The Blue Panther Protospiel Game Design Challenge

For Protospiel 2008 Blue Panther LLC is sponsoring a game design challenge.   We are seeking your help to design the sequel to our game Central Pacific (click the link to see the game and download the rules).  The sequel, tentatively titled Subway, is about the dawn of the era of underground trains in NYC around the turn of the last century.

The challenge is to design a game that makes use of the Central Pacific tiles that adds the dynamic of passenger travel / commuting to the existing rules.   Assume that an additional five pieces are available (5 “double-sized” 2x2” wood squares) that represent the five boroughs of NYC, as well as a set of passenger tokens (you decide how many and what types). 

The design concept is to have a game that has both a “build” phase and a “deliver passengers” phase that also allows for player interaction (e.g. like “stealing a line” in Central Pacific)

The game should be similar to Central Pacific in that it is light strategy for 2,3 or 4 people and plays in an hour or less.  It should also utilize the basic tile-laying mechanics of that game.

Your completed design should have two components – a short paragraph or two explaining the concept, and a set of rules/descriptive text/diagrams to show how it would play in the game. 

Subway will be initially available as an inexpensive expansion for Central Pacific, and later as a standalone game.

Although any game designer may accept this challenge, only Protospiel 2008 attendees can win the award – a complete prototype made of your own game design by Blue Panther LLC.  This would include up to two hours of machine time on our laser engraver to make your board, box and game components, as well as the design service of translating your game graphics to setup for the laser.

Send your submissions by email to steve@bluepantherllc.com or by snail mail to Blue Panther LLC, Box 211, South Lyon, MI 48178

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