Manifest: 'Shelf-Space' (Developer-Facing)

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Manifest: 'Shelf-Space' (Developer-Facing) - Castle - 11-20-2025

Shelf-Space — Development & Asset Manifest
Version: 0.0.4a
Publisher: The CollabGadget Co.
Description:
Shelf-Space is a cooperative, money-based board game set in a mall. Players manage anchors, stores, and tenant synergies. This manifest tracks mechanics, stats, formulas, components, prototype production, and development progress.
Purpose: Track progress;

Code:
[ ]

items are checkable milestones.

Table of Contents

1. Core Game Design

Define game objective (co-op goal, revenue, synergy)
Decide player count range and scaling
Establish approximate game duration
Draft initial ruleset

Notes: Game is cooperative; tenants can be shut down and replaced by new tenants mid-game.

2. Board & Layout

Create multi-directional mall board template
Define wings (North, East, South, West)
Place anchor and store positions
Design special tiles (traffic surges, events)
Finalize visual layout for playtesting

Movement Notes: Event cards dictate movement rather than purely linear movement; must be readable from all angles.

3. Anchors & Stores

List anchor types (MegaMart, Cinema, etc.)
List smaller stores and kiosks
Define stats for each (FT, NL, SZ, BA, SY, SI)
Design Anchor/Store Deed Cards
Test balance of revenue vs. cost

Deed Cards Include:

Stats: FT, NL, SZ, BA, SY, and Special Impact (SI)
Revenue formulas
Upgrade levels
Operating costs

4. Stats & Revenue System
Stats Overview, Abbreviations & Formulas
Stat
Abbreviation
Effect
Formula / Notes
How It’s Determined / VisualizedFoot Traffic
FT
Attracts customers; affects revenue for tenant and neighbors

Code:
Revenue = BaseRevenue * (1 + FT/100)

Assigned by tenant type and size. Anchors higher FT, small stores lower. Visual: arrows/circles showing influence radius.
Noise Level
NL
Reduces revenue of nearby tenants

Code:
NearbyRevenue *= (1 - NL/100)

Assigned by tenant type (arcades/cinemas high; boutiques low). Visual: shaded “noise zones” around noisy tenants.
Store Size
SZ
Physical footprint; scales costs/upgrades
UpgradeCost =

Code:
BaseCost * (1 + SZ/10)

; Maintenance =

Code:
BaseCost * SZ/10

Set by type/real-world size. Visual: board tiles occupied or footprint icon.
Brand Appeal
BA
Popularity/prestige; boosts revenue & synergy

Code:
Revenue *= 1 + BA/100

Determined by brand or theme. Visual: stars, logo, or color coding on deed card.
Synergy Type
SY
Tenant category for adjacency bonuses

Code:
Revenue *= 1 + 0.05 * NumberOfSameTypeNearby

Pre-set category (Electronics, Food, Clothing). Visual: color-coded groups/icons.
Special Impact
SI
One-time or rare effect; may change revenue, stats, or movement

Code:
Revenue *= 1 + SI/100

or triggers special events
Assigned by special tenants or flagship stores. Visual: flashy icon or color burst; explained in card text.
Revenue Types

Base Revenue: Standard tenant earnings
Online Sales:

Code:
Revenue += BaseRevenue * OnlineSales%
Traffic Boost:

Code:
Revenue *= 1 + TrafficBoost%
Product Card Boosts:

Code:
Revenue *= 1 + ProductBonus%
Stat Modifiers: Apply FT, NL, BA, SY, SI multiplicatively

Example Calculation:

BaseRevenue = 100
FT 40 → 140
BA 30 → 182
SY 2 nearby same type → 202.3
SI special +10 → 222.53
NL nearby 10% → 200.28
Implement sample revenue calculations for anchors
Test stat effects on revenue

5. Upgrades & Costs

Remodel (L1) bonus: +10–20% revenue
Expansion (L2) bonus: +25–40% revenue
Full Upgrade (L3) bonus: +50–75% revenue
Operating Costs (Maintenance, Emergency, Tenant Rent)
Shutdown & Startup Values
Scaling formulas for SZ / BA / FT

Formulas:

UpgradeCost =

Code:
BaseCost * (1 + SZ/10) * UpgradeLevelMultiplier
MonthlyMaintenance =

Code:
BaseCost * SZ/10
EmergencyRepair =

Code:
Revenue * Emergency%

6. Gameplay Mechanics

Revenue per round & per landing
Upgrade implementation
Event card interactions
Stat and synergy bonus effects
Player actions & optional cooperative choices

7. Event Cards
Expanded Explanation:

Traffic Boost Cards: Temporarily increase FT for a tenant or nearby stores.
Mall-wide Events: Affect all tenants (holidays, sales, emergencies).
Emergency Repair Cards: Force unexpected costs or downtime.
Online Sales Boosts: Increase revenue through digital channels for one or more tenants.
Special Synergy Events: Trigger extra bonuses when certain tenant combinations are adjacent.
Test probability/frequency
Ensure visual symbols and text clarity on event cards
Include any SI-triggering events

Notes: Event cards often trigger movement, temporary revenue/stat changes, or special effects linked to SI.

8. Product Cards
Stats Overview, Abbreviations & Formulas
Stat
Abbreviation
Effect
Formula / Notes
How It’s Determined / VisualizedPopularity
PO
Base consumer demand; increases revenue

Code:
Revenue *= 1 + PO/100

Set by product appeal. Visual: star rating or icon.
Hype
HY
Short-term buzz effect; temporary revenue boost

Code:
Revenue *= 1 + HY/100

Set by events or launch campaigns. Visual: flame/flash icon.
Rarity
RR
Scarcity; boosts revenue due to exclusivity

Code:
Revenue *= 1 + RR/100

Determined by edition, limited releases. Visual: gem/lock icon.
Market Trend
MT
Trendiness or popularity shift; may affect multiple rounds

Code:
Revenue *= 1 + MT/100

Assigned dynamically; visual: arrow up/down or trend graph.

Associate with anchors
Example: New Phone Release → % revenue boost
Persistent bonus, separate from Event Cards

Revenue Formula:

Code:
Revenue *= 1 + PO% * HY% * RR% * MT%

9. Currency & Denominations

1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 10000
Optional: special tokens for cooperative resources
Track totals & denominations during playtesting

10. Turn & Round System

Define turn sequence
Revenue collection rules
Apply operating costs
Upgrade rules & optional actions
Round tracker integration

11. Cooperative Features

Resource pooling
Shared bonuses from synergy
Event mitigation cooperation
Test cooperative decision-making impact

12. Victory & Goals

Define co-op goal (target revenue, foot traffic, upgrades)
Optional competitive scoring per player
Adjust goals for scaling difficulty

Notes: Final objectives are not set; focus on documenting mechanics first.

13. Art & Visuals

Board visual design
Deed card layout
Tokens and currency design
Event card visuals
Test readability & aesthetics

14. Playtesting & Balancing

Test revenue formulas
Test upgrade progression
Test event card impact
Test cooperative mechanics
Adjust difficulty, costs, revenue scaling
Document feedback & iterate

15. Prototype Production & Print Services
Steps for Physical Prototype:

Finalize Visual Assets
- Board layout, deed cards, event/product cards, currency, tokens.
- Prepare print-ready designs (high-resolution, correct dimensions).
Research Print Services
- Compare services: The Game Crafter, Print & Play Productions, MakePlayingCards.com.
- Check for print quality, card thickness, board options, shipping times.
Select Materials
- Cardstock weight & finish (e.g., linen finish for cards).
- Board material (foldable or mounted).
- Tokens (wood, plastic, or punch-out).
Order Samples
- Test print a small batch of cards, tokens, and board.
- Verify color, size, and readability.
Build Prototype
- Assemble board, tokens, cards, and money.
- Label sections for stats, upgrades, and revenue tracking.
- Create a “playtesting kit” including dice or other movement mechanics.
Initial Playtest
- Test rules, stat effects, revenue calculations, and upgrades physically.
- Take notes on clarity, difficulty, and flow.
Iterate
- Adjust visuals, stat values, and board layout.
- Order updated prototype if needed.
- Document each iteration in dev manifest.

Checklist Notes:

Each

Code:
[ ]
can be updated to

Code:
[x]
when completed.
Version 0.0.4a includes fully defined product card stats (PO, HY, RR, MT) along with tenant stats (FT, NL, SZ, BA, SY, SI) and enhanced event card explanations.