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In The Networks, you and your opponents are new television networks, and you need new programming. For this, you’ll need Shows, Stars, and Ads.
Shows need Stars and Ads. Stars give you bonus viewers (points), and Ads give you extra money. You’ll need everything you can get; you'll have a small amount of resources and time, and you must grab the latest hot show before your opponents.
And some Stars will give their best effort only if you put them on in the proper conditions. For example, some Stars only want to be put on dramas. Other Stars want to be the only Star on the show. And your Ads will give you the most money only if you put them on in the correct time slot.
Finally, Shows age and viewers lose interest, so you have to keep your line-up fresh by canceling shows and sending them into reruns. Fortunately, you can get viewers from your reruns, and you'll get bonuses if you get a lot of shows of the same genre throughout the game.
If you need a special push, Network Cards can give you special powers — but will a Network Card be better than another action? You'll have to make that call.
The player with the most viewers after five seasons wins!
- Cheeky, humorous card texts and theme
- Accessible and straightforward solo mode
- Paced, self-contained rounds with clear transitions
- Engaging endgame scoring through reruns and genre alignment
- Expansion content can add complexity
- Some card text references may feel dense or tangential for new players
- satirical look at media production, advertising, and celebrity culture
- Television networks and shows with a focus on prime time scheduling and ads
- card drafting and tableau-building to create a TV network
- Adulthood
- Ark Nova
- Luier
- Distilled
- Too Many Bones
- Pursuit of Happiness
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card drafting — Players draft TV show cards to build their network.
- Combat: Deck/Hand — The solo version uses a solo deck and a non-scoring AI opponent; scoring is determined by a solo chart.
- Endgame scoring via reruns and genre tracks — Shows placed in reruns and genre tracks contribute to final victory points.
- Solo mode with AI using a simplified deck — The solo version uses a solo deck and a non-scoring AI opponent; scoring is determined by a solo chart.
- tableau building — Cards must attach to shows with specific requirements, constructing a network tableau.
- Tableau building / set collection — Cards must attach to shows with specific requirements, constructing a network tableau.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This is the networks, specifically the networks prime time.
- This is just the base game.
- It's a very simple game for the most part.
- The solo mode for this version, the solo mode is a very simple solo mode.
References (from this video)
- Clever theme with industry flavor
- Solid engine-building decisions
- Flavorful shows and parodies
- Can be heavy for shorter sessions
- Potential learning curve
- Media industry, scheduling and ratings
- Running a television network, selecting shows, stars, and time slots
- Engine-building with hand-management flavor
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- engine building — Create an efficient slate of shows and management sequence to maximize points.
- engine_building — Create an efficient slate of shows and management sequence to maximize points.
- set_slot_management — Choosing time slots and star lineups yields varying points.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- The hobby business is from different sides.
- It's a wonderful experience.
- This podcast has brought me a lot of joy.
- The experience at PAX Unplugged was wonderful.
- The passion and generosity of publishers is special.