Final game being played in TableTop Simulator
For the Love of Crabs
(University Project)
For this project my team was tasked with creating a virtual board game in TableTop Simulator. We were assigned three specific constraints:
1. The game must be 1v1v1v1.
2. The main game dynamic must be deck building.
3. The core mechanic needed to somehow involve romance.
My Role
- Development of game idea, rules and play-testing
- Illustration of game board, in-game coin pieces, location cards and rule book.
Final game board layout
Final Game Design
My team and I decided to take the core mechanic of romance in a unique and unexpected direction creating a game that revolved around hermit crabs collecting items to attract a visiting mystery mate. Over the course of three in-game "days" players battle against each other as hermit crabs, traveling to different locations around the ocean floor and fighting to collect the best hand of items.
At each new area players collect location specific items and hint cards. Hint cards tell the player a little about the mystery mate and what type of items would best attract them. Players also collect cards that allow them to steal items from other players, win fights and travel to multiple locations on their turn.
The winner is determined at the end of the three days. Players decide on the best hand to present to the mate and the mystery mate card and their item preferences are revealed. The player with the best hand and highest point score (each item the mate likes/dislikes adds or subtracts from their item score) wins the game and the heart of the mate.
Coins are flipped to help players keep track of passing in-game days
Pearl item card example
Hint card examples
Mystery mate card example
Back design of location cards
Hermit crab designs for player pieces
Page from in-game rule book
Excerpt from play testing report
Challenges and Reflection
This assignment was set during the COVID19 pandemic and all classes were held remotely over zoom. As such, all team brainstorming, game iteration and play testing had to be done remotely. This made it difficult at times to complete play-testing and evaluations of how well our game mechanics were working.
Creating a deck building game also ended up being much more difficult than I had expected and it was challenging to create a game that wasn't too complicated for first time players, whilst also remaining interesting enough to be replayed by the same people multiple times.
Initial sketch of board layout
Development of deck building dynamic in TableTop Simulator
Iteration of card spaces on board
Special thanks to Alyssa and Tyler for all of your help with this project!