It's been a while since I posted. Now that the air temperature in NW Ohio is above freezing, my brain has thawed sufficiently to make good words pretty. Well, mostly thawed.
I've been taking a bit of a break from design work for the last few months. I'd like to get back into it and complete some of my on-going projects. But first, here's a completely new one:
A couple weeks back, I made a prototype for a new cooperative strategy game I'm calling Sky Barons. In it, you play the leaders of a floating, steam-powered city. Once the capital of the tiny nation of Falkyria, the city is now the sole refuge of the Prince, the heir-apparent-in-exile of the Falkyrian throne. As the Prince's closest advisers, you build and expand the city's industry, culture and defenses in order to restore the prestige of the city and return the Prince to the Falkyrian throne.
The design is fairly simple. The city is made up of hexagonal tiles, each of which provides either a resource or allows a special action, such as building a new tile. Players place workers to collect resources and add new tiles to the city. Meanwhile, two threats build in strength over time -- Air Pirates and the Armies of the Usurper, the Prince's uncle who seeks to steal his throne. Periodically, one of the threats hits "critical mass" and an attack occurs, forcing players to plan carefully between expansion and defense. To keep pressure on the players, they must also reach their prestige goal before a set number of turns expire.
Sarah and Donna helped me out with some play-testing. The resource management aspect of the game works well, but the rules for the two threats needs some work. The initial design had a lot of components for the threats, and simply did not make the game challenging enough. However, I have several ideas for how it improve it. Hopefully I will have more to report on that in the future.
One of the aspects of this design that I'm excited about is expandability. Since the game board is made up entirely of interchangeable tiles, it would be very easy to create alternate tile sets that players can mix and match, similar to the model that has worked so well for Dominion. I could even have optional resource types and threats to choose from, so you would have a lot of variety from one game to the next.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Pixel Hearts
Here's a rough draft of Pixel Hearts, a tabletop rpg I've been working on. In it, you play video game characters whose game worlds have bled together through Portals in the mysterious Void between worlds. My main inspirations are Kingdom Hearts, Super Smash Brothers, and that one time Sellers played Doom Guy. ;)
You can play any character from just about any video game ever. Mario, Master Chief, a Sim, a Tetris block, an Orc peon from Warcraft, a paddle from Pong. Anything.
The real fun comes from mixing the characters and worlds together as they bleed into each other.
The writing is currently kind of bad, but all the basic ideas are there. Feedback is welcome!
You can play any character from just about any video game ever. Mario, Master Chief, a Sim, a Tetris block, an Orc peon from Warcraft, a paddle from Pong. Anything.
The real fun comes from mixing the characters and worlds together as they bleed into each other.
The writing is currently kind of bad, but all the basic ideas are there. Feedback is welcome!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Ravenstone Rules Update, and Mocha!
I have completed the first two chapters of the play-test rules for Ravenstone, my family-with-superpowers RPG. They can be found here:
Ravenstone Play-test Rules
Chapter 1 is just a short intro. Chapter 2 covers Family and character creation. It's in need of some editing, so any feedback is welcome. Chapter 3, the rules of play, are coming next.
I also finished making a prototype for a coffee-themed card game that Sarah and I designed together. "Espresso" and "Barista" are already taken as card game names, so I'm calling mine Mocha, after our favorite coffee drink. It's a simple, Uno-like card game for 2 to 4 players that can (probably) be played in about 10-20 minutes. Each player has three cups of different sizes -- Short, Tall, Vente. You start with a hand of ingredient cards (Espresso, Steamed Milk, etc.) and play them onto cups to build different espresso drinks. There's some strategy to where you place your cards, as you score points for drinks in front you, and certain ingredient types must be played in a particular order. You lose points for cards left in your hand at the end, so I'm guessing a large portion of the game is mitigating your losses as best you can. Hopefully we'll find some victims to help us try it out this weekend.
Ravenstone Play-test Rules
Chapter 1 is just a short intro. Chapter 2 covers Family and character creation. It's in need of some editing, so any feedback is welcome. Chapter 3, the rules of play, are coming next.
I also finished making a prototype for a coffee-themed card game that Sarah and I designed together. "Espresso" and "Barista" are already taken as card game names, so I'm calling mine Mocha, after our favorite coffee drink. It's a simple, Uno-like card game for 2 to 4 players that can (probably) be played in about 10-20 minutes. Each player has three cups of different sizes -- Short, Tall, Vente. You start with a hand of ingredient cards (Espresso, Steamed Milk, etc.) and play them onto cups to build different espresso drinks. There's some strategy to where you place your cards, as you score points for drinks in front you, and certain ingredient types must be played in a particular order. You lose points for cards left in your hand at the end, so I'm guessing a large portion of the game is mitigating your losses as best you can. Hopefully we'll find some victims to help us try it out this weekend.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Ravenstone - Playtest Rules
It's been a while, but I'm back.
This week and next, I am working on a revision of my rules for my rpg magnum opus, Ravenstone. In it, you play a creepy, dysfunctional family that fights monsters from beyond time and space. Kinda like if the Addams Family mated with the Winchesters from Supernatural, then used their resulting superpowers to hunt Lovecraftian horrors in a decade-spanning history written by Alan Moore. Kinda like that.
My wife, Sarah, and I are also working on a cooperative board game to replace the WarhammerQuest-shaped hole in our hearts. Our goals are to speed up play, replace the randomness with decision-making, and inject more of a sense of narration, while keeping the exploration, character growth, and cooperative elements of the original game. We are also replacing the Ameritrash big-guys-with-swords feel with an epic puppy-ton of cute. Just look at this mummy:
Edit: Oh, BTW, thanks to Wil for linking me from his site!
This week and next, I am working on a revision of my rules for my rpg magnum opus, Ravenstone. In it, you play a creepy, dysfunctional family that fights monsters from beyond time and space. Kinda like if the Addams Family mated with the Winchesters from Supernatural, then used their resulting superpowers to hunt Lovecraftian horrors in a decade-spanning history written by Alan Moore. Kinda like that.
My wife, Sarah, and I are also working on a cooperative board game to replace the WarhammerQuest-shaped hole in our hearts. Our goals are to speed up play, replace the randomness with decision-making, and inject more of a sense of narration, while keeping the exploration, character growth, and cooperative elements of the original game. We are also replacing the Ameritrash big-guys-with-swords feel with an epic puppy-ton of cute. Just look at this mummy:
Edit: Oh, BTW, thanks to Wil for linking me from his site!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Super Villains - New Name, Same Great Taste
We had a very productive round of playtesting of my supervillains game over the weekend. Thanks again to Jeff for his good ideas and enthusiasm for the game. I'm feeling good about the core mechanics of the game. Now its just a matter of balancing all of the variable components, like Headlines, Heroes, and Menace cards.
One major issue we've come across is that the reward for a Destroy action is way better than the reward for a Steal or Ransom. Destroy rewards more Infamy (a lot more), and has become the clear path to victory. It's important that the other choices in the game are also valid paths to victory. I could increase the reward for other types, but more Cash (Ransom) and better abilities (Steal) is never going to trump raw victory points (Infamy from Destroy). To balance the additional Infamy for a Destroy action, Jeff suggested increasing the damage taken from Heroes. I like this idea, and will try it out. In order for it to work, a bunch of other changes will have to cascade to other parts of the game. The Hero deck was working as a time limit for the game. If players draw a variable number of Hero cards for each Plot, I will need to use some other device as a time limit or else the game length will be too random. Headlines are the obvious choice. The size of the Headlines deck (it's 60 cards, way more than one needs for one game) was causing problems due to the randomness of the deck -- a game usually requires a fairly even mix of card types, or else the game can favor one player over the others. Reducing the number of cards used for one game will eliminate the possibility of drawing ten cards of the same type in a row, ensuring a more even mix. I can use a smaller Headline deck as a time limit, and basically kill two design problems with one stone.
Oh yeah, and the name of the game! I'm changing it to MENACE, which I think works better than Villains Wear Spandex. Now I've got to go back and change the labels of all my earlier posts...
One major issue we've come across is that the reward for a Destroy action is way better than the reward for a Steal or Ransom. Destroy rewards more Infamy (a lot more), and has become the clear path to victory. It's important that the other choices in the game are also valid paths to victory. I could increase the reward for other types, but more Cash (Ransom) and better abilities (Steal) is never going to trump raw victory points (Infamy from Destroy). To balance the additional Infamy for a Destroy action, Jeff suggested increasing the damage taken from Heroes. I like this idea, and will try it out. In order for it to work, a bunch of other changes will have to cascade to other parts of the game. The Hero deck was working as a time limit for the game. If players draw a variable number of Hero cards for each Plot, I will need to use some other device as a time limit or else the game length will be too random. Headlines are the obvious choice. The size of the Headlines deck (it's 60 cards, way more than one needs for one game) was causing problems due to the randomness of the deck -- a game usually requires a fairly even mix of card types, or else the game can favor one player over the others. Reducing the number of cards used for one game will eliminate the possibility of drawing ten cards of the same type in a row, ensuring a more even mix. I can use a smaller Headline deck as a time limit, and basically kill two design problems with one stone.
Oh yeah, and the name of the game! I'm changing it to MENACE, which I think works better than Villains Wear Spandex. Now I've got to go back and change the labels of all my earlier posts...
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Villains Wear Spandex - Ready for Playtesting
Printing and cutting is done! Now to find some victims...I mean, play-testers. Mwa ha.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Villians Wear Spandex - Almost There
All parts are made. Ready for some printing and cutting (over 30 sheets this time!), and hopefully some play-testing. Despite its flaws, Sarah and I got a lot of play out the first prototype, so chances are good that we will do the same this time around.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Villians Wear Spandex - Further Progress
About halfway done with Headlines -- just need to come up with benefits for stealing each target.
Hero cards are complete. When you complete a Fiendish Plot, Ironhawk (a billionaire crime-fighter in a fancy armored suit) and his sidekicks, Kestrel and Redwing, inflict damage to your villainous organization. You choose how to split your losses between Minions, Lair rooms, and Menaces.
I bought some small wooden blocks for cheap ($1.47 a bag) at Hobby Lobby and painted them, so now I have nice wooden pieces for Villain and Minion pawns.
Still need to type up Origin Story cards (which provide a secret goal for scoring extra Infamy), update powers on the Moniker cards, throw together a score track, and of course, printing and cutting.
Should be done this week, I think!
Hero cards are complete. When you complete a Fiendish Plot, Ironhawk (a billionaire crime-fighter in a fancy armored suit) and his sidekicks, Kestrel and Redwing, inflict damage to your villainous organization. You choose how to split your losses between Minions, Lair rooms, and Menaces.
I bought some small wooden blocks for cheap ($1.47 a bag) at Hobby Lobby and painted them, so now I have nice wooden pieces for Villain and Minion pawns.
Still need to type up Origin Story cards (which provide a secret goal for scoring extra Infamy), update powers on the Moniker cards, throw together a score track, and of course, printing and cutting.
Should be done this week, I think!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Villians Wear Spandex - Update
Last night, I made a new game board for my super-villains game. Formerly, it was just one board with fixed locations in the city. Each location could be visited to collect a specific resource. My new board is made up of six interlocking sections -- one middle piece and 5 two-sided sections. The side sections have different locations on each side, so you can vary the number of locations and the presence of certain special locations to accommodate different numbers of players and play-styles from game to game. Many of the spaces on the original board required a player to spend one resource to get another resource, which was needlessly complex. I've removed most of those spaces, so now it is much easier to collect Weapons, for instance.
I've also designed new Menace cards (I was calling them "Devices" in my previous post -- they replace the Caper cards from the old game). Each Menace card has one or more limits on when it can be used, such as against specific targets (Personality, Landmark, Artifact, Citizenry) or for specific actions (Steal, Destroy, Kidnap). I'm hoping that will make the Menace cards more engaging thematically, though I'm also concerned that it might be too hard to actually put the Menaces to use. Time (and play-testing) will tell.
I'm currently working on Lair tiles (almost done), Origin Story cards (mostly there), and Headlines/Opportunities (barely started). I hope to have a full prototype done sometime next week, when some out-of-town company will be around to some play-testing. (Thanks in advance, Jeff!)
I've also designed new Menace cards (I was calling them "Devices" in my previous post -- they replace the Caper cards from the old game). Each Menace card has one or more limits on when it can be used, such as against specific targets (Personality, Landmark, Artifact, Citizenry) or for specific actions (Steal, Destroy, Kidnap). I'm hoping that will make the Menace cards more engaging thematically, though I'm also concerned that it might be too hard to actually put the Menaces to use. Time (and play-testing) will tell.
I'm currently working on Lair tiles (almost done), Origin Story cards (mostly there), and Headlines/Opportunities (barely started). I hope to have a full prototype done sometime next week, when some out-of-town company will be around to some play-testing. (Thanks in advance, Jeff!)
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Villains Wear Spandex - Take Two!
Last spring, I put a lot of work into a strategy game about comicbook super-villains. My initial goal was to make a resource management game in the vein of Caylus, Princes of Florence, and Vegas Showdown with a super-villain theme. After several successive play-tests and redesigns, I had more or less accomplished my goal but the game wasn't very fun to play. As a villain, you sent out minions to steal weapons and cash and abduct scientists and scholars, which you put to work building additions onto your secret lair. With the right elements in your lair, you could then attempt to pull nefarious Capers in different locations of the city, garnering as much Infamy (victory points) as possible. Unfortunately, it was difficult (in a tedious sort of way) to correlate the resources you needed with the Capers you ultimately wanted to accomplish, which resulted in a lot of head-scratching and sifting through piles. The Capers were all pre-written and too specific, which meant that the Capers rarely matched the style of villain being played and the same Capers would appear over and over after a just few plays. After a final playtest over the summer, I vowed to do a major redesign of the whole thing.
Here we are, six months later. After some fresh inspiration from a book I read last month (Soon I Will Be Invincible), I scribbled down a bunch of ideas last night for how to improve just about every aspect of the original game. The main change is a complete redesign of Capers. Instead of spending resources according to a recipe and collecting a specific reward, players instead build Devices (death rays, time vortices, etc.) which they use to threaten different vulnerable Targets throughout the city -- Personalities (think Lois Lane, Perry White, or Commissioner Gordon), Landmarks, Artifacts, or Citizens (the general populace of the city). When a player threatens a target, he chooses one of three Actions: Steal, Destroy, Ransom. Together, Device, Target, and Action form a Fiendish Plot, which the player announces in his best villain voice: "I will Destroy City Hall with my Murder-Blimp!" or "Using my Matter Defragonator, I will Steal the Egg of Mantubi!" Depending on the Device used, the Action chosen, and the Target...targeted, the player gets a different reward (Infamy, extra Cash, a new special ability, etc). I'm hoping this will make building easier for the player, and make the major crimes both the focus of the game and a source of emergent narrative during play.
Most likely, I will start working on new prototype parts soon!
Here we are, six months later. After some fresh inspiration from a book I read last month (Soon I Will Be Invincible), I scribbled down a bunch of ideas last night for how to improve just about every aspect of the original game. The main change is a complete redesign of Capers. Instead of spending resources according to a recipe and collecting a specific reward, players instead build Devices (death rays, time vortices, etc.) which they use to threaten different vulnerable Targets throughout the city -- Personalities (think Lois Lane, Perry White, or Commissioner Gordon), Landmarks, Artifacts, or Citizens (the general populace of the city). When a player threatens a target, he chooses one of three Actions: Steal, Destroy, Ransom. Together, Device, Target, and Action form a Fiendish Plot, which the player announces in his best villain voice: "I will Destroy City Hall with my Murder-Blimp!" or "Using my Matter Defragonator, I will Steal the Egg of Mantubi!" Depending on the Device used, the Action chosen, and the Target...targeted, the player gets a different reward (Infamy, extra Cash, a new special ability, etc). I'm hoping this will make building easier for the player, and make the major crimes both the focus of the game and a source of emergent narrative during play.
Most likely, I will start working on new prototype parts soon!
Pretty Princess Wars - Third Playtest
Had another playtest of Pretty Princess Wars (thanks, Donna and Sarah!). We had a little trouble keeping track of whose turn it was, which may have been because a lack of focus as much as lack of clarity in the game pieces. The Clothes and Friends stacks for each color are still a pain to sift through when you are trying to find something you want to buy. Donna suggested that I make a cheat sheet with thumbnails of everything you can buy to make it easier to find what you want. Great idea! I will definitely do that.
We only had one Battle the entire game, which we sort of flubbed our way through. I will need to review the rules for Battles again. As much as I like the theme of battling princesses, I'm beginning to think that the game doesn't really need that element of game play. Or maybe I just need to simplify it to a single round of combat.
We only had one Battle the entire game, which we sort of flubbed our way through. I will need to review the rules for Battles again. As much as I like the theme of battling princesses, I'm beginning to think that the game doesn't really need that element of game play. Or maybe I just need to simplify it to a single round of combat.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Three Kingdoms Mod - Ready to Play!
Printing and cutting is done for my Three Kingdoms themed mod of A Game of Thrones. Once I work out any kinks in the gameplay, I may post a printable version so other folks can play!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
AGoT - Three Kingdoms Mod: Parts Done!
Finished designing parts today. New components include:
- newly designed game board based on Three Kingdoms era China
- new House Cards based on personalities from era
- new Influence tokens - Jade Seal, Blue Dragon, Red Hare
- new starting cards for each house
- new "Westeros" cards
- neutral force markers for neutral locations
I didn't change much about the original game, except for different board geometry and a different mix of abilities on the House Cards. I did add one rule - Neutral House Cards. In addition to the starting House Cards, I have added six neutral officers. When a player takes control of the area of the board associated with an officer, the player may add that officer's House Card to his hand, discarding a starting House Card with the same combat strength. As long as the player maintains control of that area, the player may use the neutral officer. Additionally, I have designed the "Westeros" cards to be somewhat customizable. Each deck (I, II, III) has 8 core cards and 4 special cards. Each time you play, you can add variety to the game by choosing different special cards to include in each deck.
All that is left to do now is print and cut!
- newly designed game board based on Three Kingdoms era China
- new House Cards based on personalities from era
- new Influence tokens - Jade Seal, Blue Dragon, Red Hare
- new starting cards for each house
- new "Westeros" cards
- neutral force markers for neutral locations
I didn't change much about the original game, except for different board geometry and a different mix of abilities on the House Cards. I did add one rule - Neutral House Cards. In addition to the starting House Cards, I have added six neutral officers. When a player takes control of the area of the board associated with an officer, the player may add that officer's House Card to his hand, discarding a starting House Card with the same combat strength. As long as the player maintains control of that area, the player may use the neutral officer. Additionally, I have designed the "Westeros" cards to be somewhat customizable. Each deck (I, II, III) has 8 core cards and 4 special cards. Each time you play, you can add variety to the game by choosing different special cards to include in each deck.
All that is left to do now is print and cut!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Pretty Princess Wars - New Units Done
New Cute Things are done, as are new Clothes. Ready for round 3 of playtesting!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Pretty Princess Wars - Unit Types
My first attempt on units ("Cute Things") for Pretty Princess Wars was fairly arbitrary in the way that values and costs were assigned to units. The result was that during play, a player didn't have much reason to choose one unit over another.
In order to make the different types of units stand out more, I'm giving each category of unit (which correspond to the different colors of the Rainbow Realms) a different ability/advantage.
Red (Food) - Extra Income
Little Food units allow you to collect one extra Candy when you collect Allowance.
Orange (Animals) - Extra Cute
Little Animals are worth one more Love than normal.
Yellow (Toys) - Interchangeable Parts
Still deciding between these two ideas:
Either a Toy can be killed to revive any other dead Cute Thing
OR
Any living Cute Thing can be killed to revive a dead Toy.
Green (Bears) - Dangerous
Bears win ties, except against Trump.
Blue (Fairies) - Crafty
Little Fairies offer a discount when purchasing Clothes of a specific type (Hats, Shoes, or Accessories).
Purple (Mythical Creatures) - Mountable
Some Mythical Creatures count as Accessories of a particular type (Fancy, Simple, Spooky, Cheerful) when collecting Handsome Princes.
I hoping this will add some identity to each color, so that they seem a little more distinct from each other.
In order to make the different types of units stand out more, I'm giving each category of unit (which correspond to the different colors of the Rainbow Realms) a different ability/advantage.
Red (Food) - Extra Income
Little Food units allow you to collect one extra Candy when you collect Allowance.
Orange (Animals) - Extra Cute
Little Animals are worth one more Love than normal.
Yellow (Toys) - Interchangeable Parts
Still deciding between these two ideas:
Either a Toy can be killed to revive any other dead Cute Thing
OR
Any living Cute Thing can be killed to revive a dead Toy.
Green (Bears) - Dangerous
Bears win ties, except against Trump.
Blue (Fairies) - Crafty
Little Fairies offer a discount when purchasing Clothes of a specific type (Hats, Shoes, or Accessories).
Purple (Mythical Creatures) - Mountable
Some Mythical Creatures count as Accessories of a particular type (Fancy, Simple, Spooky, Cheerful) when collecting Handsome Princes.
I hoping this will add some identity to each color, so that they seem a little more distinct from each other.
Pretty Princess Wars - First Playtest
Sarah and I playtested PPW last night. The rules seem pretty solid. We found a few things that need to be tweaked, but overall, I'm pretty happy with how it plays. The costs and grouping of the Cute Things and Clothes is a little disorganized, so I will probably re-do those components before we play again.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Game of Thrones - Three Kingdoms Mod
I'm working on a custom game board for one of my favorite board games, Game of Thrones. The original theme and board design are great, but after a dozen or more plays, we're getting a little bored with the same set-up each time.
The setting I've chosen for my custom board is the Three Kingdoms era of ancient China (popularized by Dynasty Warriors, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and a new John Woo film!). The house metaphor of Game of Thrones translates pretty well to the many warring kingdoms and factions of the Three Kingdoms era, and the units (foot, cavalry, siege engines) matches the style of warfare pretty well too.
I've laid out a new board based on several maps of China that I googled. China, a large landmass with relatively little coastline, is a huge departure from Westeros, which is basically an analog of the British Isles. I'm guessing this may weaken the value of ship units. However, I have made China's two largest rivers -- the Yangtze and Yellow -- navigable board spaces.
I plan to make new House cards based on notable characters from the setting, like Guan Yu, Sun Ce, and Lu Bu. (I have chosen 5 factions to replace the Westeros houses: Wu, Shu, Wei, Dong Zhuo, and Yuan Shao.) Of course, the Yellow Turban Rebellion replaces the Wildlings as an external threat. And I'd like to replace the Iron Throne, Valyrian Steel Blade, and Messenger Raven with suitable analogs: The Emperor's Jade Seal, Blue Dragon (Guan Yu's big halberd thingie), and Red Hare (the "horse of horses").
The setting I've chosen for my custom board is the Three Kingdoms era of ancient China (popularized by Dynasty Warriors, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and a new John Woo film!). The house metaphor of Game of Thrones translates pretty well to the many warring kingdoms and factions of the Three Kingdoms era, and the units (foot, cavalry, siege engines) matches the style of warfare pretty well too.
I've laid out a new board based on several maps of China that I googled. China, a large landmass with relatively little coastline, is a huge departure from Westeros, which is basically an analog of the British Isles. I'm guessing this may weaken the value of ship units. However, I have made China's two largest rivers -- the Yangtze and Yellow -- navigable board spaces.
I plan to make new House cards based on notable characters from the setting, like Guan Yu, Sun Ce, and Lu Bu. (I have chosen 5 factions to replace the Westeros houses: Wu, Shu, Wei, Dong Zhuo, and Yuan Shao.) Of course, the Yellow Turban Rebellion replaces the Wildlings as an external threat. And I'd like to replace the Iron Throne, Valyrian Steel Blade, and Messenger Raven with suitable analogs: The Emperor's Jade Seal, Blue Dragon (Guan Yu's big halberd thingie), and Red Hare (the "horse of horses").
Pretty Princess Wars - Prototype Done!
After much printing and cutting, my first prototype of Pretty Princess Wars is done! It's...very colorful.
I did a quick playtest by myself (it's not as lame as it sounds -- it's good to work out the major kinks by oneself before asking someone else to learn the rules). Some number tweaks aside, everything worked tolerably well.
I do have one major concern about the relationship between resources and player choices. As I was playing, my decisions of what to buy were often dictated by the resources I had in my hand. Ideally, the relationship should work in the other direction -- the things I want should inform the resources I try to collect. As is, the gameplay is reactive. I would rather have a game that is proactive, i.e. rewards planning. I may have to change the way resources are collected in order to dial in to the playstyle I'm looking for.
I did a quick playtest by myself (it's not as lame as it sounds -- it's good to work out the major kinks by oneself before asking someone else to learn the rules). Some number tweaks aside, everything worked tolerably well.
I do have one major concern about the relationship between resources and player choices. As I was playing, my decisions of what to buy were often dictated by the resources I had in my hand. Ideally, the relationship should work in the other direction -- the things I want should inform the resources I try to collect. As is, the gameplay is reactive. I would rather have a game that is proactive, i.e. rewards planning. I may have to change the way resources are collected in order to dial in to the playstyle I'm looking for.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Pretty Princess Wars - First Prototype
I'm working on a prototype of Pretty Princess Wars -- a tongue-in-cheek strategy board game about bitchy fantasy princesses. Each player plays a Pretty Princess of the Rainbow Realms. King Daddy, the ruler of the Rainbow Realms, is on death's door, and only one princess can succeed him as Crown Princess. When King Daddy's heart finally gives out, the princess with the most Love -- from Cute Things (the loyal subjects of the Realms), Handsome Princes, and King Daddy himself -- will become the new ruler of the Rainbow Realms.
Each source of Love shapes a major element of gameplay. Cute Things are bribed into friendship with Candy, and can be sent into Battle with rival Cute Things to prove their Love for you. Handsome Princes are shallow and fickle, and must be impressed with Clothes that suit their tastes. King Daddy is bloodthirsty and a little senile, and awards his affections to princesses that win fights and remember to visit him from time to time.
The game board is made up of seven castles - six that correspond to a color in the rainbow and a seventh Cloud Castle that connects to the other castles. During the game, players move their princesses to different castles to enable different actions each turn (similar to the strategy cards in Twilight Imperium) and determine what followers and Clothes a player can buy during the turn. My prototype board is done -- it's made up of seven hex tiles that can be arranged differently each time you play.
I've also completed all the parts for major resources in the game: Candy (the currency of the Realms), Daddy's Love, and the Handsome Princes. For card layout, I'm using hand-designed tables in Word 2007 (which is a nice update from Word 2000, what I formerly used in other projects). I really like the built-in online clipart library -- it has saved me a lot of trips back and forth to Google Image Search for placeholder art.
Only two components remaining: Cute Thing tiles and Princess pawns. I have the fronts for the Cute Things done -- just need to finish up the backs and balance out their Love values. For player pawns, I'd like to find some nice plastic princess figurines, but I may settle for cardboard standees (it is just a prototype, after all!).
Each source of Love shapes a major element of gameplay. Cute Things are bribed into friendship with Candy, and can be sent into Battle with rival Cute Things to prove their Love for you. Handsome Princes are shallow and fickle, and must be impressed with Clothes that suit their tastes. King Daddy is bloodthirsty and a little senile, and awards his affections to princesses that win fights and remember to visit him from time to time.
The game board is made up of seven castles - six that correspond to a color in the rainbow and a seventh Cloud Castle that connects to the other castles. During the game, players move their princesses to different castles to enable different actions each turn (similar to the strategy cards in Twilight Imperium) and determine what followers and Clothes a player can buy during the turn. My prototype board is done -- it's made up of seven hex tiles that can be arranged differently each time you play.
I've also completed all the parts for major resources in the game: Candy (the currency of the Realms), Daddy's Love, and the Handsome Princes. For card layout, I'm using hand-designed tables in Word 2007 (which is a nice update from Word 2000, what I formerly used in other projects). I really like the built-in online clipart library -- it has saved me a lot of trips back and forth to Google Image Search for placeholder art.
Only two components remaining: Cute Thing tiles and Princess pawns. I have the fronts for the Cute Things done -- just need to finish up the backs and balance out their Love values. For player pawns, I'd like to find some nice plastic princess figurines, but I may settle for cardboard standees (it is just a prototype, after all!).
Monday, December 7, 2009
Welcome!
I design games. I am the definition of amateur -- I pretty much do it solely for the love of game design. None of my designs have been published by myself or a third-party publisher, but I hope to change that someday. In the meantime, you can follow along with the projects I'm working on here. If you see something you like or you have thoughts on how to make one of my designs better, please leave a comment!
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