A game should not reveal all on first play…

There is a pressure when designing to ensure players have a good experience on their first play. This is important, regardless of perceived weight of the game. A poor experience will usually mean players won't return to the game. Many play testers will only play the game once, and any views or thoughts they have on the game will be based on that experience. Reviewers will usually play a game once, and possibly not even play a full game, their time is limited. a quick and fulfilling first play is often desired.

There is, however, a difference between a smooth game loop, and the game revealing it's depth on the first play. When you play chess for the first time, you may well finish a game, but you have no idea of the possibilities with those 6 different types of pieces at your disposal.

For a game to have longevity it needs secrets. It needs treasure that players will uncover as they play more games. Tactics and strategy that will only be discovered with familiarity with the rules. Designers build these things into games. To reveal everything on first play would mean players wouldn't need to play again. The sweet spot is for player to end their first game thinking, ‘ahhhh’, now I see. And even beyond that, to continue to discover new possibilities.

For me as a designer, the core loop and mechanics needs to have the flexibility to build in that kind of discoverability.

On the surface, Meadowvale looks like a simple nature themed tile placement game. Cursory glances bring comparisons to Cascadia, Harmonies and Dorf Romantique. These comparisons are wide of the mark in terms of depth and gameplay. Meadowvale is a nature themed game but players only really grasp the depth after a few plays. The asymmetry created by the specialism cards, which are gained as rewards for completing objectives, lead you into the second half of the game where movement, adjacency, and interactive spatial positioning become paramount. You also see the various ways in which you can exploit your actions and the board in order to achieve objective cards.

It means, that as a design, the core loop is strong and the the specialism cards can be adjusted, altered, and developed in different ways and layered over the top. This has always been my intention. The core loop can support a different ecosystem, geographical location, whilst the specialism would change and adapt accordingly. They are almost like ecological factions.

I don't feel a strategy guide is a very good way of pointing out the depth a game has. The joy of a game is discovering that depth.

There is a risk that players will not see the potential of repeated plays, but I hope I have designed Meadowvale to give enough in the first play to give a taste of what is to come.