Re: Development of PBMs...

From: rwallace@unix1.tcd.ie (russell wallace)

Date: Tue, 09 Mar 1993 10:06:27 +0000

In <1993Mar8.202522.17267@midway.uchicago.edu> tuff@ellis.uchicago.edu (Geoff Tuffli) writes:

>	I am currently in the design stages of two PBMs, in one of which the
>issue of complexity has reared its head in a rather ugly fashion.

>	The current game within which this situation has arisen is called
>"Power Play" and involves planets of up to 13 x 13 spaces; this within already
>solar systems of around 10-15 planets (including large jovian moons). At
>this point, the question is twofold: one, whether to increase the scope of the
>game to include as many as 25-100 solar systems (and five species, five
>players to a species, probably) and on whether to add in characters ala
>Mobius II (Flying Buffalo Inc.).

>	The other game in a slightly lower stage of development is fantasy,
>and in that, too, I suspect the issue will arise. What are people's feelings
>and thoughts about complexity in PBMs in general, and specific?

OK: I put it to you that having complexity in the rules is of itself a
bad thing, but complexity in the gameplay is a good thing; the idea is
to get as much complexity in the gameplay as possible with as little in
the rules as possible. (This is why chess has stood the test of time,
having very complex gameplay with a simple set of rules.)

Now, in general a PBM game will need a core set of rules with enough
elements interacting in enough different ways to provide adequate
gameplay complexity. However, it does not need lots of extra peripheral
rules.

To put it another way: I've seen PBM games which had potential except
that the core rules were not quite adequate. What the authors did was to
tack on lots of gratuitous peripheral rules (No, Rich Skrenta, I'm not
thinking of you here :-)), until they had the worst of both worlds:
inadequate core gameplay, and a horribly convoluted rulebook.

In your case above, I would go for lots of solar systems, being not a
substantial increase in rules complexity, but providing a much larger
area, with scope for much more complex gameplay. (Unless you decide that
players would get lost in such a large area.)

The characters: never having played Mobius II, I would guess that it is
worth doing if the characters will interact with lots of other elements
of the game, but I wouldn't add such a rule just for its own sake.

--
"To summarize the summary of the summary: people are a problem"
Russell Wallace, Trinity College, Dublin
rwallace@unix1.tcd.ie

References

Development of PBMs...
tuff@ellis.uchicago.edu (Geoff Tuffli)
Mon, 08 Mar 1993 20:25:22 +0000

Referenced By

Development of PBMs...
tuff@ellis.uchicago.edu (Geoff Tuffli)
Mon, 08 Mar 1993 20:25:22 +0000