Paia Groject

Molfo is still gone, and this time you'll have to endure Matteo babbling one hour and a half about how to appraise a game setup (or at least, how he does it), how to pick a faction, and then a thorough review of his decisions.

And yes, it's a Bal T'Aks game. Life's weird, huh?

Here's the game: https://www.boardgamers.space/game/IWantThisToBeHARD

While you wait for the next episode, come play with us (Molfo and El Temblo) on BGS: https://www.boardgamers.space.

You can also find us on our brand new dedicated channel, within the Gaia Project "Fight" Club Discord: https://discord.com/channels/693041156698669057/921351801259843605 

(Invitation link: https://discord.gg/TsNX9epNUp)

Feedback and contact: [email protected]

Theme song by Paranoixx: https://www.beatstars.com/titoc06/feed

00.00 INTRODUCTION: WE'VE MOMENTARILY LOST MOLFO - BUT YOU'LL BARELY NOTICE: WELCOME BABBUC!

03.35 FACTION DESCRIPTION

06.30 THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE OF GAIA PROJECT: TWO MAIN XENOS STRATEGIES

09.50 XENOS & THE MAP

16.35 XENOS & FINAL SCORING OBJECTIVES

20.40 XENOS & THE TECH TRACKS

24.00 XENOS & ADVANCED TECH TILES

28.10 INTERLUDE: IS IT POSSIBLE TO OPEN WITH AN ACADEMY?

29.50 AAAND WE'RE BACK TO ADVANCED TECH TILES

37.00 AAAAAND NOW WE'RE BACK TO ADVANCED TECH TILES - THE MATRIOSHKA DOLL EPISODE

52.25 XENOS & BASIC TECH TILES

1.00.10 WHICH BRINGS US TO THE QUESTION: HOW MANY FEDERATIONS WITH XENOS?

1.07.35 XENOS & QIC ACTIONS

1.11.40 XENOS & ROUND SCORING BONUSES

1.19.25 XENOS & ROUND BOOSTERS

1.23.25 FINAL CONSIDERATIONS - NOW WE UNDERSTAND XENOS (POSSIBLY)

1.28.10 BUT WHO IS THIS BABBUC AGAIN? TWITCHING GAIA PROJECT, AND SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THE ONLINE GAIA COMMUNITY

IMPORTANT NOTE: Boardgame Arena has implemented the variable map method Babbuc hopes for! Great job as always, BGA, and thank you to the developers!

Have a look at Babbuc's GP Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/babbuc49

Our game with Babbuc49 and Markus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYz7Iiz8TQo

While you wait for the next episode, come play with us (Molfo and El Temblo) on BGS: https://www.boardgamers.space.

You can also find us on our brand new dedicated channel, within the Gaia Project "Fight" Club Discord: https://discord.com/channels/693041156698669057/921351801259843605 

(Invitation link: https://discord.gg/TsNX9epNUp)

Feedback and contact: [email protected]

Theme song by Paranoixx: https://www.beatstars.com/titoc06/feed

Ok, this had to happen: Christmas is just behind us, and since we are still in magic Christmas Land, even Bal T'Aks can find a place here at Paia Groject.

So listen to it if you're planning on playing them (or if you want to hear a lot about QICs), but be careful: outside of the magic of Christmas you... might not get the best results from them?

00.00 INTRODUCTION - THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS (AND HORRIBLE DELAYS IN DELIVERING THIS EPISODE)

05.09 FACTION DESCRIPTION (HOW IS THE FACTION NAME PRONOUNCED?)

06.00 OK, ACTUAL FACTION DESCRIPTION

13.54 BAL T'AKS & THE MAP

21.55 BAL T'AKS & FINAL SCORING OBJECTIVES

31.20 BAL T'AKS & THE GAIA TRACK - GAIAFORMERS AND QICs TIPS

37.00 BAL T'AKS & QIC ACTIONS (SPOILER: HADSCH HALLAS ARE BETTER)

45.45 BAL T'AKS & THE TECH TRACKS (GUESS WHAT? MORE GAIA AND QICs)

52.58 BAL T'AKS & ADVANCED TECH TILES (ON TOP OF THE GAIA TRACK)

1.04.20 BAL T'AKS & BASIC TECH TILES

1.15.05 BAL T'AKS & ROUND SCORING BONUSES

1.22.38 BAL T'AKS & ROUND BOOSTERS - ALSO TIPS FOR FEDERATION FORMING

1.33.50 FINAL CONSIDERATIONS - NOBODY FEARS BAL T'AKS

1.39.00 CHATTING ABOUT THE 2ND EASTERN HEMISPHERE GAIA TOURNAMENT - EURAFRASIAN EDITION

1.43.10 THE 2022 PAIA GROJECT TOURNAMENT(?)

Ghostly's "Paia Groject Strategy Deck": https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2772018/paia-groject-strategy-deck

Babbuc49's Bal T'aks game where he played a stellar game, but still lost: https://www.boardgamers.space/game/AllaFieraDelBesc

While you wait for the next episode, come play with us (Molfo and El Temblo) on BGS: https://www.boardgamers.space.

You can also find us on our brand new dedicated channel, within the Gaia Project "Fight" Club Discord: https://discord.com/channels/693041156698669057/921351801259843605 

(Invitation link: https://discord.gg/TsNX9epNUp)

Feedback and contact: [email protected]

Theme song by Paranoixx: https://www.beatstars.com/titoc06/feed

Yes, we promised a Firak guide and instead you get Bescods. But look on the bright side, it's a great Bescods guide. Also, they're both grey, so you'll barely notice the difference.

00.00 INTRODUCTION (STILL ON THE INTERVIEW WITH HELGE, AND GHOSTLY'S INFOGRAPHICS)

04.40 SO, HERE COMES THE FIRAKS GUIDE...

06.40 ...EXCEPT IT'S BESCODS, PLOT TWIST! FACTION DESCRIPTION

24.00 BESCODS & THE MAP

32.15 BESCODS & FINAL SCORING OBJECTIVES

41.50 BESCODS & THE TECH TRACKS AND OPENINGS

1.01.45 BESCODS & ADVANCED TECH TILES

1.11.30 BESCODS & BASIC TECH TILES

1.21.30 BESCODS & ROUND SCORING BONUSES

1.28.25 BESCODS & ROUND BOOSTERS

1.35.20 BESCODS & POWER/QIC ACTIONS

1.40.30 FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

1.44.50 CHATTING ABOUT THE 2ND EASTERN EMISPHERE GAIA TOURNAMENT - EURAFRASIAN EDITION

1.47.30 EVEN MORE RUMORS ABOUT THE FORTHCOMING GP EXPANSION

Ghostly's "Paia Groject Strategy Deck": https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2772018/paia-groject-strategy-deck

Simone's Bescods game where you can see some of the strategies discussed in this episode (three steps on the science track round 1; two academies built round 6; 3 points per lab adv tech tile on the top of the navigation track): https://www.boardgamers.space/game/AllaFieraDelBesc

Matteo's Firaks game in the tournament: https://www.boardgamers.space/game/EurAfrAsia-CUP-Group-E-2

While you wait for the next episode, come play with us (Molfo and El Temblo) on BGS: https://www.boardgamers.space.

Gaia "Fight Club" Discord server: https://discord.gg/TsNX9epNUp

Feedback and contact: [email protected]

We did it! We incredibly, amazingly did it! We managed to bring Helge Ostertag in front of  Paia Groject's microphones, and had a long chat with him about the game, its past, present and future. We dicussed playtest, balancing, and the much-anticipated expansion for the game. So what are you waiting for, dive right in, and as usual, give us you feedbacks here, via email, or on the Boardgamers Gaia discord!

00.00 INTRODUCTION

02.35 WHY GAIA PROJECT? A SEQUEL TO TERRA MYSTICA

06.25 HELGE'S FAVOURITE ELEMENTS OF THE GAME

08.10 HOW WERE THE FACTIONS IN GP BALANCED?

12.10 DISCUSSING SOME OF THE FACTIONS (LANTIDS, ITARS, FIRAKS, BALTAKS)

23.00 HELGE'S & THE META (INCLUDING ARUN'S STATISTICS!)

25.00 HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO DESIGN GP AND TERRA MYSTICA?

27.40 DOES HELGE STILL PLAY GAIA PROJECT?

29.15 SOME UNEXPECTED DIRECTIONS THAT GP TOOK AFTER ITS RELEASE

32.00 IS BALANCING REALLY A THING?

35.15 WHAT IS THE EXPANSION GOING TO DO TO THE OVERALL BALANCE OF THE GAME?

37.40 NEW ELEMENTS IN THE EXPANSION

45.00 THE FOUR NEW FACTIONS

50.25 HOW DOES ONE GET TO BE A PART OF THE PLAYTEST FOR THE EXPANSION?

53.45 HUGE THANKS TO HELGE AND JENS, THE CREATORS OF THE BEST GAME OF ALL TIMES!

You can view the components Helge showed us here:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2772009/sneak-peeks-upcoming-portals-expansions

While you wait for the next episode, come play with us (Molfo and El Temblo) on BGS: https://www.boardgamers.space.

Feedback and contact: [email protected]

Gaia "Fight Club" Discord server: https://discord.gg/TsNX9epNUp

Theme song by Paranoixx: https://www.beatstars.com/titoc06/feed

In this episode we discuss round scoring bonuses, a core component of the game, and one whose importance is often overlooked. Luckily, the Paia Groject podcast is about to change this forever...

We hope you enjoy the episode, please give us you feedback here, via email, or on the Boardgamers Gaia discord!

00.00 INTRODUCTION AND FEEDBACK ON PREVIOUS EPISODES

05.30 REMEMBER THAT THE HELGE EPISODE IS COMING NEXT WEEK!

06.50 MATTEO'S CAT MAKES SOME NOISES, THEN ROUND SCORING BONUSES: AN OVERVIEW

17.20 POINTS-PER-GAIA-PLANET ROUND SCORING BONUSES

29.10 POINTS-PER-MINE ROUND SCORING BONUS

32.20 POINTS-PER-TERRAFORMING-STEP ROUND SCORING BONUS

41.20 POINTS-PER-TRADING-STATION ROUND SCORING BONUSES

53.20 POINTS-PER-LARGE-BUILDING ROUND SCORING BONUSES

1.00.20 POINTS-PER-TECH-ADVANCEMENT

1.06.00 POINTS-PER-FEDERATION-TOKEN ROUND SCORING BONUS

1.22.10 SUMMING UP

1.23.20 UPDATES ON THE ONGOING EURAFRASIAN GAIA TOURNAMENT

While you wait for the next episode, come play with us (Molfo and El Temblo) on BGS: https://www.boardgamers.space.

Feedback and contact: [email protected]

Gaia "Fight Club" Discord server: https://discord.gg/TsNX9epNUp

Theme song by Paranoixx: https://www.beatstars.com/titoc06/feed

Happy belated Halloween everyone! We're back with our spookiest guide yet, here come the Nevlas!

00.00 INTRODUCTION

1.25.20 CHATTING ABOUT THE 2ND EASTERN EMISPHERE GAIA TOURNAMENT - EURAFRASIAN EDITION

Simone's Ivits game in the tournament: https://www.boardgamers.space/game/EurAfrAsia-CUP-Group-D-3

Matteo's Geodens game in the tournament: https://www.boardgamers.space/game/EurAfrAsia-CUP-Group-A-3

While you wait for the next episode, come play with us (Molfo and El Temblo) on BGS: https://www.boardgamers.space.

Gaia "Fight Club" Discord server: https://discord.gg/TsNX9epNUp

Feedback and contact: [email protected]

In case you are still craving for some discussion about statistics in Gaia Project, even after all the wonderful threads that Arun (AKA Roadrunner19) has opened on BGG, we decided to directly invite him to Paia Groject, and have a little chat with him about the work he's been doing and what all of this means. So sit down, relax, and enjoy the chat with this episode's guest star!

00.00 - INTRODUCING OUR AMAZING GUEST

Arun's massive work:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2720930/navigating-through-statistics-explaining-gaia-proj

Molfo's Lantids game in the tournament: https://www.boardgamers.space/game/EurAfrAsia-CUP-Group-D-2

ElTemblo's Hadschallas game in the tournament: https://www.boardgamers.space/game/EurAfrAsia-CUP-Group-A-2c

While you wait for the next episode, come play with us (Molfo and El Temblo) on BGS: https://www.boardgamers.space.

Feedback and contact: [email protected]

Gaia "Fight Club" Discord server: https://discord.gg/TsNX9epNUp

Theme song by Paranoixx: https://www.beatstars.com/titoc06/feed

Ooops, we did it again! Here comes yet another faction guide. Today we extensively discuss Geodens (and when we say extensively, we mean it: we were in a bit of a chatty mood). Also, feedback & errata are back, and if you live to get to the end of this episode, you will also get some update about the currently ongoing EurAfrAsian Torunament!

00.00 INTRODUCTION

11.50 FACTION DESCRIPTION (ok, first a discussion about cogs, then faction description)

1.23.50 CHATTING ABOUT THE 2ND EASTERN EMISPHERE GAIA TOURNAMENT - EURAFRASIAN EDITION

vizkris' nice Geodens game: https://www.boardgamers.space/game/EurAfrAsia-CUP-Group-C

Game 1, El Temblo: https://www.boardgamers.space/game/EurAfrAsia-CUP-Group-A

Game 1, Molfo: https://www.boardgamers.space/game/EurAfrAsia-CUP-Group-D

While you wait for the next episode, come play with us (Molfo and El Temblo) on BGS: https://www.boardgamers.space.

Feedback and contact: [email protected]

Gaia "Fight Club" Discord server: https://discord.gg/TsNX9epNUp

Theme song by Paranoixx: https://www.beatstars.com/titoc06/feed

Did you know that the Gaia Project International Tournament just took place?

Since the chance was too good not to catch, we invited the organizer, Marco/ZeroCool, to talk with us about how the tournament went, and where his next big tournaments are going; our chat resulted in a very relaxed and special episode, which we hope you’ll enjoy as well.

Oh, and we also had to opportunity to ask something to the winner of the tournament…

(Sorry for the lack of errata, they will return in the next episode)

02:40 - TOURNAMENT DURATION, PARTICIPANTS, AND TIMING ISSUES

09:14 - TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE: NUMBER OF GAMES, TABLE FORMATION, AND SCORING RATIONALE

13:02 - TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE: GAMES AND FACTION PICKING MECHANISM

14:25 - PROS AND CONS OF AUCTIONS IN TOURNAMENTS (AND NOT)

26:14 - IMPRESSIONS ABOUT FACTION PICKS

31:10 - REPORT FROM THE WINNER OF THE TOURNAMENT

38:45 - INTERESTING DYNAMICS WHICH SHOWED UP IN THIS COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT

45:00 - FUTURE PERSPECTIVES FOR FUTURE TOURNAMENTS

52:42 - A SHOUTOUT TO A FRIEND IN POLAND

Matteo's terrible Itars game (and Marco's super good Taklons one): https://www.boardgamers.space/game/GPIT-Round10-Table1

Matteo's really nice Lantids game (the 3vp/mine adv tile actually gave him "just" 24 points): https://www.boardgamers.space/game/GPIT-TURN4-TABLE1

While you wait for the next episode, come play with us (Molfo and El Temblo) on BGS: https://www.boardgamers.space.

Feedback and contact: [email protected]

Gaia "Fight Club" Discord server: https://discord.gg/TsNX9epNUp

Theme song by Paranoixx: https://www.beatstars.com/titoc06/feed