(As part of the Hackforge Summer Games Challenge, I'm trying to design a game with the theme of light and darkness by August 31st. This day three of the two week challenge).

So we went to the zoo today instead of designing games. It's night now. The day is almost over. In fact, it's really dark outside now and it's way past my bedtime.

And tomorrow is the full moon.

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There are eight phases of the moon in Western culture:
New Moon Waxing / Young / Crescent Moon First Quarter Waxing / Gibbous Moon Full Moon Waning / Gibbous Moon Third / Last Quarter Moon Waning / Old / Crescent Moon
I want to make a specialized deck of cards that involves waxing and waning shadows over the moon. If just to make a game that provides the opportunity to have moves such as TURN AROUND BRIGHT EYES and for someone to throw down their cards and shout 'TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART!' 

Also. I would nice to the moon as a sort of clock in a game.

Or in the game, each player has their own moon clock and there would be some dynamic that would allow players to have their moon clocks in sync with each other.

And I admit, when I first thought of this, I was thinking all about women's cycles but now I think it could be a neat power-up dynamic.  When moons are in sync, they would have more ... pull

I suspect there are lots of games with moon-related mechanics (even excluding the obvious ones that involve werewolves).  But I know of two games that make use of a moon dynamic.  Sword & Sworcery :: certain events can only occur when the moon is in a certain phase Kingdom of Loathing :: the two moons named Ronald and Grimace affect gameplay I think this quotation explains why I want to make a game involving the moon so much... “The moon does not fight. It attacks no one. It does not worry. It does not try to crush others. It keeps to its course, but by its very nature, it gently influences. What other body could pull an entire ocean from shore to shore? The moon is faithful to its nature and its power is never diminished.” ― Deng Ming-Dao, Everyday Tao: Living with Balance and Harmony