Ever since I started looking into bits to use as game pieces recently I've been wanting to use Homies as player pawns. Well, tonight I thought of something that's probably a really great idea, check it out. Yes, obviously if this were to be produced there would be some permission/licensing involved, let's look beyond that comment if we could please:
We all know how Collectible Card Games work, and Collectible Miniature games are nothing new either. Since Homies are a collectible product already, I thought maybe it's a good fit for a collectible card/miniature game. I'd hate to design a CCG though because of all the work it is to continue to pump out expansions let alone make sure they are balanced. All the collectible miniature games I can think of are pretty much large scale war games, with possible exceptions being Heroclix and that new pirate game where you build the boats (which actually looks really cool btw).
What I'd like to do with Homies is to sort of meet the two genre's halfway. I don't want to make a card game, nor a war game, but a board game using Homies as the pieces. What I'd like to do is create trading cards with the homies on them, listing some game related stats, then the game would have a board (there could be multiple boards - maybe in expansions) and the Homies would move around the board interacting with it and each other in order to 'increase their Cool'.
I'm thinking a few stock Homies, their stock ID cards, and all the bits you'd need to play the game would comes in the box. Then people could buy booster packs of ID cards and could also get various Homie figures, and trade the cards and figures for the ones they want. The stock ones might not be as 'good' as the versions you could find in the boosters.
The boxed board could depict "Quien Sabe," the Mexican American barrio which is home to this group of tightly knit chicano buddies (see website). Possible expansions could be based on sets of Homies like "Homie Clowns" with a board depicting a Circus, "Mijos" with a board depicting MiJOPARK, and maybe one for the lady Homies with a board depicting a shopping mall.
You might say I promoted a tereotype right there, but for god's sake look at the website- the whole thing is one big stereotype!
So what I need now is simply a game to play on these boards and with these pieces. The cards would have a pic of the Homie, their little character description (probably right off that website), and various game-related stats. I imagine one might be related to movement- either how many spaces that Homie can move in a turn, or how many and what type of dice to roll, or whatever. It would also have other stats like maybe some indication of how 'cool' that character is (like a strength stat), how 'smart' he is (INT), etc. And of course they'd probably have abilities, like Smiley is a mechanic for example... he might be able to fix stuff (whatever that might mean).
So that's where I'm at. What kind of game could be made about these guys? I don't think it would involve fighting at all (maybe 1 expansion could be a street fight, with special rules for fighting based on stats they've already got). I think they'd have to move around a board, and the board could have various locations (referenced on the site, like a Gym that's in one dude's backyard, or the mechanic shop where Smiley works) which might mean something. Maybe there are little missions they have to accomplish (errand type things) or maybe they are looking to collect Cool tokens somehow. I don't know.
What do you think? Anyone have any ideas?
- Seth
I forgot to mention one part which is sort of minor. I was thinking that each player would have to bring the following to the table in addition to the base game:
Any Homie figures/cards they intend to use (outside the stock ones that come with the board),
20 Quarters (if you want you could use something that's not money and not worry about keeping it or not). These Quarters would represent your 'cool' and the object would be to take other people's Quarters. So when the game is over you've either earned some cash by increasing your cool, or you've lost some. Then you can uwse your new quarters to buy more figures (they sell them at places like Wal Mart in those little gumball machines).
As for cards, I hadn't really thought of this as a deckbuilding type of ccg- too many cards to design. I was thinking the trading cards would just be the Homies' ID's and stats, the rest of the game would be played with the stock game components out of the box. That doesn't mean there can't be some kind of action cards, justt hat the deck wouldn't be constructed...
As for an Item deck, could be allright, I guess it depends on how the rest of the game goes. I think it might get unwieldy if there were items inspired by each Homie (Wrench (Smiley), Cell Phone (Holleywood), etc). Also if the point is everyone go get a Cell Phone!" and then everyone does- that's kinda boring.
Here's an idea, each Homie could have 1 item on their ID card, which could be tied into their special ability... I don't know how that would help necessarily.