BATTLEFORCE SATURN & STARSWORD: RACE TO THE STARS PHOTO UPDATE

BATTLEFORCE SATURN PROTOTYPE PHOTOS

 

Box cover concept

EarthForce player plans his attacks

Three-player game

Solar League fleet

 

Leshlact (alien) player's fleet

There can be up to five players in a game although such a game would probably take a very long time. We recommend keeping it to down to 3-player at a time maximum. So far, in play testing, the first game with only one player knowing how to play, the game took about two hours. the second game took about an hour. So once players know how to play the game moves fairly fast. Of course using smaller ships and fewer ships will provide for a much faster. shorter game. 

 

The playtesting went very very well. In fact the playtester's comments were "excellent" and fantastic". So that's good to hear!

 

We are hoping to have another2-player test in a few days now that some modifications have been made to the game. Then we will move on to a 3 & 4-player test. 

 

From the test it seems that the game is very playable, easy to learn, simple to play, fast moving and most of all FUN! the mechanics used were applauded as being very clean and straightforward. Only a few minor modifications needed to be made which is huge...especially when one is up against a short 7-week deadline!!!

STARSWORD: RACE TO THE STARS

While BattleForce Saturn is being tested, I'm moving along with work on the next game: Starsword: Race to the Stars. here are some preliminary photos of some of the parts being set-up on the table.

Here is a sample of table set up for a large 4-player game. the cards are Star System cards representing actual stars in the Sun's neighborhood. Each card has up to two planets/objects on it. The Star system cards can be placed randomly upside down or in a non-random pattern based upon actual locations of these stars relative to one another. On the sides are placed the player's Race mats where each player keep track of their resources, research, victory points as well as a description of the race and any special rules pertaining to it.

Each card also has places for population pawns to be placed: Troops, Industry, Research, Farming as well as population limit. Some star systems have alien life on them and some of them are capable of early spaceflight and can become trading partners, allies or enemies. Each system also has a space for ships, star gates, star bases and fleet docks.

Star system cards must be placed almost touching in any pattern desired. Sometimes a card will not be able to touch another one so that makes it a dead-end for movement. Stars that don't touch mean that ships cannot move from one to the other....as seen above.

Each race has special characteristics that make it unique to play. The Humans are aggressive scientists. The Hurc are born traders. The Suri have high population growth and spread their religious faith, while the Vargr are Warriors.

The game is controlled by card hands. Players draw cards and each card has a variety of actions the player can make, from playing an event on another player, to gaining Orders, to obtaining spacial abilities and weapons, etc. These cards are still being designed.

I hope this has been enough to wet your appetite. The game will probably retain for about $70. While that seems pricey, this is big game with quite a few necessary pieces. Hopefull such a price tag won't be too much of an obstruction to playing it! We think the fun involved will make it worth it!