science of board games
We have lately been working on a set of Twilight Imperium mod rules. Some of us think that the ’stock’ twilight imperium is not that fun, and it takes too long. Consequently, our mission is:
- To make twilight imperium more interesting to play
- To make the game shorter
As such, we pondered different game mechanics from other games (both other board games and computer games). Since there is a bit of the ‘puerto rico’ flavor in TI anyway, we took that a step further. There is also a debate amongst us about whether combat should be central to the game. Should it be possible to take a ‘non-military’ path to victory? I say yes, because it creates more strategic options for the player.
Throughout this process, we’ve been researching, simulating and playtesting different mechanics. I’ve come across another interesting site that analyzes board game mechanics: http://www.scienceofboardgames.com/
-Tom
Tags: board games, development, games, ti, twilight imperium