bored gamedesignstudio formationgdd_revised_0915

Bored Game Design Studio

“FORMATION” DESIGN DOCUMENT

Contacts: Jeff Houchens, Game Designer; [email protected] Landskroener, Game Designer; [email protected] Nicholas Meyers, Game Designer; [email protected] Nicholas McArthur, Game Designer; [email protected] Jonathan Capps, Game Designer; [email protected] William Bixler, Game Designer; [email protected]

Last Saved On: September 20, 2015 @ 8:06PM

Themes: War, Strategy

GDD for Formation


GDD for Formation


Table of Contents“FORMATION” DESIGN DOCUMENT............................................1Game Overview.................................................................................4

Where does the game take place?.........................................................................................................................................4What is the story?.........................................................................................................................................................................4What is the main focus?.............................................................................................................................................................4How many characters/units/pieces does the player control?.................................................................................4Game Theory.................................................................................................................................................................................. 4

Feature Set.........................................................................................6General Features...........................................................................................................................................................................6Game Components.......................................................................................................................................................................6

Rules & Mechanics...........................................................................7Game Setup..................................................................................................................................................................................... 7Turn Sequence / Turn Phase................................................................................................................................................10General Rules...............................................................................................................................................................................11Detailed Rules for Specific Pieces.......................................................................................................................................11Flowcharts.................................................................................................................................................................................... 15End Game Conditions...............................................................................................................................................................22FAQs................................................................................................................................................................................................ 22

Design History................................................................................23Version 1.00................................................................................................................................................................................. 23Version 2.00................................................................................................................................................................................. 23Version 2.10................................................................................................................................................................................. 23Version 2.20................................................................................................................................................................................. 24Version 2.30................................................................................................................................................................................. 24Version 3.00................................................................................................................................................................................. 24

GDD for Formation


Game Overview

Where does the game take place?

The game takes place in the ancient fictional world of Astral. Players will play on an area that has several fortresses with a neutral section between each fortress that the players must cross in order to find and conquer an enemy base.

What is the story?

Astral was a small land with four kings who ruled their fortresses separately, but at peace from one another. However, as time grew on, the kings became greedy and mistrusting of each other. Tensions began to rise and the rulers began to squabble over their differing opinions and ruling styles. The four kings snapped and broke away from their past of peace, leading to a civil war. The kings all hired their own commanders (the players) to wage war on the other Territories. It is the Commander’s job to set up an impenetrable defense and to conquer all other Commanders on the battlefield.

What is the main focus?

The main focus of Formation is to create an effective strategy to protect the player’s Command Post as well as create an opportunity for an effective offensive formation to conquer other Command Posts.

How many characters/units/pieces does the player control?

Players have 18 units in their control. Each player controls 10 infantry, 4 archers, 2 alchemists and 2 cavalry. These 3 units will have different movement that they can move and attack range. Players can move their pieces individually to help defend/attack the opponent and the player can put their pieces close together to help move multiple pieces.

Game Theory

SymmetryThe game is asymmetric even though everyone is starting out in a set area (7x7 corner of the map) and they all have the same amount of units with a total of 18 movable pieces that move/attack depending on the unit. The barricades in the player’s set area will be different for each player depending on what card the player will use. The players can place their units in the area however they would like.

Play Style Formation is an every player for themselves type of game. However, you can create ‘alliances’ with other players, you will be able to take out your ‘teammate’ at any time. There are no set teams in the game, however two players can try to work together to take out another’s Command Post. This leaves

GDD for Formation

Bored Game Design Studio the team members wide open for attacks from each other as well. Alliances are useful to help remove another player, however it can become a disaster for either of the players if one decided to betray the other.

Summation This is a zero-sum game. Once a unit is destroyed, that unit can no longer be used for the remainder of the game. At the same time, when a command post is taken over, the person who lost their Command Post loses all their pieces remaining on the board. They are eliminated from the game.

Perfect/Imperfect Information The game is Perfect Information as all the players see their pieces and their opponent’s pieces on the playing board. The only Imperfect Information is what barricade cards the opponents have in their hands in the Setup Phase.

GDD for Formation


Feature Set

General Features

Formation is a conflict and conquering themed board game. The game can be played with 2-4 players. Formation also features a two on two team game where you may work together to take down the team’s forces. Players must use their Barricade cards to help defend their Command Post by strategically placing barricades.

Game Components

Formation Components:

● 1 17x17 Game Board● Red, White, Green, and Root Beer glass counters representing Barricades (20x each color)● Rule Book● 20 Barricade Cards● 16 Archer game pieces● 8 Calvary game pieces● 8 Alchemist game pieces● 40 Infantry game pieces● 4 Command Post game pieces● 1 Pack of non permanent markers● 1 Six Sided Die

GDD for Formation


Rules & Mechanics

Formation is played by two, three or four players on a 17x17 playing board. Each player represents an army’s Commander and, as the Commander of an army, the player controls 18 military units and a command post that are represented by game pieces. Each player’s goals are to clear the board of opponent pieces or conquer an opponent’s Command Post by reaching it. The ultimate goal is to be the last player on the board.

Game Setup

I. Place the 17x17 board on a flat playing surface. Each square is approximately 1” x 1” in size and represents a space on the playing field player units can be moved to during each Turn Phase. The player starting areas are located in each 7x7 corner of the board and are identified by the lines separating the zones from the rest of the board (Figure 1).

Figure 1: The Playing Board

II. Each player chooses which color of units they want to play as. The choices for colors are Red, White, Green, and Root Beer. All units under a player's control are all the same color and consist of ten Infantry Soldiers, two Cavalry Horsemen, four Archers, two Alchemists, and one Command Post. Players can choose their color pieces starting with the youngest person.

III. Players designate one person as the dealer.

GDD for Formation

Bored Game Design Studio IV. The dealer will shuffle the 20 playing cards and distribute 5 cards to each person playing. If

there are less than four players, the leftover cards can be Each card is 3.5” (length) by 2.25” (width) in size. The rear side of the card contains the game title, “Formation”. The playing side contains one of twenty battle formations, which distinguish how a player will set up the Barricades around their Command Post on the board. The “CP” in the card represents the player’s command post. The dark squares represent each barricade (Figure 2). Both the Barricades and the Command Post are non-movable pieces (see Detailed Rules for Specific Pieces).

GDD for Formation


Figure 2: Barricade Cards

V. Once each player has five cards, he or she will choose one card from the five cards and display it for other players to see. The chosen card will determine how the player will setup their Barricades for the entire game.

VI. Discard the other four cards for the remainder of the game.VII. Each player will first place their Command Post and Barricades as directed by the Barricade

card they played in their starting zones (see Figure 1).VII. Each player will setup their battle units (Infantry, Cavalry, Alchemist and Archers) throughout

the open spaces left in their starting zone at their own discretion. There are no restrictions on where any piece can be placed except that only one piece can be placed on each square and no pieces can jump over or occupy a space that has the Command Post or Barricade. Please refer to “Detailed Rules for Specific Pieces” for individual piece movements.

VIII. The players need to determine who goes first. This is accomplished by rolling the six-sided die included with the game. Each player will roll the die and the highest roll determines who will go first. If two or more players roll the same highest roll, those players will re-roll until there is only one player with the highest roll.

IX. During the turn sequence, the players will rotate clockwise after each player moves one piece.

GDD for Formation

Bored Game Design Studio Turn Sequence / Turn Phase

The following steps represent the turn sequences in the Turn Phase: Planning, Movement, Attacking/Capturing, Creating a Formation, and End Phase.

Planning

I. The player will review the positions of his or her pieces on the board as well as positions of the opponent’s pieces.

II. Once a player determines the best action to take, they can move on to the movement phase

Movement

I. Only one unit or one formation can be moved per turn. II. The player begins moving a unit by touching it with either hand.III. The player continues moving the unit according to the type of unit it is (see Detailed Rules for

Specific Pieces)VI. The player completes the move when he or she is no longer touching the unit that has been

moved.V. If the player makes an invalid/illegal move, the unit will need to be reset to its starting position

at the beginning of the turn. For example, if a player jumps over a barricade with a unit, the move is invalid and the unit will need to be moved back to the position it was in at the start of the turn.

VI. Units that have not yet been defeated are considered active units on the board. Active units may move across and land on spaces that are occupied by defeated units.

VII. Only one active unit may occupy a square at one time.VIII. An active unit is not allowed to jump over or pass through other active units, barricades or the

command post.

Creating a Formation

I. A player can create a formation by positioning two to four units in conjoining spaces in the neutral zone between each player’s starting zones.

II. Conjoining spaces can be left to right or top to bottom (see Detailed Rules for Specific Pieces)III. Once a formation is created, all pieces can move together, one space per turn, up, down, left or

right. IV. Formations cannot move diagonally.V. Formations cannot enter opponent starting zones together. Only one piece may enter the

opponent’s starting zone at a time.VI. Any piece may be moved out of the formation to attack an opponent piece as long as the

opponent’s unit is with the attacking units movement range. VII. Once the formation is broken, the remaining pieces in formation cannot be moved together

until the full formation is formed again.

GDD for Formation


Attacking/Defeating

I. During a player’s turn, if the unit they move lands on a square that is occupied by an opponent’s piece, the player is considered the attacker. The opponent’s piece is considered defeated and is turned over in the same square.

II. During a player’s turn, if the player reaches an opponent’s Command Post (lands on the same square as the Command Post), all of the opponent’s pieces are removed from the board, including defeated pieces. The opponent’s base has been captured and the opponent is eliminated from the game.

III. A unit in a formation cannot attack in the same turn that the formation was moved (see Detailed Rules for Specific Pieces)

End Phase

I. When a player is no longer touching the unit he or she moved, the turn is over.II. The player turn rotates clockwise at the table and the Planning Phase begins again.

General Rules

Below are the General Rules for Formation:

● Only one player may take their turn at a time● Players need to move a piece, choosing not to move is not an option.● Players rotate in a clockwise rotation after a player ends their turn.● Players can move a piece or a number of pieces in a formation two spaces per turn.● Command Post and Barricades are pieces that can’t move throughout the whole game. ● A Player can either defeat all enemies to make the opponent lose or capture an enemy

command post.● A player wins the game if they are the last one with units/moveable pieces on the board

Game Play VariationsPlayers may also play the game with a teammate in 2 vs. 2 play

● Each player rolls the 1-6 Dice to determine who will go first and then moving clockwise from player to player

● Only one teammate may take a turn at a time● The team with the last remaining units wins the game● Two player units may not occupy the same space on the board (same as regular rules)

Detailed Rules for Specific Pieces

GDD for Formation

Bored Game Design Studio Command Post - The command post has a fixed location based on the Barricade card chosen by the player in the Setup Phase. This piece cannot move throughout the entire game.

Barricade - The barricade game piece has a fixed location based on the Barricade card chosen by the player in the Setup Phase. This piece cannot be manipulated, moved or destroyed during game play.

Infantry● The infantry game piece can move up to two squares during a turn

in any direction. ● The infantry cannot jump over or share a space with another active

unit or Barricade. ● The infantry may occupy the same space as a defeated unit.● Attacking with this piece, even on its first move, will use all its

moves and end the player's turn. ● An attack occurs when the infantry lands on a square that is

occupied by an opponent. ● The infantry may enter an opponent’s starting zone.

Cavalry ● The cavalry game piece can move up to three squares per turn up,

down, left or right.● The cavalry cannot move diagonally.● The cavalry cannot jump over or share a space with another active

unit or Barricade. ● An attack occurs when the cavalry lands on a square that is occupied

by another unit.. ● Attacking with this piece, even on its first move, will use all its moves

and end the player’s turn.● The cavalry may occupy the same space as a defeated unit.● The cavalry may enter an opponent’s starting zone.

Archer Movement● The archer game piece can move up to two squares per turn up,

down, left or right.● The archer cannot move diagonally. ● The archer cannot jump over or share a space with another active

unit or Barricade. ● The archer may occupy the same space as a defeated unit.● Attacking with this piece, even on its first move, will use all its moves

and end the player's turn. ● The archer is not allowed to enter an opponent’s starting zone. ● If an archer moves, it cannot attack in the same turn (see Archer

Attack)GDD for Formation


Archer Attack● The archer can attack on a turn that it does not move. If the archer is

moved during a turn, it is not allowed to attack (see Archer Movement).

● The archer’s attack is a ranged attack that can hit any opponent three spaces up, down, left or right of it.

● The archer cannot destroy barricades.● The archer can only attack one time and one opponent per turn.

Alchemist● The alchemist game piece cannot attack enemy units.● The alchemist game piece is used to revive defeated units (units that

are turned over)● The alchemist game piece can only move one square in any direction

by itself, per turn.● If moving with a formation, the alchemist can move as many spaces

as the formation moves (see Formation Movement).

Alchemist Reviving● Alchemists can revive any of a player’s defeated units, including the other Alchemist. ● The alchemist can only revive one unit per turn and cannot revive a unit if there is an active

unit occupying the same square. ● The alchemist must be in the adjacent square (up, down, left, right) to the defeated unit. ● The Alchemist can move next to a unit and revive it, but it cannot revive a unit then move.

Before Movement After Movement

GDD for Formation


Formation Movement● Formations consist of two to four units arranged in conjoining squares in the neutral zone.● A formation can be any combination of the four types of units: Infantry, Archers, Alchemists

and/or Cavalry.● Once created in the neutral area, a formation may move up, down, left, or right.● The formation can only move in the neutral zone between player starting zones.● No unit in the formation can enter a starting zone while moving as a formation.● The player can move a unit out of the formation during their turn using the units’ standard

movements.● The formation can move two squares per turn in the same direction.

Flowcharts

End Game Conditions

To win in Formation, the player with the last remaining units on the board is the winner (the Last Man Standing). If all of a player’s pieces have been captured or an opponent has made it to the player’s Command Post, the player is eliminated from the game and all of their pieces are removed from the board. A player who reaches an opponent’s Command Post eliminates that opponent from the game and all remaining pieces controlled by the eliminated player are then removed from the board.

GDD for Formation

Bored Game Design Studio FAQs

Q: Can players move the Barricades or Command Post?

A: No, those pieces are the only non-movable pieces and the Barricade cards determine their placement in the setup phase.

Q: If someone captures a Command Post, what happens to the player who lost the Command Post.

A: The person who lost their Command Post is eliminated from the board and loses the game.

Q: Is there a time limit on each turn?

A: There is no time limit but it is recommended to keep each turn under a minute to keep the flow of the game going.

Q: Can there be multiple winners in a game?

A: No, there is only one winner.

Q: Can players team up?

A: There is no true team collaboration in the game, however players can make an alliance between themselves to team up against other players. However, these players can attack each other at any time as well. The formation rules do not apply with the partner and can only be formed by the player’s pieces.

Q: Can a single unit attack opposing units that are in a formation?

A: Yes, a single unit can attack any opponent piece even if it’s in a formation as long as the opponent's unit is within the attacking unit’s standard range.

Q: Can a unit attack multiple pieces?

A: No, a unit can only attack one opposing unit per turn.

Design History

This is our design history to keep track of the changes we made and why we made them. In version 1 we had one generic piece and its movement was based on a die roll. After our instructor provided negative feedback we redesigned the unit mechanics and came up with version 2 (which we discussed in week 1 that we would determine during play testing in week 2). Version 2 is going to stand for week 2 changes, version 3 will stand for week 3 changes and so on.

GDD for Formation

Bored Game Design Studio Version 1.00

In this version we had only one unit type and its moves were based on a die roll. The first version did not survive contact with the professor. The game had too much randomness for a strategy game and it was decided to rework how the units work in the game.

Version 2.00

In this version we replaced the random movement mechanic of using a die. We replaced it with three movable pieces for the player to use.

● Removed the one generic piece that had its movement controlled by a die roll.● Added a infantry unit.

○ it could move one spaces in a vertical and horizontal direction. ○ It could only attack another piece that is one space away and perpendicular to it.

● Added a cavalry unit.○ it can move two spaces forward or backwards in relation to the direction it is facing.○ Changing the direction of a cavalry piece will use up a player's turn. ○ The cavalry piece can only attack other pieces that are in a vertical or horizontal square

next to it. ● Added an archer unit.

○ It can only move one square per turn and cannot leave the player starting area.○ The archer’s attack is a ranged attack that can hit any opponent two spaces up, down,

left or right of it.○ When it attacks another piece it will take that pieces spot on the map. ○ The archer can not attack and move in the same turn.

● Added a barricade. ○ It is a fixed piece that cannot move or be attacked.

Version 2.10

It took 15 minutes for 4 players to get pieces anywhere to be useful or effective. These are the changes we made to work on this problem.

● Changed the infantry movement from 1 to 2.● Changed the cavalry movement from 2 to 4.● Changed the archer attack range from 2 to 3. ● It was decided that attacking counts as a unit’s move during this version.● The “neutral” part of the board was made smaller from 6 squares in between all bases to 3.

Version 2.20

GDD for Formation

Bored Game Design Studio Some piece tweaks and the addition of unit formations. A unit formation is a mechanic we added to help get units across the board together in less turns. We added diagonal movement to infantry to increase their utility.

● Added formations○ A formation can be any combination of three units: Infantry, Archers and/or Cavalry.○ Once created in the neutral area, a formation may move up, down, left, or right.○ The formation can only move in the neutral area between player starting zones.○ No unit in the formation can enter a starting zone while moving as a formation.○ The player can move a unit out of the formation during their turn using the units

standard movements.○ The formation can only move one square per turn in the same direction.

● Added diagonal movement of infantry.

Version 2.30

Some minor piece tweaks. In this version we added an official team play version to test out the game play.

● Changed the archer movement from 1 to 2. ● Changed the cavalry movement from 4 to 3. ● Added a 2v2 teamplay option. ● Decided that archers can move out of the starting zone into the neutral zone, but they still

cannot enter opponent starting zones. However, they can shoot opponent units in the opponent’s starting zone.

Version 3.00

The game slows down considerably at the end of the game when most pieces are defeated. To deal with this problem, we added a medic unit. When pieces die, they are no longer removed from the board to facilitate the use of the medic.

● When a unit is defeated, it remains on the same space. The unit is flipped over to represent its defeat.

○ Other pieces can move on top of a defeated piece.● Added the medic unit.

○ Can move one space per turn and revive a piece in one turn. ○ Can revive one unit per turn; however, it cannot move after it revives. ○ The medic can not attack other pieces.○ The medic can not revive a piece under a living piece.

● Changed the archer range from 2 to 3. Movement remains at 2 spaces per turn. ● Increased formation movement from 1 to 2.● Removed the cavalry mechanic for facing. Calvary simply can move three spaces up, down, left

or right. The unit still cannot move diagonally.GDD for Formation

Bored Game Design Studio ● Removed the infantry limitation on attacking diagonally.

GDD for Formation