Isn't wonderful how one simple change can leave the game running in a totally different direction? These past few weeks I have treaded through a complete turn around (for the better) in my game Battle of the Aces (so much that the name will be different). Same mechanics just organized differently.
The theme of the game was close to none; no real depth in meaning. Until I decided to patch the enormous hole in my game design; the none existant theme.
It went from a Chess style card game to a Magic the Gathering battle game. Although it doesn't inherit the tradition TCG enviornment, it combines a unique resource system with grid-like card movement that creates a massive arena of complex strategies and simple structure.
With a combination of a unique casting system, abundance system, resource system and turn structure, it opens up so many possibilities.
****Game Design****
Objective:
You are a Monumental, a being capable of using Monumentum (Mentum for short) to copy matter and recreate it with the assistance of Mentum Source technology. Each Monumental has a specific Monumental Resolution (End game condition) that must be met to end the conflict. In order to win the battle you must kill your opponents’ minions to gain their Monumentum—the resource they are composed of. If the game ends and you have gathered more Monumentum than your opponent, you win.
Set Up:
Your Monumental as well as the Mentumorphs (minions) it creates, will battle against your opponent on the field (game board) composed of three specific locations: the Home Base, Territory, and Battle Ground spaces. In front of you will be your Territory, where your Monumental will be able to cast Mentumorphs into play. This has eight spaces organized in a 2 space (length) by 4 space (width) area. Beyond that is the Battle Grounds composed of a 4 by 4 space area, which connects the players Territories together.
Creating Your Mentum Source:
This is simply your library or deck - composed of all of your Mentumorphs. The deck is split into six categories based on Abundance (the cards occurance in the deck)...
Abundant(6)
Common(5)
Base(4)
Scarce(3)
Rare(2)
Legendary(1)
You may pick two of each Abundance or Complexity of matter. This will make your Mentum Source out to be 42 cards.
Also you must chose a Monumental which will start on the field every game.
Mentumorph Characteristics:
Mentum Value: its cost to activate on the field as well as the value given to the enemy when killed (Known as Mentum Gain)
Complexity: the amount of the card present in the Mentum Source (the more complex the less occurance they have in the Mentum Source)
Predator/Prey: What the Mentumorph can kill and what it can be killed by
Mobility: Which directions on the board it is capable of moving (left, right, forward etc.)
Abilities: Special occurances that are unique to the specific Mentumorph
Mentumorph Type: Either Aggressive(enemy focused), Support(friendly focused), and Independent(self focused)
Race: Where in the galaxy the Mentumorph was copied from
Typically it costs Mentum Resources to do most of these actions: Move, Attack, Use an ability etc. To use these Mentum points will be explaned in "Mentum Resources".
Starting the Game:
Now that the Mentum Source is created and your Monumental is on a space in your Home Base (first row of Territory) you are ready to start. Players will shake hands to begin the conflict (this is called syncing Mentum Space, just puts some flavor in the game not needed).
Players will then pick up the first card on top of their Mentum Source to decide who goes first. The highest Mentum Value goes first, those cards will then go the bottom of their respected Mentum Source.
You will then pick up 4 cards and begin your turns.
Turn Structure:
Phase One - Charge Up - pick up three cards
Phase Two - Cast - put down cards face down on any Territory spaces surround your Monumental
Phase Three - Action - pay for movement, activation, ability, or attacking costs with Mentum Resources (one action per card unless it has "Speed")
Mentum Resources:
Each Abundance category has an asigned Mentum Resource value.
Abundant = 1
Common = 2
Base = 3
Scarce = 4
Rare = 5
Legendary = 6
In the Action phase these will be discarded from your hand to pay for actions.
End of the Game:
To end the game as stated above either the Monumental Resolution must be met (which is unique to each Monumental) or a Monumental is killed. The winner is the one who has the most Mentum Gain after the game has ended.
Glossary:
Monumental - a being of extreme power sourced by Mentum capable of creating Mentumorphs which are the key to eliminating your opponent
Mentum - the mineral used to copy the matter
Mentum Source - a device unique to each Monumental that allows them to copy matter; typically strong beings from across the universe capable of fueling a vicious army
Syncing Mentum Space - in order to fight another Monumental(s), they must sycnc their Mentum. Mentum is very unstable but as long as it remains in Mentum Space Monumentals can control their Mentumorphs and use Mentum around other MOnumentals
Mentum Space - the area in which Monumentals can simultaneously use Mentum
Monumental Resolution - this act will trigger the calapse of Mentum Space because it excites the Mentum Source to a point of Mentum failure. Once this happens Mentum Space will calapse on any Monumentals with low Mentum Gain erasing them from time itself
... Not all but just enough to get a better idea of what Mentum is all about
This experiance has been so fun... I love developing games and have worked on this game for four years on and off... Finally I can see a positive and constructive base.
Thank you all, this site has always brought good insight and brilliant minds. I don't expect a reply from this I just needed to get word out that BOTA is getting closer to the balancing stage where I will be testing card mechanics and Mentum cost for the base game.
Tbone
