Use this thread for any comments, questions, requests for clarity, etc., regarding the November 2013 Challenge in the Game Design Showdown, entitled "The End is Near."
-Rich
[GDS] November 2013 "The End is Near" Questions and Comments
Fri, 11/01/2013 - 21:52
Mon, 11/04/2013 - 10:32
#1
Open?
So, the only requirment for this game is that it has an uncertain ending mechanic?
Tue, 11/05/2013 - 10:11
#3
I see what you did there!
I see what you did there! Ha ha ha ha ha. In defense of myself, the other design contests I've looked at here (I joined to late for the last one) weren't too constricting. I just don't want a design contest where you've told me all the mechanics to go for the game and the contest is to come up with the rules. *gags* I'll have to think hard on this one though.
Fri, 11/08/2013 - 04:01
#4
Entries due by end of tomorrow!
Remember to PM me your entry for this month's GDS!
Also starting this month during the critique phase, three will be one entry singled out each day to comment on, after the vote is revealed a schedule will follow so you can be ready for your entry's day.
Good luck!
Fri, 11/08/2013 - 08:46
#5
Responsibility
Remember to PM me your entry for this month's GDS!
Also starting this month during the critique phase, there will be one entry singled out each day to comment on, after the vote is revealed a schedule will follow so you can be ready for your entry's day.
Good luck!
Fixed.
So do we have to post on the day our entry is singled out?
Sat, 11/09/2013 - 18:46
#6
Only if...
If you want to be engaged with the conversation about your game, then yes. Otherwise you'll need to make a separate thread specific to your game (the discussion will, by default, be in the critiques thread) to talk about it later.
I don't want to see people posting about Monday's Game while we are discussing Wednesday's game. It's disrespectful to the person who created Wednesday's game and is looking forward to their own feedback.
Sun, 11/10/2013 - 21:03
#7
One more entry
The last entry just got posted; Please include it in your voting!
Thu, 11/14/2013 - 17:06
#8
Excitement All Around
Ok, so we need the week to hurry up because during the interim, I've made some modifications to the game (not modifications, additions, there we go). I can't wait for my day to post my entry!
Thu, 11/14/2013 - 17:44
#9
Speaking of which...
Everyone has a few more days to vote, so make sure you submit your Medal votes to mindspike before the end of the 16th
Thu, 11/14/2013 - 18:58
#10
Question
In the game for entry #1, treasure tokens are placed on the board face down and when dug up place behind a player's screen. Can the designer clarify how we are supposed to know 8 pieces of eight have been dug up to end the game if they're all hidden from view?
Thu, 11/14/2013 - 19:06
#11
anonymousmagic wrote:Can the
Can the designer clarify how we are supposed to know 8 pieces of eight have been dug up to end the game if they're all hidden from view?
We tried this a while ago where individual designers could respond to questions. Unfortunately it destroys the anonymity of the entries, and acts counter to the spirit of the GDS in that the designer should be able to write clearly enough not have too many questions.
Also keep in mind that the word limit is there to keep designers from writing a full rulebook. This is a contest of concepts and clarity rather than nitpicking mechanics. Although in this case if you feel this hurts the entry then by all means vote accordingly and then bring this point up on that entry's discussion day.
Cheers
Thu, 11/14/2013 - 19:30
#12
I understand. It would be a
I understand. It would be a complete disaster if you had to pass on questions and field the answers yourself. I'll drop in my votes ASAP. I have a sneaky suspicion on who some of the designers are...
Fri, 11/15/2013 - 10:21
#13
My Take on It
In the game for entry #1, treasure tokens are placed on the board face down and when dug up place behind a player's screen. Can the designer clarify how we are supposed to know 8 pieces of eight have been dug up to end the game if they're all hidden from view?
Oh, when I read it I guess I assumed the author meant for the treasures to be revealed when first dug up then placed behind the screen. *shrugs sholders* It's the only way I could see it working.
Sun, 11/17/2013 - 15:45
#14
GDS November - critiques
I can´t find the critiques thread. Maybe later?
Mon, 11/18/2013 - 14:41
#15
Here You Go Dagge!
Mon, 11/25/2013 - 17:45
#16
Moving critique of critique here
This is a more appropriate place to continue the discussion on the form of critiques in Future GDS.
[quote="anonymous magic"]I feel everyone who makes an effort to enter the competition deserves to get feedback, but if you get a lot more entries next month, putting them all into the same thread might become a bit too messy. Maybe you can simply encourage entrants to start their own threads after the scores have been announced, so I can focus on giving feedback to the people who really want it.[quote]
This solution cropped up a few times in he critique thread as well as discussion prior to this GDS. It has merit of course, in shortening the critique thread and allowing commenters to talk only about games they wish to.
The downsides I feel outweigh these, however. The forums would be littered with multiple threads - and in the case of many entries, it would only worsen. Also the point of daily critiques - namely to see all entries get some feedback and to sharpen our own critical lenses - would be lost as well. Some entry's thread would invariably see little to no critiques whether because it became lost in the thread list, critics spending all their energy on other entries, or even because it wasn't "compelling" enough.
This is why designers are encouraged to create threads after their day, in case there is more to contribute. This way those entries that continue to produce ideas can do so while the others do not crowd the forums.
Thank you for the feedback and ideas so far; just know the GDS probably won't go the route of "everyone gets a thread by default."
Mon, 11/25/2013 - 18:22
#17
Point Taken
Perhaps a melding of the two. Give the three winning spots their own threads, and lump the rest into one thread. Then the rest can create their own threads if they need more feedback.
Mon, 11/25/2013 - 18:30
#18
richdurham wrote:This
This solution cropped up a few times in he critique thread as well as discussion prior to this GDS. It has merit of course, in shortening the critique thread and allowing commenters to talk only about games they wish to.
It doesn't have to, you could create the threads yourself and still keep a daily schedule. You may consider multiple threads forum litter, but for me, it makes it easier to see what I've already read and what I haven't. Separate threads would also make it easy for me to see which designers really engage with their feedback -- which, to me -- would make them deserving of a more detailed and immediate response. I would still give feedback to others, but perhaps in less detail.
The downsides I feel outweigh these, however. The forums would be littered with multiple threads - and in the case of many entries, it would only worsen. Also the point of daily critiques - namely to see all entries get some feedback and to sharpen our own critical lenses - would be lost as well. Some entry's thread would invariably see little to no critiques whether because it became lost in the thread list, critics spending all their energy on other entries, or even because it wasn't "compelling" enough.
Mon, 11/25/2013 - 18:53
#19
One Thread To Rule Them All
I felt the challenge went better this month with these rules compared to past challenges. I'd prefer to try this a few more times.
Mon, 11/25/2013 - 19:29
#20
Let's wait.
I felt the challenge went better this month with these rules compared to past challenges. I'd prefer to try this a few more times.
I agree that it should be tried a few more times before any more changes are made. We'll see what happens in December!
Thanks for the feedback, all!
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Yeah, there's only the one restriction. However, I should stress that the uncertain ending mechanic should be built in to the game's mechanics separate from the actions of the players. In other words, it doesn't depend on what the players do (they can't prolong it or shorten it; they only kind of know when it's getting close).
This contest is for those designers that don't like to work with a lot of limits. ;)