The Not-So-Secret Origins of PLANET X-PLOITS

May 27th, 2010

I’ve been invited as a contributor to this blog so I could share my experiences in board game design.

Currently I have one title to my name but it’s a fun one. PLANET X-PLOITS is a parody of the original Star Trek television series that is best described as an away team simulator.

My motivation for creating this game was a result of my getting more involved with the Board Game Geek community. I chose to take part in a 2-month game design contest where the primary requirement was to create a cooperative game with a twist. A good example of this mechanic would be the Battlestar Galactica board game where everybody must work together to reach a destination but with traitors (i.e. Cylons) in the mix.

It was decided early on that the theme would be a humorous take on sci-fi. I don’t remember exactly when the notion of using Star Trek specifically came in, but it did strike me as the perfect solution. With this in mind, I was able to match the mechanics to the theme and vise versa.

Research plays an important part in the design process and one article in particular served as my inspiration.

Most of the development was done in those first two months, but game quickly outgrew the confines of the contest and I spent an additional three months developing the game. I was able to publish it in December making it freely available as a Print & Play game.

In future posts I’ll be focusing on different aspects of game design to provide insight into the process.


Grand Poo-bah Dictates: Cycle 5!

May 14th, 2010

That is not dead which can eternal lie…or sumthin’

GPO is back from the grave!

5 June 2010
11:00 - 21:00
The Desmarais building, Ottawa U Campus - Inside the Starbucks
55 Laurier Avenue East

What’s up for offer? Time to step on up and suggest.

Let’s Go Play


Cycle 4. July 25. Now serving baby elephant.

July 11th, 2009

The date is selected July 25, why well not may people voted and it’s the furthest date away with the most votes, so there’s prep time to pull it off. Now lets start annoucing what we’ll be bringing. I got the New Wallace game Steam, rails to riches, just waiting for its first table and I’ll bring a classic though probably not civilization this time. In other words, let the games begin.

25 July 2009
11:00 - 21:00
The Desmarais building, Ottawa U Campus - Inside the Starbucks
55 Laurier Avenue East

Cycle 4 reboot

July 7th, 2009

Rebooting the 4th cycle. Vote soon. Some of us really want to play. Voting will be extended to July10, 2009 due to my lack of proper advertising.

http://www.doodle.com/bb848p6×45e78sgg


Cycle 4 - Like a Thief in the Night!

April 28th, 2009

Hey GPOers!

It’s that time again — date choosing time!  The link to the date poll is active.  Please drop by and indicate your availability.

I’m trying a couple of new things this time out:

  • I’ve purposely left things closer to the date window before polling everyone.  I’m also setting a cutoff date on the poll: May 8, 2009.  I’m hoping that the shorter time-frames will help build some momentum.  (As an aside, it should also give us enough time to get some posters up.)
  • I’m going to keep quiet about what I’d like to run until the last possible minute.  I’m mostly doing this so that I can get in on someone else’s game.  I’ll probably pitch something closer to the event.

So, step on up, start pimping games, and choose the date!  Let’s Go Play.

- Darcy


Cycle 3 was a blast!

April 20th, 2009

Cycle 3 was a great experience. Talk about what you did here.

Over 30 people came together for great conversations and gaming goodness. There’s nothing quite like hanging out with a group of people who share your interests, share great stories and getting to game all in the same day.

- Joshua


Serenity RPG

March 5th, 2009

I’m not positive about this one. I need to review the system a bit more, but I’d like to run a Serenity RPG game.

At this point I have 4 pre-generated characters stated up, players will be able to develop all the flavour themeselves.

It’ll probably start with the characters right in the middle of a heapin’ pile o’ trouble (i.e. a fight) and just aching to get off-planet. ‘Course the they ain’t likely to find a respectable ship to take them offworld on short notice . . .

Serenity RPG is based on the sci-fi/western TV series Firefly and the Film (Serenity). The core world’s are high-tech and heavily controlled by the Alliance, while out on the newly terraformed Rimworlds folk are more likely to be hearding cattle and carrying six-shooters then staring at screens. The Alliance don’t take much interest in folks out here on the Rim.

The game uses mechanics called the Cortex System. Players stats/attributes and skills are given a die rank (eg a d2 would be inept, while a d12 would be superb.) Roll two dice, add them up and see how you do.

Joshua


Microlite 20

March 5th, 2009

The characters find them selves at the first spring festival in the village of Merriclet. Things get interesting when a know bandit turns up. Does the maps he carries actually lead to the Buried City of Terrathor?

Microlite20 is a trimmed down, sub-miniaturized version of Dungeons&Dragons 3rd edition, that has been designed to be quick and easy to play.

This is an excellent way to start playing RPG’s if you’ve never done so before. Combats and other interactions are fast freewheelin’ and fun. Rules are so straightforward that players will be making their own Characters.

Come join the Adventure!

Joshua


Kill Puppies for Satan

February 16th, 2009

Hey, happy Family Day everybody!

My proposed offering for Cycle 3 is Vincent Baker’s feelqueasy classic Kill Puppies for Satan.

http://www.lumpley.com/games/puppies.html

I’ve threatened to set gamer-norm relations back 25 years by running this at CanGames in the spring, and so I’m hoping to get a feel for mechanics/police response times. Bring the kids!

 - Steve

 


Cycle 3 - It’s a lock!

February 9th, 2009

See you all on Saturday, March 7th!

Here are all the fuggly details!

-Darcy