Hi
This month test session, had a full set of games to test:
- One for all (by Sedjtroll and Scurra)
- Wag the wolf (by IngredientX)
- Horror in Europe (by me)
Wag the wolf was send by a delivery firm and they did not manage to get me the game on time (I don't have the game yet but I will get it tomorrow (Monday)). I will get the game is tested within a week.
Horror in Europe (my game for the Z-man game challenge) did not work the way I wanted it. It took too long time.
In these cases I am lucky to have a so understanding test group. First we did a test that took 2.5 hours and we had just managed to run it for 2.5 turns (out of 8-16). We stopped the test and had a lunch break. During that lunch break I redesigned some parts in the game and later in the evening we had a new test. Then we manage to complete the game within 3.5 hours.
There were a lot of positive things in the game:
- All players did like the game and the concept.
- The player downtime was short (no player did think that we played for so long).
- The basic concept worked.
Now I have to take away at least 1 hour and streamline the whole game (another 40-80 hours before the next test).
One for All
The test for One for All took 1 hour and 20 minutes including rule description. The result was:
<br /> Player Id score<br /> Agnes Milady 19 (12/7)<br /> Johan Arthos 11 (6/5)<br /> Marcus Rocheford 10 (4/6)<br /> Björn Aramis 8 (4/4)<br /> Magga d´Artganan 2 (1/1)<br />
Game notes:
- It took at least two rounds around the table before we understood how to win the game.
- We had only 3 duels during the game. Two of the duels where including mission cards. Instead of having duels we let the character with the object move to the location, drop the object, take a new turn and then let the character that should have the object go and pick it up and complete the mission.
- d´Artanganan was left in the eastern part of the city and all other characters was in the western part of the city (he was not moved into play).
- The guards that lurking in the city did not effect the game (the players avoided those).
- Agnes did win because she could complete around one mission per turn except the first one (sum of 7).
Rule discussion:
- One we had a rule discussion and that was if it was possible to play the One for all card (get a new round), use it and get a mission (return the One for all card to the hand), use the One for all card to get a new round, get a mission, return the card to the hand (and so on). We ruled against it. You could only have two turns in a row.
The comments:
Since we actually tested this game as a ready game there were a lot of non-relevant discussion on the game graphic design... maybe not that non-relevant because we had one players that was really negative to the game because of the graphic's.
- Game board: Here is actually the big problem. It was hard to get an overview of the game and how you could move (and where to move to).
- The cards were hard to read, but that was manageable when you learned it (Black on blue is not the best).
- You had managed to have 4 different styles in the game (the rules have a strict correct look, the game board is an old map, the character cards are cartoons and the cards...yes the cards).
- Otherwise the main thing about the game where that it was to random and only depended on the cards you get. I did not believe that. I think that you could win with some strategy (combined with luck). Still, the way the game is today (the rules not the graphic's), this game will never be a favourite of mine, but an updated version would be OK to test in the future.
// Johan
First: I revived Wag the Wolf yesterday so we will test it on Sunday (It will be 3-4 players that time). At the same time will we do a retest of All for One but this time with 3 players (Me, Agnes and Marcus). We will see if there will be a different result.
Now to the comments:
Yes it is.
Magga tried to build up missions, but it took too long time between the rounds and Agnes manage to take some or her mission tokens nearly each time.
No not in our game. Take object by duels where too random (you did not know if you would win or loose the duel). With this it was possible to at least get the quick victory points.
In this 5 players game it was not possible to build up a larger mission.
Most of the time we used the "One for All" card to get the mission done. (Agnes was an expert on this and she did not need to add her secret character score to win this game).
Not all but nearly.
// Johan
p.s Sorry about the name ;)