Video Prototype - Statement of Delivery

The concept is a game that takes aspects from Minesweeper, a classic game on PCs, and Dots and Boxes, a classic game on pen and paper, to create a new game with new strategy, and new ways to win. The game is called Mines between the Lines. Detailed game rules can be found here: http://jasonh-deco2300.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/mines-between-lines-game-rules.html

The prototype is designed to challenge people with a game that requires some new strategies, but is familiar to many people. In other words, a new way of looking at 2 classic games. In incorporating aspects of both games, aspects were changed such as acquisition of points, and uncovering mines resulting in you losing points instead of ending the game.

The game is played with two players, and since Minesweeper is a 1 player game, the incorporation of Minesweeper aspects allowed players to be competing for the lines used in Dots and Boxes, as well as the squares and mines in minesweeper. Players place horizontal or vertical lines between two adjacent dots. When players surround all 4 sides of a single square area, they claim that box and any number that is within that box. For keyboard/MakeyMakey inputs, the arrow keys will be used to move the line in 4 directions, while a 5th key will be used to rotate the line from horizontal to vertical and vice versa.

During testing, I will be evaluating how balanced the overall gameplay is. Is the acquisition of points too easy, is losing 5 points for detonating a mine a balanced number, and how strategies in this game will differ to those of the two separate games, eg: Will a strategy of a chain of squares, common in Dots and Boxes, work in Mines Between the Lines? Will a players knowledge of how to spot mines in Minesweeper be too much of an advantage to someone who has not gotten very far in Minesweeper? Logic, and process by elimination will be a big part of this game.

There were limitations with sticking to a paper prototype, while possible, it required many different pieces of paper as there are two separate grids, one which must be progressively revealed as the game is played. A graphical digital prototype, made in Adobe Illustrator served this purpose.