Sports Game

I'm open to any sport-based boardgame, not just football. I'm really looking for a brainstorm here.

Thanks

There are several sports-based boardgames. There are a number of golf games; a tabletop dexterity-based hockey game; electric football; a play-calling (American) football game that's supposed to be quite good (the basic version is available on-line for free, though I don't know the site off hand); and undoubtedly many, many others. I've only listed the few of which I know.

Here is a link to the BoardGameGeek's list of sports games:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/browser.php?itemtype=game&sortby=category&categoryid=38&catname=Sports

And lastly, here's my two cents on sports games design, based on what I've learned making a small cards-and-dice golf game: you will be faced with a choice between accurately modeling the details of the sport and abstracting the system to emphasize decisions like those you would actually make in the sport. For example, in my golf game, I started the design trying to include club choices, wind direction, and terrain details, and quickly bogged down in a huge rule set. I wanted a game that was easy to pick up and play but gave the feel of real golf -- meaning I wanted players to have to make tough decisions like "do I take a risky shot and possibly end up in a hazard or play it safe at the cost of an extra stroke?" Staying focused on those choices, I was able to abstract away a lot of the details and produce a quick and fairly tight system.

Good luck with your design!

Kreitler

I personaly think that sports games should be very much based on stategy, as I feel sport itself is... if you take basketball as an example, a sport very close to my heart, there can be differences between players abilitys and sizes but the secret to the game is using those differences to your advantage... In a gaming sence I would relate this to a very limited game of chess where you could pick 5 different playing peices and sub them around (this is not a great sounding game, but it give you an idea of how I feel sports games should feel)...

I think pace is important, and keeping the flow of the game, but not as important as the player feeling that they have made there team win with skill rather than luck...

just my two pence worth

I came up with a kind of fantasy sports game four months ago, but I haven't had an opportunity to play test it yet. I actually made a post asking for crit on it but no one responded.

Here is the link to the pdf that I made of the rules. I hope this helps a little.

http://www.visualinfection.org/rushball.pdf

Here is an excerpt of the post I made awhile ago:

In rush ball two teams start out on opposing sides of a playing arena. Each team consists of four players, two blocking players and two speed or running players. Each team has a ball (or token as I refrence it in my notes) and tries to be the first to put the ball in the opposing players goal area. There are some rules (as to not allow players to cheat(also tell me if you can think of any holes I have not patched yet))

I agree alot with what Krietler said about making a disticntion in your design on weather you want to simulate every aspect of the sport, or make something that just forces the players to make the most important choices in a match.

I think our games are very similar in the goal of the game. I went with only four players per team because I wanted the player to use some strategy on how he would move the ball, much like hockey or soccer. I think it may benifit you to cut the number of footballers from 11 down to maybe less than 7, then the player can set up one-timers and offensive plays.

Also, I think pushing the emphasis of the gameplay to be offensive would probably help make your game alot more enjoyable. (Because let's face it, 1-1 ties are cool in real life, but when you just spent a long time playing a board game, it wouldn't be as satisfying.)

Well, I hope this helps, I know it was long and rambling. PM me or email me with any questions, thoughts whatever.

The best sport board game to me is Street Soccer (you can search in BGG). Sure, it uses one die but once you play, you can feel that the game is very interesting (not just random).
I'd say that the game combine German style and the theme-style (American style)very well.
The only thing that I don't like (a little) is that the game only uses 5 players and no corner kick, no penalty, no throw in etc like soccer in real life. But other than that, the game is very good.

you could work with a timer, but it would be a bit rude. Besides, most people are terribly annoyed by the ticktocking sound it makes and it distracts them from thinking, forcing them to think even longer about what they'll do in their turn.
If you'll create a strategic game - I certainly wouldn't recommend this by the way - you know you'll have to cope with players who need very long time to think up what they'll do every turn. Sport should indeed be fast paced and therefore more likely a combination of tactics and a tiny bit of luck than a strategy game.
I would hand every player a set of twelve step cards. (I would really think of another name if I were you, it doesn't really sound all that amazing) One card has one step, two cards have two, three cards have three etc. something like that. (this decreases luck in the game, and there is neither much luck in running a distance). Every step card that has been played has to be deleted from the game. (This way you know how long the game will approximately take).
Introducing fases in turns often helps keeping things short. So have the players to play either two step cards, (of which one can be used as a shot) or one step card and one action card ("tackle", "offence" etc.)

A shot on goal involves a bit of luck, and if a player decides to have a try at this he must roll the dice. I'm thinking of a d6. (This is for aiming) You have to play a step card covers your distance to the goal (if your using a bord, divide it in squares or better yet, eightsided grid). Then, if your player is three squares removed from the goal, he has to play a step card of at least three steps. If he plays a card of five steps, he gets two Scoring Points. Lets say you'll need at least 5 SP to score, then this would mean the player has to throw three or higher to score a goal.

Best of luck