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On one level or another every turn-based game has to deal with the asymmetries created by one player acting before another. This is often called First Player Advantage. We see this in TCGs where the second player is often given additional resources, or more...

Lately we’ve been working out our card layouts. It’s an interesting challenge to find the cleanest, least obtrusive way to pack as much information as possible onto a 63mm x 63mm field. While Aethermon: Collect is not complicated, the below information does still need...

The original levelling up process involved players drawing 2 moves (1 Aethermon Specific and 1 Global), from which the player could choose one to learn and one to discard.  This system simultaneously addressed multiple design goals: (1) limiting analysis...

Continuing our series on Victory Points, let's explore how a player's victory points tell a story. Every time a player earns victory points the player is rewarded with a card describing that experience and the points it awards. When a player defeats a Dojo Leader,...

If you zoom out enough, you’ll discover the victory condition for most competitive games tend to take only one of a few forms: First player to achieve a goal (Connect 4); the last player standing (Tsuro); or Victory Points accumulation (Ticket to Ride); or some...

The goal of Aethermon is to provide its player’s with a complete experience in a single sitting: Discovery -> Growth -> Climax.  Last week we noted this process takes about 25 turns + a final setpiece to cap off the event. At about 5 minutes per turn (each...

To move your character in Aethermon you must discard a Movement Card. These cards are numbered 1 to 6, and you move the distance indicated on each card. Once a player has used all 6 cards all expired cards are refreshed and the cycle continues. This allows an average...

It seems several weeks ago we promised a post on specific “take that” mechanics, this post somehow got buried, but there it is now! Aethermon will include a supplemental set of special characters that will allow players to hinder their rivals. These characters...

Following up on our last post we’ll provide a little context for the shift from a 5XG locus to a 3XG locus. Players typically level up about 8 times in a playthrough of Aethermon; in a 5XG oriented game players gain between 0 and 4 HP per level (5 minus a 1-5 value...

One of the big things in making a tabletop game is how small it has to be. For many game’s that’s not a problem, but we are trying to capture the epic feel of JRPG’s that tend to have ultimate moves that deal 50 bajillion damage. We can’t do 50 bajillion damage in a...

“Take-that mechanics” Some players love them, other’s won’t touch them. Take-that mechanics refer to rules or options that allow one player to negatively affect the progress of another player - think “Draw 2” in Uno. These rules can create memorable moments on a...

Last week we detailed a failed attempt to completely remove speed from Aethermon’s mechanics. This endeavour resulted in a complicated system where each move neatly fit into one of six priority tiers:  6. NPC (Q)uick moves  5. Player (Q)uick moves  4....

The last few weeks we have not posted a blog but instead shared gameplay videos over on our facebook page. While most of those mechanics remain current, there has since been one significant revision. Speed. The core design philosophy of Aethermon has been to recreate...

Okay so this is following up a post from… 3 weeks ago… which was following up a post from 3 weeks before that… We were discussing situations where I had poorly designed some high value battle cards (moves) from Aethermon so that they were only valuable as part of a...

Last week we pointed out the potential problems created when an Aethermon’s most powerful moves are exclusively useful as part of a combo. We’ll highlight 2 examples of when I made this error and how the situation has been resolved. === Sparkitty/Matchka/Harquat Our...

No one enjoys a 2 hour board game if they spend the entire time regretting a choice made 10 minutes into the game. Here’s the thing, if a player can make a mistake so early in the game that makes the rest of their experience unfun - the game designer should never have...

The most immediate difference between our PvP and PvE mode is that in the PvE mode players are not allowed to challenge other players. We are making this the default mode for players playing in exploration mode (the version of the game where the combat mechanics are...

We learn a lot from our playtesters. One particularly salient piece of feedback was that Aethermon as originally constructed begins primarily as a Player versus Environment (PvE) experience that builds up to a Player Versus Player (PvP) climax. For many this...

In earlier iterations of Aethermon, an Aethermon’s Specific Battle Moves tended to be slightly more powerful than the Battle Moves available in the universal pool. The rationale here was partially thematic - if Thunder Aethermon were supposed to the fastest Aethermon,...

Game design mistakes tend to take one of two forms: (1) an issue or improvement was never considered when it should have been; or (2) an issue or improvement was considered and the wrong decision was made. Upon identifying the first kind of mistake, the solution tends...

To truly immerse players in the Aethermon experience it was essential that players had a tangible sense of their Aethermon’s growth over a playthrough. Representing this growth however created a conundrum - the most overt ostentatious displays of character development...

Aethermon has always strived to create a tabletop experience, undiminished by the typical limitations of tabletop games: One of these limitations is player overhead. This concept is best explained with an example: In the earliest iterations of Aethermon, random...

Our keenest followers may have caught something about our Aethermon depicted thus far. Our player controlled Aethermon all face right… All other Aethermon face left. The simplest explanation for this is it allows two characters to more literally faceoff when placed...

Contrasting with the enormous singular power of the Chapter 2 set piece bosses, players will discover that they are stronger together. To highlight this each Aethermon has access to powerful team focused Battle Cards. These Battle Cards do little to help a player when...

Last week we highlighted the disadvantages players will face against the chapter 2 bosses. This week we breakdown on of the tools we give players to overcome that disadvantage: the support given by the Dojo leaders players rescue.  The bosses from Chapter 1 are...

Following from last week. The set piece Chapter 2 Bosses are designed as enemies powerful enough that no play could possibly defeat them alone - balanced carefully so that each player feels that their contribution to the fight was necessary. This week we’ll discuss...

When players level up in Aethermon, they get 5 XG to spend on a 1 to 5 cost Battle Card (combat move). They also receive 1 MaxHP for every XG not spent learning a battle card. As a result, players are tasked with a decision between building HP, or Battle cards...

When players level up in Aethermon, they get 5 XG to spend on a 1 to 5 cost Battle Card (combat move). They also receive 1 MaxHP for every XG not spent learning a battle card. As a result, players are tasked with a decision between building HP, or Battle cards...

One final post on the changes made to Aethermon to accelerate the player’s adventure.Special Characters were originally balanced at around 1XG per round, equal to an easy battle, but the player wouldn’t lose moves or HP. This figure has been moved to about...

Everyone likes free stuff, but unfortunately stuff tends to cost money. In games this creates interesting decisions, everything you buy comes at the opportunity cost of something else: if you only have one gold and you buy a 1 gold elixir, you can no longer buy a 1...

At the core of Aethermon’s experience is a journey that includes the growth of the player’s character’s: Players begin their adventure battling the lowest of opponents; by the end of 1st chapter they are challenging for the junior championship; by the end of the 2nd...

I once heard a school of thought described as the SNK philosophy of game balance (as contrasted to the capcom approach) - “Balance is boring”. Making characters perfectly balanced, strips them of makes them mechanically interesting. Instead make every character...

When landing on a generic square while playing Aethermon, you draw an encounter card - there are 5 for each area. 4 of these cards lead to a battle, the last one instructs the player to draw a special encounter card.  At the end of each round, all used encounter...

Aethermon can be played with any player count from 1 to 8. As discussed in previous posts, to avoid playtimes bloating at larger player counts turns are conducted simultaneously. However, with 6 or more player counts this system begins to break down and new solutions...

In any game where players act in sequence a division occurs: in some games it is better to act first, while in others it is better to act last. In perfect information games with limited resources, players that act first have an advantage (as they have the first...

I love high player count games. Not because I need 8 players squeezed around a small table - but because I love setting up a game for four and knowing there’s still room for an unexpected guest to join in. Unfortunately, as you increase the number of players at a...

In our final Aethermon Focus we look at Earth Aethermon Batuursa.  Overview: Batuursa may not hit as hard as the other starting Aethermon, but Batuursa takes a hit like none other. Batuursa supplements this longevity with moves that redraw used moves; cementing...

In this week’s Aethermon Focus we discuss the Thunder Aethermon Raivalp.  Overview: With a combination of (q)uick and (r)eact moves, Raivalp finds victory by hitting first and more frequently than other aethermon - often finishing a battle without taking any...

This week we key in on the Moonlit Aethermon Velvenny.  Overview: More than any other starter Aethermon, Velvenny is a healer. Every unique move available to Velvenny either restores HP, or otherwise helps Velvenny get Velvenny back into fighting form. Aethermon...

This week we take a closer look at the Nature Aethermon Eleafy.  Overview: Every move in Eleafy’s arsenal either applies an (e)ntangled debuff or is boosted in effectiveness based on the number of (e)ntanglements that have been applied. As these (e)ntanglements...

This week we zoom in on the Sunstruck Aethermon Languravi.  𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: Two abilities set Languravi aside from starting Aethermon: (1) The ability to gain extra XG - advancing Languravi players through the game faster than their peers; and (2) frequent access to...

Continuing our deep dives into the playable aethermon, we focus on is the Fire Aethermon Sparkitty.  Overview: Sparkitty’s moveset heavily utilises a card discarding mechanic. Sparkitty uses fire moves that provide much more value than their XG cost would imply,...

We begin our series looking at the gameplay difference between each of the playable aethermon. Our focus is the Sky Aethermon Cervistral (Cervaero and Cervaura).  Overview: Cervistral’s moveset is built entirely around its unique (f)lying mechanic. (F)lying moves...

From next week we’ll begin a series where we take a closer look at the unique mechanics and balance of each playable Aethermon.  In order to better contextualise this upcoming series, we’ll first break down the differentiating properties of each Aethermon...

We follow last week’s post on Special Characters with details of currently implemented special characters.  While we’re actively experimenting with 11 special characters, it is likely the final implementation of the game will only include 8 Special Characters -...

We continue our discussion on balancing the options available to players on any given turn, this week we discuss Special Character Encounters. On their journey players will encounter NPC’s that aid players by creating unexpected opportunities and interrupt otherwise...

Last week we established that on a player's turn a player should receive between 1-3 XG value. This week we’ll see how we balanced turns spent completing quests. Each quest will take 1 to 3 stages to complete - with each stage costing the player an entire turn. ...

Balancing a Turn Just as it is necessary to balance asymmetrical characters; it is necessary to balance symmetric strategies and tactics available to players. In Aethermon’s case, this means ensuring that - on average and in a vacuum - no matter how a player chooses...

𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙈𝙤𝙙𝙚 (𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙈𝙤𝙙𝙚) Aethermon is a game for everyone - our “Exploration Mode” allows less experienced players to enjoy Aethermon at the same time as more advanced players, without compromising the experience for more advanced players!!! “Exploration mode”...

Following up on last week’s post regarding the decision to amalgamate Gold and XP in Aethermon; let’s explore some of the design decisions that needed to be made to make this concept work. 𝘖𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘓𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 It costs 5 XG to level; at the end of every turn players...

𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙂𝙤𝙡𝙙 Aethermon has been designed and redesigned from the ground up to create a streamlined player experience. This rigor has led to an unexpected design decision in Aethermon - the amalgamation of Experience and Gold.   Certain concepts that don’t...

In a previous post I explained that a turn in Aethermon consists of two interconnected phases: Movement around an overworld map  And the events that occur at the locations on that overworld map On the vast majority of turns, thos events will be either an Aethermon...

My typical experience of opening up a new board game with friends involves one person reading the rules for about 15 minutes while other people sit around awkwardly.  We want every player drawn into the world of Aethermon from the moment players first open the box....