GO GO ACKMAN JUMPPLAT BOARD GAME: DESIGN DOCUMENT v8

 

GAME CHOICE

‘Go Go Ackman’

 

WHY I HAVE CHOSEN IT

 

It is an obscure platform game on the SNES that was only released in Japan. While I would not typically play it (the only easy way to play it is via emulators and I no longer do that kind of thing. It’s also a bit too dark), I have played all the Go Go Ackman games and thus can create a good physical game based on it.

GAMEPLAY MECHANICS

 

The basic core of the Go Go Ackman games is very simple: You play as a human demon and must defeat the angels that stand in your way.

 

The first game (the one I’m basing my physical game on) had you progressing through each platform based level and defeating a boss at the end. You must jump pits and defeat the enemies in your way.

 

How do I intend to replicate that?

 

By making a board game in which the player rolls the dice to determine how far through the level he/she goes and whether or not he/she encounters an angel (enemy), a boss (enemy) or a pit.

 

The game uses card game elements for each of the ‘Pit’, ‘Angel’ and ‘Boss’ squares the player lands on in the board. There will also be a second player who controls the game’s enemies and operates the pits.

 

THE EMOTIONS I INTEND TO REPLICATE

 

I want to replicate the feeling of defeating angels and playing through generic platform game levels and defeating a boss at the end (which would be a character from the Go Go Ackman video game). I intend to achieve this by having pits and enemies positioned throughout the game.

 

ARRANGING THE PLAYTESTS

 

I met with my Mother and playtested the game with her, taking notes of any problems that occured during gameplay.

 

I also did this with Steve Harris, my lecturer.

 

RULES:

 

1): There are 3 boards, each being a ‘level’. The boards get longer with each level.

 

There are two players in the game: the ‘Ackman’ player and the ‘Enemy’ player.

 

The Ackman player starts with 10 lives. If the Ackman player looses all 10 lives, it’s the end of the game.

 

The Enemy player must stop the Ackman player from winning.

 

Before the game begins, the ‘Ackman player must shuffle his/her ‘Ackman Deck’ and ‘Jump Deck‘. The Enemy player must shuffle his/her ‘Angel Deck’, ‘Boss Deck’ and ‘Pit Deck’.

 

One of the players must also have some pen and paper handy.

 

Both players must place their decks outside the board, back facing up.

 

Boss Decks vary from level to level and only the correct deck of boss cards can be used for a specific stage. I.e. there’s ‘Hitman Deck’ (for Stage 1), ‘Girl Deck’ (for Stage 2) and finally ‘Michaela Deck’ for the third and final stage.

 

Each Boss Deck features a boss from the first Go Go Ackman game.

 

2): To begin with, one of the players must write the number 10 on the paper. Every time the Ackman player looses a life, write the next lowest number below the previous number. E.g. If the Ackman player has 10 lives and he/she looses a life, write the number 9 below the number 10.

 

The Ackman player now simply places his/her counter on the first ‘Start’ square (i.e. the start square on the top-left of the board) and rolls a six sided dice.

 

Whatever number the Ackman player gets is the number of squares the Ackman player will advance.

 

3): If the Ackman player lands on a ‘Pit’ square, the Ackman player must draw the top card from the ‘Jump’ deck, and the Enemy player must draw the top card from the ‘Pit’ deck.

 

If the Ackman player draws the ‘Run’ card and the Enemy player draws the ‘Platform’ card, both players must put their cards in their decks’ discard pile (beside the deck) and draw another card.

 

If the Ackman player draws the ‘Run’ card and the Enemy player draws the ‘Pit’ card, the Ackman player looses a life and must place his/her counter back on the last ‘Start’ square he/she was on. Both players also must put their cards in their deck’s discard pile (beside the deck).

 

If the Ackman player draws the ‘Jump’ card and the Enemy player draws the ‘Platform’ card, both players must put their cards in their deck’s discard pile (beside the deck) and draw another card.

 

If the Ackman player draws the ‘Jump’ card and the Enemy player draws the ‘Pit’ card, the Ackman player continues the game and rolls the dice to advance further in the level. Both players also must put their cards in their decks’ discard pile (beside the deck).

 

If both players’ decks have run out, the players must shuffle their decks ready for the next battle.

 

 

4): If the Ackman player lands on an ‘Angel’ square, the Ackman player must draw the top card from the Ackman Deck and the Enemy player must draw the top card from the Angel Deck.

 

The card with the highest number wins.

 

If the Enemy player gets a higher number than the Ackman player, the Ackman player looses a life and must place his/her counter back on the last ‘Start’ square he/she was on.

 

If the Ackman player gets a higher number than the Enemy player, the Ackman player continues the game and rolls the dice to advance further in the level.

 

Whatever happens, players must put the card they drew to their deck’s discard pile (beside the deck).

 

If both players’ decks have run out, the players must shuffle their decks ready for the next battle.

 

5): If the Ackman player lands on a ‘Go to’ square, the Ackman player must go to the start square stated (e.g. if it says ‘Go to Start 1b’, go to the start square marked ‘Start 1b’).

 

If the Ackman player gets past the ‘Go to’ square, he/she is automatically on the ‘Go to’ square.

 

6): If the Ackman player lands on a ‘boss’ square, both players must shuffle their ‘Ackman Deck’ and ‘Boss Deck’. If the Ackman player gets past the ‘Boss’ square, he/she is automatically on the ‘Boss’ square.

 

Now, one of the players must write down ‘Ackman Energy’ and the number ‘4’ below it, and, to the right of the Ackman Energy, ‘Boss Energy’ and the number ‘4’ below it.

 

The Ackman player must now draw the top card in the Ackman Deck and roll a six sided dice.

 

The number on the dice is then added to the number on the card (e.g. Ackman Card ‘Evil Punch’ has a score of 4. If the player rolls a 3, the total number is 7).

 

The Enemy player does the same for his ‘Boss Deck’. The highest number wins.

 

If the Ackman player gets a higher number than the Enemy player, the Ackman player inflicts 1 point of damage to the Boss (subtract 1 from the ‘Boss Energy’ number and write it below the previous number)

 

If the Enemy player gets a higher number than the Ackman player, the Enemy  player inflicts 1 point of damage to the Ackman player (subtract 1 from the ‘Ackman Energy’ number and write it below the previous number).

 

After either the Ackman player or the Enemy player inflicts damage to their opponent, both players must shuffle their decks, draw the top card from their deck and roll the dice again.

 

If Ackman’s Energy goes to 0, the Ackman Player looses a life and must place his/her counter back on the last Start Square he/she was on.

 

If the Boss’ Energy goes to 0, the Ackman player completes the stage and moves on to the next stage.

 

 

NOTE: If both the Ackman player and the Enemy player get the same number, both players must put the card they drew to the bottom of their deck, draw another card and roll the dice again.

 

 

7): If the Ackman player completes the stage, he/she must shuffle his/her Ackman deck and Jump deck ready for the next stage and the Enemy player must replace the current stage board with the next stage board (e.g. if the Ackman player completes Stage 1, the Enemy player must replace its board with the Stage 2 board).

 

The enemy player also shuffles the Angel Deck, the Pit Deck and the new stage’s Boss Deck (e.g. ‘Girl Deck’ for stage 2).

 

If the Ackman player completes the third level, the Ackman player wins the game.