Daniel Solis

I wanted to share some new revisions to Espionage [Prototype C] that developed after testing with a completely new game design group last week. I've tested this about fifteen times with different groups so far. The game is much faster and might fix one of the less fun elements of Liar's Dice. Read on! Additions: Each player should have a "Safehouse" card, with a day side and a night side. (In playtests, we just used magic cards.) All Safehouses begin each round at the day side. In the center of the play area, there should be nine "Report" cards, each with one attribute a spy may have. (So, a card with NYC, a card with HACKER, and so on.) Revised Goal: Your goal is to put all of your contacts into your Safehouse. In doing so, you get less information the closer you are to winning, so there is a nice elegant catch-up mechanic baked right into the goal. There is no longer a point-based victory condition, it's just a race to shed your hand. ...

This game has been long in-development and kept offline longer than usual, but I think it's finally ready for public playtesting. It's best described as a Gamer's version of Liars' Dice, but with cards instead of dice. It lifts the hot potato elements from Kakerlakenpoker and mashes them all up with a spy theme. [[ DOWNLOAD ]] THE THEME You are a spy tracker. Employed by your secretive organization, it’s your job to monitor the espionage activity across the world. Keep your sources active, as they’re your best tool for deducing which global actors are in play. THE GOAL This is a game of bluffing and deduction. Be the first player to score three points or to be the last player with active Sources. GAME COMPONENTS Each card in the game depicts a spy who is either a Face, Hacker, or Muscle; working for either Agency, Bureau, or Command; in either New York City, London, or Moscow. There are nine of each attribute throughout the deck. Each spy is a unique c...

This morning I woke up with a pretty killer playtest hangover. It's that mixed feeling of excitement, self-doubt, enthusiasm and despair after a playtest with less than steller results. In this particular case, I playtested Monsoon Market [Prototype B] and Espionage [Prototype E]. Monsoon Market went pretty well, with positive response from the small sample size and only some minor streamlining changes to the core gameplay.  I'm eager to test this again with different groups to get a more well-rounded sense of direction. Espionage remains a cypher, as microgames tend to be. A good microgame is a sharp, multifaceted jewel. Alas, Espionage is still a rough lump of ore. Tactics were unclear, overall goals were muddled, and I was perhaps too eager about making it a six player game.  Playtests offered a lot of ideas though, which is very helpful. Once I've had a chance to polish off the rough spots again, I think I'll go public with Prototype F. Games Need Sun to ...