Prototyping
My game uses a 6x12 game board, four characters, all suites of the cards 1–8, J and Q, two kings, two dices, green energy beads, and four “crystals”. The objective of this game is to gain all four crystals placed on the board or kill the other players.
Setting up is quite simple as you lay the board down, set four characters on the corners of the board, and sort and shuffle the deck. Each player is to roll the dice to determine who goes first and counterclockwise for the next turn. Then each player rolls one dice then two dice representing where to put the crystals on the board where the first roll represents the alphabet A-F and second roll numbers 1–12. For example, if I were to roll a 6 then an 8 the crystal is placed on F8. Once all the crystals have been placed the game can begin.
Each turn the player can roll a dice to see how many tiles they can move. If they have not gained a health or energy bead, they may gain one by landing on a healing station or energy tile ( “$” tile). Each turn on that tile they will gain a health or energy bead depending on the tile. Players can use two energy beads to instantly heal two health or three energy beads to purchase a card. Each card has their own special effect that might affect movement or their player’s next battle.
To obtain a crystal the player must sit where the crystal was placed for 3 turns. A player can disrupt someone from gaining a crystal by fighting them and winning. To fight another player you must be able to reach their tile. Once a fight begins a player can play ONLY a single card to affect that fight. They roll and see who has the higher number. The player who lost that fight will lose the health equal to the difference of the rolls and move two tiles away from that spot. For example, if I rolled a six and my opponent rolled a one then my opponent loses five health and they move away from me.
Below is a list of effects for each card when the game was first made:
- A: Gain +1 Attack on your next roll in battle
- 2: Gain +2 Attack on your next roll in battle
- 3: Your opponent has -1 Attack on the next battle
- 4: Your opponent has -2 Attack on the next battle
- 5: Heal 1 health instantly
- 6: Heal 2 health instantly
- 7: If you next to a crystal you may move that crystal by 1 tile
- 8: Your turn you can roll two dice for movement
- J:
- Q: Heal all of your health instantly
- K: Your opponent loses the battle instantly. Roll dice to see how much health they lose
Play Log
Session 1
Crystal Placements: C5, D9, F4, A3
Turn 1: Player 1 and Player 4 rolled a 4 and 5, respectively, and was able to sit on top of the crystal on A3 and F4. Player 2 and Player 3 were unable to roll numbers that would get them to a crystal so they both went to a $ tile and gained 1 energy bead.
Turn 2: Player 2 decided to leave the $ tile to contest the crystal Player 1 was trying to gain, so he moved towards Player 1. Players 1,3 and 4 stayed on their tiles. Player 3 gained another energy bead on the start of his turn.
Turn 3: Player 1 continues to sit on the A4 crystal as he has one more turn to obtain it. Player 2 rolled a 3 allowing him to fight Player 1 on the crystal. For the battle, Player 1 rolled a three and Player 2 rolled a five, so Player 1 lost two health and moved two tiles away. Player 3 gained his third energy bead, so he bought a card, and Player 4 remained on F4.
Turn 4: Player 1 rolled a 4 and went back to battle Player 2 for the crystal. Player 1 rolled a six and Player 2 rolled a two, resulting in Player 2 having four health and moving two tiles away. Player 3 rolled a five and was able to start obtaining the crystal on D9. Player 4 gained the crystal on F4 and an energy cube by moving towards a $ tile.
Turn 5: Player 1 rolled and started to attack Player 2 with the intentions of killing Player 2. Player 2 ended up losing and having only 3 health left. Player 2 moved towards the health station. Player 3 stayed on the crystal, but Player 4 rolled to battle Player 3. Player 3 and Player 4 tied the first roll, then Player 3 lost by one.
Turn 6: Player 1 moved back toward the crystal knowing that the closest player, Player 2, is too low on health to disturb him. Player 2 gained a health sitting on the health station. Player 3 went back to attack Player 4 on crystal D9. Player 3 used his “2” card gaining +2 attack on his roll. Player 4 rolled a 3 and Player 3 rolled a 5 (or 7 because of +2 Attack). Player 4 loses four health and is now at six health.
Turn 7: Player 1 and 2 remain on their tiles. Player 2 now has five health. Player 3 sits on the crystal. Player 4 tries to attack Player 3 and ends up losing and having only 3 health.
Turn 8: Player 1 has gained the crystal and Player 5 is at six health now. Player three decides to attack Player 4 resulting in Player 4 having 0 health. Now Player 3 has 9 health and a crystal.
Turn 9+: Once all crystals have been obtained, the players were forced to attack one another. This was a continuation of players rolling the dice to see how much damage was done or running away from another.
Session 2
After playing the first session, we realized that later in the game was very stale. It was not very exciting to roll dice multiple times, so I needed to find a way to make late-game more intriguing. I made a new rule where gaining a crystal will allow you to gain two energy beads per turn.
Crystals: B9, D5, C6, and E4
Turn 1: Player 2 and 3 rolled five and six and were close enough to sit on the crystal on B9 and E4. Players 1 and 4 moved to $ tiles to gain an energy cube.
Turn 2–3: Player 1 started moving toward Player 2 and Player 4 towards 3. Player 1 attacks Player 2 and loses three health (Total: 7). Player 4 attacks Player 3 and Player 3 loses two health (Total: 8)and moves off the crystal.
Turn 4: Player 1 attacks Player 2 and loses 1 health (Total: 6). Player 2 gained the crystal. Player 3 attacks Player 4 and loses 2 health (Total: 6). Player 4 remains on the crystal
Turn 5: Player 1 moved to the C6 crystal. Player 2 moves toward Player 1. Player 3 attacks Player 4 and loses 3 health (Total: 3). Player 4 stays on the crystal.
Turn 6: Player 1 remains on crystal C6. Player 2 attacks Player 1 and Player 2 loses 2 health (Total: 8). Player 3 attacks Player 4 and loses three health and dies. Player 4 obtains the crystal.
Turn 7: Player 1 remains on the crystal. Player 2 and 4 moves to a $ tile and gains 2 energy beads.
Turn 8+: Player 1 obtain the crystal. Player 2 and 3 continue stacking up energy beads. Player also moved to start gaining energy beads. All players started buying cards. Players started battling one another.
Late-game was still a little stale, but having cards and being able to choose what to use made it a little better.