Negotiations, double-crossing are king in new Montreal-inspired board game
Construction & Corruption is the brain child of two Montrealers, inspired by the city's traffic woes
Getting stuck in traffic on Highway 40 proved inspiring for two Montrealers who created a board game poking fun at the city's well-known ailments, called Construction & Corruption.
The game was designed by multimedia editor David Loach and co-creator Frank Perrin.
"The game features a lot of negotiation. Bribes and promises are frequent, but never binding," Loach said.
The board is a map of Montreal with zones shaded different colours and highways crossing the map.
Players get contracts and can decide where to put work crews. They can also vote for a mayor who, in turn, can reward or punish the players.
Work is delayed to earn more money and the game ends with a federal investigation. Whoever has the most money at that point wins.
Loach said that every time someone double-crosses another player, the game gets more hilarious.
"Test players comment that they feel dirty when they play it. You end up collaborating with some people and then turning your back on them," he said.
The creators have been working on the game in their spare time since July and have invested their own money in making it.
They are launching the English version Dec. 16 at Victory Point Board Game Café in Côte-des-Neiges. A French version will be released in January.
With files from CBC's Homerun