Skip to Content
 

Could the market support this?

5 replies [Last post]
u_2_guy
Offline
Joined: 04/19/2009

I'm brand new here, and am hoping for some feedback. I have a game which has been through about 50 playtests. I enjoy it and have played it with several other folks who range from casual to serious gamers. They have all enjoyed it, too. (What I mean is that I'm not just hopeful because "my brother and uncle Joey like it, so it must be good!")

Here's the idea: Wargame. Hexmap. Based somewhat on Napoleonic era militaries (infantry, artillery, cavalry). Dice and card mechanics similar to Battlemasters (card deck determines which units move, dice resolve engagements). Four pages of rules. Simple movement advantage on roads. Simple movement impediment in streams. More detailed than Risk, in that units and terrain have variety. Simpler than nearly all wargames in that it is as easy to learn as Risk. Play time is approx. 1 hour (depending on how impulsively you play!) Players choose from a variety of objectives at the outset (i.e. destroy each other, occupy key terrain). 2 players only (sometimes wargamers have difficulty finding several opponents in their area with the same schedule to play more complicated games).

Do wargamers want anything like this?

NativeTexan
NativeTexan's picture
Offline
Joined: 03/04/2009
Incoming comment from a non-wargamer...

I have no idea what 'wargamers' want. I think they are an entirely different breed of cat and frankly I don't understand how their brains work. It's like the mars-venus thing or the dog-cat thing. People are wired differently.

I personally find it mind-numbing to invest countless hours, detailed mathematics, and 250 trips to the rulesbook in order to 'play a game'. Thus, it is with great confidence that I can say I have NO IDEA what wargamers want. On the other hand, the game you describe actually sounds interesting to me. I have difficulty playing a game much in excess of 90 minutes.

The idea of a wargame type of game that is easy to setup, easy to learn, and relatively quick to play would be very appealing to me. But there might only be 99 other people in the world like me. That gives you an effective market potential of 100. Or maybe there are legions of people like me and you have yourself a hit!

u_2_guy
Offline
Joined: 04/19/2009
That's great! One of the

That's great! One of the (many) reasons I came up with this one is that I AM one of those wargamers, and I wanted a game that ANYONE would like. That way I get my wargame fix, and my opponent can be a complete noob and still enjoy it without having to be forced to play.

Jpwoo
Jpwoo's picture
Offline
Joined: 03/26/2009
I think that there is room on

I think that there is room on the market for this kind of game as Memoir 44 has shown. You should check out Memoir/battlecry/battlelore as they are all the same game engine and it sounds somewhat similar to yours.

Battlemasters was a great game.

bluesea
bluesea's picture
Offline
Joined: 07/28/2008
Also look at Manoeuvre by

Also look at Manoeuvre by GMT.
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/17396

I haven't played it yet, but what I read about it is very positive. It sounds like the same category or weight of game you are have designed. And it's put out by one of the most hard core of war game companies there is. And it's a two player game. And it plays in about an hour. AND it's sold out. So I'd say there is a market for this kind of game.

The really, really clever thing about this game, planned or not, is best explained in this image with the quote:
"We had 6 guys play this with 1 copy!
You can not beat that kind of gaming value."
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/318666
So it's a two player game able to to support 3 games at once! Pretty slick.

Just a comment though, that hex maps can scare off some of the people that might be a part of your market here. Manoeuvre is a square grid and that helps is a lot I think to bridge gamers. Maybe you can redesign to a brick running bond pattern, which will effectively give you squares working as a hex map. It's just a small graphic change, no impact on the game play, but potentially big impact on sales.

u_2_guy
Offline
Joined: 04/19/2009
@ bluesea: Thanks, I just

@ bluesea:

Thanks, I just looked at Manoeuvre and it does look similar. My game is even less complicated as the units are abstract (i.e. they don't have the specific traits of historical units or nationalities). Movement and attack are lot simpler too, but I'd rather not go into detail on that yet. Units do have detail in their capabilities though - cav is fast, artillery hits hard, inf defends well. Regarding the hex design: My wife said one of her favorite parts of the game is setting up the board, because the hexes are attractive and it's like creating a little world.

Thanks for the comments, this is really helping me with perspective!

Syndicate content


forum | by Dr. Radut