Last year I started drafting a board game (currently a "card" game with chits) for college football. The simulation mechanics are pretty solid. You roll 3 dice and the sum tells you who wins a game. Different teams have in-built scheduling advantages for making the post-season (ex. a 2-loss Alabama will rank higher than an undefeated Liberty). You can play all-133, a quick-start version, or blitz through the season with a single conference. I'm also exploring a random-mode.

BUT, a board "game" should be more than a simulation if you want non-psychopaths to play it more than once. What type of decisions should the players/observers of this simulation make? Decisions (with their cost/benefit analysis) have the potential for making the game a "game" and not just a simulation.

First thought is that the players are TV execs making decisions on which games to air on their networks and which teams to build story-lines for. Close/exciting games earn VPs. Narratives that lead to postseason play (ie. playoffs) net more VP. Maybe TV networks can anoint certain over-performing teams with a "Heisman Hopeful" card, influencing team performance (it shouldn't 'only' be a detached simulation).

It simulates a single season so I don't think players will be making realignment or scheduling decisions... though that would be cool. I'm also not sure team-specific decisions can be made, though maybe there could be a "Head Coach" mode, where 1 player is Alabama and the other is Ohio State and they make decisions that impact their teams' performance.

Not sure. Any outside-the-box (or inside, because my brain is not too creative) ideas are welcome. If you want to be bored with simulation details, I'd be only too eager to unload.

My first thought was to make the game players head coaches of the schools they play. They're in charge of recruiting, NIL, game decisions, offensive/defensive schemes, etc. May be too difficult to simulate with any accuracy, though.

(11-13-2023 10:15 AM)tf8693 Wrote:  My first thought was to make the game players head coaches of the schools they play. They're in charge of recruiting, NIL, game decisions, offensive/defensive schemes, etc. May be too difficult to simulate with any accuracy, though.

A few years ago I did a play-calling game. You have a limited number of “plays” and you want to be strategic about when you use them, to avoid a turnover on downs or score a touchdown. My 6yo was excited for about a week, but the index cards it was written on couldn’t compete with the other entertainment he has available (and I only ever made 2 teams).

This idea is to sim FBS all at once. Perhaps my next one will be an AD/HC sim; you listed some exciting decisions that game could have. I think Matt Brown (the reporter) made that type of game this past year; it may be browser based.

Hey Crayton I am huge boardgamer and I'd love to share my thoughts on your idea. I love the idea of simulating the narrative of season in a board game. You could even make a legacy game chaining seasons together.
Objective:
I think you were right to view it as the players being broadcasters. Each turn could simulate a week of games to broadcast. Players would bid cash against eachother to broadcast matchups.
Matchups are represented by a pairing of cards, with each card representing a school and each school having attributes of conference ( suit) fanbase size and fanbase affluence. Cards are separated by conference( Suit), each deck shuffled, dealt out in pairs, with a set number of non conference games a week. During the week most games are conference games( same suit) so players can spend to be first pick out of the each (suit). Players can even pay to add divisions to create more favorable matchups. The result is that players become more invested in different conferences as the game goes on. Each player would have a set number of broadcast windows to fill. Once all the games had been bid on for the week, the games are simulated ,and cash is earned based on game outcome(favorite wins, upset close win, blowout), viewing window( best windows get a multiplier), and teams participating(affluence and size combined) . Repeat for each week until the end of the season. At the end of the season the player with the most money wins.

Extra spice
I think after all windows are filled, maybe each player is given a hand of event card that could impact the games. some ideas:
Hurricane: choice a game on your viewing windows and an opponents viewing window to not be scored
Rock star coach: double a games potential earning

You could have modifiers for national championship contenders if that could add value for teams that keep winning.

Making exclusive agreements (first pick, second ect) only stand as long as the player was the last to pay for that right and once that amount is exceeded the other player gains that right.

Conference championship round and national championship round could even be added to being a nice conclusion to the game.

How could I forget the potential for conference realignment. Pay enough and you can move a school to a different suit.

Game Title: Greatest Story Ever Sold

I legitimately think this is an excellent idea and would love to work with you on it.

(11-13-2023 06:12 AM)Crayton Wrote:  Last year I started drafting a board game (currently a "card" game with chits) for college football. The simulation mechanics are pretty solid. You roll 3 dice and the sum tells you who wins a game. Different teams have in-built scheduling advantages for making the post-season (ex. a 2-loss Alabama will rank higher than an undefeated Liberty). You can play all-133, a quick-start version, or blitz through the season with a single conference. I'm also exploring a random-mode.

BUT, a board "game" should be more than a simulation if you want non-psychopaths to play it more than once. What type of decisions should the players/observers of this simulation make? Decisions (with their cost/benefit analysis) have the potential for making the game a "game" and not just a simulation.

First thought is that the players are TV execs making decisions on which games to air on their networks and which teams to build story-lines for. Close/exciting games earn VPs. Narratives that lead to postseason play (ie. playoffs) net more VP. Maybe TV networks can anoint certain over-performing teams with a "Heisman Hopeful" card, influencing team performance (it shouldn't 'only' be a detached simulation).

It simulates a single season so I don't think players will be making realignment or scheduling decisions... though that would be cool. I'm also not sure team-specific decisions can be made, though maybe there could be a "Head Coach" mode, where 1 player is Alabama and the other is Ohio State and they make decisions that impact their teams' performance.

Not sure. Any outside-the-box (or inside, because my brain is not too creative) ideas are welcome. If you want to be bored with simulation details, I'd be only too eager to unload.

Get a a community chest card where you get a RB in the transfer portal that increases your winning chances.
And of course random injuries.

If you want to stretch out an individual game, you can roll the dice for each quarter. I would do that when I was in elementary and maybe in junior high. I even set up imaginary leagues and played the whole schedule. I had a die with a 0, 1, two 2s and two 3s. You could simulate the same thing with regular real dice. Without getting into detail, basically you rolled 0 to 6 regular for your points for the quarter, but you had to roll a football score (which I defined as 2,3,6,7,10,13,14,17,20,21,23,24,27,28,30,31,34,35-only allowed 1 missed XP or 2 FGs a quarter).

For an individual head-to-head game that’s strictly a football game itself, we have the NFL Game Day board game which is actually fairly sophisticated in terms of how it deals with play calling, penalties, special teams, etc. If you haven’t seen it before, be sure to look it up (as the rules are a bit too much to describe succinctly here).

That being said, I think you’re describing is more of a board game that incorporates a full season like on the old (and hopefully soon to be resurrected) EA Sports NCAA Football game.

My thoughts go in couple of directions. One is that this concept seems suited to a Pokémon-type card game where you collect cards to form a team and/or collect “ammunition” (in this football case it might be a trick play or power boost for a player) and then deploy them when needed when you need a certain power. (I was never a Pokémon player, but I get the concept.) Now, the thing with Pokémon is that it’s not a “single box” game as it depends on different players bringing their own collections of cards.

So, one variation that is a single box game is the “5 Minute” series of games if you’ve played them. We have the 5 Minute Marvel board game that features Marvel characters, for instance. This is a game where everyone is all playing together on the same side and picks a character that has certain defined powers and weaknesses, so they have advantages and disadvantages in certain situations. Each person also holds cards that have actions and there’s a draw pile of more action cards that you go through during the game. There is a stack of cards that consists of villains or threats and the object is to defeat each villain/threat (each one of which requires a different set of powers and actions to defeat) in order until you get to the boss villain each round (which requires the most powers and actions to defeat). Once you pass that round, you do it again and then face an even tougher boss villain. The 5 Minute aspect is that there’s a timer and you need to do each round in 5 minutes.

Applying this to a football context, each “villain” could instead be the opponent for the week or even each boss could be the opponent for the week, leading up to the “super boss villain” that is the national championship opponent, The 5 minute timer concept might be removed to make it more strategic as opposed to being based on speed (although the 5 minute timer does force you to think more quickly on your feet that is more like what you’d need to do in a real football game).

That’s just thinking off the top of my head.

I’m also a big board gamer and I’ve been toying with a college football game as well.

My idea would be to have each player serve as a conference commissioner and the objective would be to build the strongest conference possible. The game would begin with X number of programs available for bid and in essence a draft for each player to determine 6 programs to begin with. (I’m thinking maybe 100 credits available for each player to use in the auction)

Obviously, certain programs would be worth more than others but there would be bonuses for bringing rivalries under your umbrella, gaining markets, and dominating the media in a region.

The overall all value of your league would determine how strong a media deal you could attain and those media dollars would be your in game currency to use to buy and activate cards that could be used to enhance programs in your league, and gain influence to attract more teams to your league.

I’d throw in an academic factor too. Prestigious schools make it easier to recruit other prestigious schools but it could backfire—get too elite and you lose the ability to bring in schools outside the AAU. (In essence, the Stanford veto).

I think most board games outside of ones dependent on preexisting knowledge (e.g. trivia, vocab games, variations of charades, etc.) need a baseline level of randomness and luck or else it isn’t an even playing field for all players. For instance, the sole purpose of the game of Life is to end up with the most money at the end. If you just allowed everyone to choose their profession, they would all rationally choose Medical Doctor because that’s the highest paying profession in the game. So, the only way to make it fair is that the profession that you receive in Life is based on random luck.

Similarly, it would seem that if you can just *choose* an inherently better Alabama/Ohio State-type team, you’d run into the same issue. I kind of like the idea of a snake draft of teams and/or players or Fighting Muskie’s auction draft. A core element of a board game is that everyone needs to feel like they’re starting on an even playing field.

(11-13-2023 04:43 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  I’m also a big board gamer and I’ve been toying with a college football game as well.

My idea would be to have each player serve as a conference commissioner and the objective would be to build the strongest conference possible. The game would begin with X number of programs available for bid and in essence a draft for each player to determine 6 programs to begin with. (I’m thinking maybe 100 credits available for each player to use in the auction)

Obviously, certain programs would be worth more than others but there would be bonuses for bringing rivalries under your umbrella, gaining markets, and dominating the media in a region.

The overall all value of your league would determine how strong a media deal you could attain and those media dollars would be your in game currency to use to buy and activate cards that could be used to enhance programs in your league, and gain influence to attract more teams to your league.

I’d throw in an academic factor too. Prestigious schools make it easier to recruit other prestigious schools but it could backfire—get too elite and you lose the ability to bring in schools outside the AAU. (In essence, the Stanford veto).

I think you’re effectively describing Risk as applied to college sports (which is how a lot of us would describe conference realignment).

I created a play-calling football game that plays similar to Pursue the Pennant/Dynasty League for baseball, if you are familiar.

The actual game play consists of:
- Player Cards for in-game formations and substitutions (with skill and attribute ratings)
- Offense Cards - play call that allows for variation based on formation/personnel
- Defense Cards - formation and strategy that allows for personnel variation
- Special Teams Cards - formations and play call/strategy
- play outcome Reference Charts
- three 10-sided dice (red, white, blue)
- Field Gameboard with ball and down and distance markers
- Gameplay/Score sheet

The dice roll indicates whether you look at the Offense Card or Special Teams/Kick (0-499) or Defense Card or Special Teams/Return (500-999) to determine the outcome, depending on the chosen formation and personnel, and usually requires you to review an individual player's relevant rating or attribute from the Player Card to determine a positive or negative result. In some instances, you also review the play outcome Reference Charts and the Player Card for one or two players' ratings or attributes and roll one or two dice to determine the ultimate outcome, such as good or poor throw, catch or incompletion, tackle, coverage, yards after contact, key block, etc.

There are 25 Offense Cards, 12 Defense Cards and several Special Teams Cards. I only created rudimentary Player Cards enough for 2 teams, 40-man roster per team, but have over 400 player profiles, enough for 11 teams each with a 40-man roster. 10 regional teams and 1 payday (easy/FCS) team. Each 40-man roster has 22 starters, 7 defense subs, 8 offense subs, kicker, punter.

You can manage rosters, substitutions, and formations in game to maximize results and account for matchups, injuries, fatigue ratings, etc.

I have toyed around with an offseason recruiting addition to the game, but still need to finalize. This includes Team Cards and Coach Cards that outline different strengths and weaknesses and recruiting charts that influence recruiting outcomes based on pitches and dice roll over several "weeks." I am also working on updates to Player Cards/profiles to highlight what a player prioritizes in the recruiting process.

I think you guys would probably like this

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3554...lopes-cash

(11-13-2023 05:14 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(11-13-2023 04:43 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  I’m also a big board gamer and I’ve been toying with a college football game as well.

My idea would be to have each player serve as a conference commissioner and the objective would be to build the strongest conference possible. The game would begin with X number of programs available for bid and in essence a draft for each player to determine 6 programs to begin with. (I’m thinking maybe 100 credits available for each player to use in the auction)

Obviously, certain programs would be worth more than others but there would be bonuses for bringing rivalries under your umbrella, gaining markets, and dominating the media in a region.

The overall all value of your league would determine how strong a media deal you could attain and those media dollars would be your in game currency to use to buy and activate cards that could be used to enhance programs in your league, and gain influence to attract more teams to your league.

I’d throw in an academic factor too. Prestigious schools make it easier to recruit other prestigious schools but it could backfire—get too elite and you lose the ability to bring in schools outside the AAU. (In essence, the Stanford veto).

I think you’re effectively describing Risk as applied to college sports (which is how a lot of us would describe conference realignment).

I’m certainly drawing inspiration from Risk but rather than moving armies into adjacent territories to expand your empire, success or failure would be based upon resources and the execution of cards, more akin to some of specialty Risk games

(11-13-2023 11:30 AM)Crayton Wrote:  

(11-13-2023 10:15 AM)tf8693 Wrote:  My first thought was to make the game players head coaches of the schools they play. They're in charge of recruiting, NIL, game decisions, offensive/defensive schemes, etc. May be too difficult to simulate with any accuracy, though.

A few years ago I did a play-calling game. You have a limited number of “plays” and you want to be strategic about when you use them, to avoid a turnover on downs or score a touchdown. My 6yo was excited for about a week, but the index cards it was written on couldn’t compete with the other entertainment he has available (and I only ever made 2 teams).

This idea is to sim FBS all at once. Perhaps my next one will be an AD/HC sim; you listed some exciting decisions that game could have. I think Matt Brown (the reporter) made that type of game this past year; it may be browser based.

Sim FBS all at once...well, lets look at this from an ESPN, FOX, CBS, CW, NBC, FloSports, and/or Learfield ( radio) angle:

Decide which conferences you want to sign up for the season: ESPN & FOX are allowed the most $$'s, then Learfield, CBS, etc. Make each contract year for year, but make each conference like monopoly properties:
.ex: SEC & B1G have highest $$ contracts, C-USA & MAC have the lowest. Community chest would be like all of the different awards that college football hands out (Heisman & Davy O'Brien). Not sure how bowls & the CFP would fit in, but they have to be in there also, IMO.

Muskie: take out the academic component and I like your idea.

Wow! Lots of ideas and resources here. Taking it all in has helped me to let go of some of the stuffier ideas I had and embrace some of these more-fun/exciting game play mechanics.

I almost wonder if there'd be a way to start with a base game similar to Muskie's idea, but then have expansion games that allow players to go even more in-depth in different ways, like one allows players to actually play out a season or more, another allows them to go more in-depth with recruiting, & so on. Thinking like Settlers of Catan & others that have expansions that add to the main game.

(11-13-2023 12:29 PM)LeeNobody Wrote:  Hey Crayton I am huge boardgamer and I'd love to share my thoughts on your idea. I love the idea of simulating the narrative of season in a board game. You could even make a legacy game chaining seasons together.

I hadn't even thought of a Legacy game! That may be a next step. Step #1 make a generational board game classic like Risk or Catan or Pandemic. Step #2, turn it into a Legacy game. haha

I did have the thought that each year the next "season" could be packaged and sold separate. Not unlike Madden.

(11-13-2023 12:29 PM)LeeNobody Wrote:  Objective:
I think you were right to view it as the players being broadcasters. Each turn could simulate a week of games to broadcast. Players would bid cash against eachother to broadcast matchups.
Matchups are represented by a pairing of cards, with each card representing a school and each school having attributes of conference ( suit) fanbase size and fanbase affluence. Cards are separated by conference( Suit), each deck shuffled, dealt out in pairs, with a set number of non conference games a week. During the week most games are conference games( same suit) so players can spend to be first pick out of the each (suit). Players can even pay to add divisions to create more favorable matchups. The result is that players become more invested in different conferences as the game goes on. Each player would have a set number of broadcast windows to fill. Once all the games had been bid on for the week, the games are simulated ,and cash is earned based on game outcome(favorite wins, upset close win, blowout), viewing window( best windows get a multiplier), and teams participating(affluence and size combined) . Repeat for each week until the end of the season. At the end of the season the player with the most money wins.

Yes. My basic idea is 133 cards that can be paired. Right now they have the real schedule written on them. I have been exploring randomized schedules, but mostly with a single super conference worth of teams (to be able to rotate the matchups each week).

I like the idea of bidding on games. You get cash and/or VP for certain outcomes. I want there to be some sort of payout if you air teams that make the playoff. To get players invested in certain conferences maybe you can simultaneously bid on games as well as conference packages. If you land the SEC package you have the right to deny someone who wants to air Missouri-LSU... as long as you have the slot to air it yourself.

Maybe ~2 packages are available in a given week (shuffle conference rights and various bowls and postseason games as other packages you could bid on), and so there can be a strategic decision to spend cash to either outbid your opponent who wants to pick up the #1 First Round Playoff Game or use your movement point to shift a game this week to Thursday Night to pick up a little extra ad money from a new TV slot.

(11-13-2023 12:29 PM)LeeNobody Wrote:  Extra spice
I think after all windows are filled, maybe each player is given a hand of event card that could impact the games. some ideas:
Hurricane: choice a game on your viewing windows and an opponents viewing window to not be scored
Rock star coach: double a games potential earning

You could have modifiers for national championship contenders if that could add value for teams that keep winning.

This is where the flavor comes in. Event cards! Make this not a dry bidding game, but make players feel like they are living through a college football season.

I was even thinking "scandal, lose your head coach" Heisman contender is another. I did not think of Rock Star Coach, something like Deion this year. For deeper strategy, make these "stories" you can spend cash to investigate and report on. I think that would require cash to be separate from VP; cash is there to be spent and to make more cash, but ultimately VPs (victory points, "Fan Memories"?) are what gives you a win in the game. What other media narratives do ESPN, FOX, et al use to drive the college football season forward?

(11-13-2023 12:29 PM)LeeNobody Wrote:  Making exclusive agreements (first pick, second ect) only stand as long as the player was the last to pay for that right and once that amount is exceeded the other player gains that right.

Conference championship round and national championship round could even be added to being a nice conclusion to the game.

How could I forget the potential for conference realignment. Pay enough and you can move a school to a different suit.

Game Title: Greatest Story Ever Sold

I legitimately think this is an excellent idea and would love to work with you on it.

Thanks. My next step is mocking up all 133 teams and play-testing the season a bit to slim that down to a quick-start model. [ex. You don't need to sim Eastern Michigan unless (a) you want to, or (b) they upset Minnesota in Week 2.]

If the nuts and bolts of a regular season can be simmed in 15 minutes (fast), my next step would be to add the player choices (tv rights + event cards + choose games to air) and try to play-test with my son.

I'd say realignment is out of scope for a game that goes from September to December, but that hasn't stopped real life realignment news. Could definitely be some sort of event card.

Make it identical to Monopoly.

(11-14-2023 10:18 PM)Crayton Wrote:  

(11-13-2023 12:29 PM)LeeNobody Wrote:  Hey Crayton I am huge boardgamer and I'd love to share my thoughts on your idea. I love the idea of simulating the narrative of season in a board game. You could even make a legacy game chaining seasons together.

I hadn't even thought of a Legacy game! That may be a next step. Step #1 make a generational board game classic like Risk or Catan or Pandemic. Step #2, turn it into a Legacy game. haha

I did have the thought that each year the next "season" could be packaged and sold separate. Not unlike Madden.

(11-13-2023 12:29 PM)LeeNobody Wrote:  Objective:
I think you were right to view it as the players being broadcasters. Each turn could simulate a week of games to broadcast. Players would bid cash against eachother to broadcast matchups.
Matchups are represented by a pairing of cards, with each card representing a school and each school having attributes of conference ( suit) fanbase size and fanbase affluence. Cards are separated by conference( Suit), each deck shuffled, dealt out in pairs, with a set number of non conference games a week. During the week most games are conference games( same suit) so players can spend to be first pick out of the each (suit). Players can even pay to add divisions to create more favorable matchups. The result is that players become more invested in different conferences as the game goes on. Each player would have a set number of broadcast windows to fill. Once all the games had been bid on for the week, the games are simulated ,and cash is earned based on game outcome(favorite wins, upset close win, blowout), viewing window( best windows get a multiplier), and teams participating(affluence and size combined) . Repeat for each week until the end of the season. At the end of the season the player with the most money wins.

Yes. My basic idea is 133 cards that can be paired. Right now they have the real schedule written on them. I have been exploring randomized schedules, but mostly with a single super conference worth of teams (to be able to rotate the matchups each week).

I like the idea of bidding on games. You get cash and/or VP for certain outcomes. I want there to be some sort of payout if you air teams that make the playoff. To get players invested in certain conferences maybe you can simultaneously bid on games as well as conference packages. If you land the SEC package you have the right to deny someone who wants to air Missouri-LSU... as long as you have the slot to air it yourself.

Maybe ~2 packages are available in a given week (shuffle conference rights and various bowls and postseason games as other packages you could bid on), and so there can be a strategic decision to spend cash to either outbid your opponent who wants to pick up the #1 First Round Playoff Game or use your movement point to shift a game this week to Thursday Night to pick up a little extra ad money from a new TV slot.

(11-13-2023 12:29 PM)LeeNobody Wrote:  Extra spice
I think after all windows are filled, maybe each player is given a hand of event card that could impact the games. some ideas:
Hurricane: choice a game on your viewing windows and an opponents viewing window to not be scored
Rock star coach: double a games potential earning

You could have modifiers for national championship contenders if that could add value for teams that keep winning.

This is where the flavor comes in. Event cards! Make this not a dry bidding game, but make players feel like they are living through a college football season.

I was even thinking "scandal, lose your head coach" Heisman contender is another. I did not think of Rock Star Coach, something like Deion this year. For deeper strategy, make these "stories" you can spend cash to investigate and report on. I think that would require cash to be separate from VP; cash is there to be spent and to make more cash, but ultimately VPs (victory points, "Fan Memories"?) are what gives you a win in the game. What other media narratives do ESPN, FOX, et al use to drive the college football season forward?

(11-13-2023 12:29 PM)LeeNobody Wrote:  Making exclusive agreements (first pick, second ect) only stand as long as the player was the last to pay for that right and once that amount is exceeded the other player gains that right.

Conference championship round and national championship round could even be added to being a nice conclusion to the game.

How could I forget the potential for conference realignment. Pay enough and you can move a school to a different suit.

Game Title: Greatest Story Ever Sold

I legitimately think this is an excellent idea and would love to work with you on it.

Thanks. My next step is mocking up all 133 teams and play-testing the season a bit to slim that down to a quick-start model. [ex. You don't need to sim Eastern Michigan unless (a) you want to, or (b) they upset Minnesota in Week 2.]

If the nuts and bolts of a regular season can be simmed in 15 minutes (fast), my next step would be to add the player choices (tv rights + event cards + choose games to air) and try to play-test with my son.

I'd say realignment is out of scope for a game that goes from September to December, but that hasn't stopped real life realignment news. Could definitely be some sort of event card.

Crayton this idea has been burrowing into my mind. I have clever ideas about resolving a weeks worth of games with the roll of a few dice.

I agree that realignment would be out side the scope of the season but could be a bidding war with the money paid into each conference during the season used to bid on teams based on the TV network that put the most money into the conference during the last season! This is the legacy element