27 May 2014
Playtest Session 10 - The Windup Space
I was on vacation at my old hometown this past week, and to finish it off I had a chance to visit the pub where I started a "board game night" several years ago. Much to my satisfaction, the game night has persisted and even prospered, with every table occupied with games of every stripe and players of every level of inebriation.
Mole Majority had a good showing as well, with the new components (plastic bits and small wooden walls I'd purchased from Print & Play Productions) being well-received along with the new card artwork I had printed by The Game Crafter.
The moment shown here in this picture is close to the endgame. Although I hadn't kept score, it looks like Blue is gonna take the win. It may boil down to who has the most points in Home Maker Tokens, keeping Red on the edge of their seat.
The general trend of the Home Maker Tokens making or breaking the victory leads me to believe that it's a solid addition to the game. Players know that they can usually shift their strategy to "hex investment" like Home Maker Tokens and Cave-Ins to gain points even if they're not in a position to take over more territory. When players know they know something the other players don't, they are still invested in winning the game. That is the power of hidden information.
After finishing our game, the event organizer mentioned, "I would buy it." That's a good sign.
Comments
Nice Work
It's nice to see this game shaping up. I didn't get a chance to play it, but I saw it at Tennessee Game Days, the first convention I've ever been to, and had setup to playtest my own game (the one on green poster-board) on a nearby table.
TGD IX
I think I remember you too, kevnburg! Were you the fellow measuring and drawing out your hexes next to me? I hope things worked out well for you that afternoon.
The tough thing about that session was that, since I was running a game of my own I was unable to sit in on any of the other games I'd seen. Are you still working on that same design?
In any case, thanks for the kudos. :)
You Got Me
That was me, and I still am working on that idea. I got the idea for that game in November 2013, and it is my first board game idea. Since then I've worked on several more game concepts, and I haven't been focusing quite as much on that first one. I've gathered some other designers at my university and have made a student org for board game design, "Vanderbilt Gamecraft." I'm planning to go with them and any new members we get to TGDX next May. Will I see you there?
PM to send
I'll send you a private message so we can coordinate future events and efforts. :)