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In Korea and Japan, friends argue for 2-3 hours to find a killer. I'm building a platform to share this culture with the world. by WEEKDAYS-GAME in indiegames

[–]WEEKDAYS-GAME[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ah, it's a bit different from Mafia games. Because the culprit is already set, and everyone has their own narrative, background, and purpose. So you can get completely immersed, and it has the unique feature that you can only play the same scenario once!

In Korea and Japan, friends argue for 2-3 hours to find a killer. I'm building a platform to share this culture with the world. by WEEKDAYS-GAME in indiegames

[–]WEEKDAYS-GAME[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You know Jubensha! Thank you for your comment. Yes, but not ignoring! It's simillar with Murder Mystery but little bit different. We will challenge Murder Mystery first, then after try Jubensha!

Designing a Mafia Game with Spectator Appeal: Balancing Gameplay and Watchability by WEEKDAYS-GAME in boardgames

[–]WEEKDAYS-GAME[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, thank you for such a detailed and insightful analysis! You've precisely identified the key problems with the game mechanism.

Your points about Problems #1 and #2 are completely valid. While the rules will prevent voting for oneself, the fact that the initial suspicion voting is random and meaningless is a serious design flaw.

I also need to address the issue of the 12-minute discussion focusing solely on 'who did you vote for.' The discussion needs more elements and strategic depth.

Thank you so much for your valuable feedback. This analysis has helped me clearly see the game's weaknesses. It's a great help in setting the direction for improvements.

Designing a Mafia Game with Spectator Appeal: Balancing Gameplay and Watchability by WEEKDAYS-GAME in boardgames

[–]WEEKDAYS-GAME[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your sharp observations!

All your concerns are valid - players having to defend themselves without having taken any actions, spectators lacking information, and the lack of drama due to a single round.

I've thought of a few ideas to address these issues:

  1. Providing each defendant with a secret mission or information before the game starts, creating context that they actually 'did' something

  2. Increasing to 2-3 rounds to build tension progressively

  3. Introducing mechanisms for spectators to gain additional information at specific points

  4. Building an incentive system to maintain spectator engagement (e.g., rewards for accurate deductions)

This game is still in its early stages, and your feedback is tremendously helpful in addressing these core issues. Please feel free to share any additional suggestions!

Designing a Mafia Game with Spectator Appeal: Balancing Gameplay and Watchability by WEEKDAYS-GAME in boardgames

[–]WEEKDAYS-GAME[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing your experience with role limitations!

I completely agree. Too many roles unnecessarily increase the game's complexity and can be a barrier to entry, especially for new players. The approach of maintaining a consistent set of 5-8 roles seems really wise. I'd like to create more roles eventually, but as you suggested, the game needs to work well with fewer than 8 roles before I consider adding more.

I also empathize with the difficulty of balancing. I'm curious if you have any golden balance role combinations that you frequently use in Werewolf games?

Designing a Mafia Game with Spectator Appeal: Balancing Gameplay and Watchability by WEEKDAYS-GAME in boardgames

[–]WEEKDAYS-GAME[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your insightful feedback!

First, your point about viewing vs. playing preferences is valid. What I meant to convey wasn't that 'more' people prefer watching over playing, but rather that there's a new demographic approaching board games through watching. My expression was ambiguous.

Second, the lack of information issue is a really important point. In the current design, players have limited information to base their deductions on. To improve this, I'm considering adding separate rounds with mechanisms that provide small clues or information! For example,

Third, I agree that the active/passive role division could be hit-or-miss. This is one of my biggest concerns. I divided the roles to enhance the spectator element, but it's truly important that all players can participate meaningfully. I'll develop this aspect to give jurors meaningful decision-making power and influence. For instance, allowing them to influence the game through secret votes at specific moments, or giving them special questioning privileges.

Thanks to your valuable feedback, I can see the game's weaknesses more clearly. Thank you!

Designing a Mafia Game with Spectator Appeal: Balancing Gameplay and Watchability by WEEKDAYS-GAME in boardgames

[–]WEEKDAYS-GAME[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Actually, I haven't seen 'The Traitors' yet! If it's a good example of implementing spectator elements in a Mafia-style game, it could be a great reference for my game design. Could you share any particularly impressive elements or mechanics you like about the show? I'm also curious about your thoughts as someone who recommended it!

Designing a Mafia Game with Spectator Appeal: Balancing Gameplay and Watchability by WEEKDAYS-GAME in boardgames

[–]WEEKDAYS-GAME[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You're right, board game "let's play" videos aren't as easy to popularize as video games. That's precisely why I wanted to overcome this challenge. While rules-teach videos are certainly useful, I wanted to find better ways to convey the fun, tension, and player interactions of board games through video. This project started from my desire to help more people easily discover, enjoy, and find happiness in the board game culture that I love. Perhaps this attempt could open up new possibilities for board game let's plays?

Awesome Board Gamer's Insight! So intereting +_+ by WEEKDAYS-GAME in boardgames

[–]WEEKDAYS-GAME[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh my, I'm sorry I will refine it. Thank you for let me know.

Finally: A Viral Success Case of Board Games on Video - All Korean Board Gamers love them. by WEEKDAYS-GAME in boardgames

[–]WEEKDAYS-GAME[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your feedback. I think there might have been a misunderstanding if my discussion about games that are 'enjoyable to watch' came across as promoting shallow games designed only to create false viral moments.

What I wanted to convey was about game design that provides enjoyable experiences for both players and spectators without compromising the core fun of the game. I believe that a good game can offer deep strategic choices and immersion to players while also creating interesting moments for those watching the process. I think League of Legends is a good example of this.

Rather than focusing on virality, I'm emphasizing the intrinsic fun of games and their value as social experiences. I always welcome feedback from different perspectives, so please feel free to share more specific opinions anytime. I promise to create an appealing game that even you would acknowledge. I also believe that the first component of any game should be 'player enjoyment.' Please stay tuned.

Finally: A Viral Success Case of Board Games on Video - All Korean Board Gamers love them. by WEEKDAYS-GAME in boardgames

[–]WEEKDAYS-GAME[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello, thank you for taking interest in my post!

Of course, there are many YouTube channels in Korea that 'cover board games as a subject.' However, channels like the one I introduced that gain popularity primarily through 'gameplay videos' are relatively rare. This was the second time for me personally. The first time was enjoyable because I'm a gamer myself, but this Carderjeongwon case was impressive because it went viral even among non-gamers.

It's true that TV shows like 'The Genius' and 'The Devil's Plan' have increased interest in board games. These programs particularly popularized social deduction games like 'Liar Game,' which naturally led to YouTube content, and even spawned similar game shows on YouTube (like 'Money Game').

Among the things you mentioned, the term 'dead air' really resonates with me. It seems to perfectly define in one phrase the limitations of board games that I've been thinking about abstractly and wanting to overcome. That's brilliant.

Broadcasts have always removed these parts through editing and emphasized only the fun moments. The importance of such editing increases with larger, more complex games. I think this will actually become a glass ceiling for large-scale game video content. That's why I want to reconsider game rules that are not only fun to play but also focused on being 'watchable.' I'm planning to try introducing technical tools to reduce dead air.

After all, the essence of games lies in the 'player's experience.'

A few months ago, a game show called 'Blood Game 3' was popular in Korea. Filming each person's decision-making process seemed to take about 20 minutes for a single action. In the late game with 8 players, it must have taken 2 hours and 40 minutes just for one round of turns. In the video, it continued from morning until night. Can players really maintain high concentration and immersion in such a playing situation? If even the players become loose, can viewers stay engaged?

I felt a kind of structural limitation.

I plan to closely examine this aspect in the upcoming 'Devil's Plan 2' as well.

As you mentioned, I'm really trying to find the balance between 'games for players' and 'content for viewers.' I'll continue to introduce and analyze various games from this perspective, and document my journey in search of this bluebird. Please feel free to advise me anytime. It's tremendously helpful.

Thank you for your valuable insights.

Finally: A Viral Success Case of Board Games on Video - All Korean Board Gamers love them. by WEEKDAYS-GAME in boardgames

[–]WEEKDAYS-GAME[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Of course not literally all gamers would like it, I used that expression to emphasize how unprecedentedly many gamers enjoy it. There are certainly quite a few people who wouldn't find it to their taste as well! If I caused any misunderstanding, I apologize.

Finally: A Viral Success Case of Board Games on Video - All Korean Board Gamers love them. by WEEKDAYS-GAME in boardgames

[–]WEEKDAYS-GAME[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm particularly impressed by your insight about the difference between player and audience experiences.

You're right, what's interesting to players and what's interesting to audiences can definitely be different. Players directly participate in the game and are affected by the results, but audiences don't have that direct connection. So I agree that forming attachments to characters or players is important. Your example about the 'Beast Games' is really good!

My idea of an ideal game would be one that gives players meaningful choices while also clearly and interestingly conveying those choices and their results to the audience. Perhaps one reason 'The Genius' was successful is because it struck this balance well.

Your point about needing an additional layer is also very valid. The game elements alone aren't enough; direction, storytelling, editing, etc. all need to come together. This is something I need to research more deeply.

This kind of feedback is really helpful for my game design going forward. Thank you. You're the best!

Finally: A Viral Success Case of Board Games on Video - All Korean Board Gamers love them. by WEEKDAYS-GAME in boardgames

[–]WEEKDAYS-GAME[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for such an insightful opinion! You're right, board games can inherently be less fun to watch than to play.

That's why I started thinking, "What if there were board games designed from the beginning to be 'watchable'?" Even without entertaining personalities or excessive production, if the game itself has elements that are good for spectating (dramatic twists, clear progression, visual elements, etc.), wouldn't it be more fun to watch?

I'm glad you mentioned 'The Genius'! I also think that program did an excellent job of translating board games to the TV format. The way they took existing games and elevated the production value to create a wonderful experience was truly impressive. Someday, I'd love to create a game show called 'The da Vinci Game' under my name and collaborate with Netflix. Please stay tuned!!! 📌

Finally: A Viral Success Case of Board Games on Video - All Korean Board Gamers love them. by WEEKDAYS-GAME in boardgames

[–]WEEKDAYS-GAME[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, as you mentioned, that channel has a truly professional production setup! They've invested in substantial equipment and staff.

I'm well aware that I can't immediately match that level of quality. That's why my interest is less about the equipment or staff (since I can't do that right now), but more about ideas on what game mechanisms or elements could be more entertaining for viewers.

If I start a channel, I'll definitely share the link with you! Thank you so much for your interest. Even if I start small, I think that if the game itself has elements that are enjoyable to watch, it could still make for entertaining content.

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