Akamai

My cat will get smarter on its journey.

I’ve decided that the base game of Pōpoki is ok to play, but it lacks enough tactical choices and creativity to be fun.

I’m going to add cards called Akamai, which is Hawaiian for smart. This will allow players to improve their tactical choices as each turn passes. Most of these will involve manipulating a die but in a way that’s tied to a Hawaiian word or pidgin phrase.

After discovering this thread on Board Game Geek, I’m using a browser-based tool called Card-A-Mon, created by Lithuanian software developer and gamer Dalius Dobravolskas. Much like nanDeck on the PC, it allows me to quickly prototype cards using a spreadsheet.

I’ve also made a bunch of changes to the player’s mat, after getting feedback from my internal playtesters. And for accessibility reasons, I’ve created custom dice that don’t require color to contrast between the different types.

Next up? More internal playtesting to see if this is even good enough to release for a public playtest on Tabletop Simulator.

Published Dec. 22, 2020.