| Web of Power | |
|
by Erik Arneson
Web of Power, the Family Strategy Game of the Year according to Games Magazine, impressed me so much after one play that I bought it as a Christmas present for my father.
Game Summary
Web of Power is played on a map of medieval Europe divided into nine regions, each colored one of five colors (four pairs of regions and one -- the largest -- that stands on its own). A series of roads connect the regions, sprinkled with towns. Other lines mark potential alliances between the various regions.
Using cards to determine where they may make a move, players locate cloisters in the towns and advisors on larger circles within each region. Each region can only hold as many advisors as there are cloisters from the most prevalant player. (If red has three cloisters in a region, and that's the most of any color in that region, only three advisors total -- of any color -- may be played there.) This restriction is one of several interesting mechanics that makes Web of Power a unique and enjoyable experience.
The game plays quickly, in about an hour for a four-player game, but offers plenty of opportunities to make strategic decisions. There's some luck involved in the draw of the cards to determine placement options, but more skilled players will prevail in the majority of games.
Interview with Designer Michael Schacht
How did the idea for Web of Power originate?
Tell me a little about the development of the map. How did you work to achieve balance on the map?
The map is real, a bit simplified. The time was 1000 to 1100 AD and all of the cloisters existed. I made some changes with the connections between the countries to have good combinations with nearly every country.
What was the most difficult part about the design process for WoP?
The relation between the two kind of tiles. I worked a long time on that, but finished it before the first test. It was one of the lucky situations, when the first prototype is the last.
It has been said the WoP is an abstract game with a theme attached. Do you think that's accurate? And what do you think the theme adds to this game?
It is an abstract game with a theme attached, but the theme was there early and influenced the game. I don't understand the discussions. What is the consequence of not having a theme for such a game? Geometric fields and lines? I don't think that anyone would like to play it. I think the theme adds a lot.
Did the theme undergo any changes as WoP was developed?
At the very beginning it was the "hanse."
How long did it take you to develop the first version of WoP?
Three to four weeks.
How long until the finished version?
Three to four months.
When and why did you start designing games?
My first try was a computer game (Amiga) about 12 years ago. It was a simulation game in the ancient Mediterranian, called "After the Flood."
I nearly finished the game when I had to recognize that the programming language had a problem. But I already spent so much time that I decided not to learn another language and transform everything. The card/board games came 3 to 4 years later. My first try was with the Hippodice Award (given to the winner of an annual game design competition).
What do you enjoy most about designing games?
Every part of it. But especially the euphoric parts, when you have the feeling it can work and can be something special.
What do you enjoy least?
The situation of game designers is really hard. All the risk is on the side of the author. You have to invest too much and that can be useless. OK, you can have fun with your own (unpublished) games for a time. But you can buy hundreds of good or interesting games that cost no preparation time -- some months or a year.
Which of your games was the most difficult to design?
A game called Highland Smuggler. I worked on it for years. It is still not finished, and I think it will never be. Kontor took a long time as well.
Which was the easiest?
Blindes Huhn, Zock and Schlauer Bauer for card games. Web of Power for board games.
What other games are you currently working on?
I recently finished the work on Knatsch (Abacus) which was released at Essen. I'm working on another version of Die Tafelrunde with Bruno Faidutti. We hope this will be published soon. Also, a two-player game like Kontor and a three- and four-player version of Kontor. Plus new scenario ideas for Kontor and Web of Power.
What are some of your current favorite games, other than your own designs?
Siedler von Catan (Settlers of Catan), Kuhhandel, Linie 1, Entdecker, Loewenherz, Tadsch Mahal (Taj Mahal), Lost Cities, Bohnanza, Capone, Um Reifenbreite, Cafe International, and Willi Wacker.
What is it you like about these games?
Most of them are very communicative. I like role-playing in games.
After Kontor, I wanted to make a really simple game. Kontor is an easy game, but if you look at the rules it seems the opposite. So i tried to change this for Web of Power. I also wanted to make a game that's not too long but has some complexity. There is a trend that games are getting more and more complex and longer and longer. I don't feel that this is the right way at the moment to make a point against computer games.
Graphic courtesy Rio Grande Games. See the Web of Power Game File for more details and a link to a larger photo.
