The Atomic approach
Utilizing a reductive method to start from the smallest elements of a game, and after identifying and understanding each, combining them into stable molecules and compounds to support the original intent.
This lecture series on Youtube proved a good place to start for me to understand wargames from a longer and wider perspective than my own. I'm incorporating pieces of these lectures in addition to Mark LeBlanc's work to create a solid foundation that I can reference when creating mechanics further in the design process.
I will utilize material covered in this video:
Introduction, Features of All Games
Representation
What you see in front of you when you look at the game.
The game is represented by the various miniatures or tokens arrayed on a [gridded/open ] play map with reference cards for each faction set to the side. Several colors of dice will be available and a track marking victory progress for each player. Templates and measuring aids will be available as well, with a rules reference sheet and full rulebook out of the play area.
Mechanics
Mechanics are things you assemble to get a game - mechanisms that execute to make the game function.
Mechanisms slated in the game at this point are to remain mostly undefined to fit my atomic approach.
Confirmed mechanics:
Player Turns
Dice Rolling
Modular Board
Variable Player Powers
Capture / Eliminate
Movement
Resource Management
Risk & Reward
Game Modes
Piece Elimination
Victory Points
Loss Avoidance
Possible mechanics:
Reference Cards
Force Construction
Factions|Open Purchase
Catch Up
Secret Unit Deployment
Time Track
Action Point system (Star Fleet Battles, Federation Commander)
Rock Paper Scissors
2+ players
Team play
Player Elimination
Cooperative Scenarios
Wagering resources / Press your Luck
Campaign Play
Route Building
Card Driven Battle / Campaign
Deck / Pool Building
Point to Point movement
Simultaneous Action Selection
Action Programming / Pencil and Paper, recording orders
Variable Unit Command / 'Chit-pull system'
Grid Movement
Memory
Area Control / Influence
Pick up and Deliver
Style
emphasis of a specific mechanic, what mechanic the game relies on.
This will have to be rather light at this point, because so little of the game is established picking mechanics to emphasize is premature.
Theme
What is the game about
The game is about fleets of spaceships fighting.
Components
What falls out of the box when overturned
Play Surface
Dice
Tokens
Chit Counters
Reference Cards, Sheets, Rules
Rulebook
Miniatures
Templates
Ruler
Terrain tiles
'Shape'
Term from Japanese game Go, Thin and elegant or Thick and clumsy
How much space the game uses in a player's life
The target for this game is to have a very thin presence for play and setup, and ideally a thick space in overall time playing.
Voice
I / We / First Person
You / You / Second Person
*He/She / They / 3rd Person*
The player's actions reflect the decisions and participation of hundreds or even thousands of imaginary officers and crew.
Content
Subject of the game
What are the resources?
This overlaps quite a bit with Theme, and so far isn't well defined with the current rules (or lack thereof) at this time. Content is what distinguishes this game from others like it.
As the game goes through iterative design, I'm going to revisit these elements and fill them in.
No comments:
Post a Comment