Jᴀᴄᴜʀᴜᴛᴜ - Tʜᴇ Cᴀsᴛ Oᴜᴛ

Hello, I am in the process of designing a board game, for which I decided the mechanics can depict the world of Dune formidably. The problem: I have no clue about the world I watched the old movie 10 years ago, never read books or saw the mini-series, thus I only know a few based on hearing others discussing about it and a short research in Wikipedia.

I started watching the mini-series as research, but an active community such as yours can probably help me in no time!

I decided to use the Fremen, Atreides, Harkonen and Spacing Guild for now, with Corrino and Bene Jesserit a possible appearance in an expansion.

For starters, I'd like you to help me with each factions' characteristics.

Some I have noticed myself by watching 1/4th of the first mini-series, which need editing and additions:

Atreides
Bravery
Honor
Valuing human life
Protection
Organization
Noble Blood
Loyalty

Harkonen:
Revenge
Wealth
Ending of human life
Physical perfection
Unholy alliances

Fremen
Arrakis lore
Faith in the Messiah
Organization in small communities and groups
Recycling
Survival with few

Spacing Guild
Financial control
Money create money
Blackmailing (mostly economic)
Deleted: Military elite

All of the above will be represented in the game mechanically, so the more accurate the descriptions, the better the representation of the theme

The most obvious thing that sticks out to me is that the Spacing Guild has NOTHING to do with the military except transport.

Freakzilla wrote:The most obvious thing that sticks out to me is that the Spacing Guild has NOTHING to do with the military except transport.

Most helpful, thank you.

In my game there are three different ways to use in order to obtain Spice: Economic, Political and Military. Each faction starts with 2 'units' in one of the three ways, 1 'unit' in another and 0 'units' in the last one, which is their weakest.

How does this sound:
Atreides: 2 Military, 1 Political
Harkonen: 2 Political, 1 Military
Spacing Guild: 2 Economic, 1 Political
Fremen: 1 Economic, 1 Political, 1 Military (them being a balanced faction)

Please give me additional information and add more characteristics to the list

EDIT: Maybe Spacing Guild should be 3 Economic? This fits if it has no political pulls, no ability to manipulate laws and pull strings, no weight in local officers' decisions and doesn't take advantage of corruption

watch out for the HLP !

Maybe you should read the books. What's the rush?

Frank Herbert's books.

So, you want to write something based on Dune, but you don't want to read the original books? But watching TV shows counts as "research." Hmmmmmm.

Well, it's certainly been done before. Just google "Anderson, Kevin J." and you will see the high quality product he puts out.

On second though, is this KJA? Or maybe BH? Finally joined the web did you?

Seriously man (boy?); read the damn books and put some thought into what you are trying to do.

Or just base it on the TV miniseries.

Omphalos wrote:So, you want to write something based on Dune, but you don't want to read the original books? But watching TV shows counts as "research." Hmmmmmm.

Well, it's certainly been done before. Just google "Anderson, Kevin J." and you will see the high quality product he puts out.

On second though, is this KJA? Or maybe BH? Finally joined the web did you?

Seriously man (boy?); read the damn books and put some thought into what you are trying to do.

Plus one. If you are serious about Dune ... read the six original novels.

Moonleaf wrote: How does this sound:
Atreides: 2 Military, 1 Political
Harkonen: 2 Political, 1 Military
Spacing Guild: 2 Economic, 1 Political
Fremen: 1 Economic, 1 Political, 1 Military (them being a balanced faction)

EDIT: Maybe Spacing Guild should be 3 Economic? This fits if it has no political pulls, no ability to manipulate laws and pull strings, no weight in local officers' decisions and doesn't take advantage of corruption

First off, you should DEFINITELY read at least the first book, Dune itself. Otherwise you'll be missing loads of fun stuff you could include in the game.

Here's my thoughts - NOTE: these are for if you want to be accurate to the book.

Atreides and Harkonnen are basically tied for political and military power, except that Atreides only has support of the Houses, and Harkonnen is backed by the Emperor, so I guess the way you have it works because the Harkonnen definitely do have more political power at that time (because of the Emperor's backing though they also have more military than the Atreides).

Fremen should probably be 3 military, they don't trade very much (other than bribing the Guild), and they have zero political power. What they are is the most insane fighting force in the universe.

The Guild I think is fine the way you have it. They DO actually have some political power, they just choose to pretend that they don't. If they think their spice is threatened then they will not hesitate to mess with people (as they mess with the Emperor in Dune).

I would add the Bene Gesserit as a faction though, with starting points of 3 political.

Moonleaf wrote:Hello, I am in the process of designing a board game, for which I decided the mechanics can depict the world of Dune formidably. The problem: I have no clue about the world I watched the old movie 10 years ago, never read books

Stop right there. Do that first. Just read Dune if you're lazy.

Anyone else smell troll?

Demerzel wrote: Anyone else smell troll?

No, but trying to create anything around Dune makes zero sense without reading at least the first book, especially since the movie deviates from it in such crazy ways at certain points.

Demerzel wrote:Anyone else smell troll?

You're to new to be on troll alert... we're still watching you.

A Thing of Eternity wrote:

Demerzel wrote: Anyone else smell troll?

No, but trying to create anything around Dune makes zero sense without reading at least the first book, especially since the movie deviates from it in such crazy ways at certain points.

The movie put me off. Also, the reason I think he'd be a troll is cause WHY would anyone be inclined to make a game on Dune if he hasn't read the books? I don't see that movie inspiring anyone to such an extent.

Freakzilla wrote:

Demerzel wrote:Anyone else smell troll?

You're to new to be on troll alert... we're still watching you.

(no one is too new to be on troll alert) If I were a troll, I'd dislike other trolls. So you can trust me

Demerzel wrote:

A Thing of Eternity wrote:

Demerzel wrote: Anyone else smell troll?

No, but trying to create anything around Dune makes zero sense without reading at least the first book, especially since the movie deviates from it in such crazy ways at certain points.

The movie put me off. Also, the reason I think he'd be a troll is cause WHY would anyone be inclined to make a game on Dune if he hasn't read the books? I don't see that movie inspiring anyone to such an extent.

Though most serious fans of the book take issue with the movie, the 1984 film is a cult classic, I know lots and lots of people that loved it and have never read the book. I enjoy it myself, not really as having much of anything to do with Dune, just as a really whacky and odd film with great visuals.

I hate it, but I own the DVD and still watch it. It may not have been a blockbuster but it inspired many to read the books.

I didn't enjoy the movie one bit. Maybe cause I didn't see too many movies in my childhood, and am not used to the visuals (even Star Wars put me off).

What I hated about the Dune movie were those weird guns that everyone wielded. And the freaky looking characters. I had a world of my own imagination in my mind. The movie interfered with it.

Oh yeah, as a Dune fan it's a piece of junk, but as a whacky movie it's a masterpiece. An accidental masterpiece, because it's shittyness is part of what makes it hilariously fun to watch though!

I laughed at the depiction of Piter. I mean really laughed.

Demerzel wrote:I laughed at the depiction of Piter. I mean really laughed.

Terrible indeed! Lots of it was terrible, nothing worse than when it rains at the end of course!

You know what? I loved that movie way back when. I don't think I've ever seen it the whole way through, but I really liked the parts I did see. Maybe it's because I had never read the book and had never seen anything quite like that movie. Not sure what I would think of it now...

A Thing of Eternity wrote:Terrible indeed! Lots of it was terrible, nothing worse than when it rains at the end of course!

I loved that ending! It was so awesome to me back then. I thought to myself, "Holy shit! This guy's the real deal!" Well, I didn't think that, exactly, but you know I mean. Remember, I was just an impressionable child and I had never read the book. To me, that movie was fucking awesome.

JustSomeGuy wrote:You know what? I loved that movie way back when. I don't think I've ever seen it the whole way through, but I really liked the parts I did see. Maybe it's because I had never read the book and had never seen anything quite like that movie. Not sure what I would think of it now...

A Thing of Eternity wrote:Terrible indeed! Lots of it was terrible, nothing worse than when it rains at the end of course!

I loved that ending! It was so awesome to me back then. I thought to myself, "Holy shit! This guy's the real deal!" Well, I didn't think that, exactly, but you know I mean. Remember, I was just an impressionable child and I had never read the book. To me, that movie was fucking awesome.

I also saw it before reading the book so I had the same impression. Luckily it'd been a while since I saw it before I read the book, but it still messed with me a fair bit, I kept waiting for the sound-guns!

Moonleaf wrote:Hello, I am in the process of designing a board game, for which I decided the mechanics can depict the world of Dune formidably. The problem: I have no clue about the world I watched the old movie 10 years ago, never read books or saw the mini-series, thus I only know a few based on hearing others discussing about it and a short research in Wikipedia.

I started watching the mini-series as research, but an active community such as yours can probably help me in no time!

Huh, sounds dumb. Maybe you should learn to spell the words before you use the marker on what is certain to be an awesome board game. Anyway, you should really go ask this question over at the official forum. When you're there, ask for Fantomas or arnoldo. They'll be more of a help then we could be.

A Thing of Eternity wrote:

Demerzel wrote:I laughed at the depiction of Piter. I mean really laughed.

Terrible indeed! Lots of it was terrible, nothing worse than when it rains at the end of course!

The movie is awful, but I've seen it many, many times, and I kind of like Piter. It's probably because I like Brad Dourif. It was a ridiculous depiction, but I thought it was kind of interesting. I thought Leto was a lot worse. And in terms of funny, how about fucking Thufir Hawat, babbling, and shining a lightbulb in his face?

We watched it a lot, stoned, in college, at four in the morning. I can recite Leto's "Sleeper Must Awaken" speach in Jurgen Prochnow's accent from memory.

I was personally embarrassed by that film.