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Tank Turn Tactics

Overview​

"Tank Turn Tactics", a tactical strategy game prototype developed by a team at Halfbrick Studios. The game would eventually be banned due to controversial gameplay mechanics and thematic content. This case underscores the importance of prototyping early in the game design phase to identify and address potential issues with gameplay and content before full development, ensuring a more polished and well-received final product.

Players​

16 players. The grid size adjusts based on the number of players.

Resources​

  • 16x16 grid (or smaller if there are fewer players)
  • Timer (optional, for tracking the 24-hour turn limit)

Goal/Objective​

Be the last player standing, or secure the top 3 positions by agreement among the remaining players.

Setup​

  • Players are randomly placed on the grid.
  • Each player starts with 3 hearts and 1 Action Point (AP).
  • All players begin with a range of 2 squares for attacking or trading.

Game Mechanics​

  1. The game is turn-based, with players taking their turns on a first-come, first-served basis. A. A turn ends once all players have taken their turn, or after 24 hours have passed since the start of the turn. B. Players who miss a turn lose 1 heart. If a player reaches 0 hearts, they are considered downed. C. When a player is downed, their remaining AP (if any) is randomly distributed on the board. Downed players remain on the board but cannot act unless revived.
  2. Each weekday, all players receive 1 AP at a random time.
  3. On their turn, players can choose one of the following five actions:
    • Move to an adjacent, unoccupied square (1 AP)
    • Attack a player within range (1 AP), this removes 1 heart from the attacked player.
    • Add a heart to their health (3 AP)
    • Upgrade range by 1 square (3 AP)
    • Do nothing
  4. Players can also perform one secondary action:
    • Give 1 heart to any player within range.
    • Give up to 3 AP to any player within range.
    • Do nothing
  5. Range: Players begin with a range of 2 squares for both attacking and trading. Upgrading range increases it by 1 square each time.
  6. Downed players: If a player reaches 0 hearts, they are downed. Their remaining AP is transferred to the player who downed them (or randomly placed if they missed their turn). Downed players remain on the board and can only act if revived by receiving a heart from another player within range. This revives them with 1 heart and 1 AP.
  7. Downed players also form a jury and conduct two secret votes daily:
    • The Haunting Vote: The player with the most votes does not receive their AP for the day.
    • The Intercession Vote: Any player receiving 3 votes from downed players is awarded 3 AP.

Additional Game Elements​

  1. Heart Spawning: Once per day, a heart will randomly spawn on the grid. The first player to reach the square with the heart will collect it.
  2. Loot Drops: At random intervals, 3 AP will spawn on the grid. The first player to reach the square with the loot drop will collect the AP.
  3. Shrinking Grid (Optional): Every three turns, the grid shrinks by 1 row and column (e.g., from 16x16 to 15x15).
    • Downed players who are "shrunk out" lose the ability to revive.
    • Active players who are "shrunk out" are downed and cannot revive.
    • Hearts and loot outside the grid after shrinking remain out of play.

Abridged Game Mechanics​

  1. The game remains turn-based, but with strict time limits for actions: A. Each player must take their turn within 30 seconds. If they fail to act, their turn is skipped, and they lose 1 heart. B. Turns progress in quick succession, with no more than 5 minutes per round. C. If a player reaches 0 hearts, they are downed, and their AP is randomly distributed on the board. Downed players remain on the board but cannot act unless revived.
  2. Each player receives 2 AP and 3 hears at the start of the game.
    • After each round players who are not down, receive 1 AP.
  3. On their turn, players can choose one of the following five actions:
    • Move to an adjacent, unoccupied square (1 AP)
    • Attack a player within range (1 AP) � this removes 1 heart from the attacked player.
    • Add a heart to their health (23 AP)
    • Upgrade range by 1 square (23 AP)
    • Do nothing
  4. Players can also perform one secondary action:
    • Give 1 heart to any player within range.
    • Give up to 2 AP to any player within range.
    • Do nothing
  5. Downed players: If a player reaches 0 hearts, they are downed and remain on the board. However, no hearts or AP can be sent to them, so they cannot be revived. They are effectively out of the game.
  6. The shrinking grid mechanic is implemented: A. The grid shrinks by 1 row and column every 3 turns (e.g., from 8x8 to 7x7). B. Players who are on a square that is removed by shrinking are downed automatically and cannot revive. C. Hearts and AP on shrinking squares are lost.

Outcome​

The game ends when a clear 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place can be determined. Once there are only 4 players left, they meet and attempt to agree on the rankings. If no agreement is reached, play continues until only 3 players remain, at which point the meeting is repeated. Alternatively, the game can continue until only one player remains on the shrinking board.