Far back in the ancient mists of, ooh, it must have been at least two weeks ago, I posted about my oddball little game, Fungibility, a card game which uses 108 identical cards, and no other components.
Though I've received positive feedback from designers and playtesters alike, the consistent complaint I keep hearing is that the theme is bland. Quite honestly, I don't think the word "bland" even begins to encompass just how dry the game's current theme is. The only way it could possibly be more generic is if I packaged it in a gray box with the word "Game" written across it in large, black letters.
It's an almost textbook case of "Nice legs, shame about the face." Most of the people who have played the game find the mechanics and logical structure innovative and enjoyable, but the placeholder theme is now serving no purpose other than to alienate potentially interested players.
I have resolved to commission a professional artist to provide me with a high-quality, thematic card design. That's where you come in.
Although I have a few ideas on potential themes, which I've posted here, it seems at least as likely that someone else might have a better idea, and I'm willing to reward whoever comes up with one.
So, look over the core rules, and give me your best shot: Describe a theme which would both engage players and carry the mechanics without changing the logic of the rules. I don't care if things need to be renamed, so long as the underlying rules stay the same. If I pick your theme, I'll send you your choice of $20 US currency, or an Artscow copy of the professionally illustrated version - long before I make it available for others to print-and-play. You'll also be credited in the print-and-play rulebook.
What's more, if I use your theme while demonstrating the game, and, by some strange quirk of freak happenstance, a publisher mysteriously decides to publish the game, you'll receive credit in the published rulebook, and I'll personally ensure that some of the gaps in your game collection get filled in with titles you've been looking for (within reason: If your wishlist just says "Jati" twelve times, all you'll get is a sarcastic look).
Whaddya say, BGDF, can you overcome my game's glaring shortcomings?
Since the game in part depends on player seating position relative to the draw deck, round cards wouldn't have a clearly discernable closest area relative to a given player.
More to the point, I'm assuming your motive behind this proposal is so that each player has full access to all four "corners" of a Structure card, but this would reduce all four player seating positions to having the exact same potential structure types. I intentionally wanted alternating players to have slightly different structure affinities (Two seating positions pair Horizon with Develop and Finance with Restructure - the other two pair Horizon with Restructure and Finance with Develop), because that creates a subtle kind of dynamic shift in strategies from player to player. It seems like you're trying to fix a feature, not a bug.
Chemistry... Not real world chemistry, no. If it was some kind of fantasy alchemy, I might be able to see it working, but it would be a bit of a stretch, especially with the expansions.
Geometry... Okay, the need for a new theme stems from the fact that the highly abstract and spartan look to the current version is alienating potentially interested players. The comments I've received from playtesters consistently indicate "This game mechanics and rules are fun, but it would be a lot more engaging with a better theme." The point here being that I'm trying to make my game say "This is a fun game with a quirky theme that you can relate to," whereas things like chemistry and geometry loudly proclaim "This game is extremely abstract and cerebral. You probably won't understand it, and it will only ever be sold in teacher supply stores."
Bottom line: I need to make it look less abstract.