A few months ago, I went full maths on my game, I wanted to work out how well “balanced” it was and thought that exploring the probabilities of different outcomes might give me insight – I like maths so I figured it would be fun too!
This challenge revealed more than just gameplay mechanics; it led to a tiny (but not insignificant) epiphany about time as a critical element in game design. I was previously super-focused on the tangible costs and rewards within the game, such as cargo for missions and dice-roll probabilities, but I realised that time—the number of turns a player has to complete a mission—is an equally important currency.
This realisation wasn’t immediate. Good games hide complexity from players and in my case from its creator too! The moment of clarity happened when thinking about the flight path card/mechanic in the game. It dawned on me that time (the number of steps or turns before reaching a goal on a flightpath) profoundly influences gameplay dynamics and outcomes. Time is sat underpinning so much of the strategising and decision-making. Planning ahead players need to take into account what’s happening now, and for their next few turns. I just hadn’t realised, it seem like it should have been so obvious that time was a key resource in my game.
This is true for so many games, and perhaps I’ve been daft never have thought time as a resource in this way before. Chess offers a classic example, where time, translated into turns, dictates the planning and execution of moves.
Parallel to these design insights I was exploring crowdfunding and found time to be important there too. Running a Kickstarter campaign is not just about having a solid game but also about understanding when your game and you are ready to make that leap.
Reading Jamey Stegmaier‘s crowdfunding advice highlighted the need to carefully consider timing in this context (it’s a great book and worth a read). Unlike the pressured deadlines often self-imposed or suggested by social media, the reality was liberating: a launch doesn’t have to be rushed, I’m in control of time!
This philosophy of appreciating time extends beyond game mechanics and crowdfunding timelines. It’s about embracing the development and community building process as a gradual journey—one that doesn’t benefit from haste and thrives on thoughtful progression and engagement. Observing other crowdfunding ventures rise, succeed and (sadly at times) fall, I’ve see that audience building cannot be sped up, it has a speed-limit. It’s a slow burn, requiring patience, dedication, and genuine connection with potential players.
Wandering the path of game design and crowdfunding, I’ve learned a loads of lessons, with the understanding of time’s value standing out. I’m preparing for an autumn launch of Drop Zone Chocks Away and have shifted to a more measured approach, acknowledging that game development, like life, doesn’t adhere to arbitrary deadlines.
The realisation allows me to enjoy the learning and creation process, and means I can embrace both the challenges and joys they bring. It also means it might not be Autumn (but having some sort of internal deadline at least makes me do things).
So, to fellow creators in game design or crowdfunding, remember: the rush is often self-imposed. Let time be your ally, guiding your project to its end-game when it, and you, are ready.
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