Unpub 3View: Dungeon Crawl
BludleAs we get closer to Unpub 3, we’re previewing some of the games coming to the show.
One of the things that surprises me the most, the deeper I get into game design I continue to discover that more people around me are involved as well. It's kind of freaky some days.
Today's Unpub 3View is of a game designed by a high school friend of mine, Matthew Snouffer. He messaged me on Facebook because he thought I could help and it turns out because of Unpub 3, I am in a unique position to do that.
Matt's game is called Dungeon Crawl for now and has been going through play-testing for some time. You can figure out by the name what type of game it is, but to be more specific and clear, Dungeon Crawl is a card-based dungeon crawling board game which was inspired by Matt's love of pen and paper RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder.
Let's hear some more of what Matt has to say about Dungeon Crawl in our Unpub 3View Survey...
What is your favorite part of Dungeon Crawl? The way that the location modifier cards create fun situations, interesting combinations, and change the game with every play through.
To your knowledge, what do other people find most interesting about Dungeon Crawl? My play-testers have said that they liked how it had the feel of an RPG without needing a 400 page rule book. They also seem to really like the diplomacy required for the competitive-but-cooperative aspect of the game and that, even though everyone has the same goal, each player is very free to decide what strategy that they are going to use to get there.
What has been the most challenging part of designing Dungeon Crawl? Pacing. The game is a bit long, so keeping everyone involved the whole time has been challenging.
What advice would you give to players attempting Dungeon Crawl for the first time? Each character has strengths and weaknesses. Figure out what your character is good at and play to your strengths.
What has surprised you most in play-tests of Dungeon Crawl? How positive the feedback was, especially from players who were reluctant to try the game.
People who like_____will like Dungeon Crawl. Why? People who like RPGs are going to feel instantly at home in the theme and feel of the game. People who like games like Call of Cthulhu will enjoy the distinct characters working together parts of the game. People who liked either Munchkin or the D&D brand board games, but wished that they were a little more fleshed out, will really find that here as well. Lastly, people who like Runebound, but wish the characters were more distinct or don't like the tedium of overland movement will like Dungeon Crawl.
Tell us anything else you want to say about Dungeon Crawl that I haven't asked or you haven't said already. As a designer, it can become very tedious to play-test the same game and mechanics over and over to get them right. With Dungeon Crawl, I never got that. I've had fun playing this game every time I've played it, whether I've won or lost. Also, my testers keep coming back, week after week, to play it again, so I must be doing something right.
Check out the Dungeon Crawl page here on Unpub.net!
