Ok, as I alluded in a different thread, here goes a big question-
Resource Gathering!
So, I'm looking for ways to simplify my game. the basic premise is that the characters must travel around Wessex to gather resources needed to build fortifications and hire soldiers to defend Wessex from an impending Viking invasion (thats the 1 sentence version). The game is a cooperative game for 1-8 players.
In trying to simplify things, I am working on sorting out Resource Gathering. In the current setup a player must get their character to the appropriate town and spend an action to harvest the resource they want, which then goes into their inventory to be spent at their discretion.
Before I go on, I might add: the above system works, and works well. The only reason I am considering changing it is to see if it can reduce game play time, which is currently at about 2 hours.
Alternatives include - instead of having players gather resources, have the resources be harvested automatically into a central pool that the players can then draw from at the end of the turn.
The other option is to have resources in the central pool and then have players draft what they need (as in 1st player takes one, and then the next etc). In both cases the players would be reduced from 4 to 3 actions, since they no longer need to travel to gather resources. It would require testing to balance also.
Do you think either of these alternatives has merit to reducing play time and making the game more simple?
