Clockwerks - by David Spieth


 

Clockwerks: a game by David Spieth for 2-4 players.

 

Objective:  Move your mice along the hands of several moving clocks, collecting objects. 

 

Components: A hexgrid board, several clock hands, two elevators (pinecone cords), one pendulum platform, one gnome marker, mouse pawns, cheese markers, present markers, turn tracking marker, card deck. 

 

Overview:  There are several spots on the board that are the centers for the spinning clock hands.  When two clock hands overlap, you may move your pawn across the bridge.  The goal is to move your mice from the board entrance to each type of cheese and then bring it back to the board exit.  Cards are used by players to move the clocks and other board elements to various positions to strategically advance their mice.

 

Background/Idea Generation:  I had been working on the list of ideas for a final project.  One was for a roller skating derby.  I was thinking of things to add to this idea, including something that sweeps along the track like a giant clock hand.  Then I thought if there should be rules allowing the players to climb on the hand instead of ducking/avoiding it.  Then I switched ideas completely, having a gathering game in a vertical plane with clock hands.

 

 

Click the link below to download the complete rules, cards, board, tokens, etc.

 

Questions:

How is the flow of the game? 

Is the game too long, too short? 

Are you having fun while playing it?

What are your favorite aspects of the game?

What are your annoyances with the game?

Do you have any rules questions?

Did it feel unbalanced?  (Does player 1 have an advantage or disadvantage since board elements move prior to Player 1's turn)

Any recommendations?

 

Final Design is now posted:  Note 2 versions of the board are included in this pdf.  One is a printer-killer with graphics.  The other one contains only the information needed to play the game.  Also for the cards, card backs are included, but are very printer-sensitive relative to the cards if you decide to print double-sided.  

 

For the board, Layout pages in order below to assemble:

1      4

2      5

3      6 

The color version also includs 'strips' that are needed to bridge between 1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 5-6.

 

Final Design Project Pictures:  I'm quite proud of the board, it consumed quite a bit of time. 

Clockwerks-FinalPresentation-DSpieth_08292009.pdf

 

See Images below for game components

Counters

 

Close-up of clock hands.  Ideally these would be plastic and fit in the board.  For this prototype, these are painted popsickle sticks with wooden hubs.

These are samples of the cards.  I would have liked better fronts of the cards, and would eventually like to include a couple of cartoon mice on the backs of the cards.  The backs of the cards combined a riverfront town skyline with Big Ben towers, edited in 'paint'

 

This is the board.  It is six 8.6x11 sheets of paper mounted on foamcore board.  I'm currently too chicken to cut the board so it folds, or to cut the white margin off the top.

 

 

Lastly, this is a close-up of the action.  A 'falling mouse' card was played on green, who has fallen down 3 hexes from the clock hand, leaving his cheese on the hand.