Previously we explored three revealing use-cases of prototype 4.01. This time we will take a look at what the goals were going into 4.0 from 3.3, how 4.0 stacks up in terms of these goals, and the revised goals going forward.
Goal 1: Move the acquisition of keys to quests in a satisfying way
The first goal of 4.0 was to clarify the goals of the game by adding quests to the game. In particular, to make the acquisition of keys more interesting and with unique rules. Previously, keys were acquired by randomly finding them around the board which created a lack of focus. The risk/reward of being captured vs finding a key was strong, but players could not reliably make progress towards completing the game by finding keys. Quests remedy this by providing concrete pathways for obtaining keys.
The transition to quests worked very well. Quests help to focus players and clarify how to win the game. Currently, not all quests are required to be completed. As a result, one quest was left to the wayside in the 4.01 playtest. Ideally, players would be encouraged or required to complete all quests in a fun and engaging way. Although one playtest does not prove or disprove the effectiveness of a mechanic, I am very hopeful and excited for the future of quests as the mechanic players use to make concrete progress through the game.
Goal 2: Simplify setup by reducing power of mechanics and allowing randomness to provide balance
There are three facets to this second goal: simplify the setup, reduce the power of the mechanics, and leverage randomness for balance. All three of these serve to reduce the complexity of the game and thereby make the game easier to play. Easier in this context does not mean that players will win more often, but that there will be fewer barriers to players understanding and interacting with the game rules. As a result, players will be able to spend more thought on their strategies and less on how to run the game.
Prototype 4.0 simplifies the setup of the game and leverages randomness in new ways to provide balance, but does not have a net reduction in power for any mechanics. In fact, some mechanics became stronger with 4.0. Instead of reducing the power of any mechanics, the power was redistributed in ways that allowed randomness to be leveraged for balance. For example, keys were moved from the board secrets to quests allowing the board secrets to be randomized instead of stacked. The result was a game that was easier to setup and play.
Perhaps this goal should have been to “reduce the complexity of running the game” which was achieved by simplifying the setup, redistributing the power of mechanics, and leveraging randomness. However, for posterity, I am leaving the goal as it was originally written.
Goal 3: More actions/secrets to provide concrete progress than those that provide an opposition to entropy
Concrete progress is anything that allows players to make a concrete step towards winning the game. Entropy is the “gradual decline into disorder” (Google). In Biomes, entropy is manifest as the forces that are trying to defeat the players, such as the enemy camps. The goal is not the elimination of entropy, as entropy provides challenge. Rather, this goal is about balancing the actions and secrets that allow you to make progress with those that allow you to fight entropy. This goal is also about clarifying which actions and secrets are for making progress and which are for fighting entropy.
With 4.0, many actions and secrets were clarified in purpose, but not all were addressed. Quests included concrete pathways for winning or losing a key, providing clarity on what actions and secrets make progress towards keys. The rules around buffs were expanded to provide new and clearer pathways for how players can use buffs either for making progress or fighting entropy. For example, one player used the extra sight and ease of passage buffs to become the explorer for the team to find the quests we needed to complete the game. However, secrets such as kits were not changed and still need work to be clarified and accessible. This will be an ongoing goal to ensure that all actions and secrets allow players to make progress and/or fight entropy either directly or when used in conjunction with other actions and secrets.
New Goals
Going forwards into 4.1 the goals will need to be adjusted to clarify the goals of 4.0 and address the weaknesses of 4.0 in meaningful ways. Here are the goals for 4.1:
1. Continue to provide focus and concrete goals through quests.
2. Improve upon the end-game goals to provide more challenge and satisfaction to winning.
3. Clarify and balance the actions and secrets such that they all allow players to make concrete progress and/or fight entropy.
4. Update and balance the injury mechanics to be more satisfying as a punishment rather than boring.
5. Balance the game length to the number of players.
6. Balance the complexity of the game as needed.
These goals exist to highlight the areas of the game that currently need the most attention. This is an ever changing list as new prototypes are created and tested. It is likely that not all of these goals will be achieved, or even meaningfully improved, in the next prototype. It is also likely that some goals will be removed and others added with future iterations.