Making a Game

Standard meeple army

Okay, its time to make a game. Specifically, a table top board and or card game. This series going to mostly be a design diary, but if I get a really strong interest in moving forward.... Who knows. Lets get started.

First things first, I need some basics. I could go with a very complex or a very simple game. I'm going to try to keep it simpler. First, its just me play testing this game later. I cannot play test enough for a complex game like say Warhammer 40,000 or Magic the Gathering. So no to tactical miniatures, and collectible card games. I want to stay away from lots of tokens and draw decks. some are fine, too many can make the game take more time to set up and clean up than to play. Long setups can stop a game before it starts, and long cleaning ups will cause either lost pieces, or be the last thing you remember about a game. I want player turns to be relatively quick no more than 1 min or so per turn, with a total playtime of 20 to 40 min. Longer games will likely run afoul rules complications and such. Do I want a board for this game? I suppose I will find out later.

Goofing off central

So what do I want to make the game about? You know, how about we do goofing off in an office? Lets look at that. Immediately I see some hurdles. Chez-Geek is about the ur example of this style of game play, so I will have to make sure I don't step on toes. Also, I will have to probably both reference Office Space, and avoid from just making Office Space, the Game. Turns out someone made a mobile app that was literally that. Though I am getting an idea. I'm thinking Middle Manager: the game. Everyone is going to be playing as a middle manager trying to collect the most power to secure the promotion to Vice President. You will have to build your department, manage the projects, and keep everything under budget. Nowhere on that list is labor laws, employee happiness, or employee health. It will have to be tongue in cheek satire, or it will just become way to depressing to actually play. I'll have to put in a shoot the moon option for being a good boss. I already feel it will be incredibly depressingly realistic. 

I think the board (which will be required now) will show a big open looking flat piece of carpet. And everyone can have a selection of tiles to represent office cubicles from over head. There will also be a deck of cards set to do things. Actions would have to run from Jam an opponent's copier, Suprise meetings and even a few lay-offs. Although not many lay-offs because I can already see that the fewer workers you take off the board the faster the game will be. I guess we will need to figure out if the board will be a traditional board or if it will be more tile based like Settlers of Catan.

I suppose its time to find out how much morbid office humor I can come up with. enough to be depressing.