Lineage

[sycross]

Hi,

Not sure if this really qualifies as a "traditional" game, but I don't see what other category this would fit under, so here goes:

My name is Ray Li, and I am a 16-year-old high school student. For a class in Critical Thinking, we are required to complete a semester-long, independent-study project. For my project, I chose to finish and market a board game which I have been working on for a while. The game is called Lineage. It is a two-player, abstract strategy game.

My website is www.lineageboards.com (http://www.lineageboards.com). I would appreciate it if you could visit it and give me some feedback on what you think of the game and the site.

Thanks

[chessandpoker]

Hi and welcome to the forums! :)

I love new board games, and although I've only had time to take a brief look at your game I'd say that it looks like you've done a great job so far. The game box is very sharp looking, and the unique game board looks intriguing. Great name for the game as well! I have some questions about the game, from a new players prospective, that might help you out in the development stages:

I'm not entirely sure I understand how each piece is allowed to move.


Rule 1a says a piece may move infinitely along the line it's on. So if there's a completely open line, without an opponents piece on it, you can just move your piece around and around without ever stopping?
Do the players move one piece at a time, or can they move multiple pieces on a turn?
Do the players alternate moves?
Do you have to move a "forced" piece, one that is surrounded on all sides but one, or can you choose to move another piece instead if you have any other moves?
If a piece is completely surrounded and eliminated, does it ever return to the game or is it just out?
What happens if you eliminate 9 of your opponents pieces and they physically cannot cover the four center spots?


I'd love to see a sample game played out, it sounds fun! Congratulations on your newly invented game :bow:

[sycross]

Hey, thanks for the positive feedback!



Rule 1a says a piece may move infinitely along the line it's on. So if there's a completely open line, without an opponents piece on it, you can just move your piece around and around without ever stopping?Well, by infinitely, I meant that the piece could go as far as it wanted in a turn. I didn't mean that a player could waste time by continuously moving a piece around a line. In the official rules included with the game it says "a piece may move to any intersection along the lines that it is on unless something is in the way." Does this make more sense?



Do the players move one piece at a time, or can they move multiple pieces on a turn? You may only move one piece at a time. Do you think I need to specify this in the rule book or is this something that you would infer, but simply wanted more clarification?


Do the players alternate moves?Yes. Again, do you feel this is something I need to specify?


Do you have to move a "forced" piece, one that is surrounded on all sides but one, or can you choose to move another piece instead if you have any other moves?You do not have to move a forced piece. I tried to show this by saying "On each turn you must either:"


If a piece is completely surrounded and eliminated, does it ever return to the game or is it just out?An eliminated piece can never return to the game.


What happens if you eliminate 9 of your opponents pieces and they physically cannot cover the four center spots?This is another point that is covered in the rule book, but not on the website (I will have to update the site rules). In the rule book I have a "special circumstances" section which states: If both players have only four pieces then the game is a stalemate. If one player has less than four pieces, his/her opponent wins.

Please let me know if these are things that need to be specified in the rule book. I have just recently sent my print files for the game to a manufacturer, and it is not too late to change if I act immediately.

Thanks.

[chessandpoker]

I would add the specifics about alternating turns and stipulating that only one piece may be moved at a time. a good technique with creating a rules book for any game is to sit down after you've completed the first draft and try to "break the rules". act like you're trying to disrupt the game by trying out all sorts of techniques and see if the rules would put a stop to it. if they do, they are very complete. if not, it's time to update them and make them more specific! you'll often find that some of the more obvious rules you take for granted might be totally misinterpreted by someone new to the game. good luck in your endeavors and be sure to keep us posted! :)

[sycross]

Cool, thanks for the tips.