{"id":13252,"date":"2025-04-23T12:51:02","date_gmt":"2025-04-23T16:51:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rmu.andrewyames.com\/?p=13252"},"modified":"2025-04-23T21:43:18","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T01:43:18","slug":"game-documentation-3-for-shipping-craze","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rmu.andrewyames.com\/?p=13252","title":{"rendered":"Game Documentation 3 for “Shipping Craze”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Short Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Shipping Craze\u00a0is a fast-paced tabletop game where 4-6 players take on the roles of savvy merchants, racing to gather products, manage funds, and build the highest-value “house” by purchasing items from a shared store. Players roll dice, land on spaces to collect money, and make strategic purchases to build their collections. The goal is to be the merchant with the most valuable house when all store items are sold or no one can afford more products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This game is perfect for players aged 12 and up who enjoy strategy, competition, and a bit of luck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Design Process & Thought Process:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Game Design Document (GDD):<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Game Design Document <\/strong>
Core Concept: <\/strong>The game is centered around the theme of product collection and strategic purchases. Players must manage their money effectively and plan their acquisitions carefully to maximize the value of their personal \"house\" before time runs out or the store empties.
Message\/Purpose: <\/strong>The purpose of Shipping Craze is to engage players in a competitive environment where they must balance risk and reward, manage resources (money), and make strategic decisions. The game challenges players to think ahead and outsmart their opponents to accumulate the most valuable set of products.
Rules and Mechanics:<\/strong>
Dice Rolling:<\/strong> Determines movement on the board, creating an element of luck.
Product Cards:<\/strong> Represent money earned, creating a balance between luck (drawing cards) and strategy (spending money wisely).
Store Items:<\/strong> A shared resource that players can purchase from, encouraging competitive decision-making.
Bankruptcy: <\/strong>Forces players to rethink their strategies when they run out of money.
Double Rolls:<\/strong> Adds a layer of excitement and risk, providing an extra turn for lucky players but also the risk of losing a turn after three consecutive doubles.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
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Iterative Design:<\/strong>\u00a0Showcase how you iterated on the game design, highlighting the challenges you faced and the decisions you made.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
The design process of Shipping Craze began with the core mechanic of collecting products to build a valuable house. The initial iteration was quite simple, with players moving around the board and collecting items, but it lacked strategic depth. Early testing revealed that players often rushed to buy whatever they could, resulting in an unsatisfying game that didn\u2019t reward long-term planning.
Key Decisions Made:<\/strong>
I introduced the concept of a \"house\" where players store purchased products to help them track their progress and give them a visual goal to work toward.
A store with limited products was added to introduce competition and prevent players from hoarding resources without challenge.
I added the rule for bankruptcy to add tension and prevent players from simply buying low-value items repeatedly.
The Double Roll rule was implemented to keep the game dynamic and prevent players from becoming complacent.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
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Game Mechanics:<\/strong>\u00a0Explain the key game mechanics in detail, using diagrams or screenshots, or photos to illustrate them.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Game Mechanics<\/strong>
The game is centered around three key mechanics:
Dice Rolling:<\/strong> Players roll two dice on each turn to determine how far they move on the board. Rolling doubles gives players an extra turn, but rolling three doubles in a row results in forfeiting a turn.
Collecting Products:<\/strong> Players land on spaces to draw Product Cards, which provide them with money tokens. The money earned helps players purchase store products.
Purchasing Products:<\/strong> The products in the store are limited, and players must carefully choose which items to buy with their accumulated money. Items vary in price and value, requiring players to think strategically about when and what to purchase. <\/pre>\n\n\n\n
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Player Goals:<\/strong>\u00a0Clearly define the players\u2019 objectives and how they achieve victory.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Players aim to build the highest-value house by purchasing items from the store. The value of each product is represented by the money it earns when collected. At the end of the game (when the store is out of products or players can no longer afford to buy), the player with the most valuable house wins. To achieve this, players must:
Collect money by drawing product cards.
Strategically purchase valuable items from the store.
Monitor the other players\u2019 progress to prevent them from getting ahead. <\/pre>\n\n\n\n
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Gameplay Sequence:<\/strong>\u00a0Include images or videos demonstrating different stages of gameplay, highlighting key moments and player interactions.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Gameplay Sequence<\/strong>
The game unfolds in a series of turns:
Roll the Dice:<\/strong> The player rolls two dice to determine movement.
Land on a Space:<\/strong> The player lands on a space that might allow them to collect a product card or purchase from the store.
Product Collection:<\/strong> If a player lands on a \"Pick up a Product\" space, they draw a Product Card and receive money based on the card\u2019s value.
Purchasing:<\/strong> Players may then spend their collected money to buy products from the store.
End Turn:<\/strong> Once purchases are made, or the player opts not to buy anything, their turn ends, and the next player takes their turn.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
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Game Board & Components:<\/strong>\u00a0Show good pictures of the game board and components, explaining how they guide or influence player actions.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
The Shipping Craze board includes spaces for dice rolling, product collection, and the store where players can buy items. The board is divided into different segments, such as \"Start\" and \"Product Spaces,\" where players can land to collect products.
Components:
Dice (2): To determine movement.
Product Cards (200): Cards representing products and the money earned when collected.
Store Items (150): Physical items for sale in the store, each with a price tag.
Money: Represent the cash players use to make purchases.
Player Markers: Used to track the player's position on the board.
Product Boxes (3): Store items are kept here for players to purchase.
The store is the focal point of the game\u2019s strategy, influencing player decisions as they navigate the board and plan purchases.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
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