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Other Gaming => Designing and Creating => Topic started by: BanzaiCat on February 13, 2021, 10:00:31 AM

Title: My Own Design Attempt: BUFF
Post by: BanzaiCat on February 13, 2021, 10:00:31 AM
So I've been frustrated, trying to create my own idea as a game, which I've been harboring for a few years now - but had yet to get it to paper.

Brant's February Game Jam helped get me aligned, but after day 6 things went by the wayside. Too much work and other things to get done.

In any case, it's very difficult to come up with a new system that doesn't mimic other attempts at design work. For example, doing something along the lines of B-17 QotS, Target for Today/Tonight, or something in Greg Smith's vast repertoire.

My idea is to do a solo game centered on the B-52 (tentatively titled 'BUFF' at this time). However, instead of the player controlling a crew over a campaign, just like in all those other games, I thought it may be more interesting to make it about the bomber itself. So you're there when it's 'born' off the assembly line in the 50s/60s (can't recall the data offhand, but I have it down in a master file), and you have crews come and go, but you're the 'spirit' of the bomber, more or less, over decades of service. The ultimate goal is to survive its entire service history until perhaps it is mothballed/retired...or shot down/otherwise destroyed.

There's conflicts of course - historical ones like Vietnam, Desert Storm, the Balkans, nuclear deterrent patrols, etc. - but there's also possible ahistoric events, such as a NATO/Warsaw Pact flare-up, or some other crisis in the world. I'm still not quite sure how to have players navigate that without just doing it straight off a table, though I might just land on that and see where it goes from there.

Game play would be simple - card draws, events, challenges, that sort of thing. No range or map, but card draws, so some missions may be eight cards long to get to the target, some six, more, maybe less.

So I throw this all out there to see if anyone thinks this idea has merit. I appreciate any comments, even criticisms, because honestly I can't make this better without someone else's input.

The ultimate goal? Publishing would be great, but it might need to be a PnP first. I'm no designer - yet.
Title: Re: My Own Design Attempt: BUFF
Post by: Staggerwing on February 13, 2021, 02:07:07 PM
That's a pretty good idea, especially for an example of such a long lived platform.


It could work well for certain ships too, say for the USS Missouri from WW2 to Japanese surrender signing and on through Desert Storm, with some Korean War, Vietnam War, and possible police action events in between, as well as Cold War Hot scenarios.
Title: Re: My Own Design Attempt: BUFF
Post by: bbmike on February 13, 2021, 07:38:03 PM
Agree with Staggs. But that name...  :P
Title: Re: My Own Design Attempt: BUFF
Post by: BanzaiCat on February 13, 2021, 10:06:18 PM
Fair point...work in progress though. NOT the title when it hits the light of day. :)

I didn't think about ships...that's a great idea. Might be a whole system here, once I get it figured out.
Title: Re: My Own Design Attempt: BUFF
Post by: judgedredd on February 14, 2021, 03:04:01 AM
Cool sounding game and if the mechanics can be converted to other platforms, then you've got "DLC"  ;D

I just want someone to make a decent, full on game of The Falklands. That's all. Air, Sea and Ground combat...the whole thing.

Just do that  :-*
Title: Re: My Own Design Attempt: BUFF
Post by: bob48 on February 14, 2021, 06:19:11 AM
For me, I like to see more games that cover 21st Army Group 1944-45, such as Operations Veritable, Plunder and Varsity.
Title: Re: My Own Design Attempt: BUFF
Post by: judgedredd on February 14, 2021, 07:07:59 AM
For me, I like to see more games that cover 21st Army Group 1944-45, such as Operations Veritable, Plunder and Varsity.
Not more games depicting the Americans fighting the war alone!!!  ::)

 ;D
Title: Re: My Own Design Attempt: BUFF
Post by: BanzaiCat on February 14, 2021, 11:46:19 AM
Cool sounding game and if the mechanics can be converted to other platforms, then you've got "DLC"  ;D

I just want someone to make a decent, full on game of The Falklands. That's all. Air, Sea and Ground combat...the whole thing.

Just do that  :-*

So that's one guaranteed sale if I go and try to design a game along those lines, of a conflict I know little about. Got it!  ;D

JD, you obviously know a lot more about that, so maybe we should design one ourselves! One thing at a time, though...
Title: Re: My Own Design Attempt: BUFF
Post by: judgedredd on February 16, 2021, 01:03:27 PM
What was the "game jam" you refer to? Was it a podcast or interview or something? Is it located on the legendary but unusually invisible front page?
Title: Re: My Own Design Attempt: BUFF
Post by: bayonetbrant on February 16, 2021, 01:06:46 PM
What was the "game jam" you refer to? Was it a podcast or interview or something? Is it located on the legendary but unusually invisible front page?

https://www.armchairdragoons.com/forum/index.php?topic=2945.0