the perfect fantasy-themed board/card game would have...

[Jolly Steve]

...what? I'm toying with putting one out some time this year.

[Athaniar]

Magic. And dragons. And magic dragons.

[TheSummoner]

Several opposing armies with a solid plot explaining why they would be at war with eachother or why they might form temporary alliances.

[Oregano]

Political Intrigue as well as epic battles.

[Aergoth]

Hexes, and height differences.

[Comet]

Grand adventures. Mystical treasures. Mysterious magics and outlandish gods.
Also polar bears, but that's more of a personal preference.

[TheSummoner]

building on the polar bear comment... BEAR CAVALRY!!!

[Jolly Steve]

From the comments so far it sounds like, for most of you, theme is more important than game mechanics, and that you're thinking of a game where each player controls a country-sized group, not a game where each player controls a single character or an adventuring party?

I'm not surprised by the first point, but I am a bit by the second.

[Myatar_Panwar]

I would personally prefer controlling a single person, rather than an army.

[Erloas]

I think if you are looking for ideas you should at least give a guideline for what you are thinking about doing. The range of game types can vary greatly while all being in the same genre and certain gameplay types lend themselves towards some ideas and away from others.

The thing about a game is that there is no perfect game, and no single idea that is universally appealing and useful in every gameplay type. The important part is that what you come up with works with itself.

I'm assuming by board/card game you are wanting relatively short stand alone games between 2 or more people, as opposed to a game designed to run for many game sessions and all be connected like most RPGs.

[Jolly Steve]

I'm assuming by board/card game you are wanting relatively short stand alone games between 2 or more people, as opposed to a game designed to run for many game sessions and all be connected like most RPGs.

That's right. But of course solo playability and a 'campaign mode' would be good too.

[TheSummoner]

if you're going for a single adventurer rather than lage scale armies, character classes and abilities are always nice.

[Jolly Steve]

Another question - artwork? Cartoony like OotS? Semi-realistic like in D&D?

That also relates to the question of 'tone'.

[Geno9999]

Ohohoh! I got it!
Battle Cattle mounts. Why? it's funny.

[Comet]

I'd say single characters over armies. Would feel more fresh, somehow.
As for tone and such, here is what I would love to play:

The characters are explorers that dive into dark caverns or dimly lit temples or ruined cities or somesuch. They would perhaps compete against one another, or work co-operatively to explore the various corridors and rooms in search of treasure. On the way they would have to pass obstacles like hostile natives, deadly traps or parts of the dungeon that have become sentient beings capable of morphing and altering themselves on will (the corridors keep changing their shape). I'm sure you get the idea.

So, in a nutshell, I'm thinking of a RPG-lite kind of deal. Like the DOOM or the Cthulhu (can't remember it's actual name) boardgames.
When it comes to the visual style, a somewhat dark palette would work well, seeing as we're in a dungeon and all. I've always found illustrations of daring adventures walking slowly and carefully among an inhospitable corridor with only their torches/lamps to light their way very cool.
And if you ask me, no elves or hobbits. Because human's are quite interesting enough.

[ufo]

Another question - artwork? Cartoony like OotS? Semi-realistic like in D&D?

That also relates to the question of 'tone'.

As you said, this depends on tone. However, judging from your earlier work (Age of Fable?) which was semi-serious with mildly humorous elements, I'd say "exaggerated realistic" artwork.

For example, for the potrayal of Arabic themes, there'd be turbans, large pointy moustaches and sabres all over.

[Thane of Fife]

The characters are explorers that dive into dark caverns or dimly lit temples or ruined cities or somesuch. They would perhaps compete against one another, or work co-operatively to explore the various corridors and rooms in search of treasure. On the way they would have to pass obstacles like hostile natives, deadly traps or parts of the dungeon that have become sentient beings capable of morphing and altering themselves on will (the corridors keep changing their shape). I'm sure you get the idea.

So, in a nutshell, I'm thinking of a RPG-lite kind of deal. Like the DOOM or the Cthulhu (can't remember it's actual name) boardgames.

You sound like you want to play Descent. It's basically Fantasy Doom.


As for me, I'd like to see a fantasy-civ sort of game. I think that it would be cool to have a board game that ends with you having built a campaign setting.

[Istari]

I vote armies but with hero level leader characters

[toasty]

The perfect fantasy game, in my opinion, has everything. It's an RPG because you level up certain characters. perhaps the leader of your army, where you could be given multiple leader possibilities. You'd have the opportunity to give this hero various special weapons and armor as well.

Also, it'd be a city-builder game, you'd have to start with a small village and build it up to a great nation. This nation would have an army, which your leader would command and fight other nations with. Something like a combination of Warhammer 40,000, Settlers and DnD.

[Geno9999]

A game where anything is possible. Want a fantasy version of a jedi? go ahead. Magic carpets? Sure. Wanna carry a BFS (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BFS)? we can make one that's so tall, it'll make Cloud's sword look like a pocket knife.

[Jolly Steve]

When it comes to the visual style, a somewhat dark palette would work well, seeing as we're in a dungeon and all. I've always found illustrations of daring adventures walking slowly and carefully among an inhospitable corridor with only their torches/lamps to light their way very cool.


I was thinking of using this set of pictures (which is in the public domain) - what do you think?

http://www.apolitical.info/webgame/images/sewer.jpg