I have just had an idea. While I am writing this, My girl friend is playing Mass Effect 2 and they were talking about slave trading, it reminds me of the slave trading civ ability in Vinci. Then I thought
Why not a space version of Vinci/Smallworld. Each civilization would be a new race with unique abilities to enter the galaxy and push other races.
Still, in space games there is normally and evolution in technology. I am not sure if the rapid cycling of race should stay the same, Maybe players could progress in technologies and make all players benefit from it. Or maybe capturing enemy race makes you capture technologies. Not really sure yet.
One thing for sure is that it would use the same deterministic combat system of pay to invade.
Do you like the idea?
First about the space game, One way to explain the apparition and disparition of civilizations could be that the map only covers the core of the galaxy and people are fighting to control the core of the galaxy.
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Second, in the original vinci game, most people complained that there was only tension at then end of the game because people carefully watched each other to make sure not body could win. But during the game, there is no tension at all.
So I was thinking of something that could also be used in the space game. For the original vinci game, it would be wonders. Here are the improvised rules.
- There will be 8 wonders, 2 for each type of non mountain terrain.
- The scoring track will have milestones set up at fixed distance according to the final scored required to win. If a player has more Victory point than the milestone and own a territory with the matching terrain, he may build a wonder.
- A wonder would cost 5 tokens that must be placed in the target territory of the wonder, it will give 3 victory point, and the player who controls the wonder will get a special ability. It must be built on the matching terrain
- The wonder always stay into play after battles.
- Maybe 4 miles stones will be placed at 1/5th of the scoring track, and each miles stone will have 2 wonders available.
- Miles stones are setup by drawing wonder tokens randomly and placing them on the scoring track. Each wonder will have a card traded between players to indicate who has the control.
So this should create some tension, and players might want to fight to prevent a player to reach a milestone or get the matching territory. It will also create a similar effect to my "Fallen Kingdom" game where the board evolves with time, making the game less repetitive as it progress.
What do you think?
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Third, for the space game, considering is would be a game almost exactly like vinci and small world, I don't think it would be legit to publish the game commercially as PnP unless I make massive changes to the game so that it does not look alike.