This board game is currently in development and is, by far, the most ambitious and complex design I've worked on so far. If playtesting continues to go well, I hope this will be the next game I pitch to publishers.
The original inspiration for the game came from the idea of time travel and how actions taken in the distant past can ripple through history, changing both the more recent past and the present. Time travel has appeared as a theme in board games before, but very few games make it a central gameplay mechanic rather than simply part of the setting. That challenge immediately captured my interest.
One game that inspired parts of my design was Khronos, which explores changes to history in a very clever way. I also wanted to combine this concept with area control, creating a game where players compete for influence while constantly reshaping the timeline. A space setting felt like the perfect match for these mechanics, so with the themes of time travel, area control, and space exploration established, I began developing the game's systems and mechanics.
The first two prototypes were driven by dice. While the dice added another layer of decision-making, they also introduced randomness and slowed the pace of the game. As development progressed, it became clear that this didn't complement either the strategic gameplay or the theme I wanted to create.
Removing the dice and focusing on the area control and timeline mechanics made the game flow much more smoothly. From there, development centered on refining the resource system, balancing player choices, and improving the overall turn structure to keep the game engaging while preserving meaningful strategic decisions.
The current version is being actively playtested. If the remaining testing confirms that the mechanics are balanced and enjoyable, with no major changes required, my next step will be to begin pitching the game to publishers.
The original inspiration for the game came from the idea of time travel and how actions taken in the distant past can ripple through history, changing both the more recent past and the present. Time travel has appeared as a theme in board games before, but very few games make it a central gameplay mechanic rather than simply part of the setting. That challenge immediately captured my interest.
One game that inspired parts of my design was Khronos, which explores changes to history in a very clever way. I also wanted to combine this concept with area control, creating a game where players compete for influence while constantly reshaping the timeline. A space setting felt like the perfect match for these mechanics, so with the themes of time travel, area control, and space exploration established, I began developing the game's systems and mechanics.
The first two prototypes were driven by dice. While the dice added another layer of decision-making, they also introduced randomness and slowed the pace of the game. As development progressed, it became clear that this didn't complement either the strategic gameplay or the theme I wanted to create.
Removing the dice and focusing on the area control and timeline mechanics made the game flow much more smoothly. From there, development centered on refining the resource system, balancing player choices, and improving the overall turn structure to keep the game engaging while preserving meaningful strategic decisions.
The current version is being actively playtested. If the remaining testing confirms that the mechanics are balanced and enjoyable, with no major changes required, my next step will be to begin pitching the game to publishers.