Planning for Protospiel
by Gil Hova
Protospiel 2010 is coming up quickly, and I am scrambling to be ready in time. My plan is to bring three games: Pax Robotica, MacGuffin Market, and a hitherto unmentioned third game.
I’ve made big changes to Pax Robotica over the past few months. Gone are the auction and VPs. The winner of the game is the player with the most money at the end of the game. I’ve made some smaller tweaks as well, and I look forward to playtesting it this coming weekend.
I’m a little worried about MacGuffin Market, because it’s hit the table a lot recently, and yet I haven’t got a lot of critical feedback on it. Most people would take this as a positive sign, but I’m still worried. Consider it a character trait.
I won’t discuss the third game just yet, because I’m afraid I’ll jinx it.
Formal Ferret Games 
There’s something I can’t quite figure out with MacGuffin Market. You’ve got a really cool auction mechanic and a couple of interesting economies, but why are we collecting the MacGuffins? The theme kind of leaves me wanting something, which means MacGuffins are the perfect theme for the game. I just can’t decide if it works for me. It might be interesting in books and on screen to watch people go to any lengths for something that isn’t explained to an outside observer, but I’m not sure I want to be that person. I think that’s part of the reason I wanted the MacGuffins to be kept in front of you when you get them. At least then you have something to show for, instead of just some nebulous VPs.
I definitely like the game, but I’m a theme guy and I’m not sure if the theme works for me. It’s clever, for sure, but I may need more.
Yep, that’s exactly my concern. I suppose if a publisher is interested enough, he can change the theme to collecting cars, houses, or paintings. But the mechanisms are so abstract, it’s tough to paste a theme on.