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How much is too much?

4 replies [Last post]
Fri, 06/17/2005 - 10:03
Anonymous

-What I mean is, how does one know when they have included too many components to their game? I have created a strategy card/board game a la Axis & Allies with card instead of plastic pieces. Components for the game are 3 decks of 80 "Resources" cards (includes warriors, weapons, armour and accessories) as well as the map, Treasury, Active (battle) pool, resources pool, P.O.W. camp and Graveyard, plus damage and territory markers (about 50 per player for a total of 150). Is this too many components to include?

Your thoughts/comments would be appreciated.

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Fri, 06/17/2005 - 10:12
#1
Shrike
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Joined: 08/26/2010
How much is too much?

Playtesting. that's all I can say on it. The best thing I can think to do is get folks together (some that you don't know) and playtest it with them. Ask them for tough feedback. The other thing I've found is that if I take a month off from a game, work on something else and come back to it I see more things that can be changed / streamlined, who knows, that might help. Just my thoughts on it, I know that ybdoing it I've gleaned alot of the "chaff" from a few of my games that I had thought were already finished, YMMV though.

Shrike

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Fri, 06/17/2005 - 12:54
#2
zaiga
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Joined: 12/31/1969
How much is too much?

Dutch painter Mondriaan was looking to make the "perfect" painting. After a lot of experiments with minimalist painting with just black lines and primary colors he come to the conclusion that the perfect painting was an empty, white square.

I think with game design it is the same. The perfect game doesn't have any components, nor does it have any rules. This means the answer to the question: "does my game have too many components?" is always "yes". Also, the answer to the question: "is this game too complicated" is also "yes".

A more practical answer is: you have too may components/rules when you could create the same (or a better) game experience with less components/rules. The biggest challenge for a designer is chipping away the chaff until the bare basics of the game remain, and you still have a fun, working game.

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Fri, 06/17/2005 - 14:13
#3
Anonymous
How much is too much?

thanks for the replies. I think it'll be a little while before I can get rid of most of the chaff. To be honest the only components that are required are the cards and map and two 6-sided die, everything else, ie. treasury, pools, etc. can be done by the players when play begins...sounds like many more months of playtesting!!!!

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Fri, 06/17/2005 - 14:17
#4
Shrike
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Joined: 08/26/2010
How much is too much?

Gotta love 3 posts in a row that have the word chaff in them....... sorry, as an Electronic Warfare guy it just struck me as funny

Shrike

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