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Game Preview: Galaxy Trucker
By W. Eric Martin
August 22, 2007
Publisher: Czech Games Edition
Designer: Vladimír Chvátil
Players: 2-4
Ages: 10+
Playing Time: 60 minutes
Languages: English, German or Czech
Release Date: October 2007
The housing market may have slowed in the U.S. since the start of 2007, but there’s always room for growth in other parts of the world. Heck, why think small? Let’s start exploring the intergalactic housing markets for new business opportunities. Czech designer Vladimír Chvátil is already there with his newest publication, Galaxy Trucker. Here’s a description of the game from publisher Czech Games Edition:
| Corporation Incorporated is an interplanetary construction firm that builds sewer systems and low-income housing on the less-developed planets of the Galaxy. For years, Corp Inc. has tottered on the brink of bankruptcy—transporting building materials to the edge of the Galaxy, where the need for its services is greatest, is a risky business.
The company was saved by a few visionaries on the board of directors. Instead of shipping materials to the Periphery, they reasoned, why not build the materials into spacecraft and let them ship themselves? Furthermore, why hire pilots if there are nut-cases willing to man the ships for free? That’s where you come in. Just sign the contract, and you gain unrestricted access to a Corp Inc. Warehouse. Build your own space ship from the available prefabricated components, and fly it to the Periphery. Of course, you may have to eat a loss, but any profits you make along the way are yours to keep, and Corporation Incorporated will pay you a bonus for quick delivery. It’s possible that you will end up with an insurmountable debt and finish your days panhandling on the streets of Deneb III, but if Lady Luck should smile upon you, you just might find yourself among the 10 billion richest people in the Galaxy! |
As for how the game is played, at the start of each of the three rounds, players rummage through the Warehouse, trying to grab the best components and build the best spaceship possible. Once the ships have launched, the players try to avoid snares and obstacles, while grabbing financial opportunities, with each hoping to be the first to finish with an undamaged ship.
As CGE’s Petr Murmak explains, “In Round 1, players build Class I ships and fly them on a safe short hop. In Round 2, they build larger Class II ships to take on a more daring journey. In Round 3, they build gigantic Class III ships and set out for the farthest, most dangerous corners of the Galaxy. Longer journeys offer greater rewards, but also present greater dangers.” Whoever nets the most cosmic credits by the end of the third round wins the game.
| Pictures - Click the picture for a larger version | |
 | After much debate, the CGE team finally went with Galaxy Trucker as the final title over such choices as Galactic Trucker, Interstellar Convoy, and Pigs in Space |
 | Descriptions courtesy of Petr Murmak: This is the start of the game with the building of Class 1 spaceships; each player has a ship board, and the graphics in this prototype are close to the finished product |
 | Players typically lose tiles during flight, and if this Class III ship loses its rightmost cannon in the front line (through an adventure card), then the other two will be removed as well because they’ll have no support |
 | The final version of the flight board, which is common to all players |
 | Czech versions of the adventure cards; what do you think they do? |
Posted by W. Eric Martin on Aug 22, 2007 at 04:00 AM in Game Previews / 3211
Comments:
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Could be nice. It’s on my radar! Posted by Surya Van Lierde on Aug 22, 2007 at 06:11 AM | #
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The theme sounds like it’s from a Philip K. Dick novel, I can’t wait to get my hands on it!! Posted by Phil Schwarzmann on Aug 22, 2007 at 04:54 PM | #
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It also seems nice to me ... I see an hourglass ... that’s could make it playable also with some “heavy thinker” ? Posted by Andrea Liga Ligabue on Aug 23, 2007 at 03:11 AM | #
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Definitely. However, even a group of “heavy thinkers” can enjoy the game - the hourglass starts to run once the fastest player finishes his ship. So it doesn’t speed up the game if all players want to take their time, it just prevents the faster players to wait for the slower ones too long (and adds some thrill to the game, of course :o) Posted by Vlaada Chvatil on Aug 23, 2007 at 10:50 AM | #
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That’s a great idea, Vlaada! I’ll have to use that in all future simultaneous selections games where a player prone to analysis paralysis is present. Posted by Jeff Allers on Aug 29, 2007 at 11:10 AM | #
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Will this game and League of Six be available to preorder for Essen, also are there plans for US distribution? Posted by Lorna Wong on Sep 13, 2007 at 01:02 AM | #
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Preorder for Essen will be available soon. US distribution is open question right now. Posted by Petr Murmak on Sep 13, 2007 at 09:10 PM | #
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