Montifax Game: play testing and notes

Tonight, for the first time, I gave a preliminary version of Montifax: The Board Game a try. Unfortunately it was not as successful as I had hoped, though I did learn several things. Most importantly, I need a 20 sided die for proper distribution of event locations.

I think that I will have the board set at 20 pieces. In the style used by Carcassonne, they will be placed by the players, though in this case before the game begins. Each will be unique and identifiable, in the test version this meant numbers 1-20. I am leaning towards 1 being the Administration building, and it always being placed first. The McDal campus would then be built form their. Choosing to have a dispersed or compact campus would be up to the players.

Instead of cash being used to buy cards from a side deck I think that the one shift of “work” a cycle that players have will just give them a card from the side deck. Every 7 will give the player nearest to the event a card from the side deck.

Preliminary point values per event

7 = side deck card
6 = 10
8 = 20
5 = 30
9 = 40
10 = 50
4 = 60
3 = 70
11 = 80
12 = 90
2 = 100

Point value acquired, based on distance away from event

Player on location of event = 100%
Player 1 spot away from event = 80%
Player 2 spot away from event = 60%
Player 3 spot away from event = 40%
Player 4 spot away from event = 20%

Points are allocated only to the closest player; ties mean that no one gets point for a particular event.

The number of locations should be divided by the number of players. A simple division for a four-player game would be player 1 getting 1-5, player 2 getting 6-10, player 3 getting 11-15, and player 4 getting 16-20. Players would cycle through these locations, trading cycle locations as they see fit, though before the role of the event die on their turn. I am thinking that if there are only three players two pieces are removed, though I don’t know how this would affect the game. It is possible that board placement should occur before players are aware of their daily schedule.

I am not really sure if I want to have the end game set at a number of points or a number of cycles. Both have their advantages, though I believe that I am leaning towards points, arguments on either side are welcomed.

For the side deck I am thinking of things such as increasing the strength of an event for a player for one turn, increasing their ability to experience certain types of events, disallowing other players from experiencing certain types of events, pre-selecting 1 of the event die or the location die, a set number of points being awarded to the holder, etc. Concrete suggestions are welcomed.

In a few days Nithum and I are hoping to have a more elaborate test. This should give me/us a better feel for the game and its needs. As the game reaches a more finalized version various elements can be assigned humorous and whimsical names, that just wouldn’t make sense to assign right now.