Axis Mundi Introduction and Playthrough Video - Feedback Wanted

It looks like the videos from Geek and Sundry are not working... It's too bad because watching Wil and his friend PLAY the game was really interesting to see and watch. It may be a little longer than a Tom Vasal Dice Tower review... But then again you've made an almost 4 hour long video about your game. It might be reasonable to expect you to watch a 45 - 60 minute playthru video from Wil & co.

I'm very disappointed that the link did not work. Because the video was FUN to watch and (spoiler alert) Wil turns out to be the Traitor who goes on a mad rampage 3/4 the way into the game...!

You can maybe find other playthru videos ... not sure. But one thing for certain the TableTop review would have been the best example to see HOW the game was played and also how I draw some comparison in terms of the overall gameplay.

My apologies for giving you a broken link... I don't know where else you may find a more (or at par) video with sufficient playing to get a REAL feel for the game.

Sincerest apologies.

Not sure I understand your Angel/Demon ideas... One thing is to find a solution to "finishing the game" and then there is allowing the players to have "FUN" playing the game.

Right now, from what I have seen is that IF you become an Angel/Demon only YOU can WIN the game. If you are killed, the cycle/race starts anew. THIS is BAD! It will make the game longer and result in players giving up (at some point in time). Don't you think over 3.5 hours is TOO LONG for a game?

The game should be 60 to 90 minutes (on the average).

It's not just a problem that your VIDEO was LONG. The GAME is TOO LONG. That's why I referred you to BHH, because players take their time exploring the House BEFORE the "Traitor" (Climax) is revealed. And then it's either the Traitor wins or the other players win (by surviving).

You do have a TIME/LENGTH of play issue. However I don't think you understand, I referred you to BHH because that game has SOLVED the length of time issue. At first I had my own reservation of BHH... But after watching the AM video, I am positive that BHH does well be "quickly" resolving the game either way: #1. The traitor defeats the other players #2. The players defeat the traitor.

However it happens rather quickly as opposed to the "exploration" of the house (which is generally longer and consumes most of the game time).

You need to FIND ways to "simplify" the game, it's length ... and all the while preserving or "enhancing" replayability. Just because your intro says that a bird comes down to do your bidding, doesn't mean you can't change the story to fit a more diversified crew of familiars.

Anyhow I do want to wish you good luck with your game. But I still think you don't realize that the duration of the game is much too long. And what is paramount is that EVEN YOU didn't finish your own playthru video...

You need some kind of "co-opetive" style of gameplay IMHO. What this means is that in order to ascend the volcano to the top, players must co-operate but at the same time "compete" against their fellow opponents.

Here's the way I see it (and you can critique all you like — if you find just one nugget of wisdom useful, my job will be done):

1. The original (3:50 Video) first phase of the game was making your way to the Axis Mundi. This was like a RACE, since players start at different locations. During this phase what was observed was that players seem to be separately distant enough to not "enter into melee combat"...

So it's a RACE to the top and ...

2. Next comes the second phase which is the opponents are trying to STOP the player who won the race from escaping the island. This was all about fighting and melee combat, defeating the "demon/angel" was paramount... And so the opponents would co-operate to defeat the "demon/angel". If the "demon/angel" dies, the process restarts anew...

And then it's a RACE to the top AGAIN ...

Clearly you need to work on simplifying the game. Ideally you would want only ONE (1) Phase. And in this one (1) phase IDEALLY you would want to BLEND all the different actions together.

So it could be a RACE to the Axis Mundi ... And the first player who reaches it WINS. That sounds logical.

So what is the problem?

You need to "extend" the race phase to include more actions and interaction between the players. You CANNOT simply make it a RACE to the top and ... well ... that's it.

You need to change it so that it is EVEN MORE "Puzzle-ish". How... Like I said co-opetive style of play. Instead of bonuses in the crates, you should need to put "special artifacts" that each player requires to make it to the top of the volcano.

For example: the Golden Statuette.

Instead of all kinds of PERK cards for your crates, you choose four (4) cards, which are the "artifacts" and YOU must collect three (3) out of four (4) of them and then race to the Axis Mundi. These are all secret... But the "artifacts" ON THE BOARD are REVEALED. So there is HIDDEN information AND PERFECT information.

But as a player MOVES to get an ARTIFACT, he can be attacked (Melee) to stop him from returning the artifact that he needs to HIS WAREHOUSE.

The DEAL about the Puzzle-ish style of play is when there is contention for one artifact required by 2 players. Then it becomes a RACE to GET IT and to RETURN IT to a warehouse...

So THIS style of gameplay would encourage players to co-operate like make TRADE deals (playing nicely) or dirty stealing (by immobilizing a player with his/her familiar) and then returning that "artifact" to his/her warehouse.

Do you understand how DIFFERENT this style of play is???

But there is something to be said about this style... It's more about travelling the board and avoiding the enemy while getting the artifacts YOU need to make it into the Axis Mundi...

Think about it...

This style of play BLENDS the two (2) phases into ONE! No longer it's about racing to the top and back trying to survive... It's about co-opetive play where you race up and back several times to get the RIGHT artifacts for your warehouse.

Once you have the three (3) of four necessary artifacts in your warehouse, you are crowned the victorious player and leave the island with your booty!

I know ... it's so very different. But I've tried to streamline the game a bit and blend the phase together so players can compete and collaborate too.

Of course feel free to "dig out" any nugget from this and see what could be appropriate for YOUR game. I'm not telling you HOW to design your game, I'm just offering up an "alternative" VISION as to how you put everything TOGETHER and land up with a 60 to 90 minute game time.

Best of luck(!?) with your game @Peter. Hope some of this you find interesting and helps your with ideas about how to "streamline" the game into something more playable.

Cheers!