Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

(XCOM meets Falling Skies) INVASION: Free State

Temesis

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Jun 13, 2016
Messages
44
Hello.

(Shamelessly plugging my project here, so feel free to delete this if you feel like so mods!)

So the boardgame we've been making for the last 3 years is to be released by Lautapelit.fi (Eclipse, Nations... etc) in 2018. In a few weeks, we are leaving for Essen Spiel 2017, the largest boardgame event in the world. I figured I could pitch the game here to see what do you think. I would imagine there are people that are part of the games core audience!

(FUN FACT:The guy that had something to do with the Codex d20 die graphics on the upper left years ago, "Ratatosk" is a 3D-artist on the project... maybe somebody remembers him)

pic3262119_md.png



INVASION: Free State
"A skirmish game heavily inspired by XCOM and Laser Squad Nemesis"

This a game about human Resistance fighting against alien invaders set in the suburbs of Annapolis, Maryland. It's for 2-4 players, but nothing really stops you from playing with more people. It wont be as fun, though :p

pic3421160_md.jpg


The "unique selling points" of the game are:

1. Simultaneous tactics. In every round there is a tactics phase, during which both sides secretly assign two actions out of three basic options (move,attack,interact) and an initiative (The Resistance have turns 1,3,5,7 and aliens have 2,4,6,8,10) to their characters. Using both actions to select the same option unlocks the enhanced version of it, for example move --> run. Tactics phase forces the players to think what will happen instead of what the situation is right now. It also makes the game faster. In other words, during tactics phase players decide the actions for their characters but the exact implementation of them will be left to the activation phase. (Char board proto renders below)

pic3778184_lg.png



2. Covers. The game utilizes a cover system much like those in digital games. And you NEED to use them or you die pretty quickly. If the enemy gets to the same side of the cover, you will propably also die.

3. Modular board. A (mostly) random board is created for every battle. And YOU CAN blow up walls.

4. Cool cardboard characters. We really like them. Dynamic poses.

5. Asymmetric character selection. The Resistance selects from individual humans, the aliens buy their characters from a pool of different alien races.

6. For more details ---> https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/212695/invasion-free-state

So with these parameters... what do you think?
 

Attachments

  • pic3421160_md.jpg
    pic3421160_md.jpg
    117.5 KB · Views: 144
  • pic3262119_md.png
    pic3262119_md.png
    183.4 KB · Views: 154
  • pic3262118_md.png
    pic3262118_md.png
    114.8 KB · Views: 162
Last edited:

udm

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 14, 2008
Messages
2,752
Make the Codex Great Again!
Looks neat. Do you have a prototype rulebook or quickstart that I can look through?
 

Temesis

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Jun 13, 2016
Messages
44
Thanks!

The layout work for the rulebook and the mission book is just now being done. We will post that to the digital testers after Essen, I can add you to the list of recipients if you are interested. Just PM me your email.
 
Last edited:

Galdred

Studio Draconis
Patron
Developer
Joined
May 6, 2011
Messages
4,346
Location
Middle Empire
Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Will you have campaign rules, or will these be independent skirmishes? Fully destructible walls and initiative bidding remind me of Earth Reborn.
 

Temesis

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Jun 13, 2016
Messages
44
Independent skirmishes with spesific scenario objectives and a randomized map. The base game will not contain campaign rules, but this is certainly something we want to do later down the road.

I'd say compared to Earth Reborn which has a ton of different elements and almost a roleplaying-like gameplay, INVASION: Free State is focused on squad-level tactics and maneuvering. And if you look at the playtime and the amount of rules, IFS is much more lightweight. So very different types of games in my opinion. Earth Reborn is a nice game though!

Bidding may not be the best term to describe how the initiatives are dealt: rather, both sides assign their initiatives to the characters at the tactics phase along with actions. The Resistance always have initiatives 1,3,5,7 and the aliens always have initiatives 2,4,6,8,10. In other words, the Resistance always gets to go first. But the aliens get the last two...
 

Galdred

Studio Draconis
Patron
Developer
Joined
May 6, 2011
Messages
4,346
Location
Middle Empire
Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Independent skirmishes with spesific scenario objectives and a randomized map. The base game will not contain campaign rules, but this is certainly something we want to do later down the road.
Given the lack of options for an XCOM-ey board game (the official one does not even have a tactical component FFS...), that would be great.


I'd say compared to Earth Reborn which has a ton of different elements and almost a roleplaying-like gameplay, INVASION: Free State is focused on squad-level tactics and maneuvering. And if you look at the playtime and the amount of rules, IFS is much more lightweight. So very different types of games in my opinion. Earth Reborn is a nice game though!
Being more streamlined than ER certainly cannot hurt! But it really felt very open ended, which was great (the setup and teardown time, not so much).

Bidding may not be the best term to describe how the initiatives are dealt: rather, both sides assign their initiatives to the characters at the tactics phase along with actions. The Resistance always have initiatives 1,3,5,7 and the aliens always have initiatives 2,4,6,8,10. In other words, the Resistance always gets to go first. But the aliens get the last two...
Oh, it is more like Heroscape then. :)
It sounds good so far!
Why the weirdly shaped tiles (instead of square or hex tiles)?
 

udm

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 14, 2008
Messages
2,752
Make the Codex Great Again!
My interest immediately shot up when you mentioned Earth Reborn. Been wanting to get that but it's hard to score a cheap copy these days.
 

Temesis

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Jun 13, 2016
Messages
44
Why the weirdly shaped tiles (instead of square or hex tiles)?

Two reasons mainly:

1. Instead of small tiles or hexes, we wanted to use area movement -this makes it easy to quickly estimate distances in tactics phase. At the end of move action (or at the beginning of attack or interact) a character may enter any cover that is on its current area for free. For example, if a character ends its movement to a room, it may stay on the general room area or enter a doorway or window cover.

2. Variable sized areas allow us to create much more interesting (at least we think so :p) environments, as they are much less uniform and patterned.
 

Temesis

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Jun 13, 2016
Messages
44
Oh and the map is only 9 two-sided urban blocks that can be ordered and rotated which way ever. Quick setup.
 

udm

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 14, 2008
Messages
2,752
Make the Codex Great Again!
Sounds like how Zombicide/MERCS Recon does it. Just please don't use the retarded friendly fire rules from Zombicide
 

mastroego

Arcane
Joined
Apr 10, 2013
Messages
10,250
Location
Italy
Neat, if there were eventually a digital version (like Talisman) I'd get it.
Unfortunately I don't get to play boardgames in RL with other nerds fine players...
 

Temesis

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Jun 13, 2016
Messages
44
Sounds like how Zombicide/MERCS Recon does it. Just please don't use the retarded friendly fire rules from Zombicide

Yeah, the map is a bit like Zombicide.

You can shoot at enemies that are in the same areas with your friendlies without hitting the friendlies first. Don't use molotov or underslung grenade launcher though...
 

mastroego

Arcane
Joined
Apr 10, 2013
Messages
10,250
Location
Italy
My acquantainces aren't into this kind of thing :(
Seriously, might you consider a partnership with a developer for a digital version? The market for that isn't even saturated yet... :)
 

udm

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 14, 2008
Messages
2,752
Make the Codex Great Again!
Or just put up a Roll20 version. Roll20 does board games quite well.
 

Temesis

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Jun 13, 2016
Messages
44
Seriously, might you consider a partnership with a developer for a digital version? The market for that isn't even saturated yet... :)

Market isn't that satured, it is true. ;)

We actually had a pc tactical game project going on (it was not based on INVASION: Free State though), but we killed it after a prototype didn't turn out good enough. Partnership with a large studio might work better. When INVASION has sold 30 000 copies we could try that :)

As my day job, I work in the games industry (mostly mobile projects). Some day it would be cool to make an old-school tactical pc game!
 
Last edited:

Temesis

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Jun 13, 2016
Messages
44
Or just put up a Roll20 version. Roll20 does board games quite well.

I was just researching of doing a testing version of INVASION in Tabletop Simulator. This would be delivered the digital testing team. But maybe I have to check Roll20 out too. I also looked at Tabletopia, but Tabletop Simulator seemed more popular & powerful.

(Everybody that wants to participate just PM me.)
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom