The Paper Fishing Derby hosts the best anglers from around the world and you have been invited to compete. The angler with the biggest stringer of fish wins the tournament!
Paper Fishing Derby - Two-player, One-page Pencil & Paper Game
Sat, 06/17/2017 - 01:16
Sat, 06/17/2017 - 06:17
#1
Have you playtested it?
imho, I don't think this works for solo play.
Also, I don't think there should be the need for folding paper. Nor a "random" score.
The size of the fish is also important.
Sat, 06/17/2017 - 10:47
#3
Feedback
As a quick sketch this game works okay, but could definitely go for some enhancements to turn it up a notch or two. Some suggestions off the top of my head:
- Provide a "tournament mode" ruleset/variant so players can see how far they can make it into the tournament. Each round could have a fish weight threshold, where to make it to round 2 they might need 20lbs of fish, for round 3 they need 30lbs, etc. Allow players to keep track of their high score in a "fishing journal" over time in an attempt to increase their personal best.
- The player must draw "snags" such as rocks, roots, or sub-surface tree branches that cost the player a fishing lure. Hit a snag three times during the tournament, and you're out/casting must stop/receive a score penalty.
- The player can purchase better equipment/lures with their winnings that allow for re-rolls or flipping/manipulation of dice in some way.
- Add a star to half of the fish. Collect a certain number of them and add 3d6 to your score.
I think the size of the fish is sufficiently-explained on the example card, but maybe some details ("could be completely covered by a small coin") might be useful.
Sat, 06/17/2017 - 10:34
#4
Multiple folds?
Folding the paper, only once, makes it a bit too predictable for some of us.
What if you use 6 folding lines. Allowing the player to put them at random. But numbering them 1 to 6.
When throwing out lines, you can use a die to roll. And add that number to the location. When checking for a catch, you use that # folding to see if it was a catch.
If you think, you almost had a fish, you could discard a line, and re-roll for the same line that has been thrown out. Allowing the player to choose for a risk or less points with a higher certainty, either by where to fold or how many times to roll on one line. I think, it would make the game more interesting. Yet using the same resources.
I think the size of the fish is sufficiently-explained on the example card, but maybe some details ("could be completely covered by a small coin") might be useful.
I agree on that.
Mon, 06/19/2017 - 23:21
#5
i made a few changes
i made a few changes
Tue, 06/20/2017 - 01:09
#6
I like the diceless
I like the diceless variant.
The game reminds me of battleship.
Mon, 07/10/2017 - 10:38
#7
I have updated the rules and
I have updated the rules and added large hooks for a little more decision making and strategy.
Mon, 07/10/2017 - 11:28
#8
Some Thoughts
The new version is looking sharp! A few thoughts that might help you:
1. Clarify the rules to indicate that fish should be drawn on the opposite side of the page, and not immediately visible to the player. You may also want players to place fish for their opponents (that is, draw fish that their opponent should find, and give back the pages boat-side-up) to add challenge and intensify the competition.
2. The use of the different hooks is a nice touch! Lots of risk and reward - as well as luck - involved.
3. I suggest you divide play into phases. First, make players cast their 12 lines all at once, marking them with the hooks they choose to use. Then for the second phase, check if a player has caught a fish by holding it up to a light source to see the fish on the other side, (provided the paper is thin enough).
This prevents players from having clues throughout the game as to where they ought to cast their remaining lines. This would also prevent players from needing to constantly switch between casting lines and calculating score. Of course if you want players to have clues and make future fish-catching easier, then keep the rules as originally written.
///
This looks like a lot of fun, and definitely something casual players can enjoy with a minimum of components. Well done!
Mon, 07/10/2017 - 13:21
#9
1. Yeah I can see how "your
1. Yeah I can see how "draw on your side" could be meant as the side you're trying to fish toward but it was supposed to be the side your Angler is on so you're basically drawing your opponent's fish and they're drawing yours. I will try to make this more clear.
2. Yeah it's best to use them after a few close misses for when you think you know the right spot to cast the next line to catch the fish.
3. The game is surprisingly hard so the clues are needed but it does slow play. I'll try a version where you cast all lines at once to see how it plays out!
Mon, 07/10/2017 - 21:16
#10
Poke Holes
Hrm... Although it's not terribly thematic, poking a hole in the paper with a pencil/implement would also be a way to utilize similar mechanics.
Not necessarily a fishing game, but... Well, there's some theme out there that applies to that particular mechanic, eh?!?!?
Drilling for oil/prospecting in mines
Termites/mice eating houses
Ants at a picnic
Kinda stuck on insects at the moment, but I'm sure there's something else there. I ought to sleep on it.
Wed, 04/29/2020 - 03:01
#11
Changes
I just now looked at this game again from 2017 and made some big changes.
I got rid of the mechanic that had you draw a line on your side and flip the page over and try to see through it/poke a hole in it and instead have you literally flicking the pencil to catch fish.
Check it out and let me know what you think!
Edit: I also added an interesting baitfish mechanic to try for big fish.
Wed, 04/29/2020 - 11:15
#12
variants
I added 3 variants to the rules.
The folding paper is the game mechanic. How does this differ between solo or multiplayer?
Well the dice roll was added since fish are random weight even in a fishing tournament.
Yep the size matters but it's a game for yourself so it doesn't need to be perfect. An example of the size/shape is on the game page.