Playtest Questions: Fester and Mow Masters!
Week 5 Game Ideas
- Leprechauns is a card game in which players collect the most gold by drawing cards and strategically stealing from the other players.
- Front Lines is a board game in which the players collect troops to fight the other players by taking over the armies of others.
- Producer is a card game in which the players collect instruments to make the best band by collecting cards and making trades with others.
- Trinkets is a card game in which the players obtain the best trinkets by collecting cards that change rules, give players abilities, and trading with other players.
- Headlampers is a board game in which the players collect the most gems and jewels by mining for gems on the board.
Playtest Questions: Catan
Catan is a board game in which players build roads, settlements, and cities to help reach 10 victory points by using dice rolls, currency gained by owning settlements and cities, and using development cards to one’s advantage.
- Was it fun?
Catan was very fun. I was honed in on expanding my settlement and gathering resources.
- What were the player interactions?
Player interactions included collecting resources according to the number rolled, buying buildings or development cards, trading with other players, robbing other players, and getting robbed by other players.
- How long did it take to learn?
It surprisingly only took about 10-15 minutes to learn. It seemed like a lot at first since the setup took a good bit of time.
- What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
The most frustrating aspect was when multiple dice rolls in a row granted me nothing in resources.
- What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
My favorite aspect was being able to rob other players and hinder how many resources they would get in future turns.
- Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted to play my development cards in the same turn I bought them in.
- If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be?
I would add the ability to play your development cards in the same turn you bought them in.
- Is this a game you would play again?
I would 100% play Catan again. The game feels like it can have thousands of outcomes, which means every game will be unique. Each game would also be unique since the numbers that are placed on the board are random, so your strategy from one game could be wildly different than the next. I got really into building my settlement to be the strongest it could be.
Matician Rules
Setup
- Shuffle the “Equation Symbols” deck and the “Numbers and Symbols” deck separately
- Dealer deals 1 face-up “Equation Symbols” card to each player and 6 face-down “Numbers and Symbols” cards to each player
- Each “Equation Symbols” card is placed in front of the player it was dealt to
Objective(s)
- Create the equation with the highest solution with your given “Numbers and Symbols” cards
- Attempt to lower the solution of other players’ equations with your “Numbers and Symbols” cards
Actions players take
- Once cards are dealt and each player has their “Equation Symbols” card in front of them face-up, the round starts
- First, players evaluate their hand and play the cards they believe will yield the highest possible solution. One card will go on one side of the symbol, and one will go on the other side, both face down (ex. 6 + 15)
- After each player places their cards face down on each side of the symbol card, players have the option to add a card that they think will sabotage another player (if they have any in their hand)
- Once all players have made their final moves, every player flips the cards in front of them over to reveal their numbers and the card another player may have placed
Ending the game (win, lose states)
- The player who first reaches 3 points wins the game. 1 point is granted for each “highest solution”. The game can either end, or play can resume to determine the place of all other players
Example
- A player could have the equation “4 + 13”, but after those cards are placed face down, another player could put a “-” face down in front of the 13 to make the equation equal -9 instead of 17
Week 4 Game Ideas (Theme: Kayaking)
- Overboard is a competitive card game in which the players have to protect their boat from incoming attacks by using protection cards to guard their boat.
- Battleship: Kayak Edition is a strategy game in which the players try to destroy their opponent’s ship by calling coordinates and strategically moving their ships.
- Rowers is a board game in which the players progress by rolling dice, collecting useful cards, and avoiding obstacles.
- Rough Waters is a collaborative card game in which the players eliminate obstacles from the river by drawing and/or playing cards to get the desired outcome.
- Team Effort is a collaborative board game in which players make it to the end of the river by syncing dice rolls and collecting rule change cards.
Playtest Questions: Dominion and Splendor
Dominion is a card game in which the players compete to have the most land owned by using money to buy action cards to use during their turn and property to keep in their deck.
- Was it fun?
Dominion was sort of fun. The game felt pretty slow and tedious.
- What were the player interactions?
The player interactions included buying Victory and Action cards, playing Action cards that affect other players, and putting curses on other players.
- How long did it take to learn?
The game took about 30-40 minutes to learn. I was confused about when to shuffle my deck and how some action cards work.
- What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
The most frustrating aspect of the game was not having enough money in my current hand to buy gold.
- What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
My favorite aspect of the game was the Smithy Action card.
- Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted to play more cards during my turn.
- If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be?
I would add a currency above gold (emerald or diamond).
- Is this a game you would play again?
I would probably play Dominion again because I didn’t understand it too well the first time I played it. I think it would be more fun with more knowledge and with an established strategy.
Splendor is a card game in which the players compete to be the first to obtain 15 prestige points by tokens to buy cards that either help them get more prestige points or cards that directly translate to prestige points.
- Was it fun?
Splendor was a very fun game.
- What were the player interactions?
The player interactions included collecting gems and buying cards.
- How long did it take to learn?
It took about 10-15 minutes to learn how to play Splendor. The concept of the bought cards having benefits took me the longest to adapt to.
- What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
The most frustrating aspect was somebody buying a card that I wanted to buy during my next turn.
- What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
My favorite aspect of Splendor was the gem borrowing system. I understood it well.
- Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted to take more gems or take gems and buy a card in the same turn.
- If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be?
I would add the ability to buy cards and take gems in the same turn.
- Is this a game you would play again?
I would definitely play Splendor again. The game was really fun, and I really enjoyed the competitive nature of it.
Weeks 1-3 Game Ideas
Week 1 (campus)
- Point to Point: runners have to get from point A to point B without getting caught by patrollers (players who are in a car)
- Karaoke Roulette: players choose a song for another player to sing, and whoever everyone votes for wins
- Find Romo: host hides a Romo bobblehead and they give the players RMU-themed hints to help find it
- Dome Tetris: tournament-style dome Tetris where players compete for the highest score
- Pilot: players have to make a paper airplane in a short amount of time and whoever flies the farthest wins
Week 2 (cards)
- Fry Cook: game where players have to create a burger that grants them the most points
- Matician: game where players try to create equations with the highest solution
- Emcee: music trivia game where points are wagered
- Oligarchy: game where players compete to build the most successful nation
- Carpenters: game where players compete to build the tallest building
Week 3 (collaboration)
- Matician is a collaborative card game in which players collaborate (teams) to create an equation that results in the highest solution possible by using the cards they are dealt.
- Knightlings is a collaborative game in which the players/avatars defeat the drawn monster by playing cards that will benefit the team the most.
- Standstill is a collaborative game in which the players get the car to the end of the road by using cards with prompts to help progress.
- Setlist is a collaborative card game in which the players deal cards to make the best concert by cards dealt by the dealer.
- Debt Collectors is a collaborative board game in which the players have to work together to pay off the mafia by using decision making and sacrifices.
Week 2 Question Sets
- Question Set 1
- What Mechanics would you like to use for a game with a theme that revolves around being the size of a nanometer?
I would use the mechanics of parkour to jump on different molecules to offer different obstacles and challenges.
- Who are you making games for?
I’m making games for myself and people that will play them and maybe discover a new favorite.
- Who will be your play testers outside of class?
Outside of class, my roommates will be my play-testers.
- Question Set 2
- Can you think of a game you were able to play without referring to the rules?
I was able to play UNO without referring to the rules.
- How do you define what a game is?
I define a game as having a beginning, middle, and end. It has an objective that needs to be met in order for the game to end, whether that be by competing or collaborating.
- What features can make your games more intuitive?
Incorporating rules from well-known games can make my games more intuitive.
- Question Set 3
- What was your gateway game? What do you play to introduce others to gaming?
My gateway game was Minecraft. It didn’t only pull me in, it also introduced me to the world of gaming. I would play Wii Sports to introduce others to gaming.
- What features do gateway games share?
Gateway games are approachable, having more basic mechanics to avoid a huge learning curve. They also have an appealing theme. Games that are easy to pick up and hard to master are good gateway games.
- What are the 10 beautiful mechanics and what should you aim for with your own?
The ten beautiful game mechanics are Kingmaker’s noblesse oblige, BattleTech’s heat, Set’s set-making, Magic’s card tapping, Battle Cattle’s cow tipping rule, xXxenophile’s popping, Bohnanza’s hand order rule, Mississippi Queen’s paddlewheels, Time’s Up!’s communication breakdown, and Dominion’s constant shuffling. For my game mechanics, I should aim for them to have a balance of uniqueness and understandability.
- How does luck and strategy factor in to game play?
Luck and strategy can be intertwined. For example, in UNO, if you get more than 1 wild card (regular and/or +4), you might want to save it as your last card so that, unless an action occurs to you, you can place it down. It is considered lucky to get multiple of those cards, but saving one for the end is a strategy you can use.
Playtest Questions: Hanabi and Argument
Hanabi is a card game in which the players collaborate to complete as many fireworks as possible by using the numbered and colored cards and information given by other players.
- Was it fun?
Hanabi was a fun and collaborative game.
- What were the player interactions?
Interactions included determining what would be the best information about another player’s deck to know, determining what cards to play, sorting cards, and attempting to complete fireworks.
- How long did it take to learn?
The game took about 10-15 minutes to learn. It took a bit to get used to not seeing my own hand, but I got used to it.
- What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
The most frustrating aspect was when I would think another player knew what card I was trying to get them to place, but then they placed the wrong one.
- What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
My favorite aspect of Hanabi was the information system and being able to get clocks back by discarding a card that you may not know the color or number of.
- Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
There was nothing I wanted to do that I couldn’t.
- If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be?
I would add the option of including the number 6 for each color in the deck, like how you can add in the wild cards.
- Is this a game you would play again?
I would definitely play Hanabi again because I thought the concept was unique, while including known elements of already existing games. I was very determined to get as many points as possible, and it was exciting.
Argument is a tabletop board game in which the players stack their pieces in stacks of three by utilizing the specific types of movements and color matching.
- Was it fun?
I thought the concept of combining well-known rules of well-known games was very fun. Lacking the knowledge of chess and Argument in general hindered the experience.
- What were the player interactions?
The player interactions included making moves to place a piece at a different point on the board and jumping other players’ pieces to start/complete a stack.
- How long did it take to learn?
It took almost the whole time playing the game (about 45 minutes) to learn how it worked. I had trouble understanding some rules, and overall, the game took longer to learn compared to the other games I’ve played in class thus far.
- What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
The most frustrating aspect was forgetting what colors went with which pieces to jump them.
- What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
My favorite aspect was using the board. I really like the design and color of it.
- Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted to stack the pieces in an order that was forbidden by the rules.
- If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be?
I would maybe have fewer of the three different pieces and add a fourth piece that would have its own movement rules.
- Is this a game you would play again?
I would play Argument again because I think giving it another shot will help me understand the game more. I would also like to try the competitive gamemode because when reading the instructions, it seemed like the more fun way to play, in my opinion.
Week 2 Playtest Questions
Munchkin Gloom
- Was it fun?
Overall, Munchkin Gloom was a fun game to play.
- What were the player interactions?
The player interactions included applying positive self-worth to other players’ cards, getting positive self-worth from other players, and interacting with event cards.
- How long did it take to learn?
Munchkin Gloom took about half an hour to learn. The game was really confusing at first.
- What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
The most frustrating moment of the game was when my characters would get killed with a self-worth score of zero.
- What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
I really enjoyed the event card where I could take one card off of one character that belonged to each player.
- Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted to revive my dead characters.
- If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be?
I would add a rare card that allows players to revive dead characters to try and get a lower self-worth score on them.
- Is this a game you would play again?
Knowing what I know now, I would play the game again. My greater knowledge will make the game more fun and interesting since I know how the self-worth system works.
Sushi Go!
- Was it fun?
Overall, I had a lot of fun playing Sushi Go!
- What were the player interactions?
The player interactions included passing the cards around until nobody had any cards left.
- How long did it take to learn?
The game took about 5-10 minutes to learn. However, the chopsticks card was confusing to me and didn’t make sense for a good bit.
- What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
The most frustrating moments were when I didn’t get a card that complemented another.
- What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
My favorite moments were when I was able to stack as many cards as possible to earn the most points.
- Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
There was nothing I wanted to do that I couldn’t.
- If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be?
I wish there were some sort of trading system in the game.
- Is this a game you would play again?
I would play Sushi Go! again. I have a much better understanding of the flow and how certain cards work. I think it would be even more fun than the first time playing.
Zachary Dunlap: Week 1 Questions + Fluxx Playtest
Zachary Dunlap – 4D Final
Zachary Dunlap – Light Project
Zachary Dunlap – The Perfect Human
Rules that I had to follow (they were mine):
- Exclusively outdoors
- Filmed with inverted colors
- Must use at least one song by rapper Westside Gunn (at least 30 sec., no audio edits to the song) [My favorite rule!]
- At some point, the narrator must say “Go Steelers”
- Must include family member (I included my mom and dad)