NaGaDeMon 2017 #5 - Getting the Imagery Right

The structure of this game is pretty strict, but everything I've looked at in the genre is very procedural so I'm pretty happy with that. "Procedural" is also in my wheelhouse when it comes to game design, but it can make the nuances of the game difficult to see until an actual session of play is experienced.

I've been aware of the genre for a while, but nothing much had really hooked me until I played it in Moree, surrounded by flat plains as far as the eye can see, a fortnight ago with non-gamers.



So I needed a hook to get me playing, and I suspect other gamers might need a decent hook as well. On the other hand, if a player is familiar with the genre, they'll be aware that there are already dozens of similar games on the market clamouring for their attention.

So I need some good imagery to draw people in. For most cards I'll be looking at something relatively plain, but with an evocative border. For the main images, the neo-noir sees me tossing up between film stock with grainy monochrome images of the characters, or a pulp-paperback look.

I'll throw together a couple of mock-ups and see what sticks.



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