Download PDF: Loops and Arcs Mindmap
Loops and Arcs in Weather or Not?!
I’m writing this with the final version of Weather or Not?! in mind.
I think the main loop in Weather or Not?! is composed of the following steps:
- gaining resources (air mass tiles or lakes)
- creating weather that is either helpful to you or hurtful to your opponent
- reaping the benefits from that weather.
This happens several times throughout the game as each player is hoping to reach 10 points to win, and must execute this loop to gain points. Your loop might be influenced by your opponent’s actions, as they are simultaneously running through the same loop.
As you play the game, you might find more strategic ways to carry out the loop, since the completion of each one gives you a little more knowledge through the outcome of your choices; for example, in our final playtest, Goutham was trying to create snow to gain points for himself, but then after a few executions of this loop, found it more useful to block Alan with rain, and modified the way he approached the loop with his new knowledge.
The arc of the game is related to the overall points that a player has. When you reach 10 points, that’s the end of the arc and you are the winner! We hadn’t placed much narrative into the game, but perhaps this arc could be related to an overall goal of helping your people across the board. They face hardship by traveling through rain, or gaze in wonder as they move through snow, and in the end they have succeeded against all by collecting enough points to finally settle down.
