One of the challenges of game design is knowing when to stop designing. Sad to say, some designs are just dead ends. It’s better to shove them into a well-labeled box somewhere, take a day to clear your mind, and start over from scratch.
That’s where I’m at with the “Alfred Packer Cannibal Card Game” I’ve been poking at for the past few weeks. While I like the original “auction game with a twist” concept, when I sat down to actually prototype that game, it wasn’t… good. Or fun. Worst of all, it was boring.
So I’m throwing it out, burning it down, and starting over. I’ve got a new angle on the design that seems to be working so far, but it’s too soon to say more than that. I don’t want to jinx it.
And besides… I need time to find a real title for this game. The “Alfred Packer Cannibal Card Game” is fine for a working title, but a marketing person would set himself on fire before trying to sell anything with such a crazy name.
