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New here, would like help on own game and artwork :)

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Mon, 07/20/2015 - 06:38
Boredstick
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Joined: 07/05/2015

Well to be quick and brief since not all wish to read a wall of text, I am currently making a physical board game ( that I also hope to easily make digital if anyone has any hints on software for that ).

Most of the rules are done and have both gone through rules, board layout and also playtested a few times, so for now I hope to get the same help from anyone here, especially if anyone would be interested to get paid a small amount to make some simple artwork for the board to make it easier to playtest and get a real feel for it, from layout to the figures aswell.

In short, my game is called "Prisoners ", where the game board is a prison area with a jail garden at the top, offices for medical/laywer/guards right below, prison corridors formed like a square downward, bottom having the execution room, and in middle is the prison cells.

Goal is to escape the prison by sneaking out of ones cell upon dice throws, moving only forawd towards the offices, and reach a Lawyer. Upon a 6 on two dice rolls, Prisoner gets a Star Rating, needing 3 to get out.

Only one Lawyer Throw per turn, the Prisoner must then make way to return to his cell until following turn, but all this at the smae time of avoiding the prison guard(s) that patrol the corridor, upon capture confiscating any carried items and making way back to the Prisoners Cell

This gives chance for other prisoner players to move forward, also visiting the garden where they can find items, trade and attack each other. Upon injury, Prisoner can visit Medic Office for chance of treatment. Total of 3 Health, once gone the Prisoner dies.

So let me know so far of the idea and if interested to playtest, I can send copy of current full game rules and board layout/game figures ). If interested to contribute with some simple artwork, let me know :)

Hope to hear from anyone, thank you in advance for your help :)

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Mon, 07/20/2015 - 09:55
#1
mulletsquirrel
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interesting idea

I understand this game as a roll and move style game? So you'd roll the die and then move the corresponding number of spaces. If you land on a guard space, you get sent back to your cell. Or do the guards actually move (if so, how does that mechanic work)? It'd be interesting to see what you have drawn up so far!

Do you have a print and play version?

Also, welcome to BGDF!

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Mon, 07/20/2015 - 10:54
#2
MattPlays
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Joined: 04/12/2015
there was

an interesting looking one on KS recently like this, you had different characters as the prisoners and you had to pick up different objects and combine them into items to help escape. I don't think there was a huge amount of dice involved tho

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Mon, 07/20/2015 - 10:55
#3
MattPlays
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just about to finish

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/qullus/jailbreakers-plan-your-escap...

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Mon, 07/20/2015 - 15:23
#4
Boredstick
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Thank you for your comment :)

Exactly, its played as a classic " roll dice, move character forward " game. There are actually guard figures walking around in the corridor/game space, starting from their guard posts at the top of board.

Depending on how many prisoners, the guards increase in numbers, so if a prisoner gets a dice throw that makes him run into a guard, the prisoner gets caught and will be taken back to cell after guard makes his round.

Once returned a Prisoner, the guard contiunes forward, and can carry a total of two prisoners but due to game balance and capture rate, its likely that will change to just one.

For instance, what I done with four players was to roll dice for guard after each turn, and the cells are constructed so that say a cell closer to the offices surely increases the chance to get there faster.

But if caught by the guard, since he must make his round, adds the drawback of having to come along until delivered back to cell.

Picture an analog clock, each number is a cell where 12 is guard post where guard starts, if prisoner 1 gets caught and closest cell is 2 ( cant go backwards ) , Prisoner 1 has to wait until they return back to 1

At the moment only a rough layout of the game board prototype but Im sure I can fix up something easily :)

And thank you very much :)

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Mon, 07/20/2015 - 15:31
#5
Boredstick
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Thanks for commenting :)

Great minds think alike I guess XD

To be fair and share thoughts, I came up with the idea since when I was a kid, I had a board game which had cops and robbers ( loved it ) , and upon brainstorming now in present time, thought " Hey we always have what happens before, not after, how about a prison game ? "

I just checked the link and instantly see that the layout is more advanced and items can be used in very advanced manners. I did actually imagine a light version of the game on the other game board with different rules for a more child friendly game similar to that look.

Not exactly planning 18+ imagery or such, something in the middle that both teens and young adults can enjoy aswell as children can get into.

But for now I stick to the current game rules, was hard enough to come up with certain balances. From guard positions and rotation to how the cells would look like and being placed, so hope someone can playtest :)

Only two dice is needed, a set of Event Cards, Item card, Y shaped characters and a paper board, for cards I just used photo paper and the rest just paper and tape, so an very cheap prototype to start with.

The items I got in the game are only to assit in survival or against other prisoners, so no ladders and such, its more of a prisoner being honestly trying to get out, so in theory all good be winners if they play fair, but that is human nature, someone eventually will act out hehe.

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Mon, 07/20/2015 - 15:33
#6
Boredstick
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Thanks for link ;)

See above regarding that hehe.

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Tue, 07/21/2015 - 07:06
#7
wombat929
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Suggestion: find a different player movement option

Boredstick wrote:
Exactly, its played as a classic " roll dice, move character forward " game. There are actually guard figures walking around in the corridor/game space, starting from their guard posts at the top of board.

Depending on how many prisoners, the guards increase in numbers, so if a prisoner gets a dice throw that makes him run into a guard, the prisoner gets caught and will be taken back to cell after guard makes his round.

Preface: I haven't tried your game, so this may be a bit much, but it's my opinion, so take it or leave it as you will.

I'd strongly urge you to reconsider/revise the roll-and-move mechanism, especially if it's the prime thing determining whether or not you escape. This makes the game entirely dependent on luck, and will be unattractive to many players (and also, frankly, less fun). I'm very much of the mind that good boardgames are a mix of luck and interesting choices. If you can make all the right choices, and then spin your wheels for turn after turn because you can't get the right roll, that isn't very fun (to my mind).

One option would be to add some "planning" cards that players can draw, either one every turn, or instead of moving that turn, or every time they get caught. These cards could have numbers reflecting different move values, and a player can, in later games, use the card instead of the dice to move. This adds a lot more choice and provides another avenue for success. (PS - this is not an original idea on my part, I've seen it mentioned in forums and I know I've seen it in games, but I'm not able to think which game right now.)

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Tue, 07/21/2015 - 07:14
#8
MattPlays
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Joined: 04/12/2015
Plan ahead

Two games I've played recently have this mechanic, but work slightly differently

X-Wing: You choose your move and then moving/shooting is done in order of initiative. You have to guess where the other team might move in advance, and of course sometimes you are wrong.

Colt Express: Wild West train heist. You plan six or so moves ahead of the go (ie shoot/move/grab/shoot etc) and everyone gets theirs one at a time in sequence. Sometimes it works, sometimes you shoot into an empty carriage. Its a lot of fun. Like wombat said its a mix of luck and strategy, it keeps everyone involved second guessing and there is no downtime.

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Tue, 07/21/2015 - 07:50
#9
Boredstick
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Thank you for feedback :)

Indeed you have a point, which is why one of my friends that playstested, being smart at math, calculated the chances of getting the needed result for a star rating that isnt neither impossible nor easy to obtain, and apart from the standard mechanic, I also got mechanics to help get the star ratings to get out.

As you say, there is both alot of luck needed ( just like in real life if breaking out XD ) and good planning, in this case the items one has, either use to help get out but then not having any incase needed against other prisoners, or trying to turtle and hope the others misuse theirs.

Reason I didnt have any cards on places on the board itself to land and get, was mostly because I wanted everything outside the cell except the offices and garden to be a danger zone, forcing the players to make crucial choices to advance, otherwise cards eventually pile up.

Also there is a limit to items so not everyone will have it, so that encourages both trading and careful use of them, which further puts pressure on the player in a positive way to be careful how to play.

I at first based my board in a " Monopoly type " style but thus changed it from that to what I have now, and atleast those that playtested thought it was a more fresh and new way to play that adds more strategy, otherwise just like Monopoly, if not landing on an good place or landing on a bad place, the dice steer the game instead of the player.

I´ll definetly consider your suggestions in another revison of the game to see what can be implemented and what can be changed to alter the game.

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Tue, 07/21/2015 - 07:53
#10
Boredstick
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Joined: 07/05/2015
For those interested in playtesting, got board and figures done

Atleast digital so easy to print out.

For the game board, divide into 4 with an easy tool like paint and prints for A4, then just tape them together. Figures, only needs an A4, cut out, form and tape together. Cards, just print out, cut and tape over to make harder like a card, if you have photo paper then saves you the trouble.

If interested to try out, let me know with an email and Ill send you :)

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Tue, 07/21/2015 - 13:37
#11
Centaur255
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Joined: 06/23/2015
I'm with Wombat

Interesting concept for a game - sounds like a lot of fun! I do think the movement mechanic should be reconsidered, though I'll phrase my thoughts within the context of some thoughts regarding the importance of movement in a board game, and then we can find a system of movement that will match the philosophy of the game:

1) Standard Movement for Guards: If the guards always move, say, 3 spaces, that would mean that when you come around a corner, walk down a hallway, etc., you always know how much lead time you'll have if you are running from a guard or sneaking up behind him. The problem with dice rolling though is that with a stream of low rolls you'll get caught, and with a stream of high rolls you'll also get caught (as you'll run into the guard in front of you). So dice rolling may not be the best, but as a general rule if the non-player pieces (like the guards) are moving a standard number of spaces it gives players more room to build a strategy, and makes their decisions more valuable (as they are "outsmarting the game," if you will).

2) Multiple Movement Tracks: Is there a difference in the game between moving down the left hallway as opposed to the right hallway? Do all stairwells have equal coverage of guards, or do some of the ones on the far side of the building have less guards on it due to distance from the cells? The more asymmetry there is in the game, the more incentivizes player choice, which means the character rises or falls more on strategy (with a bit of luck, sure) than on just sheer luck alone.

3) Goal of Finishing First: Perhaps asking the question, "Is there a reason to finish first" is an important question to ask. In most games you want to be the first person to reach the finish line (as far back as Candyland we all learned this). But does this mean that I need to make a beeline for the end, or is there a reason to tarry at a certain point? That is to say, is it just a matter of getting high movement values (like in The Game of Life), or is it about the strategy behind how we move from one level to the next? There was a board game made for Jurassic Park III that toyed around with this idea, where the first player to make it to the landing pad was sometimes the first guy eaten, and there was a strategy for how to win the game (getting rescued from the island). So it's worth thinking about: is the first man to the Garden Jail (or wherever the departure point is) the winner? Are we rewarding the first person to reach the finish line?

I think once we have an idea of what moving across the board is designed to add to the game (because all mechanics should add to the fun and joy of the game), we can solidify on the best system for moving the pawns along the board (roll a die, use a spinner, movement card deck, dreidel, whatever boats your float, :) ).

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Mon, 07/27/2015 - 05:59
#12
Boredstick
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Late reply , sorry XD

Yeah I hoped the concept should work, and had some great play sessions where alot of fun things happened against my friends, from blocking them to get out to fights out of spite hehe XD

1) To clear some, Guards start at a dedicated Guard Post, and move depending on the dice result, instead of a static number because I want to keep that uncertainty, even in real life ” will he catch up to me, will he notice me, can I outrun him ? ” .

And yes, one will run infront of a guard unless there is a turn one can take as marked on the game board, that is the only way to directly avoid the guard. But its true that having some static rules gives everyone equal chance to avoiding the guard, but then comes the next problem with that.

Since player can start at opposite sides of the cells, if the guards movement is static, there is a much less chance for the prisoners on the left side to avoid the guard even with low rolls due to the guard maybe having a static movement that will more likely catch up with closer cells than those further away.

2) The board is squareform with two corridors in the middle top leading to the right, meaning that all go clockwise but only reason to move to the right, in essence back towards cells, is because a guard is in the way or too many other prisoner players that might risk fighting.

Depending on amount of players, there are X amount of guards, so I assume if a 4 player game, there is 1 Guard, that Guard moves clockwise after end of each turn, so those on the other side are safe unless they roll low and guard rolls high.

At the beginning, right side has more guard coverage, putting those in the right cells more at risk, with the bonus that if they are slower and the guard is faster, they dont risk getting caught as much. That makes the choice of cell itself be of strategic value than just chose color or character picture.

3) I currently have no direct bonus to who wins first, other than to sabotage for the others by taking his items cards with him, greatly making it harder for those remaining to get out, so its just the usual brag of being first.

Not at all just about high rolls, even that has its drawback, since for instance, rolling high and into a guard is not favorable, or when getting to the garden to roll for Event Cards, maybe one prefers other things in the list that needs less high rolls.

Even if one rolls high when needed, has a good position and items, the key is knowing how to use them best or otherwise one can quickly lose the advantage, and worse, give others the edge. So one can say the reward is to keep the others from getting out. Maybe if based on a storyline, all are from a gang that tried to screw each other, so makes sense that the one that escapes wants his former friends to rot for what they did. But Ill see what I can come up with ” first winner ” bonus.

I toyed with the idea of a larger board with more freeroam but that made it easier for players to dodge each other and also give alot of dead empty space, which is why the moving around to reach garden and lawyer and such is key, but its nothing more that a movement move and not intended to focus on how you move, when and where based on some other objective on the board.

But yeah, thanks for the feedback, let me know if you wish to see how it is laid out for easier feedback :)

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