Behemoth - May 2023 update

Hello there! Few updates in this post:

1. Behemoth Design: I'm very happy with the progress and the missing pieces are falling into place

2. Behemoth Playtesting: I will be at Handycon in Milton Keynes (UK) this May, expecting to open virtual playtesting in a few months

3. Behemoth lore: I started collaborating with a professional DM and lore writer to imagine what Earth looks like because of Nyx - which is leading to new thinking of what Nyx actually is 🙂

4. New blog post on decision space in board games

The game now has solid foundations, the core mechanics are most likely set and...it is great fun 😊

Some of the most visible changes from the last iterations:

• Growing animal companions - flip your animal companion card to its grow-up version
• Wild animals turning into shadow because of Nyx,  making them more difficult to rescue but awarding more stars
• More streamlined Shadow spreading
• Improved graphics still handmade by yours truly (will bring a professional designer later in the year)

What's ahead

I keep using the list of experience goals I set for Behemoth as my personal map, and playtesting feedback as my compass to indicate where I am. Comparing the two of them, I'm very happy with where the game is - each goal is either achieved to a good level or on the right track:

• Explanation time around 15min ✅ with the game also showing significant depth
• Fun co-operative experience with space for individual agency ✅ e.g. with some simultaneous actions and missions
• Significant theme immersion ✅, basically all the components are aimed at that
• Strategies ⏳ are emerging, need to improve synergies between cards, dice and game system
• Game rhythm ⏳is emerging, need to better balance Nyx's effects
• Support different playstyles ⏳is emerging, need to develop additional player boards
• Deep replayability ⏳is emerging hard to test until I put in further work on strategies and rhythm

I have done 16 playtests with 21 people this year so far, without counting the 40 or so people that played it at AireconUK.

In this phase, I'm opening up the playtesting to more folks but I'm still sticking to in person sessions to make sure I address also physical aspects of the game.

I will be attending HandyCon in Milton Keynes on Saturday 20th May. I will have a dedicated table to demo and test the game. If you are around, come say hello or drop me a note if you want to reserve a spot!

I plan to  open virtual playtesting at some point this year, will keep you posted!

I started collaborating with Mauro Nafitò, a professional DnD Dungeon Master and campaign writer.

Mauro is genuinely amazing at this, and I couldn't be happier. Things are looking good, and the lore is already adding depth to the game!

As part of the experience I am aiming for, I would like to keep the lore as realistic as possible while having some fantasy and sci-fi elements. Because of this, we have been digging into scientific theories of the evolution of Earth.

We are imagining that Nyx could actually be a natural phenomenon causing a shadow biosphere to become predominant across the globe, which in turn allowed different types of lifeform, possibly non-carbon based, to appear on Earth.

Will share more in another update!

Finally, I recently wrote a design-focused blog post on decision space in board games -

What causes analysis paralysis? What makes a game feel crunchy or luck driven? Is it bad for games to use mechanics seen in other games?

I imagine the decision space as a landscape surrounding a player. You can go south and climb a hill, or take a stroll in a valley to the east...

If you are curious, you can read more here!

That's all for now, happy gaming!

Andrea

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