Time management game review

Time Management Game ReviewTime Management Game Review

Ludology & GameplayLudology & Gameplay

Marc O DonoghueMarc O Donoghue

Game StructureGame Structure

Child

FarmersStone Miners

People Praying

Lumberjacks Houses

Reality RepresentationReality Representation

• Collect resources (stone, wood, food)Collect resources (stone, wood, food)• Pray to Gods to improve quality of life, crop Pray to Gods to improve quality of life, crop

yield, etcyield, etc• Increase population (“Get a child”)Increase population (“Get a child”)• Must upgrade houses, buildings & tools to Must upgrade houses, buildings & tools to

increase productivity, population capacityincrease productivity, population capacity• Villagers grow old & dieVillagers grow old & die• Population needs constant supply of food to stay Population needs constant supply of food to stay

healthyhealthy• Villager health decreases the longer they Villager health decreases the longer they

perform a task & the longer they liveperform a task & the longer they live

Flow, Progression & RewardsFlow, Progression & Rewards

Accumulate resources Accumulate resources Increase productivityIncrease productivity

Increase populationIncrease population

• ““Get a child”Get a child”• Child becomes useable at 18 (4-5mins)Child becomes useable at 18 (4-5mins)• Assign villager to task (can be changed)Assign villager to task (can be changed)• Rest villager if health is lowRest villager if health is low• Villager diesVillager dies

• Post top score on leaderboard when you reach 30 villagers Post top score on leaderboard when you reach 30 villagers

• No real sense of reward / achievement in game!No real sense of reward / achievement in game!

Conflict & InteractionsConflict & InteractionsGoal is to reach 30 villagers as quick as possibleGoal is to reach 30 villagers as quick as possible

• Start with just 1 woman, 2 menStart with just 1 woman, 2 men– Need 30 food & space in house to “Get a child” from womanNeed 30 food & space in house to “Get a child” from woman– No control over gender of childNo control over gender of child– Child only becomes useable when they reach the age of 18 (4-5mins)Child only becomes useable when they reach the age of 18 (4-5mins)– Woman & Men limited to certain tasksWoman & Men limited to certain tasks

• Women: Praying, Gathering Food, FarmerWomen: Praying, Gathering Food, Farmer• Men: Lumberjack, Stone Miner, FarmerMen: Lumberjack, Stone Miner, Farmer

• Limited by capacity of housesLimited by capacity of houses – Must spend resources to increase capacityMust spend resources to increase capacity– 3 levels of upgrades at higher cost each time3 levels of upgrades at higher cost each time

• Limited by speed, lifespan, carrying capacity of villagersLimited by speed, lifespan, carrying capacity of villagers– Must pray to gods & upgrade buildings to increase villager productivityMust pray to gods & upgrade buildings to increase villager productivity– 3 levels of upgrades at higher cost of each time3 levels of upgrades at higher cost of each time

• Balance between praying (increase speed, lifespan, resources Balance between praying (increase speed, lifespan, resources earned) and collecting resources (to upgrade houses & number of earned) and collecting resources (to upgrade houses & number of villagers able to do each task)villagers able to do each task)

Conflict MatrixConflict Matrix

Praying Praying v v

Collecting Collecting

ResourcesResources

Don’t PrayDon’t Pray PrayPray

Don’t Collect Don’t Collect ResourcesResources

0,00,0 8,08,0

Collect Collect ResourcesResources

8,08,0 5,55,5