Rocket Express - boardgame prototype

[darksyntax]

Amongst other interests and hobbies, I'm a lifelong boardgamer and tabletop rpg'er. A couple years back I really dug into game design and started working on my own games. Rocket Express has been mostly finished for a little over a year now and want to start getting it out there so I built it on Tabletopia. It's a pickup-and-deliver game with rocketships. The game is not public on Tabletopia yet, but this link will take you to a Play Zone where you can start a game and invite others (no Tabletopia account required). I'll also be sharing this for playtest and as another way to submit to publishers beyond the print-and-play files. Let me know if you have any questions and please share any with friends and family who enjoy boardgames. I've always appreciated this community and your opinions; any feedback is greatly appreciated. (Note: the art is placeholder; functional, but not pretty.)


2-4player, 30-45min
Rocket Express is a medium weight, action point driven, pick up and deliver game with light engine building in a dynamic and changing planetary system. The prices for goods and the distances between locations change as the game plays out with a unique player driven mechanic. The Location cards used to create the planetary system each game, along with the Contract and Rocket Upgrade Markets, offer high replayability.


Click on image to start a game on Tabletopia.

EDIT: I'm looking for blind/semi-blind playtest and comment, but if you want to play a game with me let me know and I'll work out some time.

[Mantisking]

Nice. I know how hard it is to follow through and finish an idea like this.

[Blorf]

Awesome! My wife and I have been developing a tabletop game for a couple years now and we just reached the blind playtest stage. It's quite a lot of work to do this well.

I'll look for some time to check this out.

[darksyntax]

Thanks, gents. This is the 2nd major working prototype with many small iterative changes. It was a long road to get to this.

Blorf, let me know if you want a tester or a proofreader.

[Blorf]

[darksyntax]

[darksyntax]

[Blorf]

I really should have lead with this earlier: This looks like a really well put together game. It's obvious that you've put time into how the game mechanics work and play out, and the theme comes through nicely even with the simple mechanics and placeholder artwork. The feedback I have is all really high-level stuff, which proves (at least to me) that you've really spent time sorting out the lower-level mechanics. This is a great effort and looks to me like it plays better than a number of published games I've come across. I think you've hit a good spot in the luck/skill continuum as well, making it fun to strategize during play but without knowing for sure that a more skilled player will always win. Well done.

It looks like some of my comments would have been addressed by a closer reading of the rules, and I'm glad to see that you've already resolved them.

It really doesn't matter whether it's light or medium. I just thought I'd provide one experienced gamer's opinion. (I literally get over 100 plays in each year.)

Contracts per delivery: I would strengthen the wording here. Perhaps "You may complete one contract".
Contract bonuses: Consider rewording this, as my first interpretation was that I had to complete multiple cards in the same turn. (I realize now that this is specifically disallowed.)
Bonus cards: What I meant is, having additional potential bonus cards, and three are selected for the current game during setup. Castles of Mad King Ludwig does this. It's not right for all games depending on player behavior and incentives.
Over Drive: Perhaps mention on the card: "ignoring stars".
Face-down contracts: Your response leads me to believe that face-down cards do NOT count toward triggering game end. This seems more reasonable to me, but it's not how I read the rules. I read it as when both face-up and face-down cards together equal 10+, game-end is triggered. This would mean as soon as I draw my last contract, it adds to my total and might trigger game end immediately.

Tabletop Simulator doesn't provide currency as an included asset either. Seems like an oversight to me.

[darksyntax]

[darksyntax]

I had some time this week and completely revised my rulebook, developed solo rules, and made a new .


Click on image to go to a Lobby on Tabletopia.
- There's a drop down where you can select the 1player or the 2-4player game Set Up and start a game.
- There's a link to the rules doc at the bottom.
Let me know of you have any questions or if I can help. I can join you for a game too if you'd like.

Again, any feedback is greatly appreciated.