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Customizable Miniature Wargame without the need for large quantities of expensive models

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GitfaceryGames
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Joined: 02/10/2011

When I look around at turn-based strategy games that use miniatures, I see ridiculous prices here, there, and everywhere. Games Workshop simply doesn't have that kind of costs, but we see little chunks of plastic costing $30.00 time and time again. I feel the solution is simple: produce a game that utilizes a small number of models with card-based customization, box the whole game all on its own, and grab the strategy market that laughs at the costs of Warhammer and Warmachine.

The idea is rather simple, then. Let's say it's, oh... spiderbots in one of those killer robot challenges, but amp up the technology to allow guns, missiles, lasers, flamers, all the good stuff. The box contains a set of 6-9 standard walkers with point costs and hardpoints listed on laminated cards with a corresponding basic model. Given this is a two player game, have 2 of each of these in the box, perhaps 3 if a certain chassis is more popular. Each chassis has a certain number of hardpoints into which weapons and defense systems listed on cards can be added. The main chassis card is laminated so that dry erase markers can be used to write down all of the Walker's final stats once the math is completed. Furthermore, a convenient grid allows you to just dot on the damage taken by the unit.

An expansion can be offered with another set of pieces for larger fights.

Does this seem like a viable way to break the current model business model?

infocorn
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Joined: 07/30/2008
:-D

I like it.

I mean, I really liked the concept of the pocketmodel games (Star Wars, Rocketmen, Pirates of the ___, and despite horrific gameplay mechanics, the Transformers movie tie-in "game"), in that for $3 or whatever, you've got a workable "army" and "terrain." Sure, you're not winning any Golden Goblins for sculpting and such, but they were fun and usable right out of the pack, and if you did it right, you could store them reasonably well (kinda) flat(ish). That was one area I thought the WizKids games really missed a huge opportunity-- being able to tinker. I mean, you could take them, but your "crew" and treasures/special weapons in the Pirates games just kinda sat on the deckplate card (improved sorta w/ tabs in Rocketmen for crew). And, later in the game, they introduced things like fire-cannons that could shoot piratey napalm or something and "scorpion" blades, but they were limited to just the set that those were featured in and only on a handful of ships. Rocketmen took things a little in this direction, but you only had laser, missile and gun (or maybe it was bombs or something) as a choice and they doubled as life counters for the ships, so even if you really outfitted the hell out of your fighters, three good shots and all those pods were dead to you.

Your pitch here would allow insanely easy "full set" marketing as well as some CCG-like collectablity aspects (if you wished) or straight non-random customisation that makes games like WH/WM popular. And, bonus, you wouldn't need to by pin vices/rare earth magnets to swap! Keen! And, with my imagination fully running wild here, you could even get clear-plastic forcefields for the mechs too...lol!

Those many positives aside (and my obvious enthusiasm for the concept :-D), the big-time roadblock I see here is material and production. Even if you go print-and-play, which could work, you're looking at "what should I print it on" to make sure the stuff stands up and fits together. Would cardboard be durable enough and/or cost-efficient? The other main option is the various plastics out there-- I think Z-Cards, Pirates, Rocketmen and Star Wars were all done with styrene. That issue solved, then there's the significant tool-and-die setup cost for punching the cards. IF you had ways around those issues, I think you've got a heat-seeker in hand...and I'm SO on board to co-author if you need me!

innuendo
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Joined: 05/25/2010
What becomes tricky in games

What becomes tricky in games like this is the amount of cross checking that has to occur, and how to reasonably track which stack of cards is for which model in the game. Since each model will look the same you're basically resorting to numbering them somehow and then cross checking the numbered generic model against a stack of cards across the table.

Even stacking the cards underneath the model is tedious since moving the model becomes a chore, plus you can't easily see all of it's modifications.

I agree cards are a great way to bring needed diversity to the warhammer market but I'm not sure a generic model + card game would be enjoyable to physically play, at least from a "managing the game state" stand point.

I'm curious to see where you go with the idea.

GitfaceryGames
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Joined: 02/10/2011
I agree that IDing your unit

I agree that IDing your unit will be a bit of an issue. Here is my solution to this:

1. Have a hole on the head of each of the walkers.
2. Have the game come with a number of colored plastic flags.
3. ...
4. Profit

Now, in response to your comment about keeping everything straight, I desire large, laminated cards (I have an index card with everything snugly scribbled on it that looks alright. Might need to go a tiny bit bigger.) for each Walker because this allows you to dry erase marker all pertinent stats (movement, armor, shields, shield regen, point cost) onto the card. Given the customization, this becomes utterly paramount for this game. All you would need in front of you next to the large, laminated card would be the weapons systems cards of the Walker and any other equipment that grants special abilities, such as drone launchers. This would mean that the standard Walker would have the index card and perhaps 4 smaller Magic-sized cards associated with it. I intend this game to be about 3-5 units per side, so having that kind of setup, while getting on the large side, is nothing an avid Epic player hasn't done in the past.

Infocorn, I'm new to the realities of publishing, but I've been developing ideas for years. I tend to have something utterly amazing once every couple of weeks and can throw a board game and two card games at you that are easily as good as this idea. If your offer of coauthoring is simply coming up with rules, I can find such assistance among my friends. If your offer is that and guidance through the logistics of publishing, advertising, and marketing in this day and age, I suggest we go over the political card game that I've got in a healthy early beta and find us an artist who can do political caricatures.

GitfaceryGames
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Joined: 02/10/2011
...come to think of it, I

...come to think of it, I think I found an artist today. If you want to do something with, let's stick to this because the logistics are the most confusing ^_^

infocorn
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Joined: 07/30/2008
I'm tempted to throw a Dreamblade quote at you here...

...but I won't. I mean, I really WANT to, but since my buddies and I were four of the six players of the game in its forty seconds of existence, I'll skip it (but don't want to).

As far as my experience, I'm a lot like you; prolific with the ideas, but with me it's "not so much with the good beta." I don't have a great, easily-accessable beta pool around here and getting some of my otherwise-very-nice-lads to read my stuff is quite the chore. Actually, I have quite the suitcase of ideas-- over and above the few journals I have on here-- but what I end up doing is just second guessing EVERYTHING. See the DOOMSDAY journal; the most recent rewrite now has me questioning if Hex is actually just a fiddly little unnecessary aspect.

It's your areas of need where we are also similar; my one game is really, I feel, ready for a good test-run for selling-- even it's through GameCrafter.com or similar, but I see that sometimes indie publishing can harm a game's chances for getting picked up moreso than helping it.

So...yeah. Looks like you have the help I can give you squared away. I wish I could even offer to Beta, but the only time so fae I've been able to do that, my copy got ruined in early spring flooding before I could even schedule a game day. Eef.

benny3123
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Joined: 02/12/2011
You don't have to use cards

You can use wire nuts. There are a couple different colors, and many diferent sizes. you could use them as miniatures

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