Comic Auction
Note: This was updated since the contest so some cards are different.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqS835e7bm8
Player Count: 2-5
Play Time: 15-30 minutes
Recommended Ages: 10+
Components: 15 cards, pen and paper
Mechanics: Auction, Set Collection
Description: In Comic Auction players try to outbid each other for comic books to add to their collection. The larger their set of a particular character the more those comics are worth. In this auction players aren’t limited by how much money they have. They can go deeper and deeper into debt to get that perfect comic for their collection. At the end of the game players must sell off their collections to pay their bills. Whoever has the most money (or least debt) after selling their collection wins.
Feedback
Creativity of Theme
Comic auctioning. I can dig it, better than doing antique auctioning or pottery auctioning.
I like the comic-collecting theme.
Creativity of Mechanisms
Wide open auction with no constraints.
Not a whole lot to this. Bid with no limit and try to make sets. Nothing really new here.
Mesh of Theme/Mechanism
You can attach literally any type of item auctioning in with this, the comic thing really isn’t married to it to make it work.
It’s a good match.
Clarity of Rules
Very clear. Easy to grasp. The only sucky thing is players would need to have the rules there at the end to get all the set worth info and pass it around which is a little clunky.
Rules are clear. I worry a bit about unlimited auctions
Use of Form Factor
Cards are completely arbitrary. Can play with a bicycle deck
Doesn’t really take advantage of what can be done with 18 cards. Needing a pen and paper furthers this by needing other stuff to rely on to play. The one benefit to the one comic per card is you could have some really bitchin art.
Decent. Cards can have more than one hero on them, so they have different values to different players.
Perceived Player Engagement
Many, many people can’t handle wide open auctions
Eh, don’t think there while be a whole lot. You’re bidding without a ceiling, so there’s no danger or investment on that until the very end, and by then it’s all over anyways.
Match with Button Shy Brand
I can see the making of the comics and characters fitting in well with the brand. Making the comics reflect the old comic tones and making them look worn and withered to play up on the nostalgic note.
Clever theme – it would be fun to make up superheros. Interactive auction
WOW Factor
Other than maybe the comic cover art catching some eyes, the gameplay really isn’t awe inspiring.
Concerns
I DO think this design has potential for some great art opportunities to draw people in, given that you’d have 18 unique covers. Can get different artists to submit different covers, etc. But the gameplay isn’t rich enough to warrant that kind of expense, IMO
With unlimited bidding, a griefer could sabotage another opponent.
Additional Comments
Could be really neat with some additional development.