Category: Game Design Studio 1

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Week 5 Games

Bonanza – 8/10

Beans are funny. I have no clue why they didn’t call this one Beananza. Anyway. I think I would go on record as saying that I think games that take a while are fun, and Bonanza was no exception. The idea of assigning rarities to beans is funny, and most of the art was too. Good game. 

King of Tokyo – 6/10

I didn’t get to play much of this game, but I like fighting and I like winning – which I did.  I don’t really see a point for it, as if I wanted to fight monsters I’d just get action figures. And be ten.

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Kubold Kuestions Three

What is the difference between a game designer and a game developer?

When I think game designer, I think of someone making a board game. Can you call that analog? When I think game developer, I think computers.

What commonly occurs during the game development process?

Multiple steps backwards.

What are the challenges of balancing a game?

Keeping it rewarding, while not handing things away.

What should every player of your game believe? Why?

I think they should believe in your rules. Even if the rules have an error, play until you encounter that, and deal with it accordingly. Nobody’s going to have fun if you’re looking for problems.

How can you avoid stealing players fun?

Stay out of the game, as the game maker.

What 10 maxims should you follow when writing rules?

Use no intermediary terminology

Use real words

Make no more work than necessary

Add flavor (but not too much flavor)

Make your text no smarter than your reader

Discard rules that can’t be written

Take a breath

Go easy on the eyes

Get your final version playtested

Fix it in the FAQ

How has play testing changed your game?

I can think whatever I want about something I make, but there can be a lot of things that I could – and did – miss.

Who from class would you like to play test your next game or version 2 of your first game?

Ronan.

Who is the audience for your game?

People who like to have fun.

Who should play test your game outside of class?

My roommates.

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Romito Week 8 Questions

  1. The difference is that a game designer designs the initial concept and game itself, whereas game developers interact with the users and tune the game to meet their needs.
    1. During the game development process the game goes through initial tests, defining of the rules and acquiring an identity (title, theme, etc.).
  2. What is challenging about balancing a game is how difficult or complex you want to make it for the user – if it is too challenging the user might not want to play again – as well as the cost of the game.
    1. the user playing the game should feel fulfilled and accomplished when playing the game, having a feel of hope driving them to want to play till the end.
    2. To avoid stealing players’ fun, things in the game that allow the user to influence others, but not simply deal to the leader allows for fun.
  3. no intermediary words, use real words, no unnecessary work, add some theme, readable text, all rules must be written, keep writing to the point, keep text uniform, play test the rules
  4. Play testing allowed me to understand what worked well in my game and what didn’t. I received really good feedback. I would like for those who haven’t already played to play to get different feedback. The audience for my game is anyone interested in card games, not any particular age.
  5. I could play test my game on my little sister. She is 9 so seeing if even a younger demographic enjoys the game and has a chance at winning it allows for a wider range of people to play.
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Questions 3

1 game designers make the game as game developers make the game better.

1-1 what is done in the development process is an initial test, looking at the rules, blind play testing, and title/theme

2 number of components and there complexity, cost

2-1 the play should feel achieved

2-2 let them play the whole game, no king making, don’t reward the leader, no deceleration, the ability to influence others, don’t force a reverse

3 no intermediary words, use real words, no unnecessary work, add some theme, readable text, all rules must be written, keep writing to the point, keep text uniform, play test the rules

4 testers for my game have been those in class and roommates

4-1 the people that should test my game is a mix of those who have tested a previous version and those who have not played at all. When it comes to any new game prototypes everyone in the class is able to give some kind of useful information after a test.

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Rules V3

The goal is to be the first person with all cards of the same color in there hand.

Requires a deck of uno cards

Set up

  • Remove all wild and blank cards
  • Deal each player 3 cards
  • The tallest player goes first

There are 24 red cards, 24 blue cards, 24 green cards, and 24 yellow cards

Turn

  • Each turn a player will draw one card from the deck.
  • Players can get rid of cards by giving them to another player.
  • Each turn players can use one card from there hand to affect play
  • If any player ends up with no cards they can draw 3 cards from the deck

Used cards are returned to the bottom of the deck.

The first person with all cards of the same color in there hand wins.

  • Reverse cards are used to reverse the turn order.
  • Skips are used to skip the next players turn
  • +2’s take 2 random cards from any one player if no player has 2 or more cards draw 2 card from the deck
  • +4’s take 4 random cards from any one player if no player has 4 or more cards draw 4 card from the deck
  • 0’s moves 5 cards from the players hand to the hand of a player of their choice.
  • 1’s are used to move all players hands one person to the right.
  • 7’s allow the player to swap hands with one player of their choice.
  • All other numbered cards move the same number of cards as the number on the cards to the hand of the player on the right.

Reverse’s players took turns in a clockwise direction now go counterclockwise

+two’s take two random cards from another player

+four’s take four random cards from another player

Skips next player skips there turn

Numbered cards move that number of cards one person to the right

Ones all players mover there hands one person to the right

Sevens swap hands with one player

Zero’s move 5 cards to the hand of another player

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Thoughts on Games I’ve Played This Semester

Flux

This was the first time I got to play the original version of flux, and I enjoy the specialty versions a lot better. Flux is always a little slow to learn the first time you play, but pace increases as you play the game. Overall, I think Flux is too slow because of the reading and amount of rules you have to keep in mind. Strategizing can take time on your turn making game play slow. I do like the game as a whole. I think if I had a group of friends I consistently played that game with I’d grow to love it more. 7/10 would play again.

Love Letter

I absolutely loved this game. I loved how simple yet complex the game ended up being, and the idea that you quite possibly always had a chance to win even if you were behind. The pace of this game was fast and very easy to learn. I liked that it was easy to learn, but strategizing took time to perfect. 9/10 would play again.

Tokaido

This was by far my favorite in class game so far. I loved everything about this game, and I’m determined to buy it so I can vacation as every character it has. I loved the group interaction that this game triggered. I loved that it was more “friendly” competition rather than “cutthroat” competition. The pace was slower, but I felt as though that was intentional because the artwork is so beautiful so overall it didn’t bother me. Easy to learn despite the several pages of rules. The way the booklet was designed made every question I had while playing very easy to reference. 11/10 will purchase.

Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis was an interesting game. I never really decided whether or not I liked it, I think I would need to play it again. I’m leaning towards not liking it I think because of the little player to player interaction. I very much was only worried about myself and my own trees and trying to get light points. I felt at points I wasn’t even playing against the other players I was just trying to get light points to do more actions. The pace was a bit slow, but picked up once we got a hang of the game. 5/10 not a lot of interest in playing again.

Bonanza

Another class favorite of mine. The player interaction was some of the most fun I’ve had playing and the mechanics of the game were so unique and inspiring. I wish there were other tokens to use as money, but I assume that removing some beans from gameplay is the point by having the cards double like that. Also, it was fun to beat Max at a game. 11/10 will purchase.

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Game Ideas based on Collecting

Spelunker – a game where players discover and explore cave systems that can hold treasures like weapons of value and money

Campus Trades – A game where players begin with a single item of little to no value and try to trade up to any piece of RMU apparel

We Brawl – A game in which players randomly choose items of value at random, and fight each other to gain more loot or maintain their current loot

Civil War Explorer – A game in which players explore Civil War battlefields with a metal detector and see what they can find

One Plague Doctor – A game where players search for the single antidote that can cure anyone of any illness

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Luck of the Flip Ruleset

Luck of the Flip

Description: Luck of the Flip is a game in which players must utilize their luckiness or unluckiness in order to progress through the game board or set back other players from moving forward.

Setting Up: Players need to lay out the game board and place the card piles onto the correct places. Players will also need a coin, any kind works. Players must also choose between Heads and Tails on which side will move the player 1 space or 2 spaces.

Starting the Game: Players place all their pieces in the Start. The youngest player goes first.

How to Take a Turn:

  • Players will flip the coin. They will move 1 or 2 spaces depending on what side the coin lands on, players determine which side moves how many.
  • Good Luck Spots: Players will draw a Good Luck Card.
  • Bad Luck Spots: Players will draw a Bad Luck Card.
  • Fast Travel (Smiley Face): Players will fast travel forward to where the arrow points.
  • Fast Travel (Frowny Face): Players will fast travel backwards to where the arrow points.
  • Flip Again!: Players will flip the coin again and move again.
  • Flip Again, But Move Back: Players will flip the coin again and move back that many spaces.
  • Free Space: Nothing! Take a rest.
  • Move Back 1: Players will move back 1 space.

Rock, Paper, Scissors, Misery: Whenever a player lands on Rock, Paper, Scissors, Misery, they will pick another player to play a best-of-3 rock, paper scissors game. The winner will move forward 3 spaces and the loser will move back 3 spaces.

Good Luck and Bad Luck Cards: Throughout the game players will draw Good Luck and Bad Luck cards.

  • Players will draw these cards when landing on the corresponding spaces.
  • If the ability of the card can be played at the moment of drawing, then the ability must be used. If not then the player can hold onto the card and use the card whenever they see fit on their own turn.
  • If a ‘Move Back’ Bad Luck Card is drawn and you cannot move back that many spaces, move back as many spaces as you can.
  • Anytime a card is used, add the card to the discard pile. Create a discard pile if not already made.

Winning the Game: The player that reaches the End before any other player wins the game!

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RUSH 4 AMBASSADOR (– Banner structured by the runner)

1.         THE OBJECTIVE OF THE GAME (CAMPUS IDEA):

Creating the poster by collecting design elements like alphabets and graphics to sculpt the poster

2.         Materials Needs and DEFINITIONS (Possible Gameplay Items):

Required Ad Descriptions & Characteristics (for Structured Elements for Each Banner/Poster):  radio podcast, fun festival, cheerful concert, charity event (walk, run, celebrate for a great cause).

Alphabets & Graphics (including needed elements for ad and possible resistant circumstances): A-Z letters (a to z), icons (optional vocabulary), and possible incidents (left-right fan crowds, rainfalls, furious wind) in the sculpted white circles.

Square Blocks: 7oranges for energy (whether being blown by weather or completely blank paper by series of crowds Interruptions), 7 light greens for layers of protection, and 7 blues for chances (after the first round of energy or runout of protections, you have 6 chances). Hint: Gaining each energy back (from missed) if you collect each icon or completely formed word as instructed by Required Ad Descriptions & Characteristics. Remember: The blue blocks will be taken out by protection and energy each time you want to refuel your energy and refill the shield (layers of protection).

3.         Setup:

The player(s) will have a card(s) to instruct which items (letters and signs) they need to be collected for successful fulfillment in terms of contents in an ad (as shown in Required Ad Descriptions & Characteristics) and use protections to deal with the weather.

4.         SUCCESSFUL ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

When the single player gets all the items to match the directions or multiplayer who gets the most items in percentage (%) from Required Ad Descriptions & Characteristics?

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Granny Squares Rules

Setup

Take out the game board and place it on the table. Shuffle the CHANCE cards and place in the middle of the board. Players choose a grandmother character card, and place the corresponding piece on the start square. Each grandmother has an effect listed on her card. Marsha’s effect happens at the beginning of the game. Everyone else’s effects will happen as they become relevant (the specific card is drawn). The oldest player goes first.

Objective

The goal of this game is to beat the other grandmothers and collect the most yarn before the sale at the craft store closes.

Actions Players Take

At the start of their turn, the player will roll a die and move that number of spaces. Spaces include yarn, chance, and blank spaces. If players land on a yarn space, they get a skein of yarn. If players land on a chance space, they pick up a chance card and do what it says. If the player lands on a blank space, they do nothing.

Chance Cards

+/- yarn cards: the yarn comes from and goes back to the craft store, unless otherwise noted

Grandkids: each grandmother has one visit from their grandkids. Whoever’s grandkids are visiting, they get +1 yarn. If you pull a grandkids card that does not have your grandmother name on it, you must give one yarn from your stash to that grandmother. If no one is playing that grandmother, you do not have to do anything.

Neighborhood Swap: you get a lovely pot roast (this does not affect the game, but it’s tasty) and you choose one of the other grandmothers to get 1 yarn

Canasta/Bingo: The grandmothers listed on that card receive 1 yarn. If you are not a grandmother listed on that card, you do not get any yarn

Estate Sale: Give 1 yarn to every other player from your own stash. If you do not have enough yarn for the amount of people playing, give 1 yarn to each person starting on your left and going clockwise until you run out of yarn.

Retirement: Receive 1 yarn from every other player. If a player does not have any yarn, then you do not get yarn from them (pretty simple)

Ending the Game

The craft store will kick you out when you have gone around the board 3 times. When you have gone around 3 times, you are done and must remove your piece from the board. Once you are off the board, your stash of yarn remains constant, and is not affected by any of the chance cards.

The grandmother with the most yarn in her stash wins.

Granny Squares Rules v.2

Setup

Take out the game board and place it on the table. Shuffle the CHANCE cards and place in the middle of the board. Players choose a grandmother character card and place the corresponding piece on the start square. Everyone starts with 3 yarn.

Each grandmother has an effect listed on her card. Marsha’s effect happens at the beginning of the game. Everyone else’s effects will happen as they become relevant (the specific card is drawn). Each time you go around the board, you will get one round token. The oldest player goes first.

Objective

The goal of this game is to beat the other grandmothers and collect the most yarn before the sale at the craft store closes.

Actions Players Take

At the start of their turn, the player will roll a die and move that number of spaces.

Spaces

Start: Where players start. Collect 1 yarn each time you go around the board and pass or land on this space. Do not collect yarn at the start of the game.

Chance: pull a chance card

+ Yarn: If you land on a colored yarn space that matches your grandmother color, you get +2 yarn. Otherwise, you get +1 yarn.

– Yarn: Lose 1 yarn. It goes back to the craft store.

Mobility Aids: Advance forward 2 spaces to Chance and pull a chance card.

Advance to Start: Move your character piece to the start space. Collect 1 yarn and 1 round token.

Blank: nothing happens on these spaces.

Chance Cards

+/- Yarn: the yarn comes from and goes back to the craft store, unless otherwise noted

Grandkids: each grandmother has one visit from their grandkids. Whoever’s grandkids are visiting, they get +1 yarn. If you pull a grandkids card that does not have your grandmother name on it, you must give one yarn from your stash to that grandmother. If no one is playing that grandmother, you do not have to do anything.

Neighborhood Swap: you get a lovely pot roast (this does not affect the game, but it’s tasty) and you give 1 yarn to the first member of the opposite granny gang sitting to your left. Dawn does not lose any yarn, but she can still gain yarn.

Canasta/Bingo: The grandmothers listed on that card receive 1 yarn. If you are not a grandmother listed on that card, you do not get any yarn

Bingo Hall Brawl: Each member of the Canasta Cadre must give 1 yarn to a member of the Bingo Brigade. Carol gives to Marsha, Ethyl gives to Heidi, Rosemary gives to Dawn. If a granny is not in play, disregard this card.

Canasta Combat: Each member of the Bingo Brigade must give 1 yarn to a member of the Canasta Cadre. Marsha gives to Carol, Heidi gives to Ethyl, Dawn gives to Rosemary. If a granny is not in play, disregard this card.

Steal: Take 1 yarn from a member of the opposite granny gang

Estate Sale: Give 1 yarn to every other player from your own stash. If you do not have enough yarn for the amount of people playing, give 1 yarn to each person starting on your left and going clockwise until you run out of yarn.

Retirement: Receive 1 yarn from every other player. If a player does not have any yarn, then you do not get yarn from them (pretty simple)

Ending the Game

The craft store will kick everyone out as soon as one person has gone around the board 3 times or collected 3 round tokens. The person who does this will earn 1 yarn for each member of her granny gang.

The grandmother with the most yarn in her stash wins.

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Game Reviews (Tester) for Peers’ Playable Prototypes (by Benjamin Zou)

Rule Set 2

The challenging part of the game: Trying to figure out how this game work due to the complex values that could mean so much for players in terms of the winning process and distance

The Surprising Moment of the gameplay: The value each player draw could be everything out of their control; the most unexpected outcome is I accidentally won by just picking out the ace card (only if I get a value of 50). This game also has the function of switching turns and picking out a queen/king.

Rule Modifications for the game (recommendations for switching, adding, and/or removing): Maybe start with three cards so that players feel more challenged.

Impression of the Game: It is a magical play about the exchange of values

Replaying Willingnesses (Enjoyments of the Game): I enjoy despite the complex formats of the rulesets since I learned a little bit about the game’s objective: how each card’s values could enable one to go against others.

Disasters

The challenging part of the game: I cannot own items as full as I wish since I need to discard items once I draw a card that could exceed my current item cards.

The Surprising Moment of the gameplay: The adventurous gameplay involves the action of interacting with the next player to complete the goals, therefore each card is detectable to all players. In other words, this game is about getting things from the next players to create satisfying goals for each other — how greedy are our pursuits for possessions?

Rule Modifications for the game (recommendations for switching, adding, and/or removing): Creating more variety of disasters to elevate more obstacles for players to get through the path to their destination.

Impression of the Game: Will players have the right tools to deal with unexpected hazards?

Replaying Willingnesses (Enjoyments of the Game): The genre of this game is filled with narrative elements including items collections and unexpected harmful circumstances which encourage narrators like me to puzzle the sequences of the plot — it is definitively exciting for an adventurous personality like me.

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Rules V2

The goal is to be the first person with a value of 50 in there hand.

Requires a standard deck of cards

Set up

  • Remove both jokers
  • Deal each player 3 cards
  • The tallest player goes first
  • Direction of play at the start is clockwise

Turn

  • Each turn a player will draw one card from the deck.
  • Players can get rid of cards by giving them to another player.
  • Each turn players can use one card from there hand to affect play

Used cards are returned to the bottom of the deck.

The first person with the value of 50 in there hand wins.

  • Aces have the value of 1 and are used to move all players hands one person to the right.
  • King/queens have the value of 12 and are used to reverse the turn order.
  • Jacks have the value of 11 and moves 5 cards from the players hand to the hand of a player of their choice.
  • 7’s allow the player to swap hands with one player of their choice.
  • All other numbered cards move that number of cards to the hand of the player on the right.

Kings/queens players took turns in a clockwise direction now go counterclockwise.

numbered cards move that number of cards one person to the right

aces all players mover there hands one person to the right

sevens swap hands with one player

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Week 2 – Magic Circle and Pacing

The Magic Circle as we discussed in class is more of a frame of mind. It is not necessarily a physical space or circle, but it is the area in which the rules of the game apply.

Pacing is important in game design obviously, but specifically it plays a big role in how likeable the game itself is. If a game is too slow paced, it can bore people or disinterest them. If a game is too fast, the game has no real incentive to play and can be found pointless, not entertaining. There has to be a balance in the pacing to allow for some strategy but also some gratification that allows the users or players to feel like they’re winning in some sense or at least have the chance to win.

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Week 1 Discussion – better late then never

The syllabus I am very familiar with for the most part. However, the one new thing that Ames has added this year is the different grading system. Although its kind of an experiment, I think it provides the student with this unspoken rule system of a game which is the whole point of the class. The game is how to get points towards your grade. You can take different routes to get the points, whether it be discussion posts, comments on others’ ideas, or even posting your own ideas periodically. This freedom has its pros and cons obviously, but I think it offers a unique experience as a student.

As far as good games, after thinking about the games I enjoy playing I have come to the conclusion that the games all have a couple things in common. They are all simple, easy to learn, use strategy, and gives everyone a fair chance to win. Examples of this are games like War, Uno, Five Crowns, Solitaire, or even a game we played recently called Carcossone (i think thats how you spell it).

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Slasher Rules

Slasher is a card game where each player is thrown into the role of a horror film protagonist with multiple killers coming after them. Players are dealt a hand of cards that will act as the key to their survival and help them attack the slashers. The goal of the game is to play until all the slashers have been killed and earn as many points as you can.  

Materials:

            – Slasher Cards (includes five different killers)

           –  Player Cards (include weapons, items, and scenarios)

            –  Dice

– Point Tokens 

                        – death (red), escape (white), and kill (blue)

Cards: 

Slasher Cards

Slashers:

Point Value:

Dice rolls

To kill Slasher:

To die:

Ghostface

Value = 1

9 or higher

6 or lower

Chucky

Value = 2

10 or higher

6 or lower

Michael

Value = 2

10 or higher

6 or lower

Jason

Value = 1

9 or higher

6 or lower

Freddy

Value = 3

11 or higher

7 or lower

To Escape:                                         Roll anything in between the two numbers above

  Weapon Cards

– Weapon cards are what allow the players to attack against the Slashers. 

                     Generic Weapons – A generic weapon card does not increase or decrease chances against killing a slasher, simply allows the players to attack. 

                             Handgun – Increases chances at killing Chucky

                            Knife – Increases chances at killing Ghostface

                            Claws – Increases chances at killing Freddy

                            Lighter – Increases chances at killing Michael

                            Axe – Increases chances at killing Jason 

Item Cards

– Item cards protect players from certain Slashers, and keep them alive even if they roll and dir during an attack

                                 Michael’s Jumpsuit – voids an attack card against Michael

                                 Freddy’s Hat – voids an attack card against Freddy

                                 Ghostface’s Phone – voids an attack card against Ghostface

                                 Chucky’s Overalls – voids an attack card against Chucky

                                 Jason’s Glove – voids an attack card against Jason

Scenario Cards:

– Scenario cards are what change/disruot the flow of the game

                       Individual Cards – Require Individual players to do what is said on card (Can be held in hand         unless they say to play immediately then they should be played first on a players next turn after drawing them.)

                       Group Cards – Require the group to do what is said on the card (Can be held in hand unless          they say to play immediately then they should be played first on a players next turn after drawing them.)

                       Attack cards – If an attack card is drawn, it requires a player to attack a slasher regardless of        weapon cards at the beginning of their turn.

Setup – 

 Each player is dealt 3 of the “player” cards, the remaining of which are sat face down in the middle of the table.

                 The Slasher Cards are sat in the middle of the table face down. 

                 The point tokens are set in the middle of the table, in three different piles (organized by color) 

To start the game, deal each player three player cards. Then pull the top slasher card and place it face up on the table. 

Now you are ready to play. 

The player to the left of the dealer starts. 

Each player should be starting with a hand of three “player cards.” Player cards consist of weapons, items, and scenarios that can help or hinder a player’s chance at killing the Slashers. 

A turn can consist of as many moves as a player wishes but ends when they draw a card from the remaining deck. (Unless players draw a “play immediately” card in which case, they will end their turn playing said card)

In a turn, players can…

A. play/equip a scenario card by placing it face up in front of them

B. Attempt to kill the slasher on the table by playing a weapon card and rolling dice. (The outcome of which depends on the listed numbers on the slasher cards)    

C – Do nothing and end their turn by drawing from the deck. 

Players will go clockwise around the group.  

If a player escapes a slasher, they are given a white token.

If a player kills a slasher, they are given a blue token. 

If a player fails to escape/kill a slasher, they “die” and receive a red token. 

If a player kills a slasher, they collect that card and the value of it will be added to their points. 

If a player draws a “Sequel” card then any slashers that they have killed, are placed back on the table (not in the deck) and players have to face against multiple slashers at once. 

If player cards run out, reshuffle the discarded cards, and place them back into the drawing deck. 

To determine who wins players must count up their points and the player with the highest score wins.

Scoring:

Red tokens = – 2

Blue tokens = 2

Yellow tokens =1

Slasher cards = their value (1,2, or 3)