Designing and Refining the boardgame "Godsforge"

A Product Design and UX Case Study by Brendan Stern

Project Overview

"Godsforge" is a fast-paced, multiplayer fantasy battle game that can be played in under 30 minutes. Designed by Brendan Stern and published by Atlas Games, it combines dice-rolling, card strategy, and simultaneous play to create an engaging tactical experience. The development process focused on creating a unique and immersive game while addressing common player frustrations like downtime and player elimination.

Research & Testing

To ensure "Godsforge" delivered a compelling user experience, we conducted hundreds of playtests with diverse player groups. Our goal was to identify pain points, refine mechanics, and enhance player enjoyment. Each session was documented, allowing us to track player feedback, gameplay statistics, and areas for improvement.

Key Insights from Playtesting

Player Downtime

Challenge: Players dislike waiting for their turn in traditional board games.
Solution: We implemented simultaneous play for almost all activities, significantly increasing engagement.
Outcome: Downtime was nearly eliminated, and feedback showed players felt more "in the action" throughout the game.

Randomness vs. Strategy

Challenge: Finding the right balance between luck and player agency.
Solution: Introduced Veilstones, a resource that allows players to modify dice rolls, inspired by games like Kingsburg where players have more agency over their random dice rolls.
Outcome: Player feedback highlighted thoughtful play with the limited resource of Veilstones, making players feel more in control of their fate.

Player Elimination

Challenge: Eliminated players often had to sit idle for extended periods.
Solution: We adopted several mechanics to address this issue:
- Player offensive attacks are spread out amongst players, reducing an early eliminated player.
- Accelerated endgame. After one player is eliminated, the game comes to a quick conclusion.
- Short playtime (20-40 minutes) with one or more players eliminated being out less than 5-10 minutes.
Outcome: Feedback revealed players felt more involved in the endgame, even if eliminated, and short downtime ensured players stayed at the table.

Limiting Kingmaking

Challenge: Prevent eliminated players from impacting the game's outcome.
Solution: Destruction effects from player cards were delayed until the end of the round, after player elimination.
Outcome: This mechanic reduced player frustration and increased fairness.

Design Documentation

Player feedback reports: Summaries of each playtest, with notes on player pain points, enjoyable moments, and suggestions.
Mechanic design logs: Detailed rationale behind each major design decision, card power levels, and card combinations.
Card library: Full documentation of every card’s abilities, artwork, and intended use.
Iteration tracker: A changelog of rules and mechanics from initial prototype to final release.

Iteration Process

The iterative nature of "Godsforge"'s development was driven by playtesting feedback. We followed a test, analyze, iterate loop, using player feedback to guide adjustments. For example:

Problem: Players felt limited by card draw luck.
Solution: Introduced mechanics that allow players to cycle through cards faster, leading to more strategic choices.
Solution: Introduced a mechanic to see 10 cards at the start of the game and choose your favorite 4 to start with.

Outcome

The release of "Godsforge" and its subsequent expansions were one of Atlas Games biggest selling products in 2019 and 2020. While some critics wanted a heavier game, many players praised the game’s fast pace, explosive play, and engaging design. The streamlined setup and tear-down made it a hit at game nights, while the combination of luck and tactics kept players coming back for more.

Conclusion

The development of "Godsforge" shows the importance of user-centered design. By leveraging the feedback of over 70 playtesters and maintaining thorough design documentation, we created a game that is accessible, tactical, and replayable.