I'm implementing a card game. The type of game would be a mix between mafia (the party game) and bang.
Mafia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafia_%28party_game%29
Bang: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bang!
(BTW: You don't need to know them to help me)
I already prototyped it and I've tried it something like a dozen times.
I've found different things who need to be reviewed, but the most important is this:
- How to hide the action of a player who use a card against one other player.
The game is turn based. Every player has a set of cards with some effects.
Some of the cards could be played "hidden" with a delayed effect.
I ideated them to let the players attack each other without knowing who hit them.
During the first test we played the card as covered, and they had effect during player (receiver) turn. But every player remembered who played the card against them so these cards weren't completely hidden, they simply had delayed effects.
I thought about one way to enable this "hidden actions":
- Implement one envelope for every player. When a player use an hidden action he can put the card on the envelope without being seen. During on its turn the player will open the envelop to see everyone of the effects.
Example: stab action does one damage.
We're 8 players.
On my turn I take all the envelopes and choose the one of player 7. I put the "stab" in there. Then other players put their cards in any envelope. During its turn player 7 opens his envelope and took one damage.
I'm still not sure about this. I think that sometimes, especially in the first turns, player might realize who are using cards against them.
Do you think this solution could be useful? Do you want other info? May you offer other solutions?
Thank you everyone. These are very good advices who gave me inspiration.
I reply here for all because I think anyone can use these info.
@Silasmolino
Closed eyes turns
I already thought about that. They use this way in mafia and various game like that, but they usually have short turns with closed eyes.
If I use this the player will always have closed eyes always, except from its turn.
Moreover I tried this mechanic, and I saw that sometimes people cheat... I'd try to use a way that make cheating more difficult.
The envelope idea may work as well. Why is it important to not know who hit you?
Good question. I'll try to explain it in a simple way.
There are 3 factions. One is peaceful and its goal is to raise money and avoid anyone to be killed.
Then there are two faction one minor one who know each other (like the mafia game) who have to kill the other major faction. To do the killing they need to find out each other roles.
@StagCutlery
Shuffle the cards
I thought about that, and I also tried it. I saw that almost every turn the player has just one or two cards played on him. They could still easily understand who played them against them.
It could be used if I add cards or I force every player to use more cards.
@ regzr
Empty cards
I did something like that. I used some "empty cards". They are useful, and currently they're used as "threats", not as friendly cards. A player who see a hidden card on him uses a defense card on himself. If the card he received was empty he lost the defense.
I could create a large number of cards and force the player to use one for every player. Issue is that I'd like to have many effects and many of them are public.
Not all the cards I implemented are hidden, there are public card (who you play openly) and universal card with universal effect. So I could end up with too many cards.