---
key: practice/last-ferry
type: practice
id: last-ferry
lang: en
title: The last ferry
summary: Create a choice whose value depends on the situation.
updatedAt: '2026-10-20'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/practice/last-ferry/'
jsonUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/practice/last-ferry.json'
markdownUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/practice/last-ferry.md'
aliases: []
tags:
  - Choice and rules
sourceIds:
  - source-3e6c21889ae768e0
  - source-6f794a271cd60b9c
sources:
  - id: source-3e6c21889ae768e0
    title: 'Challenges for Game Designers: author website'
    url: 'https://designgames.wordpress.com/'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-6f794a271cd60b9c
    title: 'Challenges for Game Designers: table of contents'
    url: 'https://designgames.wordpress.com/toc/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations:
  - type: practices
    direction: incoming
    label: What this helps you learn
    key: lesson/choice-cost
    title: Choice costs and situational value
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/lessons/choice-cost/'
    jsonUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/lesson/choice-cost.json'
    markdownUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/lesson/choice-cost.md'
  - type: practices
    direction: incoming
    label: What this helps you learn
    key: path/balance
    title: Balance and progression
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/learn/balance/'
    jsonUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/path/balance.json'
    markdownUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/path/balance.md'
  - type: uses
    direction: outgoing
    label: Sources in the selection
    key: resource/challenges-for-game-designers
    title: Challenges for Game Designers
    url: >-
      https://gamemechanics.pro/en/resources/#resource-challenges-for-game-designers
    jsonUrl: >-
      https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/resource/challenges-for-game-designers.json
    markdownUrl: >-
      https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/resource/challenges-for-game-designers.md
placements:
  - title: In the original collection
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/practice/#last-ferry'
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  topic: choice
  level: beginner
  minutes: 45
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Thematic inspiration: Challenges for Game Designers by Brenda Brathwaite and
  Ian Schreiber. These scenarios, constraints and checks are independently
  written around broad game-design learning topics. This is not a translation or
  a sequential retelling of the book exercises.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
---
# The last ferry

id: last-ferry
type: practice
key: practice/last-ferry
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/practice/last-ferry/

Create a choice whose value depends on the situation.

## Goal

Create a choice whose value depends on the situation.

## Scenario and materials

You run a ferry before the harbour closes. Different cargo earns points but takes different amounts of space and time. Design a six-turn game: each turn, the player chooses what to carry, what to leave behind and when to send the ferry.

Paper and tokens

## Constraints

- Use no more than three actions and two resource types.
- All costs and rewards are known before the choice. There are no random events.
- The rules must fit on one page.

## Steps

1. Describe the goal, actions, ferry capacity and end of the game.
2. Prepare two starting setups in which different first actions are preferable.
3. Play each setup once. Change one rule and repeat the check.

## Deliverable

A rule sheet, two starting setups and a short note about the difficult choice.

## Check your work

- Each setup offers at least two legal first actions.
- One action does not outperform every other action on every consequence in every setup.
- The player can explain what they gave up to carry their chosen cargo.

## Reflect

Which constraint creates an interesting decision? What happens if you remove it?

## Connected materials

- What this helps you learn: [Choice costs and situational value](https://gamemechanics.pro/en/lessons/choice-cost/) (key: lesson/choice-cost)
- What this helps you learn: [Balance and progression](https://gamemechanics.pro/en/learn/balance/) (key: path/balance)
- Sources in the selection: [Challenges for Game Designers](https://gamemechanics.pro/en/resources/#resource-challenges-for-game-designers) (key: resource/challenges-for-game-designers)

## Sources and provenance

Thematic inspiration: Challenges for Game Designers by Brenda Brathwaite and Ian Schreiber. These scenarios, constraints and checks are independently written around broad game-design learning topics. This is not a translation or a sequential retelling of the book exercises.

- [Challenges for Game Designers: author website](https://designgames.wordpress.com/) (id: source-3e6c21889ae768e0)
- [Challenges for Game Designers: table of contents](https://designgames.wordpress.com/toc/) (id: source-6f794a271cd60b9c)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors