Because of the mandates to stay at home during the current pandemic, Jamie and I have been using video calls on platforms like Zoom to meet up and chat with friends, to do church, and more. But games are my thing – my favorite way to hang out and have fun. So what am I to do when I want to play games with friends but I can’t meet them around a table? At first I just ignored this question and sulked. But I saw that someone had mentioned on BGG that games needed to be designed to be played over a video call. I had a random idea for that, and I decided to take on the challenge. Could I design a complete game that could easily be played over Zoom? I began making my game. And what I had in front of me was kind of cool ... but pretty complicated. Then I found out about a design contest hosted by a YouTuber named Edo (“Gaming with Edo”). He was opening it for submissions soon (this was back in April). And he was looking for games that could be learned and played easily, that had some theme of adventure or fun. My game’s theme was a fun, adventuring theme. I just needed to simplify the rules a little. That provided a good impetus for me to work on the game, with a framework and a deadline. So I finished and submitted my game ... Tomb Looters: Live!
I didn't end up winning the contest. But I’m very happy with the results -- especially with an update I made after the contest ended. If you want to print and play it here, the download links, followed by an overview of what you’re getting:
Tomb Looters: Live! is a treasure hunting push-your-luck game set in a livecast reality show in a slightly alternate universe. In your modern-day alternate reality, the “ancient world,” with its incredible wonders (and mystical powers), lasted much longer than the world we know. You still have modern technologies, like media in the form of live-streaming web series. And you recently auditioned for one – a new competition reality show called Tomb Looters. You were accepted as one of the contestants! To score a spot on the show, you only had to agree to sell your soul to the producers. More accurately, you put your soul “on loan.” It’s currently secured inside a mobile golem that can follow you around in the catacombs, like a walking safe to hold your treasures. And no need to worry, these golems are from the GLM™ line and equipped with enough curses and jinxes to off-put any would-be pickpockets. Tomb Looters will be live-streamed on location from a series of catacombs previously unexplored. (Many such places remain in your world.) These tombs are thought to hold a plentitude of ancient treasures that could earn you a fortune! But to up the stakes, the producers have rigged a series of demolition charges and given some control of them to the contestants. Will you thwart your opponents and make it out with the most treasure ... or get trapped under rubble for the next millennium? The game plays in 20-45 mins., 2-4 players, ages 12+.
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