Dreadgate has actually been about 15 years in the making. Work started on the game back in 2009. I had an idea for a card game that utilized movement and combat that could be more strategic, but I wanted to incorporate some other mechanic to set the game apart. That’s when I thought of the Gateway. In fact, the original card game was going to be called Gateway: Return to Galwyndor.
We used a hex grid and each card would represent a meeple or a mini on the board. The game also incorporated a standard set of RPG dice. We playtested the hell out of it and it was a lot of fun. But it was just me and my roommate Kris, and we didn’t have the money to get art for all the cards and we kind of ran out of steam. But the idea still simmered in my head for over a decade.
I never got over the idea for a tactical card game that centered around a Gateway. It was supposed to be the centerpiece of the game, and all the lore I created for the game actually formed the basis for the entire Everwind universe. All the lore surrounding the Gateway made up the ancient history of the world of Galwyndor. Over time, Everwind became its own IP, I wrote a number of stories in the distant future, long after the events surrounding the Gateway were forgotten.
So I still had all this lore built up, and I still wanted to make a card game surrounding this centerpiece of a magical portal.
Eventually, in 2023, I began reworking the idea into another card game. I made some major modifications. Streamlined it. I got rid of the dice and the need for miniatures. I got rid of the hex grid and replaced it with a grid that would work with cards. The cards would replace the minis. The game needed to be self-contained within a deck of cards. But it would also now have the possibilities that a untold number of cards could provide.
top-down vs bottom-up game design
In game design, top-down refers to starting with a theme and applying mechanics to fit the theme. Bottom-up is starting with mechanics and applying a theme later. From what I’ve read about the subject, top-down leads to a more immersive game experience, and it makes the game feel more cohesive. Bottom-up can sometimes lead to feeling like the theme is tacked on, like an afterthought.
Of course, neither approach is wrong if you do them right.
I came to realize that my approach was a mix of both; I had the core mechanic being movement and attack based on direction and distance, with a Gateway added into the concept to form the theme that I would build the rest around. I also already had the lore part completed.
I think as long as your game feels unique and natural, and all the mechanics seem to belong in the game and the theme, you’re well on your way. After you figure out the main components, it’s just a matter of tuning everything to make sure the game is fun and well-paced.
designing your game
Wherever you start in your idea process will point the way forward. Do you have a theme already in mind? If so, make a list of possible mechanics. How can you make these match the theme of your game? In Dreadgate (I changed the name from Gateway to Dreadgate because it sounds cooler) we have a clear objective: get your units to the portal. You have to move your guys across the board to a specific grid. Of course, since it’s a competition, how can we accomplish this goal while disrupting the opponent? We kill the enemy units! It’s a war, of course. So now we have combat. We simply needed to come up with mechanics that facilitated this that work on a grid.
But what if you have a cool mechanic you want to build around? That’s fine, too! I had this Gateway idea as my main mechanic. What is this Gateway? Why is it there? Why do people want to enter it? What’s the story there? Just ask questions and see what comes of it. Once the ideas start to flow, you’ll invariably come up with even more ideas. What other mechanics synergize with the main one? My Gateway was magical, and I came up with a whole story surrounding why everyone was fighting over it. So now I needed magic.
My game needed people to do battle. Units. They needed weapons and armor and relics. They needed to do magical spells. It all just flowed from the original simple idea of having a Gateway to maneuver to and fight over.
When you design your game, just brainstorm. Try out all your ideas to see what fits the best. Hone and tweak them. Take your time. Play the game a lot. Be honest about what is fun and what is not. Don’t make the mistake of thinking your original rules and ideas will all work. What looks good on paper is not always the best option.
Again, play it a lot. You will quickly find flaws. Take the time to fix them. If you don’t, other people will notice them. It will be obvious you didn’t play it enough or you didn’t care enough to put in the effort to make the best game possible.
Don’t be in a rush to get the game out there. Make sure it’s ready. Get rid of parts that are confusing or too complex. Simple is better. It shouldn’t take hours and hours to teach others how to play. Keep it simple. Don’t worry about it being too boring. Magic the Gathering, at its core, is very simple. It started simple and the complexity was added over time. After people were already hooked.
Most of all, have fun. Enjoy the process. Again, take your time. You’ll be glad you did.
