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Great game, but need a theme.

8 replies [Last post]
Tue, 10/28/2003 - 23:28
Cyberchrist
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Joined: 12/31/1969

Sorry for the lame English.

The game:

70 square tiles in four different colors (red,blue,green,yellow)
These are randomly put together to form a really colorful chess-like gameboard.

Each player studies the gameboard and chooses a color in wich he wants to draft (red,blue,green,yellow)
The player recieves a rectangular tile in the desired color, then the next player do the same and this repeats until all players have drafted six (depending on # players) rectangular tiles in the color of their choices.

The rectangular tiles size are like this:
Height of a square tile and the width of three square tiles.

Here comes the catch:
Each rectangular tile have a combination of holes punched in them.
With a maximum of three holes, minimum of two holes.
making it four different rectangular tiles (three really, but you can flip it).

The game sequence is like this:

On your turn you try to connect a rectangular tile to the gameboard (vertikal/horisontal) , to be able to connect the tile - the colors that show in the holes of your rectangular tile must match the color of your rectangular tile.
That is - the gameboard must match your tile.

If you cant place any of your tiles then you can draft a new tile (without looking) from the bank, you exchange your useless tile and then your turn is over.

The game is over as soon as a player has placed all his six (4 player game) rectangular tiles.

As you all can see, this game is in desperate need of a theme.
The abstraction level scares even me 8O

Its fun to watch people, debating which areas of the gameboard they gotta nuke because this or that player drafted this or that colour.

Much is of course speculations because the rectangular tiles are held like playing cards and you can only see the backsides.
The thing you can see is the punched holes, then its up to you to remember which player drafted what and hope that your guessing right.

One thing that i need to say is that the tiles are drafted from bags so the players can not see the punched holes combinations.

You would be amazed of how fun my testgroups have had with this simple game.
If i could find a proper theme or setting then im sure this would be a killer.
Suggestions & comments greatly appreciated.

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Wed, 10/29/2003 - 04:15
#1
Torrent
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Joined: 08/03/2008
Great game, but need a theme.

From what I understand from reading this... you have a board of colored squares (7x10?). Then you gain other pieces that are 1x3. These other pieces have holes in them and a color(?). Then you try to match the 1x3 pieces to the board with the holes showing the same color as the 1x3. Right?
You mention discussion about reasons to want to nuke bits of the board. Are there any ways to alter the big board? What happens to successful matches of the rectangle. Do they stay on the board or are pieces removed.

Oddly enough the first thing that comes to mind is Fish or Fruit. It almost sounds like your big board could be a school of fish with the 1x3 be really picky eaters (sharks or orca or something). A fruit theme could be an orchard with pairs/triples of birds trying to eat the right fruits.

Hope this helps.

Andy

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Wed, 10/29/2003 - 06:03
#2
Cyberchrist
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Joined: 12/31/1969
Great game, but need a theme.

Torrent wrote:

You mention discussion about reasons to want to nuke bits of the board. Are there any ways to alter the big board? What happens to successful matches of the rectangle. Do they stay on the board or are pieces removed.

The bits stay, and by staying they interfere with the building plans of other players.

Torrent wrote:

Oddly enough the first thing that comes to mind is Fish or Fruit. It almost sounds like your big board could be a school of fish with the 1x3 be really picky eaters (sharks or orca or something). A fruit theme could be an orchard with pairs/triples of birds trying to eat the right fruits.

Could be an idea.

This morning i added a rectangular tile without any holes in it to each of the colours.
This tile fits everywhere and is the perfect "nuke" tile. :D

Thanx for your suggestions!

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Wed, 10/29/2003 - 08:50
#3
IngredientX
IngredientX's picture
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Joined: 07/26/2008
Re: Great game, but need a theme.

Do you really need a theme?

IMVHO, the only reason an abstract game would need a theme is if the rules grew so complicated and cumbersome that players would need a theme to get into it. Your game seems the opposite of complicated and cumbersome - it's a wonderfully elegant idea, and it sounds like yet another BGDF game I would love to playtest!

Personally, I wouldn't sweat too hard about trying to match a specific theme to the game. The mechanics are pure enough that it could stand up with only a snazzy name to be descriptive.

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Wed, 10/29/2003 - 09:51
#4
Anonymous
Great game, but need a theme.

Sort of reminds me of gopher holes for some reason... :D :D :D

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Wed, 10/29/2003 - 11:26
#5
prophx
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Joined: 08/13/2008
Great game, but need a theme.

I don't think this needs a theme, but just a catchy name. I love the concept. I have a group of friends that I think will love playing this game. I know I'm hooked. Let me know when you want this playtested...

One question... can you play off of a rectangle you've already placed? You may have addressed that, but I can't find it.

Thanks!

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Wed, 10/29/2003 - 12:17
#6
FastLearner
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Joined: 12/31/1969
Great game, but need a theme.

The game sounds great, excellent idea!

One idea for a theme is that of a circuit board, where you're effectively placing things like resistors and capacitors and such, or a microchip where you're completing connections (because there's a sort-of 3-D effect when a tile spans a different color, as though it was carrying, for example, green energy from one square to another, passing over some yellow energy).

Another thought that came to mind as you described the game was the use of small spheres (like marbles) that rest in the holes. I'm not sure what they'd do but the holes call out to me for something. :)

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Fri, 10/31/2003 - 13:47
#7
Cyberchrist
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Joined: 12/31/1969
Great game, but need a theme.

Thanx Fastlearner, Prophx, waywardclam, IngredientX and Torrent.
Your input is greatly appreciated and im more than thankful.
Keep those comments coming.

The reason that i want a theme is that many of the comments that i got from "not-so-hardcore-gamers" (before they actually played the game)are that it looks boring and chess-like.
It is also easier to market the game if you could place it in a situation that attracts both boys and girls regardless of age.

However the game have been played approx. 100 times and not a single person had a single bad word to say about the game when they have tested it.
It seems to appeal to both hardcore and softcore gamers and that is something that really makes my heart warm.
One of the best comments i got was -"Wow! Magic the gathering meets Tetris", comments like that is really worth gold for me as a designer.
It tells you something about what really is going on in the minds of the
players.

At this moment this is what im thinking about:

* thinking about advanced rules that should include a bidding mechanism with the top rectangular tile visible in each colour.
Bid to obtain a tile and then another phase called placement phase where the players bid for iniative to place the tiles.

* Child game variant where the gameboard is fixed (and probably a different theme).

* Theme, theme, theme - desperately need a theme.
[/u]

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Sat, 11/01/2003 - 21:11
#8
Anonymous
Great game, but need a theme.

first thing that came to my mind: miners collecting precious stones ...

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