[2 player] educational game "League of Elements"

And then the 2 rings could be the SHIELD around the "Cybernetic Character" in the middle. You can maybe use the 8 Neutrons and 8 Protons by adding a Red "8" on the Top Left of the Card to indicate 8 Protons and a Yellow "8" on the Top Right of the Card to indicate 8 Neutrons.

That could yield something wildly COOL TBH.

Robots and cybernetics is really cool with kids too... They love robots. So I would explore that further and use this kind of SHIELD with the Robotic-character to make the game more SCIENTIFIC and less "arbitrary" with the characters in the PNP sample.

Again feel free to use, adapt or disregard these ideas... They are just offered to you as ways how to improve your design. But in the end, it is YOUR design ... So feel free to ignore if these ideas don't appeal to you.

Cheers again!

Haven't played but I've heard a lot about it. One thing I noticed, first it is "League of Legends" (and their characters) and then it's Pokemon (as per the thread owner). Got to come up with something more original than copying the major AAA franchises.

Working title or not, I usually figure out the NAME of my game FIRST. It inspires me to continue with the design knowing that I have a proper name that is unused by anyone else.

I think Robots and Cybernetic characters with the atomic "shields" would go a long way in creating a very UNIQUE feel for the game. Nothing like that I have seen ... So my angle is go Cybernetic (and Robots) for a more Sci-Fi feel to the game (instead of Fantasy that is "League of Legends").

Cheers!

At least you have a GOAL in mind (making the science FUN to the players). And it's okay to refer to major AAA Franchises as sources of "inspiration" but in the end the DESIGN itself is what matters.

Like I said, sometimes it HELPS to figure out the NAME of the game first, get the domain (.com, .ca or .net .org, etc.) and check Board Game Geek to ensure that the name has NOT been used already... That's always FUN as a Designer...

It's funny, not too many Robotic/Cybernetic Card Games out-there. I mean my TradeWorlds is Sci-Fi but it's a Deck-Builder (like Dominion). I'll admit that things like Pokemon, Duel Masters, Digimon, et al. All are about dueling and have "Monster" or "Creatures" to duel with. Nothing new to that GENRE.

But the idea of using the Electrons as Shields making each creature having it's own SHIELD ... Could be cool because of how they interact with other Atomic Elements. Again more on the SCIENCE-side of things. For younger kids it can be all about the ROBOTS ... And screw the science-side (LOL).

Maybe you could also have BONDING too...? Like H2O means two (2) Hydrogen Atoms with one (1) Oxygen atom... When you get this, you can search your Deck (and the shuffle it) for a specific card and put it into play...!

Making COMBOS possible... IDK, just having fun as a Game Designer with the space... I mean the different options available!

But yeah... You could definitely have strategies and make more complex units and/or creatures. See where the design can go. And then work with the confines of what is possible.

Regards.

I have been playing games of various types with my twin nephews, since they were 5 years old (they're now going to be 9 later this month). I'll speak on this based on my anecdotal experience with the two of them. I also make games and activities for an educational/instructional environment as part of my day job.

I'd suggest you're juuuuuust about right-on with the age group with what you've developed here. Your game makes me think of the classic game of War, and I like the fact that you've added the memory and tactical elements to it. Cover slips, guessing, revealing, etc. can be captivating things when used for surprise and/or to double-check whether or not "I guessed right."

At the same time, I wish your game had the same amount of setup as the classic card game I already mentioned. I'd skip drafting, and simply shuffle and deal. Sure, some players might be outta luck at the outset, but when matches are so short, and so easy to set up, a "best two out of three" match seems decisive enough.

Finally, I think it would be interesting to experiment with these sorts of mechanics mixed with a Smash Up command-points method of winning a game. Players add their own cards, partially-concealed, to certain point-winning areas. To keep things streamlined, I suggest you have a limited number of slots available at each command point (perhaps one on each edge, or two per player).

At the end of the game, the cards and their Atomic Numbers are revealed, and the player with the highest value of combined Atomic Numbers wins. If there's a tie, then a player with more elements that bond together wins the points.

This is similar to questccg's suggestion about combining elements together to create compounds like H2O and whatnot. In this way, the players learn not only the names of the different elements, but also which elements bond together via chemistry. To win battles, learning the common compounds as well as the element names is worthwhile.

Best of success with your game design, and have fun playing with those kids. :) Heck... Were I a chemistry teacher in a middle school or high school, I'd consider using something like this to instill some of these basic lessons in their brains during the introduction of the topic.