eden - Game mechanics
Our design specifications were a product with an easy to access gaming system, yet evolutive and highly tactical while remaining fun.
Seen the feedbacks we are getting from players who participated in demonstrations games played in shops or at conventions, the challenge was met !
Here are the rules outlines :
The characteristics of the fighters :
In addition to the mission cards, the players also will choose strategic cards that will form a tactical hand during the game. They generally bring specific bonuses allowing the advised player to take a considerable advantage. Each player can choose a tactical number of cards equivalent in Psy of the leader of his warband (between 4 and 6 in general). Besides a light “deck-building” aspect, the use of these cards is really strategic since in addition to preparing the game by choosing their cards correctly, the players also will have to use them at the good time, knowing that each card can only be played once.
Activation of fighters
During a round, players will use their fighters so they can perform actions such as move, fight, etc..
However, to reflect the reactivity of each character, the players will be able to activate them according to their speed. Thus, if a player activates a fighter with a speed of 3, his opponent may interrupt him to enable one of its fighters with a higher speed to perform his own actions. This simple rule helps to energize the game and turns the activation phase very strategic.
Each fighter has 3 points of action per round that can be used at will when activated to move, carry out attacks, use his special abilities or meet conditions imposed by the mission selected by the player.
The missions, the strategy points and the tactical hand
In Eden, the players do not have to choose a scenario before beginning the game. In each starter box there will be 4 mission cards (Which makes 16 single missions on the whole). At the start of the game, each player chooses a mission card which indicates the objectives they have to deal with (not only theirs, but also their opponent’s !). It will remain obviously possible to play future scenarios, but Eden system simply makes each game unique since the combinations of Missions cards are very numerous.
Lastly, at the beginning of the game, each player receives Strategy Points(PS) that he will be able to use to begin a round, play his tactical cards (yes, they are not for free…) or to activate certain special capacities. A good management of this reserve is thus of primary importance !
Solve the actions…
As in many games, solve actions with the combatants utilizes a share of chance. Eden uses D6 for the resolution of the combats, shooting or certain special capacities. Each action has specific resolution method on a common basis.
Let us imagine that a large mutant, Abama Large-Belly, attacks Elenia, pretty fighter of the Jokers Gang. Elenia has the possibility to react to this attack, but for the needs for the example, let’s admit that she does nothing (which it is completely possible besides). To solve this attack, Abama throws a number of D6 equal to his combat characteristic, it is a “Combat throw”. Each result equal to or higher than the Strength (the difficulty criteria) of Elenia counts like a success. Abama also carries out a “Localization throw” to designate the limb wounded by the attack. Then each success can be used either to modify of 1 point the localization result (to hit a specific limb) or to inflict damages to Elenia.
This basic, simple and effective system, is enriched by the fact that the target of an attack is able to counteract or dodge. Other types of possible actions (shooting, defense, disengagement…) use a similar system.
Here is for the outline of the basic rules. To finish, note that these rules can be supplemented, at the choice of the players, by additional rules like the impact of the weather, the management of not-players characters or the advanced sceneries rules (destructible, interactive, etc). And other additional rules are allready under development…