Hi,
I'm new on the forum as of a few days ago. I've got 3 games in prototype form. Two of which have been playtested and are very fun. The third one we've sent back to the drawing board a couple of times, but every time we play test it it just isn't much fun. I like the idea of the game and I think it could be fun, but is there some point at which as a designer you just have to scrap the game, because it never turns out to be fun.
Here is the info on this game in particular. Its called TAG, like the field game we all played as kids. The board is made from square cards that have T shapes, l shapes, Right angle shapes and cross shapes. These shapes connect from card to card and make paths that the players can move on. Each of the players have cards that have movement number on them, or allow them to rotate or switch the position of the board cards. On each players turn they are allowed to play two cards and draw two cards. If the players would like they can also skip playing either of their two cards and discard 1-2 cards and draw back up to 3 cards.
Up to this point the game did, and still does sound fun, at least to me. I think the problem I've run into is that we've tried a number of different ways to score the game and none of them have made it urgent enough to get rid of the "it" status as quickly as possible. I want to try to make a scoring system that counts the number of turns a player is it and whichever player has the least number of turns as "it" at the end of the game wins. I still don't know if that will make the game "fun". I think it will provide the urgency that a game of tag should have. I don't like this scoring system because it means you've got to keep track through the entire period of the game how many turns total each player has been "it".
I'm really not that emotionally attached to this game idea, but I do like it for its versatility. With just the game board and the cards we were able to think of a number of variants to tag that could be played. One of which, the fugitive, has a scoring system much like the above described. The difference in that variant is that you want to have points so the person "it" is the one trying to avoid all the others, and all the others are trying to touch the person who is "it" so they can begin to gain points.
I guess I have two questions, first does there come a point where you just have to throw a game design/idea out the window. because it never seems to be fun (which is the point of games)? Second, do you think the above mentioned game idea could be salvaged?....I lied I have a third quesiton. If you think it can be salvaged what changes would make a fun and exciting game? That is what I want it to be. Because when I think back to when I played tag as a kid, it was both fun and exciting.
thanks,
I think you can abandon a game, and do so with a clear conscience. I mean it is you ridea after all. I would recomend you keep your prototypes around though. You think of a new idea in the future using the same pieces, or mechanics, or whatever.
Or you could come back to it and redesign it later. I find getting my mind off of a topic helps me focus... and sometimes lends itself to a break through or two.