Designing nonstop
Day 1
As I wrote in my previous post I'm making a card game for the summer and I'm doing it together with my brother and our friend. In order to start up the process we decided to all meet in person (We live in very different parts of Sweden) for a 4-day long game jam to see what we can come up with. So this post will be about those days.
On Monday we met up late and mostly played Dominion to get some ideas and planned the rest of the week. We did play one game of my prototype from last week but still felt it lacked a lot.
Day 2
Tuesday was testing day. We rapidly generated ideas and promptly put them to the test.
The goal was to uncover what's fun. The prototype didn't need to be fully functional or balanced; our primary focus was on exploring enjoyable interactions and gameplay.
​
After persisting with a Chicago-styled main loop for a while, we had a change of heart and shifted our focus to a drafting game format instead. This decision marked a significant turning point for us as we swiftly expanded in this new direction.
Drawing inspiration from games like Sushi Go, 7 Wonders, and classic MTG, we dedicated hours to testing.
Eventually, we had 52 cards that were fun to play and we decided it was a great starting point to develop further.
Day 3
On Wednesday, significant progress was made in our game development.
​
Initially, we had crafted a 52-card drafting game that provided an exciting experience, but we couldn't ignore the fact that it closely resembled Sushi Go, albeit with minor tweaks. We recognized the importance of discovering what makes our game unique and compelling, a reason for players to choose it over others.
​
That's when we decided to introduce a symbol system, and it proved to be a game-changer.
This system added layers of depth to each card, making every decision more intriguing and meaningful.
Another impactful breakthrough was experimenting with an alternative drafting method. We seamlessly blended traditional card drawings from players' own decks with the drafting phase. It flowed smoothly from the outset.
Here's briefly how it works: Instead of presenting all players with a vast array of cards to circulate around the table, each player has their own deck and draws 3 cards each turn. The remaining two cards are then placed on the deck of the player to their left. This approach allows cards to circulate while introducing a fresh card at every turn.
Day 4
Thursday became the day of theming. Late on Wednesday, we talked about where our game should take place - a mysterious jungle, a world of space pirates, or an entirely new fantasy realm. One idea we playfully tossed around was using a bunch of public-domain characters.
And that's exactly what we opted for.
​
Why, you might ask? Well, suddenly, the concept for all the cards fell into place effortlessly. We wanted to finalize our game ideas within the week, and utilizing well-known characters from the public domain proved to be a time-saving and enjoyable approach. While creating our unique world would have been a blast, we realized it would require more time than we had.
But with familiar characters, we can easily reach out to players due to their existing popularity.
​
Nevertheless, we were eager to add an original and enjoyable twist to these familiar characters. Crafting a game solely around well-known figures like Sherlock or Robin Hood has been done countless times before.
Hence, we went for this concept: a theme park run by villains from popular stories. You and the other players are jobseekers vying for a single spot at this unique amusement park. To prove your worth, you'll bond with board members like Dracula, Medusa, and King Kong while tending to rides and games.
Once we had our theme in place, the next challenge was making all our current random objects align with this new world we were creating. This task proved to be more daunting than expected, but we were determined to make it work.
Rest of the days
During the following days, we focused on fine-tuning some cards, but our primary discussions revolved around the game's overall concept and business plans. Our goal from the start was to launch a Kickstarter campaign and have everything sent out and done before Christmas. To achieve this, planning ahead is essential, outlining every week leading up to that point.
​
Thankfully, I'm fortunate to be working with two highly talented comic book artists, and I have no doubt that the final design will look absolutely amazing.
Previous post
NEXT POST