hey guys i am working on a new game called CARTEL it is a game of drug smugglers and DEA agents. it plays as a TCG / Board Game using the P3ERC mechanics...the target audience would be college and older. you guys think this theme is swanky enough to be cool? the object of the game is to smuggle your drugs and get paid without getting ripped off if your on the cartel side.... if your a DEA agent...the object is to stop the cartel from getting thier drugs into your territories. confiscate the drugs and kill or capture the bad guys....(watch out for jail breaks and terrorism campaigns by the opposition though... any thoughts?
New Game Idea
Wed, 01/06/2016 - 16:46
Wed, 01/06/2016 - 18:10
#1
My suggestion.
hey guys i am working on a new game called CARTEL it is a game of drug smugglers and DEA agents. it plays as a TCG / Board Game using the P3ERC mechanics...the target audience would be college and older. you guys think this theme is swanky enough to be cool? the object of the game is to smuggle your drugs and get paid without getting ripped off if your on the cartel side.... if your a DEA agent...the object is to stop the cartel from getting thier drugs into your territories. confiscate the drugs and kill or capture the bad guys....(watch out for jail breaks and terrorism campaigns by the opposition though... any thoughts?
There's a possibility of alienating your audience because it deals with drugs and the promotion of illegal activity.
When you create a game, you need to think of your audience to figure out your widest berth of advertising. If your game strictly falls into a specific category, then you you may just have to run with it (aka Cards Against Humanity). If you can change it to be more accessible, I'd do that.
If I were you, I'd change the theme so that it's not only easier to chew...it may be a bit historical. My suggestion would be to try a Prohibition theme where you're smuggling alcohol instead of drugs. You can use the same smuggling techniques and instead of Cartel, use the mob and real historical figures. It would appeal to historical buffs and can even extend to high school age because it's historical.
Just a thought.
Wed, 01/06/2016 - 18:19
#2
He's probably thinking about this TEXT computer game...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drugwars
Sounds similar in my mind...
Wed, 01/06/2016 - 21:06
#7
Things to consider
i like that idea too...maybe a little more research on the market would be appropriate. i must say i am a bit sold on the narcos theme..but like you say maybe ill figure out the play and then screw around with the theme later.
While making a game about drugs and smuggling may sound cool in your eyes, you need to think about your audience. It's a give and take...the more specific your audience is, the harder it is to make a game that will make a profit. The wider your audience is, the more people you can reach and the easier it will be to make money.
And I'm not even talking about IF your audience wants to play your game. That's a whole other ballgame.
It is ultimately up to you. Whatever you decide, own it.
Thu, 01/07/2016 - 10:00
#8
Personally, I'm more interseted in how it plays.
I personally don't see that people buying a board game and playing it with friends or family is going to make them go out and kill old ladies over their handbags in the hope that they'll find enough money to buy crack in them.
Don't get me wrong, there are certain themes and apporaches I'd actually have a problem with like a game in which you had to run a child-porn ring (with creepily illustrated cards!), I think that most canibals would find that distasteful, but drugs... I wouldn't go out of my way to buy a board game becasue of the narco theme but I wouldn't refuse to play one I heard was good because of it either.
With the matter of personal taste and with the silly discussions on morality asside: I don't see originality as being skin deep. Apart from your game being about drugs and organised crime, what does your game have that others don't?
How does the game work, what are your objectives? how do you win (or whatever equivelent is found in your game)?
And finally a suggestion which might make more sense if I knew the answers to the above questions so forgive me if it's inapropriate to your game.
I suggest that there is a sort of trade off between money and legality, that you make money by committing crimes but you can get bust so you have to be careful of how you do things. You can get bust but have a secret card(?) bonus, etc which lets yo continue playing in "snitch mode" wehre you don't make money but get out of jail free in exchange for turning in one of your buddies/rivals although you've got to get enough dirt on him first.
-just opinions and suggestions.
Thu, 01/07/2016 - 15:38
#9
I agree I don't see the theme
I agree I don't see the theme as being too limited, and while there are certainly gamers who would not want anything to do with the subject matter for one reason or another, it's one which has the possibility for fantastic original character development and creation of an immersive, illicit world players who do enjoy the theme can get lost in.
You have the opportunity to put players in powerful roles, making some work together while others plot against, and offering the ability to turn the tables on your allies or align with your foes. The theme delivers a rich opportunity given the established genre (Scarface, Traffic, Narcos, etc.)
I'd say let the theme determine the mechanics...use it to make the most immersive, engaging and entertaining narco-themed game possible, with mechanics that "meld" into the theme. For those squeemish about trafficking "cocaine" or "heroine" you may consider changing the names to something more original/palatable, maybe make up your own substance names...the imagery on the cards/etc. can help fill in the gaps. Maybe even as simple as "pills" "powder" and "plants?"
The art too will have a huge impact on how your game is perceived. Going gritty Frank Miller style will really darken the entire mood of the game, as well as the players' perception of decisions and their weight made within the game.
On the other hand, making it surprisingly colorful with a cartoonish bent like Spyfall or even One Night Ultimate Werewolf will lighten the theme...it all comes down to your vision and your target audience.
Thu, 01/07/2016 - 16:44
#10
Booze smuggling during
Booze smuggling during Prohibition is, IMHO, inherently more fun, never mind the possible backlash of promoting something that is currently illegal. It was a fascinating period in US history that has become romanticized and just seems altogether cool.
When you throw in the opportunity to play real historical characters, that seems like a clear win. Eliot Ness, Al Capone, Johnny Torrio, Big Jim Colosimo -- who wouldn't want to play one of these guys?
(In reality, those gangsters were all nasty thugs that you'd be afraid to cross paths with, but nostalgia makes them cool and fun.)
Fri, 01/08/2016 - 07:51
#12
"Contraban"?
How about just calling what you're smuggling/selling "contraban" and letting the players decide on what it is themselves? The important thing about it isn't what it is, only that it's illeagal. I like the suggestion of the whole prohibition era thing with regards to the atomostphere and characters but whether P3ERCGAMINGYSTEMS makes it prohibition era themed, historical opium trade themed, modern drug/whatever trade themed or futuristic science fiction alien goods themed won't actually effect how the game is played.
I suggest making a working game which should be fun to play before worrying about what colour you're going to paint its nails.
Fri, 01/08/2016 - 10:40
#14
Going along with the Theme
I've got an idea bouncing around in my head about a board game where Navy SEALs go after terrorists, each battle field: House, Building, Desert wadi, mountain cave etc... is a different board where players try to tactically destroy or capture their opponents. Based on the intel found on that target and gathered from questions those captured terrorists leads to the next battle field............anyway I thought that could work as an aspect of your game where eventually play leads to some kind of Door Kicking Action where the DEA goes face to face with the Cartel.
If you plan on adding anything like that to your game I'd be happy to help you with understanding how Government Agencies go after bad guys, mission planning, targeting etc...... Good luck and keep up the good work. Evan
Sat, 01/09/2016 - 03:22
#16
Remember
thats so funny, i had thought of the same theme before and then considered it was too emotional a theme to do it justice..but i must admit the possibility of interogations and door kicking sounds soooooooo exciting. anyway i tried scaling it down to drug smuggling and it seems its still emotional. i like some of the members thinking on tje board though of circumventing the theme, wi the a generic version of tje cargo.
Just remember that what you may think is exciting may not be exciting for someone else. You have to (at least what I think) find something that can reach the widest berth while making it something you can put your heart behind. The prohibition idea was just an idea, you can essentially do whatever you want.
Your goal in this case is to make money. The wider the audience, the more potential money you can make. The good news is that your game is still in concept, so it's easy to change the subject.
Good luck!
i like that idea too...maybe a little more research on the market would be appropriate. i must say i am a bit sold on the narcos theme..but like you say maybe ill figure out the play and then screw around with the theme later.