First Playtest

There is nothing like play testing to burst my bubbles.

As I build up a prototype and think up or choose mechanics to fill in the holes I often get giddy about how I imagine the final game will play. Since this game has a lot going on it has been impossible for me to get the whole game in my head at once. So it wasn't until I tried playing a four player game did I see the game for what it is.



While some parts of the game work well the short of it is the game is too random. It is too hard build a plan and then execute it.

I have to give more thought to the order of events. I think I will double or tripple certain parts of the events before you move on to the next part.

Produce raw materials
Produce Gizmos - creating supply of some lowering their potential values
buy stocks

Produce raw materials
Produce Gizmos - creating supply of some lowering their potential values
buy stocks

Produce raw materials
Produce Gizmos - creating supply of some lowering their potential values
buy stocks

THEN
Choose and ship products - and learn what the new demand is

THEN
Sell stocks

This way players can spend some time predicting what will be in high demand.

Since I am probably going to use something like the above I will probably call one cycle a quarter and end the game after four.

But before I thought of that had another idea for ending the game. I had an idea about putting a specially marked cube in the market bag and when its drawn the quarter ends. I like this idea but its probably not enough structure for deciding how fast a game proceeds.

Maybe I will still use the special cube idea for some other aspect.