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GDS Game - A Court of Kings

5 replies [Last post]
Fri, 02/19/2016 - 14:44
markgrafn
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Hello everyone.

I am planning on testing and refining a design I submitted to the Board Game Designer Showdown a while back called "A Court of Kings."

It is a social argument game and you can find the rundown of the game on this forum....
http://www.bgdf.com/forum/game-design/game-design-showdown/gds-december-...

My question for this forum is 2 player games. I know there a lot of people who buy games solely because they are compatible with 2 players and I want to add a 2 player variant in any of my games if I can. The question I have is how? Particularly in a social argument style game.

I get stuck thinking that player A will argue until death point A and player B will do the same for point B and no third party will be able to balance this because there ins't one in a 2 player game!

Any way, any information or ideas could help. Thanks!

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Sat, 02/20/2016 - 03:47
#1
Midnight_Carnival
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A formalised system with random 3rd party umpire?

Ok, I'm imagining a husband and wife playing such a game and the argument starts off being about the issue at hand and then things go to the point where the dishes and the kids come into the equation, then somebody mentions Susan and it's like "Oh my god Rebecca, we were engaged at the time, not married and it's not like..." - I'm sure you get where this is going (divorce, murder, etc)

I don't know exactly how the proposed formalised argument rules would work, but I picture things visually so I'm imaginging an "argument map" in which there are various points which are worth however many points. Players must construct an argument which (metaphorically speaking) draws the shortest line between the most valuable points on the "argument map". Once both players have their best argument resolved, they consult the randomly generated 'umpire' who gives a verdict not on which player wins but on which points on the "argument map" ar more valid or relevant, after the ajustment has been made, players compare totals and the one wins.

Well, it needs a lot of work but it could work perhaps.

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Sat, 02/20/2016 - 06:50
#2
adversitygames
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This might not be a problem,

This might not be a problem, idk, but the name is *very* similar to that of the game "To Court the King".

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Sun, 02/21/2016 - 10:57
#3
markgrafn
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Thanks for the comments. Ive

Thanks for the comments. Ive tossed around some ideas in my head and I think the best way to make a 2 player variant of an arguement game is to drop the argument. To explain, in a 3 and up game the players will have individual objectives to work for WHILE working together to ensure the the Kingdom doesnt fall into turmoil. Each decision will affect the Kingdom in a good and bad way.

For a 2 player variant, I could drop the individual objectives and double how the Kingdom reacts to each outcome of a scenario. Essentially turning it into a 2 player co-op.

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Mon, 02/22/2016 - 04:37
#4
Midnight_Carnival
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Hope I didn't discourage you!

really, I think that couples who would get divorced or murder one another over a board game would have done so over anything and everything anyway!

I don't understand exactly what 'dropping the argument' and 'turning it into a 2 player co-op' entails... just for fun please explain further.
From what I understand, there would have to be some system in place which is difficult or hostile to make it interesting for the players and encourage co-operation. Have you devised such as system yet?

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Mon, 02/22/2016 - 12:07
#5
markgrafn
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I plan for every decision to

I plan for every decision to impact the kingdom in someway, negative or positive. By eliminating the individual objects the players would move from trying to win to trying to keep the kingdom in balance. Some objective will provide devastating event like famine or revolt that adjust the kingdoms balance and the team would need to make the best decisions to keep the kingdom from failing.

I hope that explains things a bit better.

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