For Love of the Game

If you asked me to choose a favorite video game, I would shout, “MASS EFFECT!” directly into your face before you even finished the question. If you asked me to choose a second favorite video game, I would shout it into your face at twice the volume. Yes, you will have lost your hearing, but you would have learned something more valuable than your hearing in the process: I really, really like Mass Effect.

Over the years, I’ve played lots of games but Mass Effect is the one I find myself returning to time and time again. Sometimes I’ll play as a Paragon Soldier, other times I might be a Renegade Adept, but the most meaningful playthroughs happen when I reject the in-game morality system entirely and make my choices based on the character I imagine Commander Shepherd to be.

The official board game tie-ins see, unfortunately, rather generic: Monopoly and Risk. There is a rather impressive Unofficial Tabletop RPG, but I wanted something a bit more action-based. I wanted a fun, tactical game where players could experience the action and unique combat of Mass Effect without having to set aside several hours in its pursuit. So I decided to make such a game.

Here are some basic principles which I will use to guide me:

Simple Turns

If we want this game to feel like a tactical shooter (i.e. fast-paced and not boring), the rules need to be simple. Each turn should be kept as simple as possible, with as few phases as possible. The fewer phases in the turn, the more the players will get to plan ahead and think strategically.

Cover and Movement

Cover-based shooting is one of Mass Effect’s most distinctive features, combat-wise. However, I will try to translate the game’s tactical movement (the sliding, moving along cover, flanking) so that the game doesn’t become a static stand-off.

Specialized Characters

Teamwork matters in the Mass Effect games, it should matter here. Victory should go not to the biggest and strongest, but to those who collectively make the best use of their skills.

Easy Combat

Battle dice feels like the right way to go, reflecting both the principle of probability as well as the unpredictable nature of combat. I’m going to stick with d6’s for the time being, and probably use modifiers to increase the number of dice a character may use and perhaps employing limited rerolls in certain circumstances.

Next time, I’ll start exploring these principles in greater detail and get more specific about the gameplay itself. See you then!