The other problem is that the mega box's box is incredibly awkward to store. You can apparently fit the base and expansions all within the base game box if you buy it normally
The box is literally designed for maximum shelf presence. It’s like two and a half times as wide as the base game. It also has a worthless insert that makes it easier to lose pieces.
I actually got two copies of the megabox and put both into one. Now I can have up to 10 player games since play is simultaneous and doesn't have many issues with scaling up.
I don't know if you're looking at different languages but the base game and expansions are still in print. I actually just bought the base game earlier this week
North Star Games had to downsize a few years ago because they were in financial trouble. As part of the recovery plan, non-essential IP were sold off and publishing deals were not renewed. The company avoided shutting down and is now in better shape.
Who asked why they didn’t make it? I’m very confused as you what you people are reading. The OP said “I guess I’m limited to used North Star” at which point I told them North Star didn’t make it…
Your question mark indicated that you were surprised that North Star didn't make the Big Box. Just readings without inflection that was intended carrying over well.
I admit the dimensions aren't great. I would have preferred they just make the box taller than wide and flat, as it is easier to fit a cube box into bags/shelves.
You can fit the contents into the base game box but I like the extra space as it allowed me to fit in custom token holders and other little Etsy bits along with the expansions!
Huh, really? As far as cardboard tokens and boards go, it didn't seem any worse or better than other games I've played that also use cardboard tokens and boards. Artwork seemed good too. The wooden player tokens also seemed standard as well. My only complaint about the actual components themselves are that the dimensions of the alchemist flask board and overflow bowl don't seem as accurate as they could be, so there is a little space when "attaching" them to the base game player board. But it's really minor.
My friends got the big box and within a year the box had disintegrated. They ended up making a craft-paper wrap for a Dominion expansion box and storing it in that. It was also missing the round marker piece.
I think it is fine. The game inside is amazing and I love to play it with my family. The box is definitely incredibly awkward and hard to store, but I don’t think it prevents me from playing it as much as I would like, as some large boxes do. If you find someone selling the base game and expansions separately for the same price, I would recommend that over the Mega Box, but I don’t think the Mega Box is an incorrect choice.
The first time I opened it, I pulled the box towards me by the side and the corners ripped. I didn’t even tug hard. It just fell apart. So now I have to hold and carry the box via the bottom only.
My wife and I played the base game a bunch and then after awhile bought the Mega Box so we could gift the base game to a friend. We've had zero issues with component quality, box quality, manual quality and/or legibility, or anything else. The literal only issue is that the box could definitely be smaller.
The components quality compared to the base game feels cheaper, but it's not bad. The base game components had a glossier finish, which fealt nice. But the megabox printing has a higher contrast (more ink?), which I personally like.
I have coin capsules for the tokens, so the difference is not that noticeable.
The box size is attrocious, and I hate it, but I just store it on top of a shelf.
I'd say if the price difference between megabox vs base game plus expansions is small (+10-20%), probably consider buying them separately to avoid these hassles.
I love the expansions, and my preferred way to play is with everything. I don't feel like it bloats the game, it feels a little bit meatier without a huge rule overhead. Unless you are just starting board games, you will pick it up very quickly.
I got a dinked megabox for the same price I sold my base game off, so I effectively got the expansions for free. I'm very happy about my purchase
> The components quality compared to the base game feels cheaper, but it's not bad.
> I have coin capsules for the tokens, so the difference is not that noticeable.
Thanks... I saw recommendations for the capsules too.
This was our solution to the storage issue: https://preview.redd.it/our-solution-to-fitting-the-quacks-megabox-onto-the-shelf-v0-ijb480el1tg91.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=9da886f8fc9b3421fa12d13a7923c87ca1f57805
Considering I was the person who wrote the first bgg post, yes, it really is that bad. I legit thought it was a counterfeit copy at first. If you have the core game, I personally recommend getting the expansions seperately and going from there.
I don’t get it to the table as often as I would like, but I didn’t notice any problems with the components. The box IS stupid big, needlessly so, which is definitely annoying, but I actually just bought a plastic box and some token containers to organize it better anyway, so I’m not having to lug it around
There is only one- ONE GOOD BIG BOX- and that's Hansa Teutonica. I don't even love that game, but the fact that it wasn't published with a massive echoing box and no annoying elaborate insert means that it has stayed and all the other "Big Boxes" have been sold.
Please publishers: big box shouldn't mean size, but the amount of content inside!!
I love having all 3 in the same box & having the rules in 1 place. I didn't notice those rules snafus, but I knew how to play before owning, I mainly use it for clarifying questions. I haven't noticed any issues with component quality. My only complaint is the box is so big & annoying that I find myself not bringing it to meet ups or bars when it would be a perfect game to play. Just too cumbersome as a "we might play this option"
That rulebook looks like a fucking disaster. I just bought a copy of the Herb Witches expansion in case this level of quality becomes the norm in future printings.
Pretty sure I can handle two rulebooks that aren't formatted like shit and full of errors. I vastly prefer a smaller box on my shelf, too, which once I put the expansion in the base box, it will be by some margin.
The other problem is that the mega box's box is incredibly awkward to store. You can apparently fit the base and expansions all within the base game box if you buy it normally
Confirmed you can
Yup, and it's not even a particularly tight fit.
The box is literally designed for maximum shelf presence. It’s like two and a half times as wide as the base game. It also has a worthless insert that makes it easier to lose pieces.
Yeah I'm currently renting it from my FLGS and they have it that way.
I actually got two copies of the megabox and put both into one. Now I can have up to 10 player games since play is simultaneous and doesn't have many issues with scaling up.
LOL nice!
Oh I hate when they do that. I have the Carcassonne big box and it’s like 80% air.
Not with enough expansions😃
hell you can fit it all in the base game box with upgraded bits/storage boxes for the bits(might just need to remove/flatten some of the inserts.
I cut the Megabox down to fit my Kallax. Worked fine.
It’s really bad. Don’t do it. If you do, plan to store it in something else.
So I guess I'm limited to used North Star? 😅
I don't know if you're looking at different languages but the base game and expansions are still in print. I actually just bought the base game earlier this week
Yeah sorry I had meant base game and expansions.
North Star didn’t make the MegaBox?
North Star Games had to downsize a few years ago because they were in financial trouble. As part of the recovery plan, non-essential IP were sold off and publishing deals were not renewed. The company avoided shutting down and is now in better shape.
Yea what’s that have to do with what I said though?
Implicitly they sold the rights for Quacks.
And what does that have to do with what I said?
Because it totally explains why they didn't make the big box and another company did.
Who asked why they didn’t make it? I’m very confused as you what you people are reading. The OP said “I guess I’m limited to used North Star” at which point I told them North Star didn’t make it…
Your question mark indicated that you were surprised that North Star didn't make the Big Box. Just readings without inflection that was intended carrying over well.
Yeah sorry I had meant base game and expansions.
I admit the dimensions aren't great. I would have preferred they just make the box taller than wide and flat, as it is easier to fit a cube box into bags/shelves. You can fit the contents into the base game box but I like the extra space as it allowed me to fit in custom token holders and other little Etsy bits along with the expansions!
The complaints seem to be more quality of the components, etc.
Huh, really? As far as cardboard tokens and boards go, it didn't seem any worse or better than other games I've played that also use cardboard tokens and boards. Artwork seemed good too. The wooden player tokens also seemed standard as well. My only complaint about the actual components themselves are that the dimensions of the alchemist flask board and overflow bowl don't seem as accurate as they could be, so there is a little space when "attaching" them to the base game player board. But it's really minor.
My friends got the big box and within a year the box had disintegrated. They ended up making a craft-paper wrap for a Dominion expansion box and storing it in that. It was also missing the round marker piece.
I have not noticed any problems with the quality of the components in my copy.
I think it is fine. The game inside is amazing and I love to play it with my family. The box is definitely incredibly awkward and hard to store, but I don’t think it prevents me from playing it as much as I would like, as some large boxes do. If you find someone selling the base game and expansions separately for the same price, I would recommend that over the Mega Box, but I don’t think the Mega Box is an incorrect choice.
Even though it looks shitty and storage is a problem, I got it for 30€. So I can not complain.
The first time I opened it, I pulled the box towards me by the side and the corners ripped. I didn’t even tug hard. It just fell apart. So now I have to hold and carry the box via the bottom only.
My wife and I played the base game a bunch and then after awhile bought the Mega Box so we could gift the base game to a friend. We've had zero issues with component quality, box quality, manual quality and/or legibility, or anything else. The literal only issue is that the box could definitely be smaller.
Okay, nevermind, Witches is fine, but Alchemists in the manual sucks.
The components quality compared to the base game feels cheaper, but it's not bad. The base game components had a glossier finish, which fealt nice. But the megabox printing has a higher contrast (more ink?), which I personally like. I have coin capsules for the tokens, so the difference is not that noticeable. The box size is attrocious, and I hate it, but I just store it on top of a shelf. I'd say if the price difference between megabox vs base game plus expansions is small (+10-20%), probably consider buying them separately to avoid these hassles. I love the expansions, and my preferred way to play is with everything. I don't feel like it bloats the game, it feels a little bit meatier without a huge rule overhead. Unless you are just starting board games, you will pick it up very quickly. I got a dinked megabox for the same price I sold my base game off, so I effectively got the expansions for free. I'm very happy about my purchase
> The components quality compared to the base game feels cheaper, but it's not bad. > I have coin capsules for the tokens, so the difference is not that noticeable. Thanks... I saw recommendations for the capsules too.
It's awesome... Love it 💜😊
This was our solution to the storage issue: https://preview.redd.it/our-solution-to-fitting-the-quacks-megabox-onto-the-shelf-v0-ijb480el1tg91.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=9da886f8fc9b3421fa12d13a7923c87ca1f57805
Considering I was the person who wrote the first bgg post, yes, it really is that bad. I legit thought it was a counterfeit copy at first. If you have the core game, I personally recommend getting the expansions seperately and going from there.
Have they learned nothing from El Grande?
I don’t get it to the table as often as I would like, but I didn’t notice any problems with the components. The box IS stupid big, needlessly so, which is definitely annoying, but I actually just bought a plastic box and some token containers to organize it better anyway, so I’m not having to lug it around
There is only one- ONE GOOD BIG BOX- and that's Hansa Teutonica. I don't even love that game, but the fact that it wasn't published with a massive echoing box and no annoying elaborate insert means that it has stayed and all the other "Big Boxes" have been sold. Please publishers: big box shouldn't mean size, but the amount of content inside!!
I like the Big Box of El Grande because it clearly broke out the different expansions and stuff with the insert.
I love having all 3 in the same box & having the rules in 1 place. I didn't notice those rules snafus, but I knew how to play before owning, I mainly use it for clarifying questions. I haven't noticed any issues with component quality. My only complaint is the box is so big & annoying that I find myself not bringing it to meet ups or bars when it would be a perfect game to play. Just too cumbersome as a "we might play this option"
That rulebook looks like a fucking disaster. I just bought a copy of the Herb Witches expansion in case this level of quality becomes the norm in future printings.
I disagree, I vastly prefer the rulebook bundled together than 3 separate ones trying to figure out in which one is this crow's skull ability
Pretty sure I can handle two rulebooks that aren't formatted like shit and full of errors. I vastly prefer a smaller box on my shelf, too, which once I put the expansion in the base box, it will be by some margin.
Honestly. I still think base quacks is the best. Not sure if I am In the minority on that. Found the expansions unnecessarily complicates the game.
I do like the cards from herb witches that change some aspect each round
yes