OK...so I should probably scratch that first part, but I'll be mimicking the successful dice system over to a pocket sized 1 - 4 player dungeon crawler.
How the heck is that going to work?
I've got the base worked out. It'll be in a similar vein to our other (Pocket Sports) games, but fantasy based, 4 character cards with health/att/def tracks, 4 random creature generator cards (Levels 1-4 difficulty), 6-8 custom dice, instructions & 'quest' map.
The pitch: A portable, component light dungeon crawler for 1-4 players. 30-45mins. All packed in a tuck box so it'll be a small, flat pack large letter shipment.
The mechanics will be quite simple. Enter room (deciding who and how will be by choice or 'Fate' die), roll the dice, creature needs to equal or better with two rolls to survive or is killed. Vice versa when creature attacks heroes, but health points will decrease. Characters have some varying abilities so extra loot may be gathered.
The point of difference: It can be co-operative but the party can split, even a PvP deception mechanic. Loot is won after winning a battle but can be traded, only in a 1 for 1 exchange.
The objective: To work through increasingly more difficult rooms/creatures to the end chamber and defeat the boss. A limit of 'X' rounds to achieve the win.
Sounds like every other dungeon crawler, but there will be multiple instalments allowing characters to be carried over. Replayability will be high as not every character may survive, each room's creature is generated with a die roll after it is entered, loot is generated with a die roll, whether the party moves together, 2 & 2, or individually will be experimentation.
That's the framework.....plenty of things to nut out but it's a template that can fit fantasy, modern military, sci-fi or any party attack mission scenario.....and it's gaining momentum.
Stay tuned!
Comments
Sounds very interesting. Let
Sounds very interesting. Let me know how it progresses.
Pocket Dungeon Crawl
This would be interesting to see should you be able to pull it off.
I think the strength of the Pocket Sports games I've played (Basketball, Footy/Soccer, and Rugby) is that the player feels like a sportscaster or audience spectator while they play. Will that translate well to the 'dungeon crawl' format? It may. I haven't yet sat down to play the Cycling or Boxing games in my collection, but from what I've read in the rules those games have a more individualized treatment of the player-as actor in the game world.
Will you emphasize an individualized focus? Will you emphasize teamwork and synergy between the players and the distinct effects of limited number of choices available on a player turn? Will you be able to somehow synthesize both individuals and teams into the compact package the Pocket Sports games are known for? Is there a way for you to incorporate the real-time aspect that's in the team-based games you've developed?
Having four individuals compete/cooperate seems like a different realm than two sports teams in straight competition, in a way. I'm very curious to see how you'll set this Pocket game apart from the rest of the dungeon-themed dice games out there... And if it will be a good match for your target market!
As always, wishing you the best of success with your projects. :)
(Basketball is my current favourite, by the way...even while I suck at playing and never watch professional sports! It's full of lots of drama and adds in more player choices than either Footy or Rugby.)
Just an idea...
You say you want to develop a "Dungeon Crawl" game that is similar to your "Pocket Sport" games...
This seems a little bit "off topic" but I'll suggest maybe you can use that "Dungeon Crawl" game (which has been overly done - by some many designs) and TRANSFORM it into a "Sport game" about "Cross Country Hiking"...
Why? Because it's "dungeon-esque" in that you need to travel around and it probably the most "original sport game" that has ever been developed.
You're the designer - maybe this might be a more appropriate game to match with the other games in the series...
let-off studios wrote:This
I think the strength of the Pocket Sports games I've played (Basketball, Footy/Soccer, and Rugby) is that the player feels like a sportscaster or audience spectator while they play. Will that translate well to the 'dungeon crawl' format? It may. I haven't yet sat down to play the Cycling or Boxing games in my collection, but from what I've read in the rules those games have a more individualized treatment of the player-as actor in the game world.
Will you emphasize an individualized focus? Will you emphasize teamwork and synergy between the players and the distinct effects of limited number of choices available on a player turn? Will you be able to somehow synthesize both individuals and teams into the compact package the Pocket Sports games are known for? Is there a way for you to incorporate the real-time aspect that's in the team-based games you've developed?
Having four individuals compete/cooperate seems like a different realm than two sports teams in straight competition, in a way. I'm very curious to see how you'll set this Pocket game apart from the rest of the dungeon-themed dice games out there... And if it will be a good match for your target market!
As always, wishing you the best of success with your projects. :)
(Basketball is my current favourite, by the way...even while I suck at playing and never watch professional sports! It's full of lots of drama and adds in more player choices than either Footy or Rugby.)
Thanks for your comments and when you get about to playing Cycling, you'll see that we have been stepping closer to an RPG-ish style of game.
All of your questions on teamwork, synergy, choices, individual focus.....will hopefully be answered!
The immediate response 'but these guys do sports games....' is an expected one. But we/I certainly never intended to be a 1 genre designer. If people think it won't translate across, then I've heard that plenty of times when I started out 4 years ago :)
Throughout the 18+ editions of Pocket Sports games (35,000 units produced) each new title carries over pieces from all previous attempts and adds something new.
If you've seen that in Basketball compared to Football, it's because we implemented that. When you play Boxing and Cycling, you'll again see micro steps forward in how we approached the new games and involved the player more, rather than just observing the action.
So the 'Pocket Sports' in front of dungeon crawl is a marketing pitch/angle to invoke the questions you have asked and raise the curiosity :)
There won't be any 'sports' feel, but I'll keep the 'component light' aspect to fill a niche for a lighter, affordable, portable fantasy dice game.
questccg wrote:You say you
This seems a little bit "off topic" but I'll suggest maybe you can use that "Dungeon Crawl" game (which has been overly done - by some many designs) and TRANSFORM it into a "Sport game" about "Cross Country Hiking"...
Why? Because it's "dungeon-esque" in that you need to travel around and it probably the most "original sport game" that has ever been developed.
You're the designer - maybe this might be a more appropriate game to match with the other games in the series...
I do like sport and the niche market we are in. There's certainly less competition as opposed to the overly done 'dungeon crawl'.
Again, the board game market itself is a very crowded place at the moment. Certain themes appeal to distributors, wholesalers and retailers. In most cases, they decide what type of game they stock and sell.
Big name sports are still a tough sell to bulk buyers but when you talk 'fantasy' most are receptive. I mentioned above the 'Pocket Sports' tag is purely as a publisher with a track record. We need to have that history to make the transition.
Cross country would have a very small market in a very small niche.
Good point
Hmmm... I guess you are right. It's just when I think "Dice" + "Dungeon Crawler", I'm thinking something like "Dungeon Roll". And that's not even a "Dungeon Crawler", it's more "Push-Your-Luck" dice rolling with a bit of a Fantasy Theme...
I just think "Cross Country" is more of a UNIQUE game - something that is DIFFERENT from the myriads of "Dungeon Crawlers"... And "Cross Country" can also have a "Camping"-like feel to it... so yeah I think it would make for an awesome game!
The reason I like "Second Line" (Chris Mancini) so much - is because of originality. Never seen a game about "Parades" and "Louisiana"... So like he says: "Laisser les bons temps rouler." (Translation: "Let the good times roll.")