If there's one theme that has been done to death, it's zombies. The crayon rail system mechanic is a fun one. If you haven't played Empire Builder, go play it. The idea sounds like it can be pretty fun, save the zombie theme, but I'll make it work.
Theme
The zombie apocalypse is on the decline. We've figured out how to capture and exterminate the dead. The zombies must be rounded up by trapping them between light beams and then eliminating them.
Mechanics
The mechanics of the game will kind of be similar to the Dots game where you score points for completing a box. Players will shoot beams of light out to inhibit zombie movement. Zombies won't be able to move over a line. The zombies will move around the board either with help from the players or random movement.
Victory
The victory condition will involve having the most zombies captured for elimination. In order for a largest combo constraint there are either going to be different types of zombies or different areas where you can capture them. Another option is to have the most consecutive captured spots. The simplest option is to just have the person with the most captured hordes, but for it to be a combo I think there needs to be some differences.
Constraint
I think this constraint helps the options. You have a team moving the hordes into the proper spots to make the capture. You and your team must work together to accomplish the goal. One person will try to move the horde into the right spot while the other completes the chain of light for the capture.
The Game
Players first separate into teams. Each team will have one color to draw their light beams with. The zombie hordes are scattered across the board and then the starting spots for players are assigned. I'm not sure if it's necessary to have player pawns on the board and may or may not have them.
On a turn a player will take 2 actions. Those actions are to draw a line or to move yourself or a zombie group depending on the movement rules I determine. One player might set up his partner by moving 2 groups so that on his partner's turn they can capture one. A player must do all the draw actions before the move actions. With this rule, players must work together to get the zombies in the right spot for their partner to make the capture.
The game ends when all the zombie hordes have been captured. The team with the largest combo wins. Combo is still kind of vague and could simply be the most zombies, but could also be most different zombies or most zombies on different spaces.
Summary
I'm pretty excited about the idea. I like the idea of having to move something around the board then trapping it. I think a few event cards will be added to add some more spice. I hope the base game is fun; I can't wait to get a prototype going. There are still a lot of small bugs that can get fixed in a first version.
-Jonny
Play game. Always.
Theme
The zombie apocalypse is on the decline. We've figured out how to capture and exterminate the dead. The zombies must be rounded up by trapping them between light beams and then eliminating them.
Mechanics
The mechanics of the game will kind of be similar to the Dots game where you score points for completing a box. Players will shoot beams of light out to inhibit zombie movement. Zombies won't be able to move over a line. The zombies will move around the board either with help from the players or random movement.
Victory
The victory condition will involve having the most zombies captured for elimination. In order for a largest combo constraint there are either going to be different types of zombies or different areas where you can capture them. Another option is to have the most consecutive captured spots. The simplest option is to just have the person with the most captured hordes, but for it to be a combo I think there needs to be some differences.
Constraint
I think this constraint helps the options. You have a team moving the hordes into the proper spots to make the capture. You and your team must work together to accomplish the goal. One person will try to move the horde into the right spot while the other completes the chain of light for the capture.
The Game
Players first separate into teams. Each team will have one color to draw their light beams with. The zombie hordes are scattered across the board and then the starting spots for players are assigned. I'm not sure if it's necessary to have player pawns on the board and may or may not have them.
On a turn a player will take 2 actions. Those actions are to draw a line or to move yourself or a zombie group depending on the movement rules I determine. One player might set up his partner by moving 2 groups so that on his partner's turn they can capture one. A player must do all the draw actions before the move actions. With this rule, players must work together to get the zombies in the right spot for their partner to make the capture.
The game ends when all the zombie hordes have been captured. The team with the largest combo wins. Combo is still kind of vague and could simply be the most zombies, but could also be most different zombies or most zombies on different spaces.
Summary
I'm pretty excited about the idea. I like the idea of having to move something around the board then trapping it. I think a few event cards will be added to add some more spice. I hope the base game is fun; I can't wait to get a prototype going. There are still a lot of small bugs that can get fixed in a first version.
-Jonny
Play game. Always.