I have a theme... but mechanic???

I agree with Stag, *Borrow* means see what kind of mechanic is most appropriate for your game type... Some designers like a particular mechanic and therefore their challenge is to find a theme that works with it. In your case, you seem to indicate you have many ideas about theme, you're just not sure how the game comes together...

Also if you post some of your ideas or themes, designers may be able to help flesh out the right type of mechanic.

Don't be afraid that someone may steal an idea - an idea does not make a game. Putting together both ideas and mechanics makes for the beginning of a game. You still have a lot of tweaking and playtesting to do before your game is a *real game*. And once you do have a game - if you shared it with the community it will make it that much more yours since the designers that have read your ideas, those that have offered their own ideas to help you, and basically the community itself can attest that you had an original idea.

Also some designers who are very versed in other games, can direct you to check out other games so you can also see those game's mechanics and their matching themes... Those are designers who are more familiar with the games in the market (or have played a large amount of those games).

So if you post up an idea someone may say: "Look at game X or game Y." Others may post comments related to the idea, such as other ideas... Themes are usually very general - unless you have a specific example of a theme, that may also work to start a discussion...

Note: Most people are on this website to *discuss* board games and ideas surrounding them, so by all means don't be shy!

Your comments encourage me to ask for some inputs from you guys on a game idea. I'm new to game design and to this page. My idea is to create a historical trivia game about the history of my country ( Latin America, the game will be in Spanish). Now, I have studied quite a bit of our history but me expertise in game design is zero. My interest is mainly in education, an knowledge of our history ( History professor) but I want the game to be fun and exciting. At first I thought a traditional trivia, Q&A, dice, cards and board mechanic would do, but after reading the basics on this page I realized a good game required a lot more than that.

So far I have written 200 plus questions with multiple choice answers, and plan to have 500. Would like to design a board based on a map where players go across the country using a dice. By answering category questions players move ahead, lose turns and so on.
That is it so far. After reading about conflict resolution, risk taking and other concepts that I find fascinating, I also realized my game needs a lot of spice.
New ideas include finding a goal to seek by the players, "Finding a treasure" ( we have some Amazon jungle, coasts and the Andes to play with, for example) or some adventure like that, to give the game a more exciting purpose, creating several routes throughout the map to reach the goal to add risk, and adding chance cards to introduce luck in the quest.

Your thoughts, tips and ideas are welcome, And if any game designer finds the idea too plain or traditional, let me know, I'll appreciate it