Vantage is the most ambitious project from Stonemier Games. The game slowly cooks for seven years and finally peeks from the lid. According to the designer Jamey Stegmaier, Vantage is an open-world, cooperative adventure game for 1-6 players. The players will be explorers of an uncharted planet represented by 800 initial cards containing interconnected locations with an additional 900 cards that players can discover during the game. As of this point, we can only speculate on the card’s size, but if they are standard A7 flat, this will be the biggest table-hogger ever made, and that is just the setup. I’m sure Stonemier had considered that; however, this game will be huge, with 1.700 cards. Even if half of the cards were used during one game session, it is still a huge game. Naturally, this is expected from an epic open-world game.
At this time, not much is known about Vantage except that we are passengers aboard an intergalactic vessel heading towards an uncharted planet. There is some problem or malfunction, at which point we need to abandon the ship to survive. Each player has crashed in a different location and is free to explore this alien planet. However, players will be divided by vast distances so that player interaction will be minimal. Players can still strategize together; however, everyone plays from their first-player perspective.
There is also one more thing that we know about Vantage. The game will have metal coins, which look amazing. What is more impressive is that they are already on sale. The designer is worried that selling the coins this early is odd, but looking at them from this picture, we at Boardgamesland say go for it. Even if the game is not to your taste, you can use the coins in other games like Underwater Cities, Outlive, or any other game with futuristic currency.
Finally, as the game approaches its production date, we understand that it will be a big box with everything included right from the start, and there will be no need for expansions. This is surely a very bold move from Stonemier Games. Our interests are surely piqued here at Boardgamesland, and we wait with anticipation for this one.
Thanks for sharing about Vantage, Ivan! I have a few clarifications: Setup in Vantage is lightning-fast, as you’re basically just putting the entire box of cards on the table (there’s never any shuffling in Vantage). As for table space, you need room for the box of cards and for a small board to track a few things, along with space for each player’s tableau of cards. Because of this and because each player is only ever looking at their current location, it doesn’t require a huge table (it isn’t a table hog). Also, while the game includes 1700 cards’ worth of content, it does so with “only” 1300 cards, as the big location cards are double sided (different locations on each side).
You can learn details about this and more in the Vantage FAQ and design diary sections on our website.
Hey Jamey,
Thanks for jumping into the discussion about Vantage! Your insights are like a fresh breeze on our website.
You’re right, I might have been a bit overzealous with my “table-hogger” comment, of course I meant that in a good way, hehe. Sure, it’s got a ton of cards (1300 to be exact, thanks for the correction), but you made a great point about how they’re used. The fact that players only need to focus on their current location and not the whole spread does make it more manageable than I initially suggested. And yes, no shuffling! That’s a time-saver for sure.
I also appreciate your reminder about the double-sided location cards. It’s like getting two for the price of one, huh? And that certainly adds to the vastness of this uncharted planet we’re all so eager to explore.
I’ll be sure to point my readers towards your FAQ and design diary sections.
Thanks again for chiming in. It’s always cool to learn from people who are so involved with the game!
Cheers,
Ivan Ristov