Island Survival

Hey Beriner,

I remember playing an Avalon Hill game called "Survival" when I was a kid. It supplied a basic game system for tracking your stamina, scavenging for supplies, and navigating the map, then presented several scenarios. In the most basic, each player started out isolated in the wilderness and had to reach the nearest town before succumbing to exposure. In another, one player was a sheriff and the other a fugitive. Each had special rules and the obvious object (escape for the prisoner, capture for the sheriff).

It strikes me that a similar solution could work for you. Go ahead and create that "sandbox" gameplay, then bundle several scenarios to give players direction.

As far as mechanics go, I find it easier to envision the kind of experience I want the players to have, then select mechanics that deliver that experience. So, for you, what constitutes the core of a survival experience? Foraging? Crafting? Navigating an unknown wilderness? At first, be brutal with yourself: allow only one answer, then zero in on the mechanic you like best for it.

For example, suppose you decide that the core of a good survival game is foraging. What feels most like foraging? Drawing items from a bag? Rolling dice with symbols? That depends on what you're trying to model: are players stranded on a deserted island with limited supplies? Then maybe the bag is best, and when it's empty, players are out. Or maybe the wilderness is filled with resources, but they're difficult to find and use, so maybe it's dice.

And so on. You get the picture. Once you identify your core, you can build your sandbox, then define your scenarios. If you identify those fundamental design goals, you're likely to get a lot more targeted replies from your fellow BGDFers.

Good luck!

Mark

A resource collection survival game could operate with a few simple elements

The players are marooned on an island(s). Each player has a character with various skills and abilities – which determine what they can scavenge and build. So a weedy nerd might be unable to chop down a tree for wood (or it may take longer), but they would have the knowledge to build more things with the wood.

The characters would be tasked with the game objectives of

A) Surviving
B) Maintaining a quality of life – point scores
C) Escaping the island

So the game would involve making things to maintain a quality of life and facilitate an escape plan. This would be hampered by the need to collect resources, build things and respond to event cards.

When a player escapes the island (within the required time frame) they receive a big point bonus. All the players’ points are tallied and the player with the most points wins.

It’s entirely possible that a player who hasn’t escaped the island could be the one with the most points – even though they failed to gain the escape bonus. Which isn’t unrealistic, their quality of life might be at such a high level that they aren’t really bothered about escaping because they have found happiness on the island.

The event cards would throw up situations that either positively or negatively affected the characters.

Examples

A Bad storm blows in – if player has a strong shelter then they whether the storm with no bad effects, if their shelter is poor they loose resources or suffer adverse health effects.

A ship passes by the Island – if the player has a camp fire they can signal for a pick up (roll dice for success chance). If no camp fire exists then they don’t get the chance.

Resource Gathering

The players can seek out specific resources – costs move action travel time and chance of random encounters.

Beach Combing – random chance for random items.

Resource gathering is affected by chance to spot and character knowledge/abilities.

Making Items

Set items can be made that tie into the event cards and general quality of life points system.

General Health

Adverse health increases the length of time it takes to do things or limits the action options available to characters.

Terminal health states should be avoided, unless you want players relegated tot he sidelines.

Overall Interplay of Mechanics

With limited action time the players have to decide whether to build things or scavenge for resources. Each action has different costs for the various characters – to add a little freshness to the mix. Some actions, item builds are only available to certain characters.

Achieve comfort to score points or bet everything on a big escape.

Build a solid camp (takes longer) or play fast and loose (greater exposure to ill effects from event cards, more opportunities to escape the island).

Maintain health to maintain action options

Solo Play

The player has to survive for a set period of time and score as many points as possible within that time.

Add in a few terminal cards, that can be offset with built items or actions.

Other cards remove the potential for item builds, which can make things more difficult - or they require new builds to offset the impact.

Example, a forest fire destroys all the rubber trees or lowers their available amount.

Or, the nearest fresh water source is polluted. Results in the need to spend more action (move) points to acquire fresh water if the player doesnt have an item to purify water.