Andrew Goenner
United States
Superior
Wisconsin
Running 5 PbFs
And still sane...mostly
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NOTE--For updated info on Space Jaunt:Redshirt, see my designing journal here: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/330621
Hey all. I was watching Star Trek on the sci-fi channel while my fiancee was working the other day and a thought popped into my head. Anyone who watches the show (specifically the original series) knows that anytime an ensign (redshirt) went down on an away team, they bit the dust. I thought it would be neat to create a game based around that idea.
The problem is, I'm having trouble deciding on what the idea of the game should be, exactly. As of now, I have three thoughts I thought might be interesting.
1. Each player is an ensign on the ship, and the point is to make sure you're the only player that ISN'T selected to be a part of the away team.
2. Each player controls an away team already part of a planet mission, and the point is to kill off the other players' ensigns while managing to keep yours alive.
and
3. Each player controls an away team already on a planet mission, and the point is to kill off your OWN ensigns before everybody else.
and as I wrote this a fourth idea popped into my head, kind of similar to the third.
4. Each player controls the officers in an away team as well as one ensign in the other players' away teams. The point here would be to kill off the ensigns in your away team (controlled by the other players) while simultaneously trying to keep your own ensigns in the away teams of the other players alive.
I'm not that far into mechanics yet, but I know for sure it would have to involve cards of some sort to mess up the other players and assist yourself. A lot of the mechanics are going to depend on which of these options I end up picking. I just can't decide which idea I like the most, and I was hoping for some opinions as to which specific theme people out there liked. Thanks!
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Kevin McKenzie
United States
Garland
Texas
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Re: Want to create my first game, a Star Trek spoof called Space Jaunt
Interesting Idea.
I think it would be cool to say that everyone controls one away mission With thier lead character and has an ensign in each of the other away missions.
You can have special cards that can change things between scenes (like adding ominous music, changing the color of an ensigns shirt, having the hair now parted on the other side.
You get points for getting the ensigns in your away mission messed up and only having one killed (none and you lose points, more than one and you lose points) You also get points for how nice looking your ensigns are compared to the others in the different away missions.
Best wishes on your design and let me know if you need playtesters 
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Andrew Goenner
United States
Superior
Wisconsin
Running 5 PbFs
And still sane...mostly
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Re: Want to create my first game, a Star Trek spoof called Space Jaunt
bkmckenzie wrote: Interesting Idea. I think it would be cool to say that everyone controls one away mission With thier lead character and has an ensign in each of the other away missions. You can have special cards that can change things between scenes (like adding ominous music, changing the color of an ensigns shirt, having the hair now parted on the other side. You get points for getting the ensigns in your away mission messed up and only having one killed (none and you lose points, more than one and you lose points) You also get points for how nice looking your ensigns are compared to the others in the different away missions. Best wishes on your design and let me know if you need playtesters
The special cards that you brought up were exactly what popped into my head when the idea came to me on my futon, actually! That point idea is interesting, I may have to keep something like that in mind while I'm working out the mechanics. And if I ever get this off the ground the way I'd like to, I'll certainly let you know when the playtesting phase hits. At least I'll have some time to work on it a bit this weekend while my fiancee is at her wedding shower.
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Scott Muldoon (silentdibs)
United States
Astoria
New York
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Re: Want to create my first game, a Star Trek spoof called Space Jaunt
I kind of like the idea of each player being a red shirt on the same away mission, trying to get the other red shirts killed. It could be a bit like the old RPG Paranoia, except instead of clones you have more red shirts from the same division or occupation.
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Andrew Goenner
United States
Superior
Wisconsin
Running 5 PbFs
And still sane...mostly
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Re: Want to create my first game, a Star Trek spoof called Space Jaunt
sdiberar wrote: I kind of like the idea of each player being a red shirt on the same away mission, trying to get the other red shirts killed. It could be a bit like the old RPG Paranoia, except instead of clones you have more red shirts from the same division or occupation.
That's not a bad idea either. You were supposed to choose from my list, not give me MORE options to agonize over! 
I suppose one option would be to choose several of these ideas, create a rules set for each, and include them all in one box. I might keep that in mind, too, but for now I should probably focus on one of the ideas and see how it goes.
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Niko
United Kingdom
Twickenham
Middx
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Re: Want to create my first game, a Star Trek spoof called Space Jaunt
Option 4 sounds the most fun! Multiple paths to victory and it fits the theme best
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Andrew Goenner
United States
Superior
Wisconsin
Running 5 PbFs
And still sane...mostly
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Re: Want to create my first game, a Star Trek spoof called Space Jaunt
Niko wrote: Option 4 sounds the most fun! Multiple paths to victory and it fits the theme best
Multiple paths to victory is always a good thing. Very nice point. Nothing wrong with variety.
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Darrell Hanning
United States
Jacksonville
Florida
Love women in action movies and shows. It all started with Diana Rigg, in the Avengers.
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Re: Want to create my first game, a Star Trek spoof called Space Jaunt
sdiberar wrote: I kind of like the idea of each player being a red shirt on the same away mission, trying to get the other red shirts killed. It could be a bit like the old RPG Paranoia, except instead of clones you have more red shirts from the same division or occupation.
Good idea. Then you could have "shove" and "duck" cards, to make the other guy take the nine-foot spear from the giant apeman.
I'd just call the game Redshirt.
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Andrew Goenner
United States
Superior
Wisconsin
Running 5 PbFs
And still sane...mostly
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Re: Want to create my first game, a Star Trek spoof called Space Jaunt
DarrellKH wrote: sdiberar wrote: I kind of like the idea of each player being a red shirt on the same away mission, trying to get the other red shirts killed. It could be a bit like the old RPG Paranoia, except instead of clones you have more red shirts from the same division or occupation. Good idea. Then you could have "shove" and "duck" cards, to make the other guy take the nine-foot spear from the giant apeman. I'd just call the game Redshirt.
Thank you for the game name idea! Another idea for space battles is in my head as well, but not as clearly, so I wanted an overall game name. Perhaps Space Jaunt: Redshirt
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Andrew Goenner
United States
Superior
Wisconsin
Running 5 PbFs
And still sane...mostly
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Update while at work: I have an idea of using tile placement for a map. since this is an exploration team that won't have been on the planet before, I'm thinking of placing the tiles upside down. You can only flip a tile over as you move a piece onto it. All the players build the map together from a hand of tiles that they don't show the other players. Just a random thought...may not work out that way. We'll see...
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Joseph
Spain
Today, we're all Spaniards!
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DarrellKH wrote: sdiberar wrote: I kind of like the idea of each player being a red shirt on the same away mission, trying to get the other red shirts killed. It could be a bit like the old RPG Paranoia, except instead of clones you have more red shirts from the same division or occupation. Good idea. Then you could have "shove" and "duck" cards, to make the other guy take the nine-foot spear from the giant apeman. I'd just call the game Redshirt.
I support the notion of calling it merely "Redshirt". The geeks will already know what you're talking about, asthey're part of your target audience.
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Matthew Kloth
United States
Madison
Wisconsin
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If each player controls a non-redshirt leader with a crew of redshirts under him he can gain power from redshirts dying because it's dramatic. "Nooo, damn those Klingons!". You could get your redshirts killed in dramatic ways, while trying to make the other players waste their redshirts on less brave deaths.
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Andrew Goenner
United States
Superior
Wisconsin
Running 5 PbFs
And still sane...mostly
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MusedFable wrote: If each player controls a non-redshirt leader with a crew of redshirts under him he can gain power from redshirts dying because it's dramatic. "Nooo, damn those Klingons!". You could get your redshirts killed in dramatic ways, while trying to make the other players waste their redshirts on less brave deaths.
This is what I was thinking about when I thought of option 3, actually. now I'm starting to waffle in regards to which way I'm leaning.
thanks for all the input so far, guys! I appreciate it.
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Andrew Goenner
United States
Superior
Wisconsin
Running 5 PbFs
And still sane...mostly
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falloutfan wrote: DarrellKH wrote: sdiberar wrote: I kind of like the idea of each player being a red shirt on the same away mission, trying to get the other red shirts killed. It could be a bit like the old RPG Paranoia, except instead of clones you have more red shirts from the same division or occupation. Good idea. Then you could have "shove" and "duck" cards, to make the other guy take the nine-foot spear from the giant apeman. I'd just call the game Redshirt. I support the notion of calling it merely "Redshirt". The geeks will already know what you're talking about, asthey're part of your target audience.
The reason I'm going with Space Jaunt: Redshirt is because I have another idea or two floating through my head for other games based around the same Star Trek spoof idea, so I want to have an overarching title that would go with them all.
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Kevin Bender
United States
Knoxville
Tennessee
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Good luck with the game, Andrew.
We've (My wife and I) been working on a classic Trek themed game that is mission based where the concept of the Red Shirts might be used as an important 'disposable' resource for the landing party.
Of course, our game isn't supposed to be a spoof. 
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Andrew Goenner
United States
Superior
Wisconsin
Running 5 PbFs
And still sane...mostly
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futurescaper wrote: Good luck with the game, Andrew. We've (My wife and I) been working on a classic Trek themed game that is mission based where the concept of the Red Shirts might be used as an important 'disposable' resource for the landing party. Of course, our game isn't supposed to be a spoof.
Thanks for the well-wishes, Kevin. Good luck to you as well! While the redshirt thing in your game seems to be just one part of the mechanics, mine is the entire point of the game. I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be any toe-stepping between us, if it ever even came to anything.
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Darren Hron
United States
Illinois
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MasterGeek wrote: Thank you for the game name idea! Another idea for space battles is in my head as well, but not as clearly, so I wanted an overall game name. Perhaps Space Jaunt: Redshirt
I was thinking Redshirt too, but if you have a possible series in mind that could work. Might be best to be sure you parody to avoid copyright issues. I certainly hope Redshirt is not trademarked or copywritten as that would be sad.
I like the multiple ways to victory. I'd hope this could be a good hybrid between AT and Euro such that both could like it. That of course would be mechanic Dependant.
Oh one other thing, I'd say try to keep the game to an hour. Too much random would be short and not much better than rolling the dice. Too long, and i could see it turning into Munchkin (everyone waits till all are at level 9 and then slam people till they run out of cards, next cat gets the level one creature and wins....amusing for a few plays but irritating)
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Joseph
Spain
Today, we're all Spaniards!
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sasquatchdjh wrote: MasterGeek wrote: Thank you for the game name idea! Another idea for space battles is in my head as well, but not as clearly, so I wanted an overall game name. Perhaps Space Jaunt: Redshirt Oh one other thing, I'd say try to keep the game to an hour. Too much random would be short and not much better than rolling the dice. Too long, and i could see it turning into Munchkin (everyone waits till all are at level 9 and then slam people till they run out of cards, next cat gets the level one creature and wins....amusing for a few plays but irritating)
Seconded. - Aim for a short fun wacky filler.
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Andrew Goenner
United States
Superior
Wisconsin
Running 5 PbFs
And still sane...mostly
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sasquatchdjh wrote: MasterGeek wrote: Thank you for the game name idea! Another idea for space battles is in my head as well, but not as clearly, so I wanted an overall game name. Perhaps Space Jaunt: Redshirt I was thinking Redshirt too, but if you have a possible series in mind that could work. Might be best to be sure you parody to avoid copyright issues. I certainly hope Redshirt is not trademarked or copywritten as that would be sad. I like the multiple ways to victory. I'd hope this could be a good hybrid between AT and Euro such that both could like it. That of course would be mechanic Dependant. Oh one other thing, I'd say try to keep the game to an hour. Too much random would be short and not much better than rolling the dice. Too long, and i could see it turning into Munchkin (everyone waits till all are at level 9 and then slam people till they run out of cards, next cat gets the level one creature and wins....amusing for a few plays but irritating)
Yeah, I am going to check on the whole redshirt thing being copyrighted. I figure if it is, I'll just change it to Chartreuseshirt or burgundyshirt or pinkshirt or something.
As to it being a Euro/AT mixture that's a filler game, that is what my intention has been since the beginning. I have a few random ideas for some mechanics in my head, but I want to get some stuff down on paper this weekend before I commit to anything. I'll probably keep updating this thread here as I go along, in case anyone is interested in knowing how it's coming.
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Andrew Goenner
United States
Superior
Wisconsin
Running 5 PbFs
And still sane...mostly
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falloutfan wrote: sasquatchdjh wrote: MasterGeek wrote: Thank you for the game name idea! Another idea for space battles is in my head as well, but not as clearly, so I wanted an overall game name. Perhaps Space Jaunt: Redshirt Oh one other thing, I'd say try to keep the game to an hour. Too much random would be short and not much better than rolling the dice. Too long, and i could see it turning into Munchkin (everyone waits till all are at level 9 and then slam people till they run out of cards, next cat gets the level one creature and wins....amusing for a few plays but irritating) Seconded. - Aim for a short fun wacky filler.
Yeah, wacky is definitely the way to go. The interesting part is going to be mixing wacky with strategic good gameplay in the proper amounts.
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John Snyder™
United States
Fresno
California
You and the Cap'n make it hap'n
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This is a brilliant idea! I like the concept of controlling ensigns on other away teams and the officer on your own. You could play 'hazards' or somesuch on your away team, and then other players have to protect their redshirts with cards from their hand, or they croak. Lots of great ideas and a fun theme.
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Andrew Goenner
United States
Superior
Wisconsin
Running 5 PbFs
And still sane...mostly
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CapAp wrote: This is a brilliant idea! I like the concept of controlling ensigns on other away teams and the officer on your own. You could play 'hazards' or somesuch on your away team, and then other players have to protect their redshirts with cards from their hand, or they croak. Lots of great ideas and a fun theme.
Thanks, I'm really excited about the whole project. One thing I was thinking was everyone building a tile board together, and having some hazard tiles, and some positive tiles, playing them upside down and not being able to flip them up until you come across them (as the away team explores the dangerous planet). Also including cards in the deck that would allow opponents to peek at tiles and the opportunity to switch certain tiles around as you try to complete your mission. Again, off the top of my head here. I won't be able to devote all of my brainpower to it until this weekend, but hopefully I'll have something to tell you guys come next week sometime. All of your input has been greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!
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Eric Larson
United States
Portage
Michigan
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This sounds a little like "Kill doctor Lucky" with several red-shirt targets.
My first thoughts were cards like:
Oops I dropped my tricorder
What was that flash?
Am I all alone again?
I'm just going to look around that rock outcropping for a moment
She's cute (and must be harmless, the Captian does it all the time)
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Engineer Dad wrote: This sounds a little like "Kill doctor Lucky" with several red-shirt targets.
My first thoughts were cards like:
Oops I dropped my tricorder
What was that flash?
Am I all alone again?
I'm just going to look around that rock outcropping for a moment
She's cute (and must be harmless, the Captian does it all the time)
"This giant spear through my chest sure stings."
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Andrew Goenner
United States
Superior
Wisconsin
Running 5 PbFs
And still sane...mostly
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Engineer Dad wrote: This sounds a little like "Kill doctor Lucky" with several red-shirt targets.
My first thoughts were cards like:
Oops I dropped my tricorder
What was that flash?
Am I all alone again?
I'm just going to look around that rock outcropping for a moment
She's cute (and must be harmless, the Captian does it all the time)
I can see where it might come across that way. Once the game is finished, I don't think it'll feel like Kill Dr. Lucky at all. While you have the ensign in your opponents' away team struggling for his life, your own away team that you control will be trying to meet its own goals. Not sure what that is yet, but I definitely see it as being more involved than simply killing off the ensigns in your team.
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Posted Fri Aug 1, 2008 2:59 pm
