In the new version, I'd love to see the game broken into two parts. In part 1, you run against other candidates in your party, up to the national convention when the winner is chosen. With different caucuses and primaries happening on different weeks (including Super Tuesday of course), this would add quite an interesting dynamic to choosing where to campaign each week to get the most delegates. Also, during the Convention, trying to get the lesser candidates to throw their delegates your way would introduce another interesting dynamic.
Issues would be more party driven, of course, and while focusing on the opposing party wouldn't necessarily get you your party's nomination, the groundwork you do in this stage would still be important in part 2 of the campaign, when you face the opposing party's candidate directly.
In part 2, you choose your running mate and run against the other party's candidate(s). While typically this would be Dem vs Rep, having additional parties/independent candidates could be interesting. Also, if you came in second in the nomination process of part 1, the leader might choose you, so in this case the ticket would already be chosen, as far as game terms are concerned.
I love the idea. Never thought about it that way. I do like the possibilities of primaries. That sounds like a good way to go about it.
I am hoping for more initial candidates. For example.....
Democrats
Barak Obama, Hilary Clinton, John Kerry, Mark Warner, Andrew Cuomo, Al Gore, Wesley Clark, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, Bill Richardson, Howard Dean, Evan Bayh
Republicans
Mitt Romney, Newt Gingerich, John McCain, Rick Santorum, Herman Cain, Tim Pawlenty, Michelle Bachman, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, Rick Perry, and Ron Paul
Campaign Play
Another thing I would like to see are some improvements to the campaign play. It would be nice for them to go back to the original game and add more candidates. This would be my wish list.....
Republicans
1. George Washington 2. Ronald Reagan 3. Richard Nixon 4. Abraham Lincoln 5. Dwight Eisenhower 6. Theodore Roosevelt 7. Henry Clay 8. Ulysses Grant 9. William McKinley 10. George H.W. Bush
Democrats
1. Franklin Roosevelt 2. Thomas Jefferson 3. Lyndon B. Johnson 4. Woodrow Wilson 5. John F Kennedy 6. Andrew Jackson 7. William Jennings Bryan 8. Harry Truman 9. Grover Cleveland 10. James Carter
Note that my list greatly differs from 2008s list, which i was suprised that FDR wasnt even on it!!! Nixon got promoted a bit due to his success in 72, same with Reagan who took the country by storm in both 80 and 84. LBJ was another under estimated figure. And Jackson! He made it on the 20 dollar bill but not in the game! Wow! Truman is another hardened campaigner that i thought would make a tough campaign opponent. I also added 3 time presidential candidates William Jennings Bryan and Henry Clay. Some of the losers should be remembered also.
Another thing that would make campaign play more fun would be improvements to playable candidates. As they progress though the game they can get points to add to their skills and attributes.
Scenarios
I loved the scenarios a lot. They were great! Would love to play some more. Along with the scenarios could be more unlockables and unlockable candidates. Some good scenarios could be..... 2000, 1992, 1980, 1968, 1960, 1948, 1912, 1896, 1860. I am not saying all of them, just a few more historical ones and other fun ones too. Some unlockable candidates could be 1992- Ross Perot (Reform Party), 1968- Martin Luther King Jr (Democrat). Some other just random unlockables could be Ben Franklin, James Madison, etc.
