Final Card Game!

Our Final Product!

The focus of last week's class was to present our final games to experienced game designers who would be able to share positive feedback about the game. In preparation for this class, we created new cards in color and made sure they had a uniform layout. We also created a back for the cards and increased the size of the cards. To make the cards feel authentic, we pasted the front and back on an index card.  And this was our final product:

Example of an item card.

Back of item & trading time cards

          We also changed the layout and design of the take a break and force trading cards. It was important to make sure the directions on both of these cards were concise and easy to understand. Both of these cards were put in in the money deck and recycled throughout the game. In response to last week's play-testing we decided to add a function to the take a break card. Not only did it allow anyone who played it to sit-out a round but also pick up five cards. This way if anyone was having bad luck with the money in their hand, they had a way to change 
that .

Day of Game Presentations:

        So the day our final games were due experienced game designers came in and played our games with other students to get a feel for the game. We also ran into a a small problem with our money because of miscommunication but it was quickly resolved by printing some emergency money.

        The game designers had some great suggestions to improve the gameplay of Auction War. For example 

• On the item card where we showed small pictures of the other cards needed to complete that set, we should also include a little picture of that card and highlight it. This would fix any confusion about what cards a player would need to complete a set because some players were getting confused. 
• A lot of the game designers agreed there were too many take a break cards. This problem occurred mainly because the money we used was not the actual money so there wasn't as much as there was suppose to be. We solved this problem by taking out some of them.
• The point system we created was a little confusing. We need to make each set more closely valued in points so one person can't just easily win by making one difficult set. 
• Creating a reference card for each player so they can easily determine how many points they would receive for a set. Or even putting this information on the actual item card so it is easily available to players. 
• Dumpster Dive Card- Since during the game, we would turn over three cards at a time and only go through the item deck twice, there were some occasions where a person was trying to collect a card but it would become impossible because that card would go to the discard pile. If a dumpster dive card was included in the game, the winner of a bidding round would be able to choose from the discard pile instead of the three cards that are turned over. 
• Wild Card- This type of card would be able to act as any card and can be used to build a set. For example, to complete a set of electronics, you can have the phone, tv, ipad, and a wildcard. 
• It also suggested that everyone should start out with the same amount of money.

Overall, how were the play-tests?

         In general, everyone who played seemed to be having a good time. A lot of players would play strategically and it would get very competitive. For example, when a card came up that one player would need to complete their set, another player would outbid them so that person wouldn't be able to create a set. At one point, players starting hiding the amount of money they put down during a bid so no one who try to outbid them. Or, they would put down a lot of small value money and act like it was a high bet, but in actuality it was a bluff to ensure that other players wouldn't outbid them. The games generally moved at a good pace and never lagged. Every round, all the players had something to do so the game always had their attention. 

Thanks for reading! :)