After watching the play test on Friday we all noticed a lot of things that needed to be changed. Some of the major changed that were needed was conflict taking to long to get going, player interaction was minimal and the game was too slow in starting. You could probably win the game without interacting with any players, which was a major thing. Players were unsure of some rules and how they worked. I think the game was a little bit too complex and to complex but still enough to have players confused. The game definitely needed some streamlining! We thought players found the combat hard to figure out with all the bonuses, support, attack and defense ratings and how to add them.
We went to simplify the game and take out the complex parts but still keeping the core game intact. As the game evolved and features were added, the game became increasingly complex. We were having to incorporate all these little rules to make things work. The most straightforward way to simplify the game was to reduce the number of units, resources, buildings and to simplify combat. As we began stripping out features we noticed that things were not needed and obsolete or weren't working.
The original theme we went with was Technology and Theology. As much as we were trying to push the theology theme in our game and to keep it in the game we really thought it was not working anymore. So the result is we decided on a change of theme. We kept the technology theme because we felt that was the core part of the game, but we changed from theology to biology. We changed from a kind of a realistic futuristic setting with realistic art to a more lighthearted cartoon style of art. I think the changed really worked well and makes the game more fun and open to more people/age groups.
We changed from having 4 different races from across the galaxy to 4 races of "blobs" that evolved from one blob race. I think Micheal did a quick sketch of a blob saying we could have that as one race from a planet with 3 others. I think we all like it so much and thought why not have all the races as four different coloured blobs. Such as the blue, yellow, green and red blobs. It also makes it easy to identify who you are during the game e.g. "I am the blue blob" or "I am the red blob". Instead of "I am the blue humans" or "the yellow hunter"
We also went with a smaller game board to get the game going faster and encourage conflict. Reduced the number of resource hexes and instead of having the three resources (uranium, metal and food) we went with two resources (gold and food). These two resources are easily identified by anybody, "gold is gold" and "food is food". For example metal, which metal is that? Uranium? Not everyone knows what that is, children for example. We went from three resources buildings to only one (Gold). We took out the factory building for building mechs too and made it so you could always build them from the beginning of the game.
Reduced the number of units from four to three. With the theme changed it was easy to do. Keep the warrior (rename blob warrior) and mech (CyBlob) and Change the worker/priest to a scientist. Reduce the attack/defense ratings of all units and all units now move 2 hexes at a time. This made combat easier for players to understand and easier to add up attacks and defenses. It also has the benefit of speeding up the game. The cost of all the units was reduced and streamlined to reflect the new unit ratings and also less resources being obtained throughout the game.
In the end I think the changes that we have did have made the game more fun and easier to understand. Plus a shorter game with more conflict and player interaction. There may be some more balance changes and polishing before the game is completely done.
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