Magnifico Coming Out For PC

tgb · October 30, 2014, 07:13:10 AM

Matrix/Slitherine pulled a stealth release on this one. I have the Android version and I really like it a lot, although it's a little tough to see on a Nexus 7, so I'm glad to be able to play it on a larger screen.

[edit]For some reason I thought this was coming out today. I may have been mistaken.

Gusington · October 30, 2014, 01:58:52 PM

How is the gameplay? I am very excited about this but the gameplay looks a little flat from the screenies.

tgb · October 30, 2014, 07:02:31 PM

Quote from: Gusington on October 30, 2014, 01:58:52 PM
How is the gameplay? I am very excited about this but the gameplay looks a little flat from the screenies.

It's based on a boardgame and is very beer-and-pretzels. Keep in mind that it was developed first for IOS and then ported to Android and now Windows, so that should tell you something about the depth in itself. Not to say the game isn't fun.

Games are played until someone reaches a VP level (usually 30,40, or 50). The map is based on Western Europe and is broken into provinces. Each player starts with a single province and expands out form there. Each province produces conscripts and taxes (florin). Neutral provinces are conquered just by moving a unit into them, and dice-based combat happens when another player's territory is invaded. The combat portion of the game is very much like Risk.

Each turn is broken into 3 phases - Auction, Expansion and Combat, and Resolution. It's the Auction phase that sets the game apart. In the Auction phase, players get to bid on a set of Leonardo DaVinci blueprints, but it's a semi-blind auction. Players are shown the blueprints in advance, and then secretly bid a sum of money. High bidder gets first choice of blueprints, and has to take something, Second highest can get second dibs, or take nothing at all and get their money back, and so forth. Blueprints consist of improvements to infantry, arty, tanks, and even flying machines. There are also paintings like the Mona Lisa put up for auction that generate VP for the owner. Blueprints have to be activated to be used. High bidder for the auction becomes the Magnifico, which means that Leo spends the turn at your place, sleeping on the couch and raiding the fridge, while generating bonus VP.

Combat, as I said, is like Risk, except you can only expand into 3 provinces on a turn. You can fortify provinces, and with a high enough level of fortification, castles are built, but there is a hard limit on the number of castles that can be on the board at any one time.

In the resolution phase, everyone collects their taxes and conscripts, and then VP's are awarded to the player with the most provinces, the player with the most castles, the Magnifico for that turn, the most blueprints, etc.

Like I said, not deep but enjoyable. The IOS and Android versions sold for $5 or $10, iirc, and came with one map. Other maps and additional blueprints are available as paid DLC, but I never bothered with them. I'm guessing the PC version will cost a bit more but include everything.

Gusington · October 30, 2014, 09:11:12 PM

^Thanks, sounds very good from that description. Wonder when the release will be...

tgb · October 30, 2014, 09:27:32 PM

I've asked on the Matrix forum. I'll report back if I find anything out.

Gusington · October 30, 2014, 09:29:09 PM

Kewl. Thanks.

tgb · November 19, 2014, 12:14:52 PM

Matrix front page says it's out, but it's not in the store yet. I have no idea of the price or if it includes the DLC from the mobile versions

BanzaiCat · November 19, 2014, 12:21:42 PM

What an odd little game. Sixteenth-century Europe, but with tanks and flying machines powered by the wicked imagination of da Vinci?

Looks more suited as a tablet game than a PC game. Regardless thanks for this...I'm going to keep my eye on it in the App Store and get it when I have a chance.

tgb · November 19, 2014, 12:26:42 PM

Quote from: Banzai_Cat on November 19, 2014, 12:21:42 PM
What an odd little game. Sixteenth-century Europe, but with tanks and flying machines powered by the wicked imagination of da Vinci?

Looks more suited as a tablet game than a PC game. Regardless thanks for this...I'm going to keep my eye on it in the App Store and get it when I have a chance.

It's an IOS design ported first to Android and now PC.

BanzaiCat · November 19, 2014, 12:29:19 PM

Oh yes, I saw you said that earlier. I just thought it was strange they'd port it to the PC, which tells me they'd hopefully add more features to it. (Not that I would know as I do not own it.)

Gusington · November 19, 2014, 07:31:03 PM

Curious how much it will cost...

tgb · November 19, 2014, 08:37:53 PM

I don't know what's going on with this thing. The Matrix site shows it being released today. The Slitherine site shows a release date of May, 2015. It's not for sale at either one, and my attempts to get a straight answer have gone unanswered.

Frankly I'm ready to give up on the whole deal.

Gusington · November 19, 2014, 10:10:42 PM

Yeah I see the May 2015 date too.

tgb · November 20, 2014, 01:16:11 PM

It took opening a help ticket at Matrix support to finally get a straight answer:

QuoteThank you for contacting us. The game is coming soon, but it was not ready for release yesterday. The Matrix Homepage was updated by mistake and has since been removed. You are also correct on the Slitherine site: this is incorrectly showing as due for release in 2015, but we do hope to have the game available by the end of this year. Sorry for the confusion. I will ask that the Slitherine site is updated as well. Please do keep an eye on the home page/forums, as they will announce the official release, and sorry that the news item was released early.

.

So it wounds like end of December.......maybe.

Gusington · November 20, 2014, 02:12:00 PM

Thanks for posting that. That's a kinda sorta serious mistake to have on their site.