Key Deliverables
Paper Prototype (boardgame) Checklist
When designing for a board game or any table top experience you want to make sure you cover the basics to ensure a smooth demonstration or playtest.
- Look at your planned features based on for example your game concept document.
- See what features can be included from the below list, based on time / effort.
- Implement
Your game pieces can be drawn from anything. You can make them from paper, pull them from existing games. In this phase it’s about getting something playable to the table as soon as possible.
Considerations
Gameplay: focus on getting the systems that support a constant game flow first and then wrap a simple system that supports progression around it.
UX: even when you craft your own pieces, think about how you can make them as clear and distinct as possible. They should clearly communicate their functions and roles in the game.
Art: in this stage art is not really needed. Although a good clear layout with supporting thematic placeholder art will help getting players into the experience. Keep in mind that you will have to redo and develop it further in the next iteration.
Clarity: if you craft your own play pieces (game board included) it will help if it’s as neat as possible. Think about a consistent design for your play pieces
The rules of the game are the key part of any tabletop game. The set of rules is the way players will learn how to play the game and support them during play.
A set of game rules could be constructed based on the topics below.
List of game pieces
This helps the player check if there aren’t any game components missing and familiarize themselves with the names of each piece.
Premise
A few paragraphs describing the setting and the backstory of the board game. A well chosen setting can function as a metaphor for the gameplay, making learning playing the game easier.
Goal
A brief description on what the player needs to achieve.
Setup Instructions
A clearly described procedure on how a player prepares the initial setup of the game using the game components.
Make sure to use easy to follow steps and consistent names for the game components. Also an illustration of the game can help setting up the game faster.
Gameplay
A clear description of how the game is played. It should be described in a way that it is clear what a player should and can do at which particular moment in the game.
Additionally, describe explicitly how players can keep track of progression so that they can see how close they are achieving their goal.
Player actions: what a player can do, what they need to do and what effect it has.
Phase: a particular moment (turn, round etc.) in the game based on a specific function in the game (e.g. action phase, clean-up phase, collection phase)
Turn: the moment a player is allowed to take action.
Round: a particular moment in the game which ends when all the players in the game had a turn
End of the game
Describe clearly what conditions would trigger the end of the game, how it is determined who has won and what kind of effect it could have (if any) on the next game.
Credits
A list of names and their roles who contributed to making the game.