Questions tagged [game-design]
The process of designing a game to be played, such as the creation of the game mechanics and theme and the associated rules, board, map, cards, tokens and/or other playing implements. Also includes the process of play testing early versions of the game to refine and improve these elements.
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What is the maximum number of columns and rows of cards a 2-player physical TCG layout could reasonably have?
Some TCGs have layouts of pre-defined slots in which cards are placed during gameplay. Others do not (but may or may not have limits on the number of cards which may be in play simultaneously). This ...
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How to define “Design Space”?
Mark Rosewater, Head Designer for Magic the Gathering, frequently writes about “Design Space” by which he means something like the amount of scope for detailed creative output which is enabled by some ...
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Why is the first word doubled in Scrabble?
How does the first-word-is-double-points rule affect the game of scrabble? From a game design point of view.
I wonder if it gives an (additional?) advantage to the first player, or actually makes the ...
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How to simulate random events without repetition (no cards)
I'm writing a game manual where there are a lot of random tables with events. A good game session should make them unique, instead of repeatable (i.e., occurs only once).
If I had cards, the solution ...
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Board games with random maps not revealed at the beginning of the game and exploration
I am trying to develop a physical board game with the following features (among others):
The map is randomly/procedurally generated (square/hex tiles, does not matter)
The map is not revealed at the ...
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How can I make a real-time mechanic in a tabletop game?
I'm coming up with a prototype for a card game with real-time mechanics. Players would act simultaneously, each performing actions that take a set amount of time to complete. These actions can be ...
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Are engraved dice unbalanced or biased?
On a regular six sided die (d6) the face with six pips has more material removed than the face with one pip during the engraving process. Does this worsen the distribution of outcomes (make the die ...
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Write custom symbols in text
My game use boxes □ that are marked with one or more line depending on how many times they are used. They can be marked up to 3 times, first with a single line like 〼, then ☒, finally a third ...
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What is the purpose of minimum points required for initial meld?
In Canasta and several variants of Contract-Rummy, like Rummikub and Kaluki, there is an "initial meld" rule: The first melds put down by a player must consist of cards to a total value of ...
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How can I identify the mechanics of Risk?
Today I learned about game mechanics and I'm trying to find some game mechanics in the board game Risk. It is pretty hard since it is a new lecture I learned. So far I found 4:
player elimination,
...
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What board games have maps that change each time? [closed]
I'm designing a board game
Each time the game is played, the board must change and also be revealed as player pieces scout the edges of the known map
Can anybody name other board games with similar ...
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How can showing the least number of fingers be used to determine who goes first?
I was reading this article about marbles and came across this line about determining who goes first.
When I played, we used a common practice of the past where each player at the count of five would ...
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Can a Player who has forfeited win the game?
So take a situation where 4 players are playing. Player 1 is in the lead, but no longer wishes to play. Player 1 forfeits and conceded victory to Player 2. Players 3 and 4 concede victory to Player 1. ...
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Proposing editions of a game [duplicate]
Suppose I have what I think is a great idea for a new Settlers expansion. (Like 5,000 other people, no doubt!)
What would be the most effective way to realize this possibility? Write to the makers and ...
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How did makers of "Gwent" set scores for each card?
I am curious about one thing.
In the game called Gwent the Witcher card game each card has its own score. And also these cards have some potential scores that they can enhance their own scores or the ...
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In mahjong, how will joker tiles change the game strategy?
I'm developing a new ruleset of mahjong. It's supposed to be a hybrid of Japanese rule and Chinese rule. I'm also considering including the joker tile, also known as baida (百塔). Here is the sketch of ...
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Is there a method that gets beneficial diminishing returns when adding more dice, yet stays random?
Short Story: I want to find a dice system where multiple dice are rolled and compared at once, but rolling more dice is only slightly more effective than rolling fewer dice, while still being fairly ...
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What is a "random" method of picking the start player at which a person could cheat? [closed]
I'm writing a kid's book in which the characters use cards or dice to decide who goes first--and eventually start using the method to determine who has to do certain chores such as washing the dishes. ...
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How to generate numbers from a Pareto distribution? [closed]
I need to generate numbers from a Pareto distribution (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_distribution) for a game I'm making. Ideally with xm=10, and alpha = 2, but approximately is good enough. Is ...
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How to sell a new game, similar to chess [closed]
I designed a board game that is similar to chess, but on a hexagonal board and fundamentally different in a number of significant ways. For instance it can be two or three player, and the moves of ...
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How can I hold pieces in place between turns? [closed]
Let's say you want to play a longish board game over the course of several days. For many games this is a fairly unwise idea that entails a bunch of problems. Among them: People are going to bump into ...
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How to self print/self publish card game [duplicate]
Essentially, I'm working on a little card game. It's my big project for the next two months or so. I've already made quite a few digital designs, and this game would involve nothing but cards, and ...
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What are the standards for algorithmically forecasting metagame evolution under certain conditions of TCG design?
Company X operates a trading card game, periodically designing and releasing new card sets, which seed evolutionary shifts in its competitive metagame. For the purpose of achieving balanced card ...
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Backgammon board for 3 players
I've been thinking about how backgammon might be extended to 3 or more players. Below is a mockup of my current idea of what the board might look like. The concept could technically be extended to any ...
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What should I study for designing card game? [closed]
I need to design a point-based card game to teach something in the classroom.
Which mathematical area discusses the principles of card games?
Is it "Game Theory"?
What I understood is, game theory ...
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Elevation simulation [closed]
So, I am designing a board game. In it, players will recreate various tank battles (essentially a tabletop version of War Thunder.) The tanks will be represented by 3d printed models, so its a little ...
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Rock Paper Scissor Lizard Spock applied to units features [closed]
I need to put together a system for a game, with the following premises:
There are 5 types of units: A, B, C, D, E.
A beats B and D
B beats C and E
C beats D and A
D beats B and E
E beats A and C
In ...
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Are there any board or card games known to have been designed to feature OODA loops? [closed]
I am looking for any board or card games that use OODA loops as a part of their design. Specific examples of the application of each phase of the OODA loop are appreciated.
The OODA loop is the cycle ...
user30021
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Deck Size Problems in Deckbuilding
Question: What kind of mechanic would allow players to remove cards from their constructed decks in my game?
Theory: I'm making a deckbuilding game! So, players start with a number of cards which ...
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How to design a Ticket to Ride fan expansion?
I want to design a unofficial map for ticket to ride. Is there a known formula how to create one, basic ground rules on what makes a playable board? How many cities is playable? What percentage of ...
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Ticket to ride: What is the math behind the point values of city pairs?
I want to make a custom ticket to ride map. I am trying to figure out what the mathematical formulas are behind the design. why alan moon decided which city pairs to put on the cards, and how to value ...
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How to randomly choose a hex tile
I’m designing a board game which uses hexagonal tiles (hex[es]) to form the game area the players move about in. There is a single hex which is the players starting point, and one “layer” of hexes ...
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What dice to use in a game that revolves around triangles?
I am currently in the process of prototyping a game that revolves around triangles. I want my players to roll 3d4 dice to move, but am worried about the effects it might have vs. a traditional 2d6 ...
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Implementing Hidden Opposing Player Votes/Bids with Variable Values
High Level
I am designing an asymmetrical secret objective game (each player is trying to win with different objectives that other players don't know).
I want to introduce an element in the game which ...
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Revealing an effect of a card after player makes their choice
I'm working on designing a money management board game that features different event cards where players must make choices. The trouble I'm having is that I can't figure out how to reveal the effect ...
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Why is Agricola named as such?
Agricola is a farming game that shares a name with a (mildly) famous Roman general. They have the same pronunciation, i.e. the game is not pronounced as agri-cola.
Given that Agricola the general isn'...
user10232
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What is the best way for one character to check multiple other characters loyalty cards, without knowing who each card belongs to?
I'm designing a game with loyalty mechanics similar to Secret Hitler or Battlestar Galactica. In it I have character abilities. One of the abilities will allow a player to choose three players, take ...
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Mutual Identification mechanics in a deduction game
I'm thinking about a deduction board game idea for at least five players where there are two Spies who don't know each other (Spy A and Spy B).
Their mission is to accomplish mutual identification ...
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How can I use chess piece value to balance my homemade TCG?
I want to make use of the chess piece value to make 2 decks equally strong and Powerful. I have read the full article on Wikipedia but it didn't helped at all. Can one of you suggest a way to use it ...
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Most important elements of easy-to-learn hard-to-master? [closed]
I'm researching the logic necessary for an internally-consistent rule system that is easy to learn, but has enough complexity/subtleties that it keeps someone coming back and striving towards mastery. ...
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What if every suit were trump, and partners hated each other?
To anyone experienced in whist variations, are the following house rules playable? (that is, will this game be fun or frustrating to play)?
I'm developing a nutty variation of Spades for tonight, is ...
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Designing a 8x8 grid game, looking for example rules [closed]
I am designing a very simple board game, the intention is that it will be played by providing an AI script, rather than played directly (though you could play it.)
Basic idea:
8x8 board
each player ...
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How can I determine whether two decks are equally strong?
I am making a homemade TCG using cartoon network card wars as a backbone. How can I determine whether the deck of any two specific characters are equally strong, including the floops and not battling ...
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Objectives in collectible card games [closed]
The majority of deck building card games use the following winning condition:
You and your opponent are the central figures on the battlefield, and the game ends as soon as one of you (or both) is ...
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How can I make realistic looking homebrew cards? [closed]
I am making a homebrew expansion for Dominion and I have been using the GoodNotes app for the card layouts. I thought they looked pretty good until I saw Asper’s Cards and was blown away by how good ...
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I need some good mechanics for how the player's character can enhance their tool kit
So I am blanking on the word for this, but the goal is for the character to get stronger over time (power curve), where the character gains levels/items. What I am looking for is different ways a ...
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How to implement numerous resources in a clean efficient way
I am working on a king of the hill type board game. With it, I have 3 main resources for players, food, stone, and lumber.
In theory, I want these to convert into more complex items that can be in ...
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Can I use Heroscape-style tiles in my own game designs?
I'm in the the very early stages of coming up with a game with some coworkers. I remembered how well the Heroscape tiles locked together. However, I'm not able to find any information regarding ...
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Affecting win percentages in turn based games [closed]
In an interview, Ben Brode (former Hearthstone game director) revealed that Hearthstone has very close to 50% win rate for both sides due to the coin and the extra card given to the person going ...
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"Poker size" cards: layout for easy printing
Related to this question, I'm making a card game and I'm at the point where I'm designing the card layout.
Since changing this at a later stage will involve a lot of work, I would like to be sure I'm ...
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