Howdy folks!
I have been working on an idea for Z-mans monster game and I was just curious how many others have been working on it. The monster game that is.
Xan
Z-Man's monster game
Tue, 06/21/2005 - 16:27
Tue, 06/21/2005 - 17:36
#1
Z-Man's monster game
I'm tampering with an idea. Plenty of time to work it out (July 18th I think) so it's not too developed yet - just the basic theme (duh, monsters), some ideas for objectives/goals, and a few vague thoughts about how to achieve them.
If it weren't a life-or-death, tooth-and-nail, dog-eat-dog competition I'd tell you all about it. ;)
Good luck X, see you in the final three!
Tue, 06/21/2005 - 17:56
#2
Z-Man's monster game
I guess that makes me the third of the final three. Got my mechanics worked out. I just need to prototype a board and maybe playtest it a bit.
Tue, 06/21/2005 - 18:04
#3
Z-Man's monster game
yeah I sent him my idea and haven't heard from him, so I figure
my game was off the mark.
this is what I had so far though. if of any interest.
The game story would be based on the movie: The Running Man
teenage kids lost in Transylvania are forced to play the most
popular reality TV show in the area called MONSTER RUN!!!
Basically they are let loose in the Carpathian Mountains while
the popular TV star Monsters come after them.
For the game I see a Monopoly type board where the players will be
running around via dice.
Frankenstien will always be on their tails chasing them like Jason.
Landing on certain spots will activate and move Franky.
Creature is the boss to level 2. Wolfman is the boss to level 3.
Dracula is the last boss.
Players can collect items, gain skills and find weapons, all portrayed by cards.
In the start of the game, players are stupid teenagers
by the end of the game, they are experienced warriors with
awesome skills and weapons.
Tue, 06/21/2005 - 18:11
#4
Z-Man's monster game
I'm thinking of entering. I have an idea that I've been kicking around for almost a year, and a monster theme would probably work well for it. So I thought that the contest might be a good motivator to actually bring the idea to fruition and get it looked at by a reputable publisher. But it's pretty ambitious, and I'm not sure I can get a coherent set of mechanics together by the deadline to be able to do what I want it to. It will probably be a bit like Betrayal at House on the Hill. I'll let Zev make the call whether it's too close, though.
I probably don't mind spilling the beans on my idea, but I want to get it a little bit more fleshed out before I do, or else there won't be much to talk about.
Good luck to all who will enter!
-Jeff
Tue, 06/21/2005 - 18:45
#5
Z-Man's monster game
I'm still noodling around with theme at this point, trying to figure out why all these monsters are together. This is a goofy way to approach the project, but sometimes fun gameplay ideas can spark off theme.
Like other posters, I think the Betrayal model lends itself far too well to this theme (their online preview even deals with a wolfman), so I'm trying to not to reinvent the wheel.
My other angle is "Hmm, what would Z-Man's brother like?" :)
Yogurt
Tue, 06/21/2005 - 19:56
#6
Z-Man's monster game
I actually don't think of Betrayal at House on the Hill... All I can think about is Mosters Menace America.
I don't really have any ideas... I had a few inklings, but nothing that jumped out at me. Jeff, if you want to springboard your idea off someone, feel free to PM me.
- Seth
Wed, 06/22/2005 - 02:00
#7
Z-Man's monster game
I have four games ongoing for this project. They are completely different in theme, style, mechanism, components and tempo.
The only common factors between the games are that:
- The classical monsters are included.
- They are board games (at least three of them, the fourth are a board game but still not).
- The time for the games are 1-2 hours.
- The components list will be within the cost limits.
I currently working on the details and in a week or so I will have the first prototypes ready (and I will see if the ideas works (my family will go on holiday and it will take a couple of weeks before I join them. I have a lot of spear time)).
The hardest thing about this project is to be serious (OK to be serious about the classical vampires, werewolf's, Frankenstein and so on is not possible). I have a problem not to make the games to twisted.
//Johan
p.s. I send a mail to Z-man games and about the monsters and all monsters has to apply in the game. A Betrayal variant with one monster at the time will not work.
Wed, 06/22/2005 - 04:34
#8
Z-Man's monster game
I had two ideas come immediately, and a third before long. I was hoping for a fourth, so that I could then narrow it to the two most promising, but a fourth doesn't seem to be coming, so it's down to two.
I plan to have an alpha-level proto for one by PowWow, or am at least hoping for it, to see if there's any real fun in the idea.
Good luck to everyone!
-- Matthew
Wed, 06/22/2005 - 06:38
#9
Z-Man's monster game
Johan wrote:
p.s. I send a mail to Z-man games and about the monsters and all monsters has to apply in the game. A Betrayal variant with one monster at the time will not work.
Oh, really? I'm out then. Too bad, would have been a pretty neat game if I could have pulled it off.
Good luck all!
-Jeff
Thu, 06/23/2005 - 11:47
#11
Z-Man's monster game
Playtested my first proto on this game design last week and it came out at over 3 hours, way to long. Went back to the ole' drawing board, cut, hacked, smoothed. Game time is down to less than an hour now . Still has the ability, if the players wish, to make it a longer/harder game. I am smoothing out the rule book now for submission.
Mon, 06/27/2005 - 22:20
#12
Z-Man's monster game
dete wrote:
yeah I sent him my idea and haven't heard from him, so I figure
my game was off the mark
***FYI, I figure to wait until all proposals are received by the deadline then pick on the ones I like. Plus I had gone on vacation and am leaving for Origins tomorrow. then I got two more cons over the next two weekends.
Hence why that deadline - I will be free until World Boardgaming Championship so I can read all the proposals. Assuming I get all proposals you will hear from me whether negative or positive (i.e. to send or not send a prototype). I will probably have my brother look at these so some decisions might be totally in his hands.
Also, it's hard to tell from a proposal of a game will be good or not - the best sounding proposal could fall apart when expanded to a prototype: the mechanics might not work or what you want can't be achieved. Conversely, the worst sounding proposal could be hiding the best game. Alas, I can only go by the proposals and decisions will more positive if the proposal is clear, concise and good.
Good luck!
Mon, 07/04/2005 - 10:14
#13
Z-Man's monster game
Well, I just submitted my proposal. Commence finger crossing.
Mon, 07/04/2005 - 13:19
#14
Z-Man's monster game
my proposal is sent
Mon, 07/04/2005 - 22:16
#15
Z-Man's monster game
I've got a couple of ideas which I'm trying to flesh out a bit -- humorous themes. I think it would be very hard to do a serious game involving more than one of the classic monster types.
I too keep thinking of "Monsters Ravage America". I think that's actually a great example of what a monster board game should NOT be, though of course Z-Man's opinion may differ. It has a lot of great thematic elements, which appeal to kids and non-gamers, but they don't really come through in the mechanics, which are too wargamey and not cinematic enough for the theme.
So probably with this counterexample clearly in mind, I'll fall into some other design trap... I'd be interested to see what the other proposals are like, after Z-Man picks his favorites of course.
Tue, 07/05/2005 - 08:23
#16
Z-Man's monster game
Still getting mine together too, working w/ a friend of mine from Detroit. Haven't done the co-design from email in awhile! =) We still have alot to hammer out, although I think we've got something interesting to work with so far. I agree, those that don't get picked should def post our proposals, for me I think I'll probably finish the design regardless, I could always use the practice! ^_^
Shrike
edited b/c I can't spell! ;)
Tue, 07/05/2005 - 11:15
#17
Z-Man's monster game
I keep pondering an idea such as Maui Monsters or Hawaiian Horrors... thought I just dont seem to have the time to flesh the idea out. :(
Wed, 07/06/2005 - 17:03
#18
Z-Man's monster game
My game proposal is done and submitted. It's ON now, people!
Can't wait to find out who makes the top 3, good luck to all who enter!
~Josh
Thu, 07/07/2005 - 02:01
#19
Z-Man's monster game
I'm eager to see the responses Zev gets. I, too, have submitted a game for consideration. I had thought about submitting several, but figured I'd reduce clutter and make the one submission shine as best I can. Thankfully, I had a working prototype already in development that had been sitting around waiting for another burst of inspiration to "polish" and this submission call was just the thing I needed to re-visit this design.
I had been so busy with RPG content and my workload for GenCon that I was unable to sit back down with this game for a while. But now, revitalized and enthusiastic after such a long layoff from working on it, I was able to make some serious progress with regard to game balance and streamlining the gameplay experience. Right now it clocks in around 45-60 minutes, depending on how many people play, and feels much better balanced and with an improved tempo/pace than before.
So regardless of whether my submission catches Zev's eye over at Z-Man games, this call for submissions has already been a great boon for me... The game is much better off than it was just a few weeks ago, and I'm enthusiastic about showcasing the game to other prospective publishers if need be.
Fri, 07/08/2005 - 13:12
#20
Z-Man's monster game
Quote:
So regardless of whether my submission catches Zev's eye over at Z-Man games, this call for submissions has already been a great boon for me... The game is much better off than it was just a few weeks ago, and I'm enthusiastic about showcasing the game to other prospective publishers if need be.
I feel exactly the same way about my submission... I didn't have a game waiting to be polished, but I DID have some ideas for interesting mechanics floating around gameless, and the contest gave me a framework to stuff them into... love the outcome, and even though I hope Z picks it, I will definitely polish it into a shoppable prototype if he doesn't..
~Josh
Wed, 07/13/2005 - 09:23
#21
Z-Man's monster game
Where do we submit our proposals?
Wed, 07/13/2005 - 09:31
#22
Z-Man's monster game
onew0rd wrote:
Where do we submit our proposals?
Contact Z-Man directly.
Check this thread:
http://bgdf.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=2640&highlight=
Wed, 07/13/2005 - 14:52
#23
Ok
Even though I thought I wouldn't, I just submitted my proposal. It was actually pretty fun. I wish everyone the best of luck, and if you haven't already submitted, remember that the deadline is Monday, July 18th so get cracking! (For some reason, I thought the deadline was the 14th, otherwise I would have never gotten it done this early). ;)
-Darke
Thu, 07/14/2005 - 08:55
#24
Z-Man's monster game
Done and done, emailed it in yesterday. Good luck to all, lord knows I'll need it! =)
Shrike
Sat, 07/16/2005 - 01:41
#25
Z-Man's monster game
I just submitted one of my ideas. Alas, I didn't have time to develop the other one in time for the deadline, but maybe I'll work on it anyway.
Sounds like Z-Man will have quite a bit of reading to do...
Sat, 07/16/2005 - 03:08
#26
A Little Help?
== Hello everyone! This is my first post here at BGDF, and I am happy to be joining the ranks.
== I have been working on a game to submit to Z-Man, which I am fairly happy with. I have been testing it out and tweaking it the last few days, and have just noticed a minor problem: he has requested that zombies not be used. I have already used Vampires, Mummies, Werewolves, Ghosts, and Gillmen, and was using Zombies as well. However, I now need to find a replacement for the latter. I have a few ideas, and would like to hear the opinion of other designers, if you would all not mind lending me a hand.
1] Scientific Creatures: These would be your creatures a lá Frankenstein's creature. I like that they could be slow, and perhaps plentiful, so that I would not need to playtest new rules for them. However, the game takes place solely in the Underworld (i.e., a subterraineous monster-world), so that science would not fit that part of the theme too well.
2]Skeletons: These guys could potentially be slow, plentiful (i.e., easily created in a cemetery, which is a major part of the game), and would fit the Underworld theme. However, I am not too sure they would count as Classic Horror monsters.
3]Demons: They may not be Classic Horror monsters either, and making them slow might seem artificial (although I could change the rules for them).
4] Something Else: [Insert another, helpful idea here].
== In any case, an option that fits the Classic Horror monster theme is my primary concern. Fitting my Underworld theme and my current rules would be secondary.
== Thank you very much for any help and/or suggestions.
Sat, 07/16/2005 - 04:15
#27
Z-Man's monster game
Closest I can think of that might qualify as a slow classic monster might be some sort of evil mutant killer tree or plantlife, like from the 50's sci-fi flicks?
Sat, 07/16/2005 - 04:22
#28
Z-Man's monster game
A slow creature cold be The Blob (it could split into lots of little blobs...)
Sat, 07/16/2005 - 09:48
#29
Z-Man's monster game
One thing, z-man said not to give him the GAME "Zombies" as that has already been published. I never got out of that him saying he didn't want to see zombies in the submissions as monsters. I used them, although they could be swapped out easily for something else. I wouldn't worry about it, send in the proposal, nothing is concrete at that point anyways, he's looking to see who has the best/most workable (hopefully) ideas at this point. Again to all, good luck.
Shrike
Sat, 07/16/2005 - 10:46
#30
Z-Man's monster game
I have just submitted my proposal.
I would be interested to see what everyone else came up with. Maybe when Zev announces those going through to the next stage the rest of us could compare our submissions, a bit like a Game Design Showdown.
Im actually going to skip the contest because of so much already going on but the first thing that hit me was actually using the grave robbers card game as the base and building a movemtn variable and board to the pre existing card game.