18XX : train simulator games

[rancher]

Thought it could be fun to try playing this sometime on https://18xx.games/

Have you ever dreamed of being a rail mogul? The time is now to realize your dream. The game "Shikoku 1889" is a smaller simpler 18XX game set in... Japan during the Meiji Restoration era.

If you are interested in playing, post your general availability in UTC timezone -- google is your friend if you are confused here.

• Rancher -- 14:00 -- 20:00 UTC almost every day

Brief tutorial here in the 18xx.games engine. Youtube has a number of videos on how to play. TL;DR rounds alternate between buying/selling stocks ("Stock Rounds") and doing train-related activities like laying track, placing stations, running trains, buying engines. There is no luck and all information is public.

Part of the game decision making process includes deciding whether to pay out dividends, which increases share value, or withholding funds, which decreases share value but increases cash for buying trains. Upgrading to a new kind of engine has the effect of killing all existing trains (called "rusting"). Playing with stocks matters almost as much as actually developing the railways...





The game ends when the bank runs out of money, when a player goes bankrupt, or when a round limit is reached. Then everyone counts their net worth: cash in hand plus the market value of the shares they hold.

2-6 players, roughly 2-3 hours game time. We could play while talking on Mumble.

[Ptephine]

I had a look through the tutorial, and this seems like a really interesting game! Frankly, I think it's a bit overwhelming too! But I'd be more than willing to give it a go to try to get the hang of things! I think watching a game in progress might help to get things clicked in place, and also just having a few test games.

I'm usually free on weekdays between 17:00-23:00, and free all day on weekends.