HEROQUEST - COMPANION APP discussion

[Kurgan]

It's there I saw it when I popped up, and there was even an update for it. I will admit I had to search around before I found it the first time. Might not be under heroquest or hero quest but avalon hill or hasbro apps.

[cornixt]

If an app isn't considered compatible for your version of Android then it won't show up in the app store for you.

[therealshrek]

Just announced, Kellars Keep and Return of the Witch Lord have been added to the App

[Hogg]

The App has been updated with KK and RotWL.

[Kurgan]

Just when I deleted the app and handed the phone I borrowed back... the expansions are added the next day!

[Kurgan]

So the first two expansions are in the App now. Any other updates? I hear the heroes are the same (no Knight, but still mythic extras)... are half the Artifacts still blank ("see the card instructions")? I guess they leave out stuff on purpose to encourage people to buy the physical game still.

I got to borrow a compatible smart phone for a short time and try out the app, didn't do much on it, but it was before this new update so I missed out.

[HispaZargon]

I haven't detected any other update except the inclusion of the two expansions. Artifact descriptions still the same status as previous version of the app.

[Kurgan]

Okay thanks. I tested it on an iphone, and despite playing with the volume sliders in the app (not just on the phone itself) there was no in-game sound or music effects. Anybody else have that problem?

[SirRick]

I skimmed over the topic, but I am still confused as to what the companion app does. Can you play it like a game while on your lunch break at work, or do you need the whole game set up before you? Do you roll dice yourself and input the results, or does the app have a virtual dice roller? How is movement handled?

I am very curious but I don't have any suitable devices to try it out myself.

[Kurgan]

The Companion app is literally that. It's not really meant to be played by itself. You still are expected to roll dice, draw cards, and record changes in Body/Mind points on your character sheet. In the version I played half of the Artifacts didn't even have descriptions (Just a note to read the instructions on the corresponding card). So if you don't already have a copy of HQ lying around it would be rather confusing and incomplete with no challenge.

No virtual character sheet and no virtual dice. Only some of the cards are simulated in-app.

If you don't have a copy of the physical game (or a reconstruction of it using pieces of paper or other objects I guess) then it won't make much sense. You will just breeze your way through the quest without having to do much and I guess always win, since I don't think you have to keep track of damage for your heroes unless you want to, and apparently you can easily skip Zargon's turn too. Thus it's not really a game, just a tool to simulate Zargon, meaning a system that tells you what the monsters are doing without having to guess (making each room reveal a "surprise") rather than spoiling it all which is what would happen if you were looking at your own quest book while playing) if you have no human to play as Zargon.

It's a tool to simulate a rudimentary approximation of the GM if you don't have one at your table. If you want to have the fun and challenge of playing HeroQuest, you still need the real game (or to invest in one of the other computer games out there based on it).

I could be wrong, but am I wrong? Isn't it possible to just wander around, not ever subtracting damage from your heroes and even not really fighting (except where it's necessary to win by eliminating a certain character)? I could imagine a really cheesy scenario where a player would be Zargon and just be like "nah, my monster isn't going to move or attack you" every single time to transparently let his friends easily "win." About the 2nd most pointless way to cheat, really but apparently possible with the app if you really wanted to.

The other thing is I'm fairly certain the quests in the app never change, just being 1 for 1 copies of what's in the physical quest books, so even less replay value there. But I could see using it if you just had 1-4 people and they all wanted to be Heroes and didn't want it to be too hard with a crafty GM player.