3rd game: Balance

Basic Rules

You need a squared table with coordinates and appropriate dice. (2 d6s for a 6x6, 2 d8s for a 8x8, etc.) You will need two types of marbles (blue and yellow), each of the amount to be able to cover the whole table. Each player gets different type of marbles.

Each player puts one marble on the table artelnately. After the table is filled, dice are rolled to determin a square on the table. The rolled marble is changed to the opposing marble.

After every roll the player with the higher number of marbles get points equal to the differnnce in the amount of marbles on the table.

2nd Version

This differs from the basic version in the original setup. Before the first roll the table is completely filled with only one type of marbles.

(The scoring goes somehow else, but I can't understand. I think the translator himself couldn't understand it.)

3rd Version

There are four players, wich mean four different colors. After every roll you roll 1d4 to define wich color should be become the rolled marble. (I think you should rather use 1d3 and discard the possibility for the marble to stay the same type of marble.)

4th Version

This differs from the basic version in a cooperative rule:

The rolled marble can only be exchanged if there are at least 4 neighbouring marbles of the opposing color. (Diagonal neighbours count.)

1D6 Version

Your starting value is 3.

If you roll above the value, you raise it by one.

If you roll below the value, you lower it by one.

Analysis

The first three versions is about having a balance. In the first case the balance is sustained with minor differences. Unlike the former game, in this case the system has a long range memory and returns to the state of balance.

The second version is about the time needed to reach the balance. The nearer you are to the balance, the slower it will get.

The third version shows you that the mechanic is universal and not only for two participants.

The fourth version gives strategic input to the players when placing the marbles, and the interactions between the neighbours help patterns to arise.

In RPGs

Balance between values can be important in games. If you want to limit the extreme values, you can use mechanic like that. (It's generally the same as making too high values too expensive to purchase.) You can even use this to balance the efficiency of characters and power of the adventure.