Designer Diary: Clips
The world of collaborative games with asymmetrical information has always captivated designers and players alike. The allure of simple rules combined with high replayability and diverse player perspectives creates an engaging experience. Cards often serve as an effective medium for these designs, particularly when paired with an intuitive communication system. This led to the inception of Clips, a game born out of a desire to innovate the way clues are communicated.
The Base Flow
The essence of Clips is straightforward: it’s a collaborative card game where players cannot see their own cards, rely on hints from others using clothespins, and must play a card on each turn. The act of clipping offers several distinct advantages:
- Rapid addition and removal of information
- Symmetrical, dual-sided readability of clothespins
- Limited information conveyed through simple, varied clips
- Shared pool of clips fosters collective management
This design choice opens up new possibilities by allowing clips to convey partial information, transforming the clipping gesture into a central gameplay mechanic.
Information
The next challenge was determining the type of information the cards should convey. Simplicity was key, as complexity arises not from the components themselves but from their interactions. Traditionally, colors, symbols, and numbers serve this purpose well. However, the aim was to create something that naturally aligned with the clipping concept while keeping players uncertain about their own cards. The solution emerged in the form of bicolor cards.
Bicolor cards maintain a level of ambiguity, enabling players to deduce possibilities without arriving at absolute certainty. This approach allows for strategic gameplay while retaining an element of suspense.
The Theme and Initial Reactions
The thematic inspiration for Clips stemmed from the act of clipping colored clothespins to vertical cards, which naturally suggested the concept of tissues. This theme resonated well during testing, where players were drawn to the unique visual and tactile elements of the game. Observers in casual settings, such as bars and beaches, were often intrigued by the sight of clothespins on cards, prompting them to inquire about the game.
The Quest for Elegance
As development progressed, the focus shifted toward refining the core experience. The team frequently revisited the game’s structure, questioning the necessity of distinct categories of information. Ultimately, colors emerged as the pivotal element, leading to the decision to express numerical values through the number of clips used on each card. This streamlined approach retained the partial information concept while enhancing thematic coherence.
Presenting Clips to Piatnik
A pivotal moment in the game’s development came during the presentation to Piatnik. The connection with the publisher and their understanding of the game’s potential solidified the partnership. The focus shifted from rules to the player experience, highlighting how the act of clipping could shape interactions. Piatnik embraced the challenge of producing clothespins, recognizing the game’s unique appeal.
Building the Levels
Creating various difficulty levels became essential, balancing accessibility for new players with depth for seasoned ones. Extensive playtesting revealed insights into maintaining engagement throughout multiple sessions, while collaboration with the publisher ensured a well-paced progression that catered to both new and returning players.
Discussing the Theme
The theme remained a topic of exploration throughout development. Various concepts were tested, including:
- Morocolors: Players as dyers in Morocco delivering colorful tissues.
- Gnomes stealing socks: Clips marking which socks to steal for gnomes.
- Naughty sheep falling into color cans: A humorous take on sheep getting covered in paint.
- Actors changing backstage: Clips tracking quick costume changes in the dark.
- Tuscan flag throwers: Clips suggesting flags to throw during performances.
Ultimately, the decision was made to retain the tissue theme for its clarity, coherence, and flexibility, leading to the straightforward title: Clips.
Conclusion
Reflecting on the journey of Clips, the project remained anchored to its initial goal: to discover the minimal elements required to create a meaningful asymmetrical information game that appeals across skill levels. With a simple gesture and vibrant tokens, players can establish their communication systems and enhance their gameplay experience. The next step is to bring the game to the table and observe the players’ reactions.
Via BoardGameGeek Blog
