further we venture from our Home Quadrant, the greater the challenge will be to retain control.
This is why it will be important to build Structures on those controlled Locations!
Let’s Talk Structures!
Once a player occupies a planet, they can take the Build action to add Structures to that planet. What do those Structures bring into the game? Let’s run them down quickly:
Outpost - Building an Outpost on a Planet requires that a player have at least one Troop located there. By removing a Troop (and placing it on their Dashboard), a player can place one Outpost and place it on the planet. Outposts will boost that Planet’s defense by 1 and allow the controlling player to deploy Troops there.
City - By removing one Troop and one Outpost from a Planet, players can place a City. Placing a City will increase a Planet’s defense by 2, in addition to the ability to deploy Troops.
Starbase - If a player has two Starships orbiting a single Planet, they can be removed to place a Starbase in that Planet’s orbit, so long as the planet is either occupied by that player or unoccupied. Starbases provide 1 defense for the Planet it’s orbiting and becomes a part of that Planet, meaning that they cannot be attacked directly. Opposing players can only destroy a Starbase by attacking the planet it orbits.
Research Facility - Much like an Outpost, a single Troop can be removed from a controlled Planet to build a Research Facility. Immediately after building, this Structure grants that player one Technology matching the color of its Planet, and can be used on future turns to develop that technology even further.
We'll be returning on Monday with our next update, and in the meantime, let's see those burning questions in the campaign comments!
Playing with 2 and 3 Players
9 months ago
– Wed, Mar 06, 2024 at 02:16:56 PM
Greetings, Space Travellers!
One of the most significant updates to Ascending Empires in the Zenith Edition is the modifications to the 2 and 3-player experiences.
To ensure that the action of the game is highly interactive, the central Planets become a source of interstellar traffic, with Guardian Robots strategically positioned to encourage conflict between players.
Three Player Setup with Guardian Robots occupying the central four Locations
Each Robot stationed on these planets increases its defense by 1, making for a challenging task for rivals to overcome and seize control. However, arresting that control has a VP payout for players, making them an attractive target.
After players attack a Planet with 1 or 2 Guardian Robots, they will flee to a nearby undiscovered Location in the same Quadrant, chosen by the attacking player. The robots will continue discovering planets after each attack, seeking their own autonomous survival. However, if the guardians have no undiscovered or unoccupied Planets to escape to, the end of the game will be triggered!
To escalate tensions even further in the 2-player game, the Guardian Robots will increase their forces when fleeing to a valid Planet. If players dare to attack a Planet occupied by three robots, they will initiate self-destruction, taking themselves and the Planet completely out of the game!
Two Player Setup with Wormholes on the left and right edges
If the threat of self-destruction was not enough, the 2-player Ascending Empires experience also includes Wormholes, allowing Starships to instantly travel from one end of the board to another. Swift maneuvers abound, with these exciting and dynamic gameplay variants!
We're beyond delighted with the way Ascending Empires: Zenith Edition plays for both 2 and 3 players, and we look forward to each of you experiencing this excitement yourselves!
We'll return on Friday, as we prepare to send this campaign into overdrive for its final week!
A Twist on 4X Gaming!
9 months ago
– Mon, Mar 04, 2024 at 10:06:47 AM
Welcome back, Space Adventurers!
In our previous update, we shared information with longtime Ascending Empires fans about the new additions to this Zenith Edition. By contrast, today, we're writing to players who are drawn into the idea of Ascending Empires but may not be familiar with the world of 4X gaming!
In a Nutshell: What is a 4X Game?
The traditional 4X tabletop game is an epic affair, requiring many hours of preparation before the gameplay even begins! What do those 4 Xs stand for?
Explore - Starting with a small territory and/or resource supply, with the goal of acquiring more of one or both.
Expand - Gradually growing influence by discovering and securing control over newly found territories and resources.
Exploit - Using relationships and strategic advantages to maximize the potential of those territories and resources.
Exterminate - By carefully managing resources and military strength, reduce the presence of opposing forces.
Ultimately, the player who successfully balances expansion, development, and military prowess while outmaneuvering their opponents will emerge victorious.
What is the Ascending Empires Twist?
When the game first debuted over a decade ago, it introduced elements to 4X gaming that had never been seen before, condensed into an experience that often lasted no more than an hour!
The most obvious difference is the mechanism by which ship movement takes place. Using manual skill to accomplish this aspect of the game adds a unique flavor of tension never before seen in the genre, and also not found since! However, despite the frequent attempts to label Ascending Empires as a game that is primarily driven by dexterity mechanics, this could not be further from the truth.
Games of Ascending Empires are rarely won and lost on movement actions, but rather by management of a player's fleet, how they develop technologies, and well-timed building of Structures. Experienced players have been attesting to these facts for years, and we're excited to welcome you among the ranks of those experienced starfarers!
New Playthrough Video!
Are you curious about the Ascending Empires experience at 2 players? Be sure to watch the new video from Man vs Meeple in which they explore all the ways that the two-seated duel is a satisfying way to enjoy the game!
We look forward to chatting with you more in the campaign comments, so please keep those questions coming!
