Out for Delivery
Out for Delivery
Out for Delivery is a fast-paced, competitive board game.
Players take on the role of space couriers from various countries, delivering packages to multiple starbases as soon as possible in the crisis-filled outer space to gain the initiative of space colonization.
#Board Game
#Tile Placement
#Strategy Game
#Retro Style
#Made with Stable Diffusion, Photoshop
Game Overview:
The term "space economy" refers to the new stage of global space activities, ushering in a new era of space. In contrast to traditional military and government aerospace, the new aerospace sector is expected to involve social capital in the industry.
Players will assume the role of a faction in a board game that simulates a 21st-century space race. The goal is to establish delivery centers throughout the universe, with the strongest faction gaining an advantage in the space economy. Optimal path planning is crucial for winning the contest.
Summary:
Time: 20-30mins
People: It supports 2-4 players
Core Mechanics :
1. Connections
2. Tile Placement
The characteristic of tile placement games is to place a tile to obtain VP or trigger abilities, usually based on adjacent tiles or tiles within the same group/cluster, and to activate non-spatial attributes.
Players attempt to establish connections between different points on the chessboard. Essentially, this is a specialized collection where the collected collection represents the relationships between nodes, typically represented as paths between destinations.
3. Chit-Pull System
4. Three Dimensional Movement
The current player randomly draws a chip or counter to determine a set of units that can now be moved.
The position and movement of pieces are in three dimensions. This can be represented by a multi-level play surface or some token or indicator of the height above or below a two-dimensional play surface.
Inspiration:
Space New Economy: Commercial Aerospace, New Space Arms Race?
After NASA acknowledged the significance of commercial space, several sectors in the United States have been actively promoting the potential of commercial space. They have introduced the concept of "space economy", which expands the benefits of space activities to the economy. This concept proves that space activities play a crucial role in technological innovation, ultimately supporting the sustainable development of the "space economy".
However, turning money-burning activities into profitable industries is not unique to the US. Some regions, like Russia and Europe, explored space commercialization earlier.
In the reform of space agencies across different regions and countries, we can observe the "NASA+SpaceX" model being mentioned. However, each agency has also developed its own unique attributes. With the advent of the "space economy" era, there is no doubt that commercialization is an inevitable path. Exploring space by various regions and countries is essentially a politically motivated space race in the new era.
Game Components
Concept art drawn with Stable Diffusion
Factions
USA: SpaceXX
I didn't do it to make more money. I did it to try to help humanity, whom I love.
——Elon Musk
Dragon CRS in USA
NASA+SpaceX:
Private entrepreneurs become spiritual leaders.
SpaceX was founded by entrepreneur Elon Musk in 2002 to reduce space transportation costs and conduct Mars colonization.
Musk believes that by 2035 at the latest, thousands of rockets will transport one million humans to Mars, establishing a self-sufficient human colony.
Characteristic: Private enterprises lead and represent the world's most advanced technological forces.
Russia: S ∞
Our victory in space is a national anthem.
——Slogan on Poster from the former Soviet Union
Roskosmos+S7:
State monopoly on the aerospace industry
On February 25, 1992, Roskosmos, the Russian Space Agency, was established to manage space activities to develop science and the national economy.
Characteristic: The vast state-owned aerospace system and the increasing call for nationalization.
Прогресс/Progress cargo spaceship in Russia
China: Tianzhou NO.10
Across the Great Wall we can reach every corner of the world.
——the content of the first email in China's internet history
China National Space Administration(CNSA)+China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation:
State control the aerospace industry
China Aerospace Science and Technology Group Co., Ltd. is responsible for researching, producing, and testing all aerospace products in China, including launch vehicles, application satellites, manned spacecraft, space stations, and deep space exploration vehicles.
Characteristic: A state-owned aerospace industry syndicate invested significant resources and manpower to achieve high efficiency and produce quality products in a large country.
Tianzhou NO.6 cargo spaceship in China
European Union：E-orbit
Low Earth orbit and the moon will become new economic zones.
——ESA Director Josef Aschbacher
Automated Transfer Vehicle，ATV
European Space Agency (ESA) +Arianespace:
Private enterprises as "companions" in space construction
Since 2015, the European Space Agency (ESA) has shifted its focus from government-operated laboratories in low Earth orbit to the commercial space market.
ESA has established three commercial projects in low Earth orbit: Ice Cubes, Bioreactor Express, and Bartolomeo. Two commercial projects have been found in the lunar region: the Goonhilly Earth Station and the Commercial Lunar Mission Support Service (CLMSS).
Characteristic: Participation of multiple countries and enterprises
Accessory
This board game includes:
①Main board/Map*1
②Personal Panels/Baffles * 4 (White/Red/Orange/Blue)
③Starbases * 8
④Dices * 4 (White/Red/Orange/Blue)
⑤Couriers * 4 (White/Red/Orange/Blue)
⑥Path Tiles * 120 (6types * 20/type),
size: 30mm*30mm
⑦Cube Tiles * 8,
size: 30mm*30mm*30mm
⑧Package Tokens * 40,
size: 8mm*8mm*8mm
⑨Events * 54 (8types),
size: 30mm*30mm
Rulebook
Set up:
① Place 8 【Starbases】on the edges of the 【main board】.
② Place 4 【Couriers】representing 4 factions in the middle of the 【Main Board】.
③Wash and mix the 【Path Tiles】and 【Events】, and place them face down into a box for later use.
Play:
① Each player selects one 【Personal Panel】 and receives 6 different 【Path Tiles】.
② Based on the size of the dice numbers, specify the starting player to play the game each round in descending order.
③ During each round of the game, players will blindly draw out a card from the box. The box contains two types of cards: 【Path Tiles】 and 【Events】.
【Path Tiles】are used for constructing new paths, but can only be used during the player's own round. 【Events】, on the other hand, can be used at any point during the game.
Path Tiles: You can place or rotate one path tile during your turn.
Events: After using them, you should discard them into the discard pile.
④ Players can choose to 【place】 one 【Path Tile/Cubic Tile】 in each round, or 【rotate】 one 【Path Tile/Cubic Tile】 already placed on the map.
⑤ When the 【Path Tile】 is connected to the 【Courier】, move the 【Courier】 to the end of the path.
⑥ By extending the "path" and moving the【Courier】 to deliver the 【Packages】 to 【8】 nearby 【Starbases】.
⑦ Each faction can only send one【Package】 to each 【Starbase】 once.
Points are accumulated chronologically from 4 to 1.
⑧ The first 【Courier】 to reach a new 【Starbase】 will receive a 【Cubic Tile】, which allows the 【Courier】 to jump in three dimensions.
⑨ Special circumstances:
If two 【Couriers】 collide on the path after placement, move both 【Couriers】 to the starting point.
⑩ When first 【Courier】has reached 4 【Starbases】, end game and calculate the points.
Interation
1. The Initial Rule (2023.12.12):
Rule:
① Place the four 【Couriers】 in the corresponding positions on the main map's corners.
② Each player receives a 【Personal Panel】 and 8【Packages】 of the same color.
③ According to different numbers of people(2-4), place 1【Courier】 per person with a【Package】 on his back.
④Wash and mix the 【Path Tiles】, and place them face down next to the layout as a card pile for later use.
⑤ Based on the size of the dice numbers, specify the starting player to play the game each round in descending order. Each player draws a 【Path Tile】.
⑥Players can choose to place one 【Path Tile】 in each round, or rotate one 【Path Tile】 that has already been placed on the map.
⑦ When the tile is connected to the 【Courier】, move the 【Courier】 forward one grid.
⑧ By extending the "path" and moving the 【Courier】, deliver the 【Packages】 to the surrounding 8 【Starbases】.
⑨ Each 【Starbase】 can only receive 1【Package】 from each faction once, with points ranging from 4 to 1 in chronological order.
Special circumstances:
If two 【Couriers】 collide on the path after placement, move both 【Couriers】 to the starting point.
⑩ Draw out a 【Path Tile】blindly from the card pile and place it behind the board, and the player ends the turn.
Players: family members who are not familiar with board game.
Findings in the test:
1. If the【Courier】starts from the corner, the distance between them and different starbases varies greatly, and there are too few reusable paths.
2. Poor utilization rate of some patterns.
3. Clear priority advantage.
4. The planning strategy is not well reflected because the capabilities of each sector are similar.
5. Walking step by step is too slow
Changes:
1. The 【Courier】starts from middle of the map, rather than 4 corners.
2. Some patterns of path tiles should be modified. The patterns which have straight connections are the most efficient ones.
3. I introduced cubic tiles as an incentive for the first courier to reach a new starbase. It can support space jumps on 6 faces.
4. The player can rotate others' path tiles to place a new path tile in each round if he/she wants.
5. If the route is connected, the player can move until the end of the path rather than move step by step in each round.
change of 1 pattern of the path tile
Introduce cube tiles as bonus in the game
Times to use each type of tiles
change of starting points for couriers
8 times
6 times
3 times
11 times
11 times
5 times
2. Major Changes of Rule(2023.12.20)
Players: Former colleagues of the company who have played board games and murder scripts.
Findings in the test:
The wooden tiles are too thick and cannot be packed easily.
And two major questions arose:
1. How can lagging players surpass other players and reverse the situation?
So, I referred to the emotion theory in the game and found a reasonable solution. In the board game Sorry !, there are many possibilities for backward players to reverse the situation.
Board game Sorry! is a shorten variant of Flying Chess
The main strategies in Sorry! include:
1. Collision the pieces of other opponents on the landing point of one's own piece.
2. Even leading players must touch the card representing the exact number of steps, the number of squares between the piece and the "home", to reach the finish line.
3. Resource management strategy. The card is printed with Sorry, indicating that the player can keep the card for later use or use it to knock other opponents' pieces back to the starting point.
2. How does the game emphasize the importance of planning strategy?
According to the second question, I designed 3 strategies lead to 3 modes:
1. Card building
Players have skill sets that can be used anytime, emphasizing strategy and resource management.
2. Instant skills
Draw tiles randomly to increase real-time functionality and create obstacles for opponents.
3. Luck
The advantages and disadvantages of different tiles are clearly designed. So, players can obtain very good or bad tiles when blindly drawing tiles from the card pile.
Long-run strategy and differentiated strategy for each faction!
Random events as skills!
Very good or bad tile patterns!
3. Major Changes of Rule(2023.12.29)
Events as instant skills function best!
I tested 3 modes one by one, and mixed events tiles into the path tiles. I found that the players can easily understand the path planning system but need time to comprehend the functions of each event.
Players: Undergraduate students in architecture school who have a lot of experience playing board games and understand placement mechanisms.
For most players, instant skills are the easilies to understand and operate, so I kept it in the main game.
4. Space Arms Race DLC(2024.01.09):
One player suggested designing the political background to reflect the different political strategies of each faction.
I found that different skills can lead to asymmetric confrontations, which require higher demands from players but make resource management more meaningful.
So, there is a variant provided on the right as one DLC:
Each faction has a long-run strategy.
China: Made in a Big Country: Extract 2 【Cards 】 each time and discard one of them intentionally.
USA: Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS): Obtain an additional 【Courier】.
Russia: Review: Mix and shuffle the discard 【Events】, and take a card from the discard pile.
EU: ISS Space Station Alliance: After the first delivery of 【Packages】to a 【Startbase】, this 【Startbase】 can be used as the starting point to refill the 【Courier】.
Design Process
Color Board:
It is essential to distinguish between the four factions in the game. Therefore, I used four unique colors to differentiate them.
Universe
China
European Union
USA
Russia
Pawn:
I created four couriers with bags to hold packages and made models of pawns with a combination of 3D printing, resin molding, and manual coloring.
1. The couriers are made with 3d printing first.
2. I used silicone molds and resin to make starbases and package tokens.
3. I used metallic paint and glossy oil on the model's surface to complete the coloring, making it easier to distinguish different factions.
Graphic:
For the art design of board games that include political satire and current affairs, I have used retro posters referencing the Cold War style. The design process involves using AI-generated content tools.
1. The graphics have a retro style and were designed using AIGC technology. The process started with a sketch in Photoshop.
2. I used Stable Diffusion to redraw the graphics and applied stylistic modules. The style is a mix of old-school American retro comics and acid brutalism posters.
3. I made multiple adjustments and iterations with 20 steps in Stable Diffusion, repeatedly combined adjustments in Photoshop, and filtered out images that met the requirements.
Gameplay Example
