Creating a game is hard work. Video games combine the flashiness of graphics with the strength of innovative game mechanics. For now, I’m just working on creating a board game. No scripting, no graphics. Just a board, some pieces, and a few rules.
Game design is an iterative process, meaning that you create, assess, modify, and repeat. Over and over again.
My board game idea started as two separate concepts, one involving the infinite factor connections between numbers, and the other involving building spider webs. After several hours of staring at the wall and gnawing on my pencil, I had a eureka moment: combine the two!
Thus, I’ve arrived at my current iteration of Web, a game in which you control the movement of a king and two guards across a chess board in an attempt to get your king to the opposite side first. In order to move your pieces, you must create factor connections between numbers. Each factor connection opens a pathway for your pieces.
For example, say you have the numbers 12 and 18 in your hand. You can form a connection between them because they share the factors of 2, 3, and 6. You could then move a piece across the line between the two numbers.
If your opponent has the numbers 3 and 9 in their hand, they could add to your numbers through other factor connections.
But be careful! You can only move across pathways fully or partially created by numbers of your color, so your opponent might be planning blocks along the way to thwart your progress. In addition, watch out for your opponent’s guards. If they kill your king, they win.
As with any game, Web receives constant modification, so it’s open for feedback. What do you think of the concept, movement, and rules? I’m open to anything, so if you’ve ever wanted to contribute to the design of a game, send me your thoughts!