Corporate Sharks Update #1

So Corporate Sharks is getting closer and closer to complete so I decided to start documenting the progress.

Alright so for Corporate Sharks, you're jumping in a little late in the game (Never pardon me for a pun). It's been about 5 years that I've been working on this game from an idea I had about wooden "Road" pieces being inserted into wooden cylinders, This game has blossomed into something that has put my gaming skills, creativity and graphic design abilities to the test. I've created, playtested, adjusted, playtested, playtested, playtested, playtested to death!

Above everything else I've learned in this process if that there is always room for improvement. If I hadn't improved that first idea for a game, well, honestly, it would never have become an actual game. I took an idea for a game, tried different mechanics and ideas to make it into a game. Eventually a game started to form around a bunch of ideas and from there I found I had to take it further.

After developing mechanics to use to place those "road pieces" and trying to fit my storyline into the pieces, I found that I couldn't. I couldn't find a way to merge the story of developing these "cities" by adding wood pieces into an exciting game with a story players could get excited about.

Finally I broke down and branched my game out into the endless possibilities that it could be by adding art, cards, unique pieces, or just old fashioned Chance.

I started by adding some cards. Which turned into some decks. Which added art. Which lead to a great theme. Eventually it coalesced into my first prototype printed through TheGameCrafter.com. I was thrilled about it! My friends (Playtesters) were not. The biggest flaw with the game is that it had no end!

It did of course have an end. It was just an end that could only be reached if one player started the game with a distinctive early advantage. I worked so hard to balance the game that I had inadvertently eliminated the ability to end the game.

I tried so hard to make that game playable that I fail to realize that there was a better game that it could be. Until none of my friends were willing to play the same game again.

That's when I realized it needed to go through some hard changes.

Turn it next time for the next step of the journey into creating Corporate Sharks!