For whatever crazy reason, I've decided to give board game design a try. You may ask, "Aren't there plenty of good board games out there?" Absolutely, more than I'll ever play. I still want to give this a shot: a narrative-driven game that captures the feel of film noir and hardboiled detective novels.
I've been making lists the past few days: noir archetypes, common hardboiled tropes and themes, and so on. Then I'll start working on how I'll implement these ideas and items into the game. I think my first hurdle will be figuring out how to get a narrative structure into the mix. I don't want to make it totally randomized, but I also don't want to have set scenarios, since that well will run dry with a few plays. I like the idea of having every player-controlled character come with a variety of backstory, and have it somehow tie into the game's "goal." How this will work, I don't know.
Pray that I don't go insane over this.
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My attempt at designing a board game
Started by
Jason Panella
, Apr 11 2011 04:08 PM
3 replies to this topic
#2
M. Leary
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- Member
- 5,259 posts
Member
Posted 11 April 2011 - 04:15 PM
Godspeed. Production on my Post-Apocalyptic Little House RPG is going well, but I can identify with your apprehension. Even titling can be an existential crisis in itself. I am currently leaning towards: Little Reactor on The Prairie: The Wrath of the Calico King (LRP - Campaign #1)
#3
Cunningham
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- Member
- 1,201 posts
Easy, Prescient, Interpersonal. Previously Solishu.
Posted 12 April 2011 - 10:40 AM
Jason Panella, on 11 April 2011 - 04:08 PM, said:
For whatever crazy reason, I've decided to give board game design a try. You may ask, "Aren't there plenty of good board games out there?" Absolutely, more than I'll ever play. I still want to give this a shot: a narrative-driven game that captures the feel of film noir and hardboiled detective novels.
I've been making lists the past few days: noir archetypes, common hardboiled tropes and themes, and so on. Then I'll start working on how I'll implement these ideas and items into the game. I think my first hurdle will be figuring out how to get a narrative structure into the mix. I don't want to make it totally randomized, but I also don't want to have set scenarios, since that well will run dry with a few plays. I like the idea of having every player-controlled character come with a variety of backstory, and have it somehow tie into the game's "goal." How this will work, I don't know.
Pray that I don't go insane over this.
I've been making lists the past few days: noir archetypes, common hardboiled tropes and themes, and so on. Then I'll start working on how I'll implement these ideas and items into the game. I think my first hurdle will be figuring out how to get a narrative structure into the mix. I don't want to make it totally randomized, but I also don't want to have set scenarios, since that well will run dry with a few plays. I like the idea of having every player-controlled character come with a variety of backstory, and have it somehow tie into the game's "goal." How this will work, I don't know.
Pray that I don't go insane over this.
http://computersherp...lling-203548951
#4
Jason Panella
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- Member
- 3,400 posts
"I like the quiet."
Posted 12 April 2011 - 02:06 PM
Cunningham, on 12 April 2011 - 10:40 AM, said:
You can use something like this (maybe simplified) to come up with randomized story outlines...
http://computersherp...lling-203548951
http://computersherp...lling-203548951
That thing is insanely cool, Cunningham. Thanks for the link!
Making it too random (madlibs style) would make a game a tad impersonal, but on the other end I realize that I don't want to game to have a gamemaster figure controlling the narrative. I'd make an actual RPG if I wanted that. So I'm thinking...maybe I can make some sort of story "web" or card-based system where players control where the plot is going. As in, by "day three" (third turn) of the game, the story progresses in a certain direction based on how or what the players did in the two preceding turns. (If player 2 put enough "evidence" or whatnot in a certain pile, he could make the story go the way he wanted, though I'd make some restrictions so it wouldn't be TOO open-ended.)
