- Are the numbers distributed in a way that makes the game fun and playable for a long time?
- This is an important question to answer because our game dynamics rely on dealing attacks and burning new cards. So being able to create attacks that don’t kill another player from the start and also not making cards too expensive so that the game can progress are important aspects.
- We will answer this question by writing the numbers in pencil on our prototype so that we can experiment with different values until we find the right ones.
- My guess is that if the values are not right, the game will either end too quickly or get really boring really quickly. So I am hoping that we will be able to tell if that happens on the spot and adjust the values accordingly.
- Do we have enough monster variety?
- This is an important question to answer because one aesthetic we are aiming for is a combination of sensation and fantasy and that cannot be achieved well with not enough monster diversity.
- We started out with a large number of different monsters in our first prototype.
- My guess is that the variety will add to the fun. In the case where that doesn’t work, our backup is to use fewer but duplicated monsters.
- How do we keep track of all of the player’s stats: health, energy, and experience?
- This is an important question to answer because all these stats can get overwhelming really quickly if not organized properly. We also want this game to be accessible to everyone.
- We have two different mechanics for keeping track of a player’s stats:
- We use poker chips as money/energy in this game
- We have a card with two spinning wheels behind an empty slot that shows a number. This keeps track of health and XP. To increase or decrease a value you simply spin the wheel at the back of the card. We used the mechanics from King of Tokyo as inspiration for this part.
- I expect the spinning wheel system to work well since I have used it in King of Tokyo and it was simple and straightforward. I am also expecting the poker chips to not be too hard to manage.