Once Upon a Time
Genre: board game
Date: 2019.12
GAME CONCEPT
This is a match-based board game that requires 6 players. Players are divided into three camps: HUMAN, DEVIL and GOD, using the five elements of gold, wood, water, fire and earth to restrain each other, and the only camp who survives at the end is the winner of the game. I think the design difficulty of this board game is how to grasp the balance between odd number of camps.
TEAM INTRODUCTION & RESPONSIBILITIES
Our team consisted of 5 members, and this is our first time making a board game. We have three scheme designers and two artists.
Xingyao Wu
Scheme Designer
MY ROLE
I was involved in the conception of the game framework and was mainly responsible for the post-testing and iterations.
Rao
Artist
Yang
Artist
Hong
Team Leader
Scheme Designer
Wang
Scheme Designer
GAME ELEMENTS
1.Character Cards * 6 (2 of each)
【SURVIVAL】
Grab 3 cards per turn.
【PRIVILEGE】
If damaged by GOD, GOD‘s next round of basic card attacks are ineffective against HUMAN.
【TRUTH】
Basic cards cause 1 extra damage to MARA.
【MAJESTIC】
6 cards per turn hand limit
【JEALOUSY】
One can choose to grab 2 cards per turn or draw 1 card from HUMAN.
【COST】
The player who caused damage to MARA must choose to either lose 1 drop of their own blood or let MARA draw a card from their hand (or only drop blood if they have no cards in hand).
GAMEPLAY
RULES
PLAYERS：6
OBJECTIVE：The last surviving player's camp wins
GAME PHASES
1
PREPERATION :
Players each draw 1 character card and place it in front of them. Each player grabs the initial 7 cards and places the blood and attack cards.
2
START :
Played by MARA first, and then in clockwise order.
Choose a player to use an attack card that restrains the opponent's blood attribute (only 1 attack target can be chosen for 1 attack card per round), or they can choose not to attack anyone.
Before a new turn starts, GOD draws 2 cards, HUMAN draws 3 cards, and MARA chooses the way to draw cards according to their skills.
Each player can only keep a maximum of 4 cards in hand at the end of the attacking turn (GOD can keep 6 cards).
You can use an unlimited number of functional cards in each round.
3
FIRST-BLOOD BUFF:
When the first dead player appears, the camp that kills the player gets a 3-turn buff: there is no limit to the number of attack cards used each turn. Killing the second player from that camp does not gain a buff.
4
GAME OVER:
The game ends when only 1 person survives and the player's camp wins.
ITERATION
VERSION 1.0
Our starting point was a challenge: balanced board game design for odd number of players. So we came up with the idea of using a cyclic restraint mechanic to design this board game that requires 3 players in the context of a battle between gods, demons and humans.
1.Character Cards * 3
2.Basic Cards * 50(10 of each)
3.Functional Cards * 7
What's the problem?
A death on one side must be the result of a two-for-one situation, which is not guided by the designer, but depends heavily on luck. So there is a risk of a prematurely 2:1 situation, in which the attacked side will be very passive.
Solution A (give up)
Change the victory conditions of 3 sides.
→Add complexity to the rules and GIVE UP.
Solution B (give up)
→Enhance the restraint relationship so that the B/C camp may safeguard A while attacking the opposing side.
→A restraint relationship that is too strong will rapidly throw the balance off. And if one goes the route where companion dies and grows stronger, the sense of collaboration will be destroyed, so GIVE UP.
Solution
Change the game to a 2:2:2 camp vs. camp situation. Player actions should be more flexible and controllable. Allow for the dispersal of attacks and the aiding of one another within camps. To balance the game experience of the 3 sides.
What's next?
When there is a 1:2:2 situation between camps A, B, and C, how can we avoid B and C attacking A together？ And How to ensure the game experience for the remaining player of camp A?
Solution C
→ Introduce a reward mechanism. Only get the first-blood of a camp can have a reward.
VERSION 2.0
Change to 2:2:2 camp vs. camp game and add buffs as rewards.
1.Character Cards * 6
2.Basic Cards * 80(16 of each)
3.Functional Cards * 14
What's the problem?
The restraint relationship is stereotypical, and players are more likely to feel fatigued and bored with the increased battle lengthening.
Solution
Add randomness.
→ Add gambling cards that have a probability of damaging oneself while also turning the tide of battle, and invalid cards that can nullify them.
VERSION 3.0
After several tests, the number of gambling and invalid cards and the exact form of buffs were determined. It can be noticed that the playability and complexity of the game have increased after it was changed to camp vs. The balance of the game is no longer stable in three-way restraint but has become more diverse. With bonus competition and buffs added, two camps may become allies for a few short turns, largely influencing the player's decisions.
1.Character Cards * 6
2.Basic Cards * 80(16 of each)
3.Functional Cards * 18
4.Gambling Cards * 6
5.Dice * 1
