Which of these boardgame themes is more interesting to you?
Wizard College
or
Superhero Academy
Which Theme
Mon, 02/02/2015 - 01:46
Mon, 02/02/2015 - 04:07
#1
Wizard College, but that's
Wizard College, but that's just because I'm not into superhero stuff. Maybe you should rather ask this in BGG. You will get more responses to this there. And keep it more general, like 'Which theme do you like most: Magic - Superheroes'.
Mon, 02/02/2015 - 09:00
#2
Toss up
Both appeal to me.
Mon, 02/02/2015 - 09:30
#3
Depends
They are both very similar themes in that both are about the idea of having powers and abilities with the means by which these abilities are presented is the main difference.
Wizards are taught, use magical weapons, or are really wise people. Superpowers are usually given, cursed, or born to average people.
Personally, I like superpowers because of the kind of interesting relations between people and their powers as well as how those powers affect those around them. wizards remind me alot of grand adventures and mysteries.
Mon, 02/02/2015 - 09:57
#4
Wizard College just reminds
Wizard College just reminds me of Harry Potter, even though it's not in his age range.
Superhero Academy makes me think of that cheesy 2005 movie "Sky High"
But if I were to pick, I'd go Superhero since it's not as cliche as a Wizard School.
Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:12
#5
Neither, or rather both
Neither, or rather both combined together. I know standout board game themes are like television shows without tropes, but both of these are kind of stale by now. My eight-year-old would vote for superhero, and I believe that theme has far more staying power and universal appeal, particularly with the full marketing power of Disney backing it for years to come. Wizards are part of a larger supernatural genre, so many of last decade's Harry Potter fans have since moved onto Twilight and/or the Walking Dead (although my niece still plays for her college's Quiditch (sp?) team). The teen gamers that I know are more interested in My Little Pony than Harry Potter type wizardry these days.
Mon, 02/02/2015 - 10:51
#6
If you tell us a little about
If you tell us a little about the game maybe I could better understand which would fit.
Both of your ideas have been used. Perhaps a small alteration could make it unique. Like a super villains academy instead of a super heroes, for example.
Be creative you'll find the perfect theme.
Mon, 02/02/2015 - 13:21
#7
Combined?
Combining the two would be interesting! A unique mix of powers, where super hero powers are a little more magical, and magic spells are a little more about your own unique abilities.
I'm working on a magic college themed game right now, actually. A video game though, not a board game.
Mon, 02/02/2015 - 13:22
#8
jrc5639 wrote:Perhaps a small
Perhaps a small alteration could make it unique. Like a super villains academy instead of a super heroes, for example.
I really LIKE that Super Villains Academy! Sounds cool and allows players to be real nasty and cruel to each other. I feel the opposite in reality but in a game - why not, it's just a game!
Tue, 02/03/2015 - 21:06
#10
So no difference, except one
So no difference, except one is wizards and the other superheroes. Design-wise "power theme" and "school of magic" fundamentally works out the same way.
Tue, 02/03/2015 - 22:50
#11
Superman could be damaged by magic...
Combining the two is certainly an interesting premise. When Superman fought Black Adam, Superman had a real problem because while virtually immune to physical damage, Superman is completely vulnerable to magical attacks/damage. However, it may not necessarily work out the other way around. I think the real question is how their vulnerabilities work out rather than their powers...if you go down this path of combining them. Good luck!
Wed, 02/04/2015 - 07:00
#12
MarkD1733 wrote:When Superman
When Superman fought Black Adam, Superman had a real problem because while virtually immune to physical damage, Superman is completely vulnerable to magical attacks/damage.
Or like when "Superman came to town to see who he could rock," and Newcleus "rocked his boat with a 12 inch cut called Disco Kryptonite." He proved even more vulnerable to old school hip hop than magic.
Damn, I love that song. :)
Thu, 02/05/2015 - 06:22
#13
Clarification
So no difference, except one is wizards and the other superheroes. Design-wise "power theme" and "school of magic" fundamentally works out the same way.
Actually the difference would go something like this...
Wizard students attend classes to draw a card from that school of magic's deck (wards, summoning, transmutation, etc...). They could choose freely from one turn to the next which classes to attend and thereby could diversify or specialize as much as they want.
Supers in training would start the game with a theme (Ice Powers, Wings, Energy Blasts, etc...) and a pre-printed character card listing all of the potential ways the super could learn to use the powers in that suite. They would elect to train and choose which applications of their powers to practice, but the could not manifest powers outside of their theme.
The big difference between the two design-wise would be that the superheroes would have a power theme that they would gain power & finesse in; whereas the wizards could learn spells from any school of magic.