This update took a lot longer than I planned, but I’ve decided to put Dream Guardiansin the freezer for now.
Dream Guardians struggles
There were two big issues with the game: First, it was hard to manage all the cards without a board. It got chaotic, and players were having trouble remembering where to put which cards and what actions they could and should take. I think this could have been fixed.
But here’s the most important issue: playtesters said there weren’t enough meaningful choices. That made the game feel too linear. And a linear game with not enough choices isn’t much fun!
So, how did I reach this conclusion? It wasn’t easy. I spent the better part of a year trying to make it work, going from Guardians of the Green to Dreamkeepers to Dream Guardians. I tried many, many variations, but it felt like I was just running in circles or a dead end.
Seeking and finding help
Finally, I reached out to someone who regularly joins our Game Design Meetups – a soon-to-be-very-famous designer who’d like to stay anonymous for now. Let’s call him M. I asked if he wanted to help me out and improve the game, and he agreed! M tested it with another group of playtesters and was brave enough to tell me his honest conclusion: the game just wasn’t good nor was it fun.
That was tough to hear, but I had to set my pride aside and accept it. Not long after, M came back with a fresh concept for a new game. He kept some elements from Dream Guardians, like cooperation, player interaction, and boss battles, but created something completely new. The game is still playable with a regular deck of playing cards, and he drew inspiration from Balatro, Doomstown, and The Crew.
We started playtesting, tweaking, and fine-tuning until we ended up with a game that everyone who’s played so far has loved!
Next month, I’ll dive deeper into the design process and the gameplay itself.
Teaser: River Rats
For now, here’s a little teaser: River Rats is a strategic hand management game set aboard a luxurious futuristic riverboat. The Rich Rats are the upper-class guests who like to amuse themselves by forcing the crew to play high-stakes poker against them. The players take on the roles of the crew, working together to build stronger poker hands than the Rich Rats. If they play their cards right, they can rely on their fellow crew members to help sneakily craft the best hand. Each of the four crew factions comes with its own unique actions, and players will need to use these abilities, and their own special powers, wisely to outwit the Rich Rats and send them back to their cabins a little poorer.
What do you think? Are you excited to give it a try? Leave a comment or connect with me on Instagram (@foursuit.studio)!