tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14856978.post112674003601523242..comments2024-03-28T05:12:10.477-07:00Comments on Gone Gaming: Redesigning Empire Builder, Part OneColdfoothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11636345146138362966noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14856978.post-1159208035388841272006-09-25T11:13:00.000-07:002006-09-25T11:13:00.000-07:00I love your ideas for the cards making the game ea...I love your ideas for the cards making the game easy to play indeed.<BR/>I actually designed the Preliminary version of Australian Rails back in 1989. It took them some years (1994) to get around to publishing it. When I designed the game I wanted to have some events that were "board interactive" in a way that would not only delay players like snow storms, but that would affect the map based on Australia's desert terrain, hence the sand storms and rivers drying up events. <BR/>Mayfair imported a number of these into Iron Dragon later. I would love to see the games updated in the ways you've described!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14856978.post-1129067672230832502005-10-11T14:54:00.000-07:002005-10-11T14:54:00.000-07:00Having recently written Publishing Games of Superi...Having recently written <A HREF="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/77401" REL="nofollow">Publishing Games of Superior Functional Design</A> I found your post to be highy interesting and entertaining. There is so much that can go into enhancing the usability of these games we play. These enhancements should if anything reduce game play time or, at the very least, allow us to devote more of our attention to a game's meaningful decisions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14856978.post-1129051595789843492005-10-11T10:26:00.000-07:002005-10-11T10:26:00.000-07:00Well written, Shannon.The card mockups that you pr...Well written, Shannon.<BR/><BR/>The card mockups that you provided show a wonderful progression, making information quickly available and the game easier to play.<BR/><BR/>I look forward to other articles talking about game design (especially usability), and wonder if you would actually dissect the game that you held up as an example. Exactly what has Settlers of Catan taught you about game design? Where are it's strengths? Weaknesses?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14856978.post-1129043612338444152005-10-11T08:13:00.000-07:002005-10-11T08:13:00.000-07:00I like the picture idea, but agree that it could g...I like the picture idea, but agree that it could get pretty crowded on the card. One solution might be to draw cards in sets of three, only one of which could be completed. This would have two effects, one good and one bad. The good is that it would provide even more variablility in the game because particular contracts wouldn't be tied together in groupd of three. Counterbalancing that is the idea that during design the loads on a given card are on the same card for a reason.<BR/><BR/>Another approach that would change the game more, but maybe not too much would be to have a map with three contracts pictured on the same map with different colors and have all the yellow routes pay $X, the red, $Y, etc.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14856978.post-1129042867025833802005-10-11T08:01:00.000-07:002005-10-11T08:01:00.000-07:00Actually, Shannon, there already exists a great re...Actually, Shannon, there already exists a great redesign of Empire Builder. It's called Funkenschlag! :-)huzonfirsthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12857915477472022870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14856978.post-1129032121719357822005-10-11T05:02:00.000-07:002005-10-11T05:02:00.000-07:00Great idea. I like your design on the cards, but ...Great idea. I like your design on the cards, but I think the game needs some BIG changes to keep the game down time. I can't wait to see your next article on the subject.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com