“The best way to learn games is to play games. The best way to make games is to work.” – Alan Emrich
Your Weekly Homework Game:
This week, we’re getting back to your Weekly Homework “Ship” Game. If your game was not envisioned with Research Model or Special Abilities, guess what? Marketing just told you they want one in the game, so now you have to figure out how to add them.
This week's homework builds on your Weekly Homework (i.e., “Ship”) Game’s current Concept Document (i.e., its Title, High Concept, Hook, One-Sentence Marketing Description, and a single paragraph description of the game’s setting, Epoch, scope, scale, and who the player represents). You're required to hand in a written document that includes your name plus the Concept Document information from your homework assignment of two weeks ago (with the Ship Matrix, Victory Conditions, Conflict Resolution, and Economic Model).
After copying and pasting that information from two weeks ago, you’re going to extend that Concept Document by adding this week’s homework assignment information at the end in two new sections.
The first new section is entitled, “Week 6 Homework: Research Model” and, specifically, you must write:
A Table
/ Matrix / Listing / Tree featuring Magic / Technology Development and
the effects of having it.
Along one axis of your matrix, there must be no fewer than 3 and no more than
6 categories of magic or technology. “Fire Spells,” “Engines,”
“Weapons,” and “Armor,” are some typical examples of different categories that
can be improved by magic or technology; your game might require others that
can be common or unique.
Along the other axis of your matrix, there should be no more than 3
advances in each category. ‘Fission-Powered,’ ‘Heavy Catapult,’ ‘Death
Ray,’ ‘Stealth III,’ ‘Inertial Dampeners,’ and ‘Reflective Armor,’ are
examples of typical magic / technology progressions within a category; your
game might require others that can be common or unique.
Finally, complete this matrix by including the game effect for each
such discovery in your game. Their modifications to game play must
reflect your vision for your Ship Game.
The second new section is entitled, “Week 6 Homework: Special Abilities” and, specifically, you must write:
3 or 4
different Special Abilities for this game based on race, nationality,
tribe, etc. Make each player / side / team a little different than the others
by giving each their own unique Special Ability.
Be sure to explain the game effect for each such Special Ability in
your game. Their modifications to game play must reflect your vision
for your Ship Game!
Sample Weekly Homework ('Ship Game') Assignments
are available for your inspection!
Outstanding sample homework files are included inside this .zip file. It contains complete sets of homework assignments for this course from several award-winning ship games including: Alien Colony, Extreme River Rapids Racing, Hive Mind, and Outlaw Star. Peruse these to see what is expected from you each week!
In addition, this week's assignment only can be seen in isolation from this series from the game:
Pirates: The Battle for Booty.
Your Graded Course Project Game:
Production, Part I: Build a Prototype. This week, you handed in your complete first draft copy of the rules you wrote for your game. For your homework, it’s time to do a little Arts & Crafts project…
This week, you get to get to make your first prototype copy of your Graded Course Project Game. That means you must make a working version of every single component: board, pieces, cards… you name it. A “working component” is one that is separated; that means, for example, that your playtest cards are not “working” until they are cut apart! Have this working prototype version for next week; you'll need it to start your own Gross Playtesting this week! That’s then the real fun (i.e., work) begins in earnest!
Class
Support Material:
Assorted blank grid sheets,
cards, and counters
This free download is a .zip file with square- and hex-grid paper, blank card templates, and blank counter sheets. Each is presented in MSWord .doc files and is presented in various sizes in an 8.5" x 11" format. You can easily manipulate every file.
Article: Board Game Physical Designs: Original and Final Prototypes by Steve Peek
When it comes to games, everyone is from Missouri; they all say, “Show me.” Prototyping your game is critical to getting it accepted by the money-people, helping the marketing people and even artists to ‘envision it,’ and to getting playtesters something they can actually test-drive and find the flaws in.
Exam #2 is next week:
Next week there will be the second course exam (worth 30 points) on the terms, concepts, and principles from the material presented in Lessons 4, 5, and 6. Be sure to study the Lesson Review Sheets handed out in class and make sure you've read all the Required Reading material found in each week's assignment links.
