Formal vs. Dramatic Elements

Types of players that would enjoy "Barely Alive"

The competitor:

Since the objective of Barely Alive is to gain as much points as possible to win, it is fair to say that a player who enjoys being competitive would also enjoy our game. In my opinion, competition is what makes a game more exciting, so I think it was a good move for my team and I to incorporate some competitive aspects.

The collector:

Our game revolves around lots of collectibles such as mystery items, so it is for someone who is a collector to enjoy our game. This can also be used in their advantage since the more items they have the more likely they'll be able to win if they use them wisely. 

The joker:

While the game Barely Alive is meant to be competitive, it can still be fun for everyone. Therefore, players who don't take games seriously would most likely enjoy this game for the laughs. For them, the sky is the limit since there is only so much they can do depending on the items they collect.

Formal Elements

Resources:

Resources are heavily involved in Barely Alive since there are only so many items you can gain. One being the main weapon which is the axe, or mystery items such as the hand gun. This can come in very handy for players who are collectors since they can gather as many items as they can. While it is also great for competitive players who plan to use such items in the best way possible.

Action: 

Action is a key element in Barely Alive since players will have to make the best actions possible in order to guarantee victory. Which will heavily satisfy competitive players. However, this can also satisfy players who are jokers. In addition, players can make careless decisions like targeting other players for laughs even when the player they are targeting could be in last place. As a result, action among the game can be in the best interest of both competitors and jokers.

Dramatic Elements

Challenge: 

I think Barely Alive has a very challenging aspect since it can require players to form a strategy. Whereas, if a player uses their items poorly, it can hurt them in the long run. This can be great for competitive players who strive to be as strategic as possible in order to win.