So I've been working on a tile-laying game idea that I had a while ago where the players are digging a mine in search of jewels. I've figured out an abstract way to find out how many jewels are in a *pocket* when it is tapped but I'm kind of stuck on where to go next. My original vision for the game involved uncovering pockets of jewels (check) and then the players deploying workers to collect them. Sort of a worker placement/pickup and deliver system. One idea is that the players would need to setup shelters in the mines before they can deploy their workers but that's about it. I'm also mulling if I want to use different color jewels to drive another game mechanic where the players have orders to fill and the pockets are filled with randomly colored jewels (pulled from a bag when the pocket is tapped) so a player may abandon a pocket if they need to find jewels of another color even though it still has jewels left leaving it open for other players to occupy.
A mining game-working out the next idea
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Mine Town(?)
After putting some thought into it I think I want to try expanding on the 'placing a shelter for workers' idea and have the players build their own underground town by carving out large chambers from the tunnels that have already been dug and then putting up buildings that help drive an economy engine. At this point that's the basic idea but I need to come up with a list of the specific buildings that the players can build. So far I've got shelter and warehouse but I'm also thinking of gold smith, jewelry crafter, etc. The types of buildings that can be built might also help determine exactly what kind of ores and jewels can be dug from the mine. Just for giggles I could even through in a mushroom growing chamber.
I am a big fan of players
I am a big fan of players taking stuff out of a bag rather than shuffling a deck. Two of the three games I'm working on use drawstring bags actively.
You can even make your mines in multiple levels (maybe 1 board per level), allowing players to dig shafts, make a rope in a rope factory (or whatever is the appropriate word) so that they can use it to move from levels to levels, etc. A lower level can have more valuable stones, but it could be tougher to dig in.
So I'm not going for any sort
So I'm not going for any sort of 'steam punk' feel (in fact I imagine it with more of a western/gold rush feel) but another idea I had was for the player to find steam vents which could then be used to power the different buildings that can be built. I also think it would be cool to have chambers dedicated to growing mushrooms.