Kelly Lin
Hungry Empire
Overview
Hungry Empire is a strategy hybrid board game where Kings send fleets to claim rare ingredients from ancient lands. The first to control all the supplies wins the empire of taste.
Genre: Strategy
Type: Multiplayer Board Game
Team: Solo Developer
My Roles & Contribution
Core Gameplay Systems: Diplomacy, Resource, and Territory
At the heart of Hungry Empire is a triad system—resource control, territory expansion, and diplomacy—each reinforcing the others in a loop of escalating strategy. The core gameplay reflects the realpolitik of empire-building: players must capture ingredient farms, negotiate or seize from rivals, and maintain a stable economy. Fleet attributes like Explore and Diplomacy open different types of play: a player might bribe farmers for ownership, win them through combat, or gamble on negotiation dice.
Diplomacy & Capturing & War & Discovery Gameplay
Live Session Screenshots
Modular Loop Design: Exploration, Conflict, and Progression
Scalable, interlocking gameplay loops are designed that guide players from initial discovery to endgame monopolization. Each loop—Explore → Discover → Negotiate/Fight → Capture → Defend—is modular, meaning players can engage with them in any order. Systems were built that allow both short-term skirmishes and long-form strategy, such as upgrading fleets, investing in military buildings, or planning global expansion routes.
Gameplay Loop Flowchart (Click to view full image)
Balancing Economy, Player Interaction, and Pacing
In the prototype stage, the game initially lacked early interaction—players stayed in their corners. The map scale, fleet movement rules, and starting currency were balanced, shortening player distances and creating earlier pressure. Diplomacy and trading were redesigned to require early decisions: spend your gold pieces now or save for rare ingredients? Combat odds, negotiation mechanics, and hero ownership systems were also adjusted to keep player choices meaningful and fair across roles.
System Balancing
Dynamic Multi-Zone Map Design & Encounter Placement
The world map went through multiple iterations. These changes provide high replayability for players.
System and Map Design
Event-Driven Narrative Tied to Historical Adaptation
Adapting Hungry Empire from a history book meant turning fact into fun. An event-driven system of Annual Events, Marine Encounters, and Banquet Hall Celebrations was designed. Players may meet pirates, discover heroes, or craft dishes to recruit legendary figures, transforming real-world scarcity and trade dynamics into narrative mechanics.
Events
Annual and Marine Events
