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Interesting game idea, silly game name.

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Wed, 09/01/2004 - 16:06
sedjtroll
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I just had an idea for a game involving or based on a set of blueprints. I'm not sure exactly how it would work, but it would be cool to see a game where the board looked like a set of construction documents- or maybe each player has a 'board' of their own and are trying to complete them or something.

The game could involve layers which get applied to the board, the different layers having different stuff on them (Mechanical stuff, Framing stuff, Foundation stuff...)

Any thoughts on that?

The silly name could be U.N.O. which stands for Unless Noted Otherwise (a standard abbreviation on construction documents). A better name might be "Bidding purposes only" or "Not for Construction" or something.

- Seth

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Wed, 09/01/2004 - 16:07
#1
rkalajian
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Interesting game idea, silly game name.

What about "Contractors Not Included" :)

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Wed, 09/01/2004 - 16:18
#2
Zzzzz
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Interesting game idea, silly game name.

Could be a cool idea.

I was thinking that you could have a "resource" style mechanic that would allow players to turn in X,Y,Z and obtain different layers(or construction components). Maybe a wall, or foundation, or roof as examples.

You could tie this in with the individual boards(as you mentioned), and players would have to acquire enough resources, to obtain construction components to build the structure.

Sort of Settlers, but with some differences. Each player would have a different board(thus "unique goal), which could also require different construction components. Then I would figure out a way to make the players work togther(say trading resources).

First player to complete their structure, wins. Maybe you can also have a some negative interaction with cards like, "Construction Workers Strike" card, which might stop a player from building for "that" turn.

Ah well that is my little ramble..... but I guess I think it has possibility!

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Wed, 09/01/2004 - 16:21
#3
sedjtroll
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Interesting game idea, silly game name.

The name thing is just for fun, the important question here is what mechanics could we come up with to use this contract document idea?

It would be pretty cool if a 'bad' set of plans caused problems later like in real life when people try to build from them and have a million questions. The goal could be to produce a set of plans that will (1) successfully get past the plancheck process where building officials check to make sure the plan meets code, (2) is buildable without too many RFI's (Requests for information- a question from the contractor when there's not enough information) or change orders (when the contractor asks to do something a different way, usually to save money).

- Seth

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Wed, 09/01/2004 - 16:57
#4
jwarrend
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Interesting game idea, silly game name.

Very cool idea. Not much time for a response, but my initial reactions are twofold.

The first is that perhaps the game could have an element of trying to prepare blueprints for a customer who keeps changing the specs on you, and continually needing to update/accomodate those specs (maybe there's a "take that!" element where players add specs to each others' plans).

The other is that this could be a nice model for a game that used "Colorforms" repositionable stickers as a component.

Nothing more brilliant than that, at the moment. But, it sounds like the game that an engineer was destined to make! Go for it!

-Jeff

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Wed, 09/01/2004 - 17:04
#5
sedjtroll
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Interesting game idea, silly game name.

jwarrend wrote:
The first is that perhaps the game could have an element of trying to prepare blueprints for a customer who keeps changing the specs on you, and continually needing to update/accomodate those specs

You have NO IDEA how accurate that is. In fact, that's what I'm working on right this second, or should be...

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Wed, 09/01/2004 - 17:59
#6
Scurra
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Interesting game idea, silly game name.

sedjtroll wrote:
It would be pretty cool if a 'bad' set of plans caused problems later like in real life when people try to build from them and have a million questions.

That sounds like a very promising mechanic, but probably not for this particular game. (I always wanted to build a game around that old business cliché "Fast - cheap - reliable: choose any two." For instance, people might collect cards to build their machine and then declare it done. The other players would then get a chance to examine it and score for pointing out where bits don't connect properly etc. So you'd have to choose between finishing fast (for a time bonus) but risk losing it all because of bad construction, or taking it slower but taking time penalties instead... However, this isn't really your game idea. Sorry.)

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