Skip to Content
 

Resource Gathering Mechanic

6 replies [Last post]
mcobb83
Offline
Joined: 06/07/2016

Ok, as I alluded in a different thread, here goes a big question-

Resource Gathering!

So, I'm looking for ways to simplify my game. the basic premise is that the characters must travel around Wessex to gather resources needed to build fortifications and hire soldiers to defend Wessex from an impending Viking invasion (thats the 1 sentence version). The game is a cooperative game for 1-8 players.

In trying to simplify things, I am working on sorting out Resource Gathering. In the current setup a player must get their character to the appropriate town and spend an action to harvest the resource they want, which then goes into their inventory to be spent at their discretion.

Before I go on, I might add: the above system works, and works well. The only reason I am considering changing it is to see if it can reduce game play time, which is currently at about 2 hours.

Alternatives include - instead of having players gather resources, have the resources be harvested automatically into a central pool that the players can then draw from at the end of the turn.

The other option is to have resources in the central pool and then have players draft what they need (as in 1st player takes one, and then the next etc). In both cases the players would be reduced from 4 to 3 actions, since they no longer need to travel to gather resources. It would require testing to balance also.

Do you think either of these alternatives has merit to reducing play time and making the game more simple?

Willem Verheij
Willem Verheij's picture
Offline
Joined: 06/08/2016
Maybe reducing the amount of

Maybe reducing the amount of different resources could help too.

If players can hire soldiers, maybe they can also be used to gather resources?

Or alternatively, you could have soldiers and militia. Militia could be weaker, but could also gather resources while soldiers only fight.

X3M
X3M's picture
Offline
Joined: 10/28/2013
Since your character has to

Since your character has to actively get the resources. What if you make something that makes this automatically?

For example, your character goes to town A. Town A now produces wood for your character.
Meanwhile your character goes to town B. Your character receives automatically wood from A, and activates iron in town B.
Meanwhile your character goes to town C. Your character receives automatically wood from A, iron from B and from now on also food from C.

So a one time visit.

***

A similar approach would be, that each activated town will safe up the resources. Until your character comes back to that place.

***

If you have other workers. Then a line of gathering could be established. And the income could become automatic. But that does not work with a moving character. You need some sort of town where everything is gathered.

Rory J. Somers
Rory J. Somers's picture
Offline
Joined: 09/28/2016
Check out Via Nebula

Via Nebula has a system similar to X3M's suggestion:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/191231/nebula

X3M wrote:

For example, your character goes to town A. Town A now produces wood for your character.
Meanwhile your character goes to town B. Your character receives automatically wood from A, and activates iron in town B.
Meanwhile your character goes to town C. Your character receives automatically wood from A, iron from B and from now on also food from C.

So a one time visit.

In this, players must clear/build a path between their workshop and the resource to allow it to come into play. Literally creating Supply Lines which would suit a strategy battle game - the player now also having to defend the supply lines lest they get cut off by the invading Vikings.

FreedomPortal
FreedomPortal's picture
Offline
Joined: 08/24/2014
You can also use worker units

You can also use worker units to place on the town player had visited and user auto-gather resouces every turn, but limited to just a few workers.

For example, if player can have 3 workers when he visit town 4 he can choose to move one of the worker from the first 3 to new town.

DarkDream
Offline
Joined: 12/31/1969
Use Cards as Resources

One idea is that once you claimed a resource by moving a unit to a space to harvest it, you can get a card with an icon for that specific resource harvested.

So every turn, you can spend the card by tapping or turning it over to pay for whatever you need.

This would seem to speed things up quite a bit.

--DarkDream

Gabe
Gabe's picture
Offline
Joined: 09/11/2014
DarkDream wrote:One idea is

DarkDream wrote:
One idea is that once you claimed a resource by moving a unit to a space to harvest it, you can get a card with an icon for that specific resource harvested.

So every turn, you can spend the card by tapping or turning it over to pay for whatever you need.

This would seem to speed things up quite a bit.

--DarkDream

I like this idea. It reminds me of 7 Wonders in which once you have a resource, you can use it any time you need it.

However, there could be events that take resources away as well.

Syndicate content


forum | by Dr. Radut