Author: ronan

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Bloxsploitation (Max and Ronan)

Objective

The objective of our game is to build a Lego tower to a specified height, despite your opponent’s attempts to impede you.

Materials

  • Legos
  • cards

Setup

  • Each player gets a green base. As of right now, the 4×4 green square is the playable area.
  • The player with the most followers on Instagram goes first
  • To start, grab two random pieces and put them on your 4×4 base.

Playing

On your turn, pick a card and follow the instructions on the card. If the card instructs you to steal pieces from your opponent you may not steal anything with structural integrity. When building, if any pieces break off as you add new pieces you lose that pieces, and the pieces you were trying to add.

Winning/Losing

A player wins when the tower reaches the height specified at the beginning of the game.

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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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I’m Cookin’ Rule Book

Objective

The objective of I’m Cookin’ is to finish cooking a three course meal before your friends do so that you can host dinner. Do this by gathering all the ingredients you need for your meals and “cooking” the recipes once you have all the ingredients.

Required Materials

  • Recipe Cards
  • Ingredient Cards
  • Pantry Sheet
  • Refrigerator/Freezer Sheet

Setup

Start by shuffling all of the recipe and ingredient cards and placing them face down on the table. Next separate the recipe cards by the course number on the back, shuffle and place each number into it’s own separate pile. Next each player will get a refrigerator and pantry sheet to keep track of the ingredients they would like to keep.

Pantry sheets hold 5 ingredients that do not need refrigerated and refrigerator sheets hold 5 ingredients that either need refrigerated or frozen. Where the ingredient goes is indicated on the card. Sometimes, there are “flex” card that can go either place.

Flip face up the first recipe cards from the top of each course deck and place them in front of their respective decks.

Next deal each player 3 random ingredient cards, and keep these in your hand.

The player who has most recently done dishes goes first.

Playing the Game

On your turn you may perform 3 actions as elaborated below.

Action 1

When starting your turn you may first choose a recipe from the 3 facing up that you would like to try and cook. If none of the recipes appeal to you, you may pass on choosing a recipe. If you choose a recipe, you are the only player allowed to cook that food. If you pick a recipe be sure to replace it with a new recipe card face up from the pile.

If you do not want to pick a recipe you may place food in your pantry/refrigerator from your hand. The order in which you place your food in the pantry doesn’t matter. You also don’t have to place food in your pantry HOWEVER the max hand size is 3, so that also means you can’t draw any new cards before your next action.

Action 2

After deciding which food to keep, draw ingredient cards until you have 3 ingredients in your hand. You may only ever have 3 ingredients in your hand.

You can then ask any players if they would like to trade any ingredients they have for something you have. The ingredient traded must be from your hand and not from your pantry. You may also donate ingredients to players and draw again to have 3 ingredients in your hand.

DONATION RECEIVER: If you decide to receive a donation, you must place that ingredient directly into your pantry/refrigerator. Players must agree to accept the donation.

If no one is interested in a trade or donation, proceed to the third turn action.

Action 3

At the end of your turn you can cook a recipe. You may only cook a recipe that you have already chosen and with ingredients you have placed in your pantry/refrigerator, NOT FROM YOUR HAND.

If you cook a recipe flip the card face down to reveal the course you have completed on the back (ex. “Buffalo Chicken Dip” card back, “Course 1 Appetizer”) and keep that card. Discard the ingredients you used to cook into the discard pile.

Ending the Game

I’m Cookin’ ends when a player has cooked all 3 courses first.

OTHER RULES

Expired Food

You can not over-fill your pantry and fridge. If you want to cook a recipe, but have no room for the final ingredient in your fridge/pantry you must discard a food from the shelf and replace it with the new ingredient. Choose your foods wisely.

Hand Rules

You can only ever have 3 ingredients in your hand at one time, as well as what you have stored in your pantry/fridge.

You can only get rid of ingredient cards through:

  1. Placing them in your pantry/fridge
  2. Trading with a player
  3. Donating to a player
  4. Freeing space in your pantry/fridge by cooking a recipe

The only waste should come from over-filling your pantry or fridge, or by cooking recipes.

If all ingredient cards get used, reshuffle the discard pile.

Cookin’ A Recipe

Cooking a recipe requires the ingredients listed on the card. You may only cook from your pantry/fridge ingredients. You may add extra ingredients to a recipe (in order to empty more of your pantry/fridge), but the majority of the players must agree that they would still eat your meal with the added ingredient.

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Rules For Cutthroat Chicken

Objective

The objective of Cutthroat Chicken is to work together with other players to make it off of the farm before becoming the farmer’s dinner.

Required Materials

  • Game Board
  • Path Tiles (to place on the Game Board)
  • Chicken Game Pieces
  • Weapon Cards
  • Armor Cards
  • Dice

Setup

Start by shuffling the Path Tiles face down and place them on the gameboard (face down) in their designated spaces. Each player then chooses the chicken piece and places it at random on the gameboard. No more than two players may be on the same Path Tile. Every player may also draw one weapon card and one armor card.

The first round starts by each player taking a turn flipping over their Path Tile. The player who has eaten chicken most recently goes first. Each path tile gives different directions. Follow the directions on your tile. Some Path Tiles bring joy and others bring sorrow.

On Your Turn…

Begin your turn by flipping over the Path Tile you are on. Your path tile will include directions for your chicken. You may be asked to draw another armor card, draw another weapon card, or even to form an alliance. Beware of Path Tiles with farmers. You will need to use your friends and weaponry to take them down or escape. After you have completed the directions on your path tile you may pick a new Path Tile to move to. Your new Path Tile can only be one tile away from yours in any direction. DO NOT flip over your new tile until it is your turn again. Your turn ends once you move to a new tile and make sure you only have a total of one armor card and two weapon cards in your hand.

Ending the Game

Cutthroat Chicken ends once all the Path Tiles have been revealed. The chickens left at the end have escaped the farm and becoming a meal. If all chickens die before all the Path Tiles are revealed then no one wins and you have all become delicious McChicken sandwiches.

Fighting Farmers

Farmers require a certain dice roll in order to defeat them. The dice roll required is next to the farmer on the Path Tile. Weapons aid your dice roll by increasing the number you roll depending on how good your weapons are. You may add both your weapon modifiers to your dice roll. If you don’t roll high enough you may ask a nearby chicken for assistance. That chicken may only add one weapon modifier to their roll, and may only half the total of their dice roll to yours. If you have rolled high enough with your ally’s help you survive, but you must discard one weapon card.

If you have no weapons when you meet a farmer, your dice roll is taken as is with no modifiers.

If you do not roll high enough to defeat the farmer you are eliminated from the game.

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Animal Theme Game Ideas

Cat Domination

Cat Domination is a card game in which players build cat armies in order to infiltrate homes of dog owners and convert them to cat people. The more dog owners the players convert the more points they gain.

  • Cats are the best pets
  • You walk around with dog shit
  • Make the best pet choice

Shark Bait

Shark Bait is a game where players start as a baby shark and work their way through the ocean catching prey and growing into a bigger shark, while avoiding predators. Grow into the biggest shark to win the game.

  • Ferocious and fierce
  • Be the biggest beast around
  • Sharks are the ocean kings

Mouse in the House

Despite the title, no this is not a new version of Mouse Trap it is quite the opposite. In Mouse in the House players play as a mouse in the house (clue style board) wreaking havoc and chewing as much as possible while avoiding traps.

  • Mouse infestation
  • Chewing and gnawing your things
  • Catch them if you can

Monster Mash

Monster Mash is a matching card game in which players work to put cards together to build a completed version of their monster. The person who completes building their monster first is the winner.

  • Cute monster mash up
  • Bring to life your creature first
  • Matches win the game

Cryptid Hunting

Cryptid Hunting is a game where players follow clues to find and capture each cryptid in existence. The player who captures the most cryptids is the winner.

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Collab Game Ideas

Black Friday Massacre

Black Friday Massacre is a RPG tabletop game in which players collaborate to make it through Black Friday as a retail worker by overcoming WASP moms, Karens, and hordes of capitalist zombies.

Let Them Eat Cake

Let Them Eat Cake is a collaborative card game in which players work as assassins and attempt to behead all of the most iconic historical monarchs without getting caught. Players may also compete with each other for the most assassinations.

Cutthroat Chicken

Cutthroat Chicken is a tabletop game in which players attempt to escape their fate on the chicken farm by arming themselves against the farmers [the game] and making tough sacrifices.

Seedlings

Seedlings is a card game in which players pick a plant they would like to bloom/ripen into and compete to see who can bloom first while also needing to share resources.

Purity

Purity is a board game where players attempt to avoid committing all 7 deadly sins in order to get to heaven by overcoming peer pressure and temptation. The players may also compete to see who commits the least amount of deadly sins (not required).

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Card Game Ideas

Zombie Blitz

The playing of rapid fire Fluxx gave me the idea for a Zombie card game. In a round everyone’s turn would be timed, so you have to prepare as quickly as you can for the zombie blitz. At the end of the round the zombie’s attack, so you better hope you made the right preparation choices.

I’m Cookin’

I envision this a card game where you collect different foods/ingredients to complete the recipe card you picked at the beginning of the game. Whoever collects all their food first wins. I think a fun mechanic would be that food can go bad if you hold onto it for too long. It needs fleshing, but it’s getting there.

Butterfly Effect

A time travel card game. Players pick up historical events and debate on whether or not to take action to change them. Once players make the decision they draw the effect card. They have to be careful because one thing could change their entire world. This idea needs a lot more work.

Tame The Dragon

Based upon our continuous love of dragons we brought from 4D I was thinking about a card game in which players face off against different creatures gaining more animal handling skills until they feel like they are ready to tame a dragon. The player to tame a dragon first is the winner.

Dino Dream

Live as one amongst dinosaurs in the Jurassic era. Form bonds and friendships with different kinds of dinosaurs, and learn about how they used to live and survive.

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Week 2 Questions

What Mechanics would you like to use for a game with a theme that revolves around being the size of a nanometer?

I’m picturing some sort of game where you are a fruit fly (I feel they are the size of a nanometer). I think I’d add a regeneration element or mechanic because a fruit fly life is so short. It would be fun if you had the opportunity to “come back to life” but only if you had been able to lay eggs as a fruit fly.

Who are you making games for?

Personally, I create games for myself. A lot of times when I have an idea for a game it’s a way to make mechanics that exist more fun and with a theme I enjoy.

Who will be your play testers outside of class?

My playtesters outside of class include my wife, mother-in-law, parents, and my small DnD group who will try out new things I create.

Can you think of a game you were able to play without referring to the rules?

Battleship? Guess Who

How do you define what a game is?

A game is an interactive activity created to provide divertissement from the mundane.

What features can make your games more intuitive?

I think that color in a game lends a lot of intuition when playing. For example, if you had never played UNO but you picked up the game and looked at the cards you might assume that you’d need to keep similar colors together in some capacity. In Connect 4, Checkers, and Chess each side has different colored pieces. Sounds stupid, but it’s hard to play a game if you don’t know who’s pieces are who’s that’s why you need color.

What was your gateway game? What do you play to introduce others to gaming?

I’m honestly not very sure about this answer. I feel like I’ve been playing games my whole life. My family is a very game centric family. We have had “game rooms” in every house we’ve moved to.

I would say that what got me into more strategic card games was when my older brother finally let me play Euchre with him and his friends. It took a while of learning strategy with my brother, but we became pretty hard to beat.

I think for tabletop my gateway game was this random game produced in 1999 called Pokemon Master Trainer. It was a board game where your “Ash” token traveled all over the Kanto Region catching pokemon and even battling other players. Catching pokemon depended on your dice roll (higher level pokemon higher dice roll needed). As a 5 year old I thought this was the coolest game in the world. My brother played an “easier” version of it with me until I was old enough to understand all the rules. Since then he and I have always been trying new and more complex table top games.

What features do gateway games share?

Easy to learn, interesting theme, lack of complexity, an aspect of luck, short duration, and good replay value.

What are the 10 beautiful mechanics and what should you aim for with your own?

  1. Players are attracted to shiny objects – Kingmaker
  2. Forcing players to make hard choices -BattleTech’s Heat
  3. Set making games – Set
  4. The “tapping” of cards, the visual idea that cards are turned on and off – MTG
  5. Symmetry in a game is important – Battle Cow TDN
  6. Card Popping (making comparison more fun) – xXxenophile
  7. Hand Order Rule or using cards in the order you draw them – Bohnanza
  8. Moving and not knowing where you are going – Mississippi Queen’s Paddlewheels
  9. Communication Breakdown – Time’s Up!
  10. Constant Shuffling – Dominion

Well Mike Selinker said that these mechanics were the bar, so I should aim to clear it with my own game mechanics.

How does luck and strategy factor in to game play?

Luck in a game is something that occurs while playing that is beyond your control. It’s not necessarily good or bad it’s literally just chance. Strategy is when you are making active decisions about gameplay and plans given the information you have while playing the game.

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Campus Game Ideas

Kick High and Catch

Kick High and Catch is a team based game where teams compete to score goals against their opponents. The team with the highest goal count at the end of the game wins.

Setup

Teams consist of 1-15 players (meaning 2-30 players), with a maximum of two teams per game. Teams will place medium soccer nets across from each other, 30 yards apart. One team will be on a hill, and one team will be in the valley. A parallel line will separate each team in the middle of the field (15 yards on either side). For every 2 players there must be at least one ball in play (for example if you have two teams of 4 you must have 4 balls in play). The game ball is one of those horrible rubber dodgeballs.

Process

Teams will flip a coin to determine who begins on the hill, and who begins in the valley. The team with the oldest player starts with the ball on their side (old people need the advantage). The game is played for a continuous 30 minutes. Your team must attempt to kick the ball in the other team’s net and score goals. You can only SCORE goals by kicking, and SAVE goals by any means necessary (no felonies, but pushing teammates or sacrificing them is encouraged). The game is meant to be fast paced and a little wild. There is no “out of bounds” but teams must not cross the center line dividing the playing field. Anyone can score a goal, and anyone can save a goal. Just score the most goals in 30 minutes to win.

No positions

No leaders

No captains

ONLY Anarchy

Pokemon Championship

The Pokemon Campus Championship will mimic the Sword and Shield championship using the Pokemon TCG by traveling on an adventure around campus.

Setup

8 pokemon gyms will be designated in different portions/buildings of campus. Players will register and pick there “jersey” number for the competition. Volunteers will act as NPCs to be stationed around and inbetween different gyms. Players will face off against NPCs and Gym Leaders using Pokemon TCG decks and rules to face off. The first player to collect all 8 gym badges wins the game.

Process

Everyone registers and picks a jersey number. Everyone receives a map of their pokemon region. Everyone races around trying to complete all the gym challenges and collect their badges to win the game. Try not to get held up by NPCs as it will slow you down in winning the competition.

Basic B*tch Bingo – To Have Fun While You Study

A group of gameplayers sits in different parts of the library with bingo cards. The first player to get a bingo wins.

Setup

Basic b*tch bingo is created specifically with college kids in mind. Some blocks of the Basic B*tch Bingo will be dry erase for players to add their own special twist to the game. Examples of spaces on the Basic B*tch Bingo card are “Spot Someone Wearing School Swag”, “Spot Someone Drinking Starbucks”, “Spot at least 3 individuals wearing airpods”, “Spot at least 3 BANG Energy Drinks”, etc. The Dry Erase spots enable you to make it school specific.

Process

When you get a Bingo (because this is silent bingo you are in a library) you have to race to the gamemaker’s location and present your bingo card. You don’t know if you have won or lost until you get a bingo and go to the location.

Get Your RMU Passport

Players will pair off in teams of 3-4 and receive an RMU passport that requires stamps. To get each stamp you must complete the challenge associated with the stamp.

Setup

Each RMU department has a required stamp, and Professors of those departments have created the challenges/obstacles the teams must face in order to get their stamp (Very Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone). For example you could have to win a game against Professor Ames and Professor Jones in order to receive that stamp.

Process

Each team will go around to collect stamps and complete fun puzzles and challenges. The first team to get back to the “airport” with their completed passports is the winner.

Fortress

Teams will use the given “bricks” (cardboard blocks) to create and build their Fortress. The last Fortress standing, or the Fortress with the most captured flags is deemed the winner.

Setup

Each Fortress set comes with enough blocks to create a small cardboard fortress, and “rocks” (essentially those indoor snowballs you can buy but grey). Teams can consist of 2-6 players, but only two players can be inside/ protecting the fortress at one time. Teams fortress location must be known to all other teams. Teams will pick something to be their team flag and place it inside their Fortress after it is built.

Process

Teams must work to destroy other fortresses sending teammates and using “rocks”, and creating alliances (depending on the amount of fortresses). Fortress flags can only be taken after more than half the blocks have been knocked down. When your fortress is destroyed you may choose to stop playing, or join other fortresses to try and get revenge. The last fortress standing (or in a stalemate the Fortress with more flags) is the winner.

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Kobold Game Questions

In your opinion what should every game have? Why do you like your favorite game?

I think that every game should offer some sort of ability to strategize. Games based purely on chance, don’t feel like games and aren’t fun to me. My favorite game genre is almost any Pokemon game. You can’t beat a Pokemon game without some semblance of hard work and strategy

List the games you’ve played and currently play.

Currently I have perfected the Legends of Arceus Pokedex (and I mean every single research task attributed to every single pokemon). I have modified my original gameboy color in order to add a backlight and I’ve decided to complete at least one pokemon game from every generation (including the pokedex). I’m also going to replay Zelda BOTW before the sequel is released. I also enjoy Rocket League and the Halo series. On rotation my wife and I enjoy playing Life, Yahtzee, Boggle, Monopoly, Skip-Bo, Fill or Bust, and Pigs.

*In progress is a complete compendium spreadsheet of every game I have ever played*

Can you apply the three act structure to your favorite game? What is it’s pacing and how long do you find yourself in each act?

Yes, generally the first act of a Pokemon game is setting establishing what region you are living in, who the Pokemon Professors/Researchers are, who your friends/rivals are, and what the three starter Pokemon choices are. This choice effects the way that you play through the second act. The second act is your adventure through your Pokemon region in your quest to become the Pokemon Champion. You must level up your pokemon through battles, and catch others to add to your team. Having different types is ideal as it effects the success of your battles. Once you have collected all the gym badges you must face the elite 4 (or some sort of champion) to be a Pokemon master. As a result you also get to automatically catch the Legendary Pokemon associated with the game. The push to become champion would be the third act.

When coming up with ideas where do you find you start, with the metaphor or the mechanic? 

I find that I almost always start with a metaphor. Your imagination is your oyster, so finding mechanics to fit my ideas and make them seamless seems like less hassle than fitting my awesome idea into mechanics that I’m not willing to change. Plus it’s easier to manipulate and change a metaphor than a mechanic.

Over the course of this semester, who would you like to collaborate with and why?

One person I’d like to collaborate with is Max. I feel like when it comes to design I often let my “adult brain” get the better of me and I don’t stay as open minded as I would like. I feel like Max let’s his kid brain roam free and I love that and want to learn more about how he develops ideas and thinks. He might be a mad genius like King Bumi in Avatar Last Airbender.