Assignment 2.

1: Adding A Mechanic To An
Existing Game

Munchkin
ForthisassignmentIanalyzedthegameMunchkin.

Original Game analysis

Munchkinisaturnbasedcompetitivecardgame,whereplayershavetoreachthelevel10by
killingmonstersandcollectingtreasures.

Thecardsaredividedintotwodecks:doors(formonsters,curses,classandrace)and
treasures(forweapons,armor,andmagicitems).
Onhisturn,theplayerdrawsonecardfromthedoordeck.Ifitsamonstercard,the
playertrytokillit.Ifitsacurseitsappliedtotheplayerimmediately.
Tokillamonster,theplayermusthavehiscombatpowergreaterthanthemonster
level.
Thecombatpowerisgivenbyhislevelplushiscardsofweapon,armorandmagic
items.
Iftheplayerwins,hegoesuponelevelandgetssomecardsfromthetreasuredeck
(thenumberoftreasurecardsareindicatedonthemonstercard).
Theotherplayerscandisturbhiscombatincreasingthemonsterlevelorbyplayinga
curseontheplayer.

Thecompleterulesareonthelinksbelow,buttheanalysisthatfollowsisenoughto
understandthegame.

http://www.worldofmunchkin.com/rules/munchkin_rules.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munchkin_%28card_game%29
1. Players:Howmanyplayers?Doesitneedtobeaprecisenumber?Why?

a. From3to6players.Itmustbeatleast3toallowtwoplayersmakesome
alliancesagainstone.
2. Objectives/Goals:Whatkindofgoalsdoesthegamesettheplayers?Someexample
objectivesare:

a. Thegoalistoreachthelevel10beforetheotherplayers.Ithinkitcouldbe
mappedintoincreasepersonalpowerplusbuildsomethingfirst.

3. Rules&Mechanics
a. Whatorderareactionstakenin?

i.

Theplayersreceive4cardsofdoorsand4cardsoftreasures.

ii.

Then,theycreatetheircharactersbychoosingcardsofrace,class,
weapon,armour,etc.

iii.

Then,theplayersruntheirturn.Theturnhas3phasesthatarestrictly
takensequentially.

iv.

Someactionscanbetakenanymomentwithoutanyorder:whena
playerdisturbanotherplayerscombatorchangeshimselfsclassor
race.

b. Whatactionsmayplayerstake?

i.

Preparehischaracterforthecombatdroppingcardsofweapons,
armourourmagicitems.

ii.

Decidetocombatorgetridofthemonster.

iii.

Disturberanotherplayerscombatplayingcurseonanotherplayeror
increasingthemonsterlevel.

iv.

Helpanotherplayerwinamonster.Ifso,theplayerscannegotiate
sharethetreasuresforexample.

c. Whatactions,ifany,doesthegametake?

i.

Idontthinkso.

d. Howmuchinformationdoeseachplayerhaveabouttheotherplayersposition,
plan,andactions?

i.

Itisverybalanced.Theplayermusthaveitscardsofclass,raceand
weapons/armour/itemsopenedatthedesktobeusedinacombat.But
somecardscanbeclosedinhishandslikecurses,portions,monster
increasers.Aplayercantellwhatheisplanningtodo,butitcouldbea
bluffasitisinTexasHoldem.

e. Canplayersinterferewitheachother?Dotheywantto?

i.
f.

Yes.Interferewitheachotheriswhatmakethisgamefun.

Howmuchcontroldoeseachplayerhaveovertheirownpositioninthegame?

i.

Itsdependsonluckandstrategy.Iftheplayerhaslessluck(havebad
cards)itsdifficulttotakecontrolofhisposition.Butevenwithgood
cardsonthehandordesk,strategyisneeded.

g. Overanotherplayersposition?

i.

Withgoodcardsonthehand,theaplayercanhavesomecontrolof
anotherplayersposition.

h. Howmuchplanningdoesaplayerdooneachturn?Howmuchdoeshisorher
planningaffecttheiroverallsuccessinthegame?

i.

Notsomuch.Theplayerhastopreparehischaracterwiththecardshe
hasonhishands.

i.

What,ifany,aretherandomelementsinthegame?

i.

Thedecksofcardsareshuffled.Howmanycardscanbetakenand
whoisgoingtogetthecardsdependsofvariousevents.The6sized
diceisusedtodecideifaplayerhassuccessongetridofthemonster.

j.

Howmuchinfluencedotheserandomelementsexertoneachplayer'sturn,or
ontheirpositioninthegameoverall?

i.

Alotofinfluence.Whenaplayerdrawadoorcardonhisturnitcanbe
anymonster,strongorweak.Thiswilldefineiftheplayerwinsorlose
thecombat.Ifhelose,thedicedecidesifhegotridofthemonster.If
theplayerdoesnthavesuccessongetridofthemonster,hecanlose
allofhisitems.

ChangedGameanalysis
1. Keymechanicsofyourchosengame.
Thekeymechanicsresidesonthecombat.Itisthetimewhenthemain
interactionsbetweentheplayershappens.Itsonthecombatthattheplayer
runningtheturnhastotakehisdecisions:useornotusehisitemstrytokill
themonsterorgetridofit,etc.Theotherplayershavetodecideifwillhelpor
disturbthecombat.Allfuntheplayershavewiththisgameisonthecombat.
2. Thechangesyoumadeandwhyyoumadethem.Howdidyourchangesaffectthe
game?Wasitwhatyouexpected?Didyouliketheresults?
Imadefourchanges,addingoneafteranotherandtestingeachincrement:
i.

Firstchange:Iremovedtheindividualturn.Allplayershavetoplay
togetherandgoalsistokill10monstersasagroup.Mygoalwasto
makethisverycompetitivegameintoacooperativegame.Wehave

someinterestingresults:firstofall,thegamewastooeasytowin.Only
bigmonsterscouldwinthreeormoreplayersfightingtogetherand
onlyintheearliercombats.
ii. Secondchange:Thetestersstayedtryingtoplayinacompetitiveway,
fightingbetweenthemtodecidehowtosharethetreasures.Tosolve
thisproblem,Iaddedarandommechanism.Theplayersshouldrollthe
dicestodecidetheorderfortakingcardsoftreasuresfromthedeck.It
solvedthecompetitionfortreasures,butthegamestayedeasytowin.
iii. Thirdchange:tomakethegameharder,IchangedtheKickopenthe
doorphase.Nowthedicehastoberolledandtheresultingnumberis
theamountofcardsofdoors(monstersorcurses)thatshouldbe
drawn.Thegoalnowwastowintencombatsasagroup.Infactthis
madethegameharderandInoticedthatthetestersfelttohavesome
challenge.Theyexpressedtheirconcernwhentheygotbignumberson
thedice.Sometimes,theonlyalternativeforthemwastrytogetridof
allmonsters.
iv. Fourthchange:Thegamewasharduntilthe7thor8thKickopendoor
phase.Iftheplayerswonmorethansevencombats,theygotlotsof
weaponsandmagicitems,makingthenextcombatseasyevenforsix
monsters.Tosolvethis,Iseparatedadeckofmonstersforthe10th
combat.Thisdeckhasonlythestrongermonstercards,thosecards
thatgive2levelsifthetheplayerkillthemonster.Withthischange,
thegoalofthegamebecametowinthe10thcombatasagroup.With
thischange,thetestershadabigchallengeevenifthewentwelluntil
the10thcombat.Atthefirsttimetheyplay,thefirstgroupofmonstersof
the10thcombatwasimpossibleforthetesters.Butoneofthetesters
hadtheFriendshipPotionwithmadeallmonstersabandonthe
combat.Thetestershadtorollthediceagainandgetanothermonsters
forthe10thcombat.

IthinkmostofthechangeshadtheresultIexpected.OnlythingIdidnt
expectedwasthetesterscompetingbetweenthemselvesforthetreasure
cards,whichimpliedonthesecondchange.

ThosechangesturnMunchkinacompletelydifferentgameandIcansaythatI
liketheresultsandtheexperience.

3. Didyourtesterslikethealteredgame?
Notsomuch.AlltesterswasMunchkinplayersforatleast3monthsandtheyprefered
thecompetitiveMunchkin.Butallsaythatwasnicetoparticipateofthetest.Everyone
commentedthatthemainfunthingofthegamewasremoved.
Wasitasfunandengagingastheoriginal?Why?Whynot?
Inoticedthatthetestersengagedonthegame.Oneachcombattheydiscussedabout
howtoselecttheweapons,howtosavethepotionsforabettermoment,howthey
couldindividuallyusetheircardstoavoidthecurses,etc.Theyhavesomemoments
offunwhenthewasneartolosesomecombats,likewhentheygot6monstersoron
the10thcombat.Butallthemgivemethefeedbackthattheoriginalgameismorefun
andengaging.
Whatwouldyouchangeorimproveforthenextroundoftesting?
Asthemaincomplaintwasaboutthelackofcompetition,Ithinkagoodchangecould
beputthecompetitionback,butnotforthewholegame.Ideas:
1.Removethesecondchange.Sotheplayerscouldreallycompetebythetreasure
cards.
2.Onlyonecanwin.Onthe10thcombat,theplayersrunthediceforinitiative(decide
theorderofthecombats).Threecardsofmonstersshouldbedrawnforeachplayer.
FromnowfollowtherulesoforiginalMunchkin:otherplayerscandisturbthecurrent
combat.Winthefirstplayertokillthethreemonsters.
Ithinkthischangewillputtheplayerstoplayonacooperativewaybysometime.
Withoutcooperation,theycantreachthe10thcombat.Butthehavetothink
strategicallywhendecidinghowtosharethetreasures.Afterall,onlyonecanwin.

4. Whatdidyoulearnfromyourplaytest?Showusyourgameinplaytakeapictureor
useyourgameasthebackgroundforyourvideo.
IlearnedthatIcantpreviewmuchthingaboutchangesImakeinagame.The
playtestgivesmeabetterviewabouttheconsequencesofthechangesImade.Its
easytounderstandhowtheplaytesthelpsontheincrementalchangesyouhaveto
makeonaindevelopmentgame.

Theimportantthingsaboutthegameinplaywasdescribedonthesectionsabove.
ThechangesImadedidnotmakerelevantchangesonvisualofthegameinaway
thatshowpictureswouldnothelp.