Sanity Test for Rocks in Our Space

73/100
Final Score
Despite a few typos, a solid rules set that makes good use of the engine from Sultans and Kings.
Completed November 19, 2020 by Chris Aylott

Rules 59/80

Structure 7/9

Follows the expected structure.

Requirements 3/3

Requirements are listed.

Introduction 2/3

Why can't we ever just get along???? The introduction is typical for the genre, but it sets the scene for the game.

Overview 2/3

How to play and how to win are concisely summarized.

Component List 5/5

Components are enumerated and clearly described.

Component Pictures 2/3

All cards are clearly depicted.

Setup 8/10

The setup is described.
The use of "campaign" here and in the components is a little confusing, since a campaign is usually associated with a scenario or other set of special rules. You might want to rename the two sides something like "faction" or "species."
It's not completely clear whether you have to follow the layout in the picture or if any arrangement that keeps colors close together works. You might want to provide a little more detail here, and/or mark the picture as "Sample Battle Area" if variations are possible.

Setup Pictures 5/7

Setup picture shows how the Battle Area can be laid out. As noted above, you might want to indicate if this is the only layout or if others are possible.

Game Play 5/15

The gameplay rules are cut off on page 8. (Also, watch for typos like "wether".)
Overall, however, the rules are clear and the examples are useful.

Game Play Pictures 7/7

A slight increase to the size of the battle resolution images *might* be an improvement, but overall the images are excellent.

End Point 5/6

Victory conditions are clearly described. Watch out for typos such as "Adds" instead of "Add".
You might want to add a transitional phrase such as "After the battles are resolved" to orient players who are referring to the victory conditions in play instead of just reading through the rules from start to finish. This should help answer any question of "when do we score?" that comes up during the game.
The extra point rule is a separate (though related) instruction from the "Add the total points" instruction. Consider deleting "Also" and giving that instruction its own paragraph.

Overall Comprehension 3/4

Aside from the layout area of the missing text, the rules are clear.

Clarity 3/3

The text is well-written, though it needs another pass to clean up typos. In addition to the typos noted above, watch out for misspellings that are themselves correctly spelled words -- in particular, "Plant" for "Planet" on page 7.

Presentation 2/2

The indents on lists get a little weird at times, especially the Deploy rule on page 8. But overall the layout is attractive and easy to read.

Shop Presentation 14/20

Ad 2/3

An okay pitch that is a little generic. The bullet points emphasize ease of play rather than the fun and excitement of playing. The images and descriptive text provide some information on the setting, which is interesting, but would be more compelling if it talked up the players' role in the game. What is the fantasy? What do you-the-player do to have an impact on the setting?

Backdrop 1/1

Space, worlds, guys with big guns. I'm not sure the focal point of "fun facts" makes the game look more exciting, but overall the backdrop looks good.

Logo 1/1

Good logo that fits in well on the backdrop.

Action Shots 4/5

Nice big card images, but I think are you are overdoing it a little. You might have more impact by picking five of the best and letting them represent the game.
The "all the cards" picture is okay but would be better on a neutral background such as a felt cloth.

Description 2/5

The description is a good start but should play up the unique aspects of the game and the player's role. What are the strategic choices? What makes the player's turn fun and interesting?

Video 4/5

The video is simple but effective. I got a "watch this video on Youtube" message; you should set the video to play without leaving the site when you put the game out for sale.


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