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Oregon trail game

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Wed, 01/29/2014 - 20:48
nate252
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Joined: 01/22/2014

Ok so I am making a card game based off the old computer game oregon trail. It is a thematic game that I think should be fun for those nostalgic for oregon trail. You gather resources to travel to cities, have a party, encounter challenges and misfortunes. If you lose all your party members you lose. And the first one to make it to the west coast wins. :)
So I have the base of the game made, got all my cards, and am currently play testing and I have someone working on art. My idea is to put this on kickstarter when I am dont with the playtesting.

So I was kind of just introducing myself and my game idea. I know it is not much to go off of, but does it sound potentially interesting? When I get the rules refined I will post them here and as for more input.

Thats where my next questions come though. Where should I post all this? I will want to make a post when I got the rules, and a Pnp.

I guess just what r the steps and where should I post all my things needed on my journey to kickstarter. (I read the tips pinned in this thread which have helped, thanks!)

So yes I am a newb. But I think with enough playtesting/refining my game could be fun :)

Thanks! I look forward to coming out of my shell and posting more.

Update 1/21/14:
I started a blog to talk more about the game and my adventure of making it.
www.boardgamegeek.com/blog/3159

Update 1/23/14
Since I decided to make a blog instead of updating a thread, I will be posting occasional game and blog updates on this thread.
Blog
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/blog/3159

Update 1/26/14
My first pictures I have taken of the game.
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/1908431/nate252

Update: Art coming this weekend!
And if anyone is feeling generous I threw together this indiegogo campaign to earn a few extra bucks to help the game along.
http://igg.me/at/kaboomgaming/x/6226025

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Wed, 01/29/2014 - 21:14
#1
ruy343
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Joined: 07/03/2013
You may be on to something.

Well now, you really seem to be excited about this! I feel that's the biggest key of them all.

When it comes to how to make rules work, remember that there are a great variety of ways that you can approach the mechanics. The following is a brainsplosion of what comes to mind when I think of this theme.

-You could have an events deck that triggers whether family members get sick, or you could turn to a set of two dice that say what malady befalls which family member (and perhaps a different malady dice could be used if a player decides to travel at a faster pace).

-You could have your equipment that you start with be a major factor in deciding how well you do: perhaps there are places on your board that you let you ferry a river easily if you have the right equipment, but you might have been able to spend more money on food or warm clothes instead when you set out. Perhaps you can find equipment along the way or trade it with your fellow players.

-Perhaps you could make it a co-operative game where all of you are trying to make it through the harshness of the plains as a group (because pioneers almost never traveled alone). However, if you take too long, you might get hit by winter or upset the Indians, or whatever else you can think of.

-Perhaps you could include a hunting mechanic, where you include a dice roll to decide how you did on your hunt. Didn't hunt well? Well, you could always trade some fancy-schmancy European item with the local Indians for food. Have a bunch of food? maybe you could trade it for Indian beads which could be of greater value the farther you are from where you got them (That's actually how it was done between many tribes. I know a guy who studies that stuff. Weird, huh?)

I feel that there's a wide variety of approaches that you might take here. I just might join you in theming a game in the pioneer (or Indian bead trading...) department (though of course, you needn't worry: I'm not a copier, just an ideaholic). There's a potential for quite a variety of games in this field.

Hope I helped a little...

Ruy343

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Wed, 01/29/2014 - 21:23
#2
RGaffney
RGaffney's picture
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Joined: 09/26/2011
I can see how Oregon trail

I can see how Oregon trail could transition well to a sort of skin for a game. You draw a card that says hunting ground, or river or whatever. What I am not clear about is where the actual game comes into play. What is it that you are doing in order to handle the events. What is the skill involved. Is it a trading thing? Is it a choose your own adventure type angle? Is it a weighted probability dealio?

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