Whyai oh why
Trying to teach AI Volcanique
This was a hair pulling experiment, out of the 30 or so people I’ve taught the game, this felt the most frustrating by far.
It is the first time I have tried to properly push it through its paces. The second playthrough was significantly better (we at least could finish the game), there was less, though still many mistakes that I had to continuously correct. Unsurprisingly, it’s better played with friends, but I also don’t want to bug friends to test every scenario and game state I devise and need testing. This is also absolutely not the way to build this kind of model, but I’m (sort of) having fun.
Hexing a code
Deciding on a grid system
There’s grids, then there’s serious grids. As the board of this game moves, I can’t be super pescriptive with this as the top corner of the map could in theory change. I like the off-axis grid. Others might hate that. See below for all the examples.
Continue reading...Better images
Setting in place the framework for more interactivity
For some unknown reason, I haven’t been using a spacer when creating all of my diagrams. Just eyeballing it. I hadn’t noticed much in light mode on the site unless I really stuffed it, but when put against the darker background of Photoswipe (more on that below), it was painfully apparent.
Incomes the spacer to slowly but surely fix all of my diagrams:
Museum musings
Design direction, lava, and cool rocks
Kill your darlings, darling
The game is too long. The rulebook takes forever to load. Fix that.
I’ll admit. The base game has been too long, particularly for 4 players. Here is the fastest way to shorten it I had been avoiding - shorten the path to unlock the end game powers.
New powers
Gunning for 30
Some new power ideas. It’s a bit of a brain dump in an attempt to really flesh out lots of different playstyles and potentials for the game.
I’ve been toying with other ‘playstyles’/ways to win, including a Parasite, a ocean/tidal manipulator, maybe an ‘architect’ style that can modify the board and one that goes all in on a singular powerful critter (demigod/hero creation).
One of the biggest identified elements - are a way to spend 3 different resources. My favourite is the ‘appeasement’ or the stealthy point style.
Continue reading...Rulebook design consistency
Diagram standardising
There have been a lot of minor updates to my diagrams. Some are very subtle, some are quite indepth.
Continue reading...Clearcoats
Trying to chip proof
So initially I’d bought some porcelain paints, unfortunately, this was many hours after I should have had lunch, it was hot and the middle of summer in Australia. I somehow managed to buy 1/3 gloss and 2/3 that were the wrong colour. Annoying to say the least.
Continue reading...Burrowing critters
Simplified diagrams, return to monkey
New power: Burrowing critters
New diagrams. Consistency of wording update in rulebook. Colossal critters hopefully now reads better too.
Unstable volcano removed entirely
Continue reading...