SanGuoSha English app - Ready for Download!

Hi everyone,

This is a dream come true for me. The SanGuoSha English app that I have been wishing for so long is finally available on iTunes for download!

Simply search for "Sanguosha" in iTunes store to find it. Or you can click on the link below to bring you there directly.

Link to iTunes Store:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sgs-english/id622343843?ls=1&mt=8

[Left] SanGuoSha English app icon freshly downloaded at 4th column, 2nd from bottom. The download time takes a bit longer, but it makes the app itself much faster to run. [Right] Characters icons browsed left to right. Tap on buttons below to browse other allegiance. Notice the "Options" button in brown at the top left? That allows you to navigate to playing cards or game rules.

[Left] One glance ability translations for each card. Font colour backing is colour coded to the allegiance. Background image is the card image itself for you to verify if you are at the right place. [Right] All playing card translations are also included.

Quick guide to the rules for use on-the-go.

I have promised that it would be super-fast and very intuitive to use for non-Chinese speaking/reading friends. Don't take my word for it! Test it out for yourself!

"Is it going to come out on Android as well?"

The quick answer is YES, though my partner is adamant that we only push into Android if the iTunes version sees significant download numbers.

So if you're an SGS player, do download the app and post your reviews and feedback on iTunes. We would very much appreciate it if you can find any bugs and problems so that we can improve on the next version!

Thanks for your support! 杀!!

Sino-Games opens in USA

Hello readers from USA!

Come May of 2013, Sino-games will set up shop in the US and be able to deliver your SanGuoSha purchases to you in a fraction of the current duration!

The best part is, the current shipping prices will be completely eliminated for US customers (with exception of Alaska and Hawaii), so you will pay for the product price ONLY. That is a saving of $99.90 if you purchase the Final Pack!!

We hope you are as excited about this new launch as we are! Here's looking forward to bringing your SanGuoSha faster, cheaper, and more reliably!

杀!!

The OFFICIAL SGS English App (for iPhone)

I have been living in a cave... figuratively, of course.

SGS English app icon

Frankly, it's downright embarrassing that I haven't created an app for all you readers. The only one out there is created by Kevin Quan from Canada, and i must say it works well. A big "Thank You" to Kevin for acknowledging this blog for the translated contents!

Still... i wanted to create an app with my inputs behind it; an app that i can truly call "my own". An app which is specially catered to the SanGuoSha players out there who need INSTANT TRANSLATIONS.

I'm proud to announce that the "SanGuoSha English Translation" app is complete!

Check out the last icon in the 3rd column...

I set out to design an app that must fulfill the following criteria:

1. Lightning fast loading speed - from the time you click the card you need, to displaying the info should be almost instantaneous! We went made the extra mile to make this app as "bare-bones" as possible, such that the very first screen you see is already character cards selection.

2. Just ability translations, no stories! - You no longer need to scroll down just to get to the ability translations (which is what most people are looking for). The ability translations jump right at you the moment you select your card needed.

3. Easy to use and intuitive - You should be able to find ANY card you are looking for within 3 seconds. Not only are the cards arranged categorically, but also alphabetically within the categories. 

4. Catered to users with ZERO Chinese ability - If you have no clue what the name of that character is, you will still be able to find your card easily! Simply go to the correct category based on the colour of the allegiance, then match your card in hand to the same image in the app. 

5. Condensed "How to Play" - Another "bare-bones" effort to get you the info you need. This is not a hand-holding walk-through, but a touch-and-go summary so that you can quickly find that rule that's been bugging you.

This free app will be available in a couple of days time (currently approval stage at iTunes). Watch this space for updates!!!

The Fastest way to learn SanGuoSha!

If you are completely new to SanGuoSha and you are keen to pick up the game, then this is perfect for you!

The SGS and KW "Playing Mat - Quick Guide" is a PDF download that shows you how to layout your character card, equipped items and judgement cards. Print out as many mats as you need, whenever you need. No need for bulky shipping and long waiting times!

Flip the mat over and its a concise "How to Play" that should get your started in minutes.

You can also download it onto your iPad as a quick reference to pass around.

Check it out here! http://www.sino-games.com/products/playing-mat-quick-guide

Comments are back up!

I realize that locking out comments was a bad idea. So i have re-opened all the comments, so feel free to ask questions and post corrections here.

Hope you all are having fun with Kingdom wars so far!

SP cards + Magazine, Unofficial packs, FREE DELIVERY within SG

Sino-Games.com now operates with a new system. FREE DELIVERY right to your door-step!

Get your October and November issue of 桌游志 magazine with SP card here!

Unofficial card fans, here's what you always been waiting for!

Take advantage of free delivery NOW!

Sino-Games.com says Goodbye

Thank you for all your support of Sino-Games.com the past 2 years. It brings up all sorts of fuzzy happy feelings to receive emails and comments about what we want to do for the community.

I'm still giving careful consideration about starting another business to cater to the SGS crowd, but with a slightly different business model.

Maybe that would work out some time soon! So do keep an eye out for it!

Till then, here's saying Goodbye and Thanks for all your support!

- Ricky on behalf of Sino-Games.com

Sino-Games closes for good on 31st October.

Goodbye, and all stock must go!

There's no easy way to say it. Sino-Games is closing, and our last day will be on the 31st of October. As such, we are having a clearance sale, and everything must go.

PROMO CODE: CLEARANCE

- 40% discount on ALL products on Sino-games.com

We hope you will take this 3 week window to grab your desired items, especially items already low in stock to begin with such as SP cards. Click the link below to visit Sino-Games.com now!

http://www.sino-games.com/

Once again, a big thank you for all your support! We hope you will support us again in our future stores. See you soon!

Regards
Sino-Games.com

Kingdom Wars Videos Part 2

Hi everyone, here's part 2 of the Kingdom War's walkthrough videos! The bulk of the differences in KW and SGS is described in detail in the 4 videos below. Enjoy!!

Part 2a: Setting Up!

Part 2b: Synergistic Characters and Bonuses

Part 2c: Teams and Ambitionists

Part 2d: Rewards and Punishments

Kingdom Wars Walkthrough: Part 1

Here's Part 1 of a series of videos, describing what Kingdom Wars is like and why I love it so much! Hope you will enjoy the video.

杀!!

Kingdom Wars Walkthrough Video: Part 1

Here's Part 1 of a series of videos, describing what Kingdom Wars is like and why I love it so much! Hope you will enjoy the video.

杀!!

Kingdom Wars/SGS differences in Gameplay

This is the Quick-Guide for KW/SGS differences that you will get with every purchase of KW from Sino-Games. It's simple, but i hope it will suffice as a condensed summary of the changes that occur!

Enjoy!!


Quick Guide to changes for Kingdom Wars Gameplay (for experienced SGS players)

1. Game Objective
a. There are no longer the 4 roles (Ruler 主公, Loyalist 忠臣 etc). Instead every player is teamed up according to the Kingdom that their characters belong: Shu (Red), Wei (Blue), Wu (Green) and Grey (Heroes).

b. There is one special Kingdom known as “Ambitionist 野心家”. It is a different Kingdom from the rest. All Ambitionists are their own Kingdom. They have no allies. (See section 4c)

c. The objective is to be the only Kingdom left standing after eliminating all the players from other Kingdoms.


2. Game Set-up
a. Deal 7 character cards per player. If there are 9 players or more, deal 5 characters per player.

b. Each player must select 2 characters from the same Kingdom.
 Eg: If you are dealt 4 blue, 2 red and 1 grey characters, you can either choose 2 out of the 4 blue, or the 2 red characters. You cannot choose the grey character)
 Some character pairs are “synergistic”. Look for the name of their synergistic partner at the bottom right of their portrait. All synergistic pairs are shown on the last page of the original Chinese game manual.
 “Synergistic pairs” gets a bonus during game play (See section 4d).

c. After selecting your pair of characters, choose one of them to be your main character 主将, the other as your supporting character 副将. Place both character cards faced down (hidden) with your main character next to your health card. Use the main character to cover the health card when you are damaged.
 Main character determines the gender of your combined character pairs when both are exposed.
 If only one of your characters is exposed, your gender is that of the exposed character.
 Both your characters share ONE health card. If your health becomes zero, you are out of the game.
 You can use ALL the abilities of both characters. If more than one ability can be activated at the same time, you can activate both by deciding the order in which to activate.

d. Your maximum health is the sum of both characters’ health limits. If the sum is not a whole number, round down to the nearest whole number.


3. Game play
a. Think of each player as one “combined character” possessing all the abilities in both character cards.

b. Most of the game play is the same as SGS. For eg: the different phases of a turn (drawing phase, action phase, etc), the distance calculations, etc.

c. The biggest differences are: Exposing Character Cards, and Rewards/Punishments for Kills.


4. Exposing Character Cards
a. You can only possess the character abilities and Kingdom affiliation of your characters if they are exposed.
 If both cards are hidden, you have no character abilities, and you belong to no Kingdom.

b. You can only expose your character cards if either of these 2 conditions are met:
(i) It is the start of your turn (before you perform any other action in your turn).
(ii) When you want to activate an ability of a hidden character. For eg:
 When the hidden character is Guo Jia 郭嘉 and you received damage outside your turn, you can expose Guo Jia and use his ability to draw 2 cards.
 When you are using Ma Chao 马超 and want to use his ability within your turn to use an ATTACK 杀, you can expose him to activate the ability.

c. If half of all the players in the game belong to the same Kingdom, the next player that exposes his character as having the same Kingdom as them will become an “Ambitionist”.
 For eg: There are 6 players, and 3 of them have already exposed themselves as Shu (Red), the 4th player to expose as Shu will be an Ambitionist. The 5th player to expose as Shu will also be an Ambitionist.
 For eg: There are 7 players and 3 of them have already exposed themselves as Wei (Blue), the 4th player to expose as Wei will be an Ambitionist.

d. The moment you expose your 2nd character, the following bonus can apply if you meet the corresponding criteria (the bonus only applies once in the whole game):
 If your total amount of max health units does not add up to a whole number (eg: 3.5 or 4.5), you can draw 1 card immediately.
 If you have a synergistic pair, you can either draw 2 cards or regain 1 unit of health immediately.


5. Rewards/Punishment for Kills
a. When you have both cards hidden, you get no rewards/punishment for killing another player.

b. When you have a character(s) exposed and you kill a character that:
 Is of the same kingdom as you, you lose all your on-hand cards and equipped cards.
 Is of a different kingdom, you draw as many cards as there were players from that kingdom the moment before that player died. (Eg: You killed a Wu (green) character and there are still 2 more Wu characters left, you draw 3 cards as your reward.)
 Has both characters still hidden, you must first expose the victims allegiance, and then proceed to meet out the reward/punishment as described previously.

END OF QUICK GUIDE. ENJOY!!

Kingdom Wars - Back in stock!

If you haven't played Kingdom Wars, GO PLAY IT!! It's awesome!! Sino-Games.com has re-stocked Kingdom Wars, so get yours now.

Click on images to see more details.

But if history was any pattern to go by, this batch of Kingdom Wars would sell out in a matter of days. So you got to grab it quick!

I'm also throwing in a "Kingdom Wars - Quick Guide to Changes from SanGuoSha" for FREE. This quick guide is meant for seasons SGS players and covers the major differences between SGS and KW in a nutshell. Again, this quick guide is also limited in number!

-----

25% discount section for Month of September: Promo code - SINOPROMO

- Feng Sheng 

- Tomb of Cao Cao

- SGS T-shirts (all sizes available!)

- SGS Q version

- Demi-God cards

- Ultimate Pack (Selling Out!)

SGS Kingdom Wars Blog!

As you can see, some minor cosmetic changes were made to the blog. Hopefully it looks more attractive to you, as well as more user friendly.

The SanGuoSha Kingdom Wars blog is officially underway!

Use the dock on the right to find the links to the other blogs, including the KW blog.

As always, there is a shortage of contributors! Please please do contact me at sg.rockstar@gmail.com if you think you would like to make a contribution to the blog!

Other changes include coloured links on the header to the new SGS forum for Q&A, as well as direct link to the 25% discount section on Sino-Games.com!

Have fun and enjoy!!

Screen capture of SGS Kingdom Wars Blog page

Who in the world plays SanGuoSha?

It fascinates me whenever I wonder where you (yes, you!) are reading this from right now.

Hello!!! I'd love to hear from you, wherever you are. Leave a comment below to say Hi!!

I'm sure there are viewers from countries other than those listed from the blog stats. I remember reading some comments that there are Brazilian readers and Spanish readers here as well.

Hope you guys are having fun with SGS still. My craving for SGS has gone into overdrive ever since I played Kingdom Wars last weekend.

No, seriously, you have to check it out! And i'm not just saying that because Sino-Games is selling it (it's completely sold out there by the way). It's the fact that the entire game has been rebalanced, much more thinking and strategy is involved now.

I really dare say that you get a sense of how the Kingdoms felt back in the era: You are one single player, necessarily allying with other players of different kingdoms because you are all weak in number, to counter a larger common enemy that might be 3 players strong. But once the threat of the big enemy is diminished, your allies backstab you quickly!

Oh... and we can now safely say that SGS-KW is no longer a copy of Bang!.

Watch out for the new SGS-KW blog coming up soon. Till then! 杀 your way to happy times!!

25% Discounts everywhere!

Sino-Games.com now has a "Discounts Section" where all items in this section is always going at 25% off the list price.

You will need to key in the Promo-Code "SINOPROMO" in the check out page though!!

This month's items on 25% discount are...

1. Ultimate Pack

2. SP Cards (all of them)

3. T-shirts!

4. Other Games like Feng Sheng and Cao Cao's Tomb

Limited period only! Get them quick!!

Kingdom Wars has arrived!!

 Before you read any further, here's the bad news. The "Blue Wei" colour option for Kingdom Wars is ALREADY sold out. That's how over-preordered this game is on Sino-games. I have very few Green, Red, and Grey ones left.

I was pretty excited for it to arrive, so i opened up one for myself. Took some pictures of the different artwork. 

Apparently the rules are pretty different, so i'm going to need to dedicate another section of this blog for this game altogether. Anyone out there wants to be a contributing writer for the rules?

Also, the exquisite 3vs3 Specialty cards are in stock too. I'm not expecting strong demand for this, so I only brought in a handful. If you want it, you gotta move fast!

Click on the images to purchase on Sino-games.com!

Last few Ultimate Packs

Only less than 10 Ultimate packs left. Now you have a choice of one or more the following options with your ultimate pack purchase:

1. With all DemiGod cards (used to be called Final Pack) 

2. With Card Protector

3. With Lamination 

(Note that options 2 and 3 are mutually exclusive.)

(Aluminium box is out of stock!! Sorry!)

Prices start at only $19.90, which is incredible value. It's so cheap only because i'm clearing out all of these, so grab yourself a good bargain!

Click here, or on the image to purchase now!

The SanGuoSha Forum [Generation 2]

Some suggested I set up the SGS forum again. I thought that was a good idea, so...

TA-DA!!! (Click on the image to visit the forum)

But i need lots of help! There are a couple of things I hope you can help me with.

1. I need to create a post on the forum for each character and each card on this blog. I already created 3 of them (Liu bei, Zhuge Liang and Zhao Yun).

2. I would then have to create links in every post on this blog to re-direct questions there. Before this can be done, step 1 needs to be finished.

3. I need contributors to go ahead and post as much as you like about the other SGS variations such as "Online", 3vs3, and Kingdom wars etc.

I hope enough people read this to want to help! It's a lot of work and I can't do this properly alone. So big thanks in advance!!

Ricky

Blog Dock and Last Chance for Clearance sale

Hi everyone,

As you might know, Blogger Dynamic views can be a real pain, particularly since nearly all widgets are not supported. I really really like the clean look of it though, and I hope you are finding the layout easy to navigate.

Thankfully, blogger has updated dynamic view with a "dock" on the right hand side of your page. I have migrated some of the useful links there, so do check it out.

(Check out the "Translate" widget. I tested translating this whole blog to "Simplified Chinese" and it was quite decent! To my Thailand and Brazilian readers, hopefully this helps somehow? Let me know!)

Anyway, i'm down to my last few pieces of ultimate pack, so do grab yours before they are all sold out. I'm 101% sure i'm not bringing in anymore SGS full game sets. In future I'll update with any new expansions, but that's it.

Oh... one more thing...

My apologies for removing the Q&A page. It was an accident, and now i'm no longer able to make it re-appear properly. It used to be a widget for "recent comments" but i've been scouring the internet for an hour and couldn't find a fix for blogger Dynamic view.

Anyone out there who knows Blogger Dynamic view very well, PLEASE HELP!! How do i get the recent comments widget to work again by showing up on a different page?

Thanks all!!