WIP: Constello — Abstract strategy game with mini-boards for hidden simultaneous planning (browser-playable)
I’m working on a 2-player abstract strategy game called Constello, and I’d love feedback from other designers.
The goal is to build the strongest connected constellation on a 27-node circular board. At the end of the game, you score your largest connected group, with bonuses for completing full rays from the inner ring to the outer ring.
The rules are built around only three actions: Place, Secure, and Capture. The twist is that both players choose their actions secretly and reveal at the same time, so each turn is partly about board position and partly about reading what your opponent is about to do.
The web version handles hidden planning easily, but the physical version created a design problem: I did not want players writing coordinates.
My current solution is a pair of personal mini-boards. Each player secretly plans on a miniature copy of the main board using two brass pieces, then both players reveal and resolve on the main board. One brass piece represents a 1-stone action; two stacked pieces represent a Capture.
I’ve attached a GIF of the browser version and a photo of the physical prototype for comparison.
The game is playable online at constellogame.com with a 5-min full tutorial.
It can be played against the AI to learn the system, but it really shines against another person, where every reveal is also a read on your opponent.
I’d be especially interested in feedback on:
- whether the mini-board solution looks elegant or fussy
- whether the online version makes the simultaneous-planning system clear
- whether the game looks like something abstract strategy players would want to try
- whether the “Go meets Poker” feel comes across from the concept
I’m not able to send out physical prototypes right now, so I’m mainly looking for online playtest impressions and reactions to the physical concept from the photos.