Are there any "successful" racing board games in the main stream? And/or do you think that the theme does or does not translate well on this platform?
Racing Games
Thu, 01/12/2006 - 13:41
Thu, 01/12/2006 - 13:59
#1
Racing Games
Everyone will tell you about Formula De.
Honestly, I am a big fan of racing games. The problem is one of initiative and movement. There are generally three schools of thought: Round robin (doesn't make much sense), Random (initiative is determined each round), and First Goes First.
One of my favorite racing games (and can be played on a piece of graph paper), is a game I learned in science class called 'vector racer' - You basically squiggle out a pair of boundaries for a track (inside and outside circles, for example), and each player picks a square on the starting line (we used points in class).
Then, you can accelerate or decelerate your car one square in the east/west direction, AND one square in the north/south direction. Your movement is cumulative, so if you were moving 4 squares east and 3 squares north last turn, you could change to 5 squares east and 2 squares north this turn. Movement is done in a straight line between the two points. If you go off the track, you crash (and are eliminated). Players alternate turns (round robin), and if you move through another car's space, YOU crash, but they do not.
It is so simple, but it becomes REALLY complex.
Fri, 01/20/2006 - 15:49
#2
Re: Racing Games
Xyvius wrote:
Are there any "successful" racing board games in the main stream? And/or do you think that the theme does or does not translate well on this platform?
Formula De
Ave Caesar
Race
Are probably the most succesful ones.
If i had to pick one id pick Ave Caesar, its a perfect "Filler" game.
Ave Caesar is said to be repinted real soon, pick up a copy- its good.
Im interested to hear about if someone on this forum has some input regarding the mechanics in the different racing games.
Im fiddling around with a racing game where you basically are bidding for the iniative.
All movement are based on card drawing/playing with some visible "power ups" to pick up along the way.
Much like a old school computer game.
To nullify the "luck-factor" every player is able to arrange the deck in any way he wants before the race begins, to form a long going strategy.
Player interraction (Ramming/Bidding) makes the strategys fail and the race is then full of deciscion making and 1-2 turn tactics.
However i could use some more player interaction.
I would like some input regarding theme and more ways except bidding for initiative and ramming for player interaction.
Fri, 01/20/2006 - 22:00
#3
Racing Games
I'm also currently working on some sort of (space-)racing-game. There's also a bunch of other stuff going on besides racing the six races:
=> you also have to tune your ship with money you earned by shipping cargo between planets during the races.
=> you also may shoot the other players during races.
Before the first race, you get some funds to "tune" your ship (and buy fuel and during the race also cargo). The player who has most money left after tuning his ship for the first race begins. The player with second-most money goes next.
Movement is dependent on how you tuned up your ship.
For race 2 through 5, the place you start in is determined by how many VPs you got.
The game is VP-based:
=> You get VPs for your place of arrival every race.
=> You get VPs for shooting other players (if you arrive in time!)
=> You get VPs for shipping some of the cargo at the end of the game.
=> You lose VPs for not arriving in time.
=> Between races, you can cash in VPs for money.
I'll ask for a GDW-spot once the rules are +/- fixed and propperly written out...
Cheese!
Sat, 01/21/2006 - 16:35
#4
Re: Racing Games
Xyvius wrote:
As noted, there are three basic approaches:Are there any "successful" racing board games in the main stream?
Heavy Simulationist - e.g. Formula De
Lightweight Amusement - e.g.Ave Caesar
Dexterity/Skill* - e.g. Carabande/Pitch Car
Quote:
And my feeling is that of course not, racing can never translate to a turn-based medium, because the essence of racing is that the vehicles are always moving!And/or do you think that the theme does or does not translate well on this platform?
It's entirely absurd to make your action decision based upon where you see the piece of the player in front or behind you has ended up...
That doesn't stop all three of the types I mentioned being wonderful if handled properly (I second the comment about Ave Ceasar as being one of the most fun light racing games around.)
(*I use "skill" here in its broadest possible definition!)
Tue, 01/24/2006 - 07:58
#5
Racing Games
A successful combination (besides those already noted) is Royal Turf. where you combine racing and betting.
It is very light and fun, it is from Knizia so it is not very realistic and of course has imaginative mechanics.
Paulo
www.2concept.com/games
