SETI, Altay and Rainbow Lead a Varied Roll Dice Take Names Episode

Episode 343 of Roll Dice Take Names centers on three games that ask for very different kinds of table attention. SETI brings long-range planning and tight competition over goals; Altay: Dawn of Civilization gives deck building a sharper conflict edge; and Rainbow stands out as a trick-taking option that accommodates up to six players. The conversation also includes a brief mention of Hispania and a look at the group’s broader gaming schedule.

SETI rewards a clear plan—and the ability to change it

The hosts finally got SETI to the table during a convention, where an uninterrupted session gave them room to experience the game as a whole. Their description points to a familiar challenge in substantial strategy games: individual actions are straightforward to grasp, but explaining how all the parts connect takes longer. That gap between a readable turn and a demanding game plan is a big part of SETI’s appeal for players who enjoy building toward a larger objective.

Cards make those plans personal. As players acquire them, they need to consider how each one might fit with their other choices, while also keeping an eye on the shared race for goals. It’s not enough to identify a promising path in isolation; the table’s pace and other players’ progress can change what a good next move looks like. The result, as the hosts describe it, is a steady balancing act between developing a strategy and acting before an opportunity disappears.

There’s a hard limit on how much a player can accomplish. SETI’s time pressure means that trying to pursue every possibility isn’t a realistic plan, so choosing what to leave aside matters as much as choosing what to pursue. That makes the game’s planning feel less like assembling a perfect sequence and more like making the best of competing priorities. Players who enjoy weighing options, adapting to the table and accepting that a strong plan still has limits may find a lot to discuss after a session.

The episode doesn’t offer a detailed rules breakdown or a final verdict on every system. What it does convey is the kind of concentration SETI asks for: understand the immediate action, then think through how it will work alongside the cards already in hand and the goals other players are approaching. For groups considering a first play, setting aside an uninterrupted stretch seems especially sensible based on the hosts’ experience.

Altay brings conflict to the deck-building table

Altay also made a strong impression, though for a different reason. The hosts describe it as a fresh-feeling entry in deck building and say the group enjoyed playing it. Its defining caution is direct conflict: players may find themselves concentrating their attacks on one person, creating a pile-on that can turn a tense contest into an uneven experience.

That dynamic makes the group’s response important. The hosts suggest that other players may need to step in when one player is taking the brunt of the pressure. In practice, that means the table’s choices can shape not just who is ahead, but whether the contest remains engaging for everyone. A group comfortable with direct interaction may welcome the shifting alliances and need to respond to what opponents are doing. A group looking for a gentler deck-building session may decide that this isn’t the right fit.

That distinction is useful when choosing a game for a particular group. “Deck building” can describe games with very different table moods, and Altay’s appeal here seems tied to its willingness to let players interfere with one another. The hosts’ enthusiasm comes with a clear qualifier: enjoy the game’s conflict, or at least be ready for the table to manage it together.

Rainbow makes six-player trick taking part of the pitch

The hosts have previously played Prey and now add Rainbow to their experience with card games from All Play. They praise the designs as thoughtful and point to their different approaches to trick taking. For Rainbow, the capacity to play with up to six people is the standout feature. The hosts say it’s hard to find trick-taking games that work well at that count, making the player range a meaningful reason for their interest.

That emphasis speaks to a practical need at many tables: a card game that can bring a larger group into the same activity. A six-player option can be useful when a group wants to stay together rather than split into smaller games, though the episode doesn’t detail Rainbow’s rules or explain how its tricks resolve. The grounded takeaway is narrower and more useful: the hosts liked its approach enough to call out the player count as a selling point, and they see it as another distinct take within trick taking.

Hispania also appears on the episode schedule at the 33-minute mark, but the supplied rundown doesn’t include the hosts’ comments on it. The episode opens with references to Tantrum Con and Game Toppers, and later includes segments associated with Miniature Market and Portal Games. An Ewin Chairs segment appears before the outro. The show closes by pointing listeners toward its annual awards episode, which is coming soon.

For listeners choosing what to explore, this episode offers three distinct hooks: SETI’s layered priorities, Altay’s player-to-player pressure and Rainbow’s reach with a six-person group. The most useful question is what kind of table your group wants to sit down to next.