My latest creative challenge for myself is to design a board game that uses only cards. (Yes, even a card game can be called a “board game”.) For one reason or another, all of my previous games end up with hex tiles, bags full of pieces, or even dice. This time I wanted to keep it really simple, while still providing interesting and strategic play.
During our recent trip to Costa Maya and the Mayan ruins at Chacchoben, I had the stirrings of an idea for a Mayan-themed game. I decided to call it Itzan, the name of an ancient Mayan city in the jungles of Guatemala. I worked on the rules and mechanics on the airplane trip home, and finally sat down to design the cards. With the help of my trusty AI art software, even the first prototype can look pretty good when it rolls out of the laser printer on my desk!
Now that I have all the cards ready, and the rules bouncing around my head, it’s time to sit down and play a game against myself.
This is always an interesting moment… it’ll determine whether this idea has potential, or if it’s destined for the trash. Wish me luck…