Re: Development of PBMs...

From: nicholso@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov (Melvin H. Nicholson YBH)

Date: Tue, 09 Mar 1993 17:33:28 +0000

In article <1993Mar8.202522.17267@midway.uchicago.edu> tuff@midway.uchicago.edu 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.).
>
This question's answer is reletive to the type of game this is.  It it a
trade game?  A war game?  A political manipulation game?  A sewing game?

What is the level of player interaction with the game?

How much work would these things cause for the players?

>What do you feel [about these games] in general?

In general, I find that games which lack vision suck.  You can't make a
game based on some general agregate of popular opinion.  To make the
game good, you need to have a sence of WHAT THE GAME IS ABOUT.  Once you
have that firmly in mind, all these other questions will seem so obvious
you don't need to ask.  Without that vision, your chance of coming up
with a cool game is very poor.

Mel

References

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