Games
Farmageddon Update
I’ve had a few people inquire about the status of my DIY card game, Farmageddon, recently. This is a very good thing, since I will admit that I haven’t been driving the project forward like I should be.
Here is where we are at:
Playtesting is ongoing.
I’ve had many people – from different walks of life and different experience levels with games – now weigh in on the theme, mechanics, and rough artwork behind the game. As you can imagine, there has been some major and minor changes to mechanics that have occurred. I believe that it is “almost there” now… just need to do some math around probabilities for the cards. This is the easy stuffy.
Artwork needs refined.
This is where I’m struggling. My attempts to refine the very loose concepts you see here into more professional art has been a daunting task. Couple this with a sometimes crippling distrust of the quality of my artwork and, well, you begin to see how the process can become stalled. Luckily, I have settled on a thematic approach to the art and card design, so it is really about putting in the time to get it done.
If you are following the plight of this saga and would like to hear about something in particular, let me know. Otherwise, stay tuned!
Video Games Examiner
I’ve recently been selected as a contract writer for Examiner.com.
My topic: video games!
Check out my Examiner.com page to see some of my writings. The content I place there will focus mostly on game reviews and fun game analysis. Deeper game evaluation (mechanics, theory, etc.) will remain posted here on my personal site. If you have any topics you would like me to explore, or specific games you want to hear my thoughts on, let me know, I’m happy to oblige!
DIY card game: Farmageddon
I’ve settled on a title for my Do-It-Yourself table-top card game:
It is currently in closed playtesting.
Keep your fingers crossed that things move along quickly. I would like to get this out to the world sooner rather than later.
Game Resource Mapping
I’m currently enrolled in the Game Balance Concepts course. For the second class, Numeric Relationships, we have been challenged to develop a resource map for a game which we might currently be designing.
What is a resource map? It is a visual representation of all the resources utilized within the game that shows the interrelationships between those resources.
For my current DIY card game (name is still pending!), I created the following resource map:
As you can see here, as of this posting, the key resource is Morale. A player wins or loses based on the status of their Morale. The other resources – Energy and cards, have an interrelationship that ultimately results in changes to you or your opponent’s Morale.
I found the exercise of generating the resource map to be a good one. As discussed in the course, it serves to explain the relationships between the resources and helps to define the impact of modifying one of them.
DIY card game – currently in development
I am currently in the process of developing a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) tabletop card game. I will be posting some updates as I move through the process of designing, playtesting, and finalizing the game.
Here is a basic overview of what this game will entail and some basic “goals” I have for the game:
- It will be published under a Creative Commons Attribution License (free to the public!)
- It will allow people to download card templates, print them, and then affix them to three traditional poker card decks for play.
- It will support play for two players… at least initially (although I have ideas for how to expand it to additional players!)
- It will be intended for mature teen/adult audiences (it will contain some graphic cartoon violence)
How far along is it?
Approximately 75% of the first card designs are completed (sketched loosely for playtesting), and the rule set is “mostly complete.” Playtesting will occur after the full complement of cards are designed and the working rule set is completed. Wave one of playtesting will be done locally and I expect a large amount of modifications to occur after it is finished. In further waves, it is my hope to expand playtesting to a larger audience to further iron out the bugs and ensure the game is balanced and fun.
How can I help?
I would welcome your assistance. Here are a few things I could use some help on:
- Graphic design/artistry: I would accept any and all artists who are willing to pitch in artwork to support the development of the game. Of course, this is a not-for-profit Creative Commons project, so your support would need to be free (although you would receive heartfelt thanks and artist credits in the design).
- Playtesting support: As we get further down the path (past the first wave of playtesting) I would like to involve additional serious playtesters who can help to evaluate and shape the game. As noted above, I cannot pay you anything more than thanks and the appropriate game credit for your time and services.
If you want to lend a hand, let me know!
So – stay tuned – more development updates will follow.