[Game Idea] Phantom

From time to time I have a spark of an idea for a game, but it doesn't grow into a full-fledged concept. I'm going to post some of these ideas here just to share these ideas that may never be developed into a finished game. If I get a lot of positive feedback on these ideas I may do some further development on them. For the most part, though, I'm just curious to hear your thoughts on these.

Working Title: Phantom

Inspiration: The Phantom of the Opera  

Premise: A disfigured genius lives beneath the Paris Opera House, and is desperate to woo one of the budding actresses. He tries to manipulate the goings-on of the Opera House in order to advance the career of his beloved, while the manager tries to turn a profit and rid them self of the "Opera Ghost".

Random Thoughts: Examining the Role of Randomness versus Skill

Today I want to relate some musings on the role of randomness in games. Many games – be they card games, board games, or role-playing games – include some elements of randomness. Some games contain more than others. The role that randomness plays in a game generally runs counter to the role that player skill has in the same game. For example, games like Chess or Othello contain no randomness and rely entirely on player skill. Games like Candy Land or Left Center Right are entirely random and do not rely on player skill at all. Most games fall somewhere in between these two extremes.

[Game Idea] Galactic Breakout

From time to time I have a spark of an idea for a game, but it doesn't grow into a full-fledged concept. I'm going to post some of these ideas here just to share these ideas that may never be developed into a finished game. If I get a lot of positive feedback on these ideas I may do some further development on them. For the most part, though, I'm just curious to hear your thoughts on these.

Working Title: Galactic Breakout

Inspiration: Lilo & Stitch, Pandemic

Premise: Alien genetic engineering experiments have broken out of a lab and are running amok throughout the galaxy. A team of specialists have been sent to recapture them before they cost the company too much in damages and bad PR.

Concept: The game is played on a board representing the galaxy, with different planets marked on the map. Each round, the experiment creatures (represented by mini-figures or cardboard standees) move around from planet to planet and cause damage (tracked by tokens on the board) on the planets they move to. The players (represented by different-colored pawns) move around and use actions to repair damage, research the creatures, or apply the data they've gathered to apprehending the creatures. Each experimental creature is unique (one moves more often, one causes more damage, one is more dangerous to apprehend, etc.). Players must cooperate to apprehend all of the creatures before the damage they've caused exceeds a certain limit, and the genetic research company gets shut down.

The Death of a Player Character [Re-Post]

I am re-posting this article from my other blog. I posted the article there in April 2009 and got no response to it. Perhaps this is because, at the time, most of my readers had little or no experience with RPGs. Now that my audience is a bit different, and I have this entire blog devoted to gaming, I thought I would give it another go here. I've only made a few slight edits to the original article. The ideas presented are basically the same.

It has only happened rarely in any of the games I’ve played in or run, but most roleplaying game systems do provide for the possibility that a player’s character (PC) might die. Many games give characters hit points to measure their staying power in battle, and when those hit points are depleted they might die. Some games measure the number, and severity, of wounds a character receives, with too many wounds resulting in death. Other games have other systems for injury and character death.

The Perfect Melding of Game and Story

I really love roleplaying games. Here’s why:

I enjoy playing board games and card games. I talked about why in this article. I also enjoy telling stories. I like creating interesting characters and engaging scenarios. Roleplaying games (RPGs) allow me to combine both.

A Dicey Situation

I have a few dice. Probably more than I'll ever need. Some of them are rather unique, though.

How I Roll: My Approach to Gaming

I approach gaming with what I would like to call “good sportsmanship”. What I mean by that is basically this: When I play a game, I’m going to play as well as I can. I’m going to seek every advantage I can find. I’m going to play to win. At the same time, I don’t really care if I win or lose. That might sound like a contradiction, but let me try to explain.

New Blog: Welcome!

Welcome to Catalyst Games, my new blog about designing and discussing board games, card games, and roleplaying games. If you’re here, you probably know me, and you probably know that I love playing all kinds of analog games. I also like to tinker around with designing games of my own. I hope to someday publish some of my own creations, but we’ll have to wait to see how that turns out.

The purpose of this blog is to give me a forum for sharing my thoughts on games and game design. In the coming weeks I’m going to publish a number of posts wherein I talk about my approach to gaming, my thoughts on randomness in games, and why I enjoy roleplaying games so much. I will also publish reviews of games that I’ve played, giving special attention to any observations I may have on how these games give insight into the art of game design. From time to time I’ll publish a fully developed character for an RPG I own - as a creative exercise, to explore the game’s system and setting a little, and to offer inspiration to others. I’ll also be posting occasional updates on my own game design projects.

In all of this, I’m hoping to get as much participation from you as possible. An important part of game design is getting feedback and implementing new ideas based on the experiences of your audience. I’ll be paying close attention to any remarks you might post in the comments on this blog.

Thank you for joining the discussion here on Catalyst Games, and happy gaming!

-Nathan