Hi,
I have an idea for a new board game (two actually), and I would like to find out, if these ideas are good, so that such a game could be created and enter the market. I do not have any experience with such a process, that is why I am posting these ideas here, so that a far more experienced people can tell me if these ideas have any potential of becoming something more than an idea. Below is the brief description for these games:
First game
Main premise: Taking care of a baby
Game type: cooperative
Number of players: 2-4
Playing time: 30 min
Age: 8+
Game components:
- playing board, where you would see rooms for a flat/house (similar style as in Flashpoint: Fire rescue game)
- game dice (custom dice with special symbols)
- game figures (representing players as members of a family – dad, mom, son, daughter, ….)
- other gaming components (like tokens,cards,…)
- application, that a person would need to download and install to a phone/tablet (this is where the baby would be displayed)
Game rules:
The main goal of the game would be, to complete challenges around the house (cleaning, cooking, ….) within a specific time limit. To complete the challenges, and move around the house, players would need to use dice. All the players would use their dice at the same time. These challenges would need to be done when the baby (application in phone/tablet) is sleeping. Now, the application would have access to the microphone, and so a big noise, that would be caused by the dice or by the players, would wake the baby up. If that would happen, someone would need to go to the room where the baby is sleeping, and calm it down (take the phone/tablet in hands and hush the baby to sleep). After the baby would calm down and sleep again, the players would be able to continue with completing the challenges. After the time limit ends, depending on how many challenges are complete, and in what mood the baby is the final score would be calculated.
Additional comments:
The main gimmick of this game would be the application. In it, you can set the difficulty (set the noise scale level to less or more intense, set the time limit, set how easy/hard it would be for the baby to calm down), you would be able to customize the baby (set the gender, hair, skin color, ….) or you can also add another phone/tablet to take care of two babies. The baby would wake up 2-3 times during the day automatically, to pause the game and so the players would be able to talk and discuss strategy, how to move forward. The game can be expanded n a variety of ways, like adding new rooms/floor to the game, adding dogs/cats to the game, that the players would also need to take care about,…. .
This is the main idea for this game. Overall, the theme could be changed to something else, but since I recently became a father, this is the first thing that came to my mind. Taking care of a baby is challenging, but also very rewarding :)
Second game
Main premise: A story driven adventure in the world of Vampire: The Masquerade with legacy components
Game type: semi-cooperative
Number of players: 2-4
Playing time: 60-90 min
Age: 12+
Game components:
- playing board, which would represent the map of New York city (or some other major city)
- game cards (there would be a variety of cards used, some to show a scenery of specific location, some for explanation of what is happening and what options the players have, some for items and equipment the players can take/use,….)
- game figures (representing players as members of specific vampire clan – Bruhaj, Giovanni, Malkavian, Nosferatu, ….)
- character sheets (each player would have its own character, that will improve in time, unlocking new abilities for that character)
- legacy components (used to add new locations to the main map, change/improve the character,….)
Game rules:
The main goal of the game would be set based on the scenario the players will pick. Each scenario would have specific conditions, that would determine if the players succeeded or not. Additionally, based on the character the players choose, each player will have also a hidden agenda. The players would move on the map, where specific locations would be marked, that can be visited by the players. After gaining new information, new locations would be revealed to the players, by adding stickers to the map. Once the players would enter a location, they would pick the specific location cards (similar mechanism is used also in T.I.M.E. stories) and create a location panorama (2x3, 2x4) . In this panorama, the players would see what action they can take, or where they can go, and based on it they would pick a card (the actions would be marked by numbers, and they would pick the card with the same number). Some actions may be hidden, that the players would need to look closely to find them. In the action cards, that the players would pick, they would see what kind of task they need to accomplish, and what options they have for accomplishing that task. Based on the vampire they choose, and the abilities they have unlocked, each player would have a unique option, how to complete the task, apart from the general ones, that will be available for everyone. Once the task is completed, the players would receive experience, items, or new information, how to proceed with the main story.
Additional comments:
I never played the Vampire: The Masquerade RPG, but I have played the pc games – Redemption and Bloodlines. These games had phenomenal story, and I was feeling like I am part of that world. That was my main idea behind this board game, to recreate this feeling, the great story and options the player have to complete it. Now, this will require one thing, and to acquire the license from White Wolf, so that a game in this universe can be made. The potential for expansions is limitless, because the universe of Vampire: The Masquerade is so vast, with so many clans and sets, so the story can be expanded in many directions. The board can also be expanded, adding new districts to the city, or even additional cities, that the players can travel between.
