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Game Design Transformation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming game design in numerous ways, enhancing both the creative and technical sides of development. Overall, AI is set to push the boundaries of creativity and efficiency in game design, making games more personalized, immersive, and expansive. As AI tools advance, game development will likely become increasingly collaborative, allowing designers to focus on creativity while AI handles procedural, adaptive, and responsive aspects of gameplay. Here are some key areas where AI is making an impact today and how it could shape the future of game design:

  • AI as a Design Partner: AI assists in brainstorming sessions, generating and evaluating ideas based on predefined game mechanics, themes, and objectives. AI tools are also assisting game designers with prototyping and brainstorming, helping them visualize concepts rapidly. For example, tools like Unity’s AI-assisted tools can suggest assets or mechanics based on project requirements. This enables faster iteration during early development phases and allows designers to experiment without extensive programming knowledge. AI analyzes gameplay data to assist in balancing game mechanics, ensuring that emergent strategies do not disrupt overall game balance
    • Automated Testing and Quality Assurance (QA): Game testing is labor-intensive, but AI can automate bug detection and playtesting. Machine learning models are being trained to recognize potential glitches, graphical errors, and other issues faster than human testers. This accelerates the development process and reduces costs associated with manual QA. In the future, AI testing tools could evolve to predict and address player frustrations by simulating real user behavior, catching issues that would impact gameplay enjoyment and balancing. AI agents simulate player behavior, allowing designers to test various scenarios and outcomes without the need for human players. This approach helps identify potential issues and balance gameplay more efficiently.
  • Procedural Content Generation (PCG): AI algorithms can generate new game levels, characters, and storylines automatically, making games more dynamic and scalable. Games like * Minecraft* and *No Man’s Sky* use procedural generation to create vast, explorable worlds without developers manually crafting each element. PCG not only enhances replayability but also reduces development costs and time. In the future, AI-driven PCG may enable fully customized game experiences based on individual player preferences, creating unique worlds that adapt to how players interact with the game.
    • Adaptive and Personalized Gameplay: AI is increasingly used to analyze player behavior and adapt the game to suit individual skill levels or preferences. For example, in *Left 4 Dead*, AI adjusts enemy difficulty and spawn rates to create a balanced challenge. AI can also personalize narratives, making the game storyline unfold differently depending on player choices, as seen in interactive story games like *Detroit: Become Human*. Looking ahead, AI-driven personalization might extend further, allowing games to learn from player habits over time, offering an experience tailored to each player’s strengths, weaknesses, and even moods.
  • Non-Player Characters (NPCs) and Improved AI Behavior: NPCs have become more lifelike thanks to AI, enhancing immersion and complexity. Modern games use AI to give NPCs realistic, context-aware behavior, such as reacting to the player’s actions and the game environment. AI serves as a challenging opponent for solo players in games. 'The Last of Us Part II', for instance, uses advanced AI for enemies and allies, enabling them to communicate and strategize in real time. Future developments could lead to NPCs that remember player interactions over multiple sessions or even across different games, creating a deeper, ongoing relationship between players and characters. AI is integrated into rule systems to facilitate complex interactions between game elements, allowing players to focus on strategic decision-making
    • Multi-Agent Systems (MAS): Incorporating multi-agent systems can simulate complex interactions between various game elements or characters, leading to emergent behaviors and scenarios. MAS can be utilized to simulate the behavior of NPCs or other game elements. Each NPC can be treated as an autonomous agent with its own decision-making processes, leading to a more immersive and unpredictable gaming environment. For example, agents might adapt their strategies based on the player's actions, leading to a more challenging and engaging gameplay experience. Moreover, the integration of multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) can further enhance these systems. MARL focuses on how multiple agents learn and adapt their strategies in a shared environment, allowing for the development of complex cooperative or competitive dynamics among agents. This approach can lead to the emergent of sophisticated strategies and behaviors that enrich the gameplay.
  • Immersive Game Designs: AI is fundamentally transforming immersive game design by enhancing narrative generation, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, as well as by integrating voice recognition technologies. As AI continues to evolve, it may become capable of crafting immersive story arcs that align seamlessly with a player’s past choices, making games feel more personal and responsive.
    • Narrative Generation and Interactive Storytelling: AI can also generate dialogue, plot twists, and branching storylines dynamically, creating more interactive and complex storytelling. Tools like OpenAI’s GPT models have been used to generate contextually relevant responses, allowing game writers to co-create with AI. AI-driven storytelling could eventually create interactive novels or RPGs that adapt narratives in real time based on player choices and emotional cues.
    • Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR): AI is essential in AR and VR, where it helps render realistic environments and respond to user movements. AI can manage object interaction, track movements in real time, and adjust experiences based on user focus and behavior. Future applications might include virtual game worlds that adapt as players move through them, creating an experience that feels like a living, responsive environment.
    • Enhancing Accessibility: AI-powered voice recognition and other assistive technologies are transforming the gaming landscape, making it more engaging and inclusive for all players. These advancements not only enhance gameplay but also ensure that a wider audience can participate in gaming experiences.




Play is the highest form of research. – Albert Einstein


Understanding Player Motivation

At the heart of every successful game lies a deep understanding of player motivation, which drives engagement in various forms. Players are drawn to games for different reasons, whether it’s the thrill of competition, the emotional appeal of storytelling, or simply the desire to relax. These motivations can be categorized into four main areas: achievement, creativity, social connection, and escapism. Some players are motivated by the challenge of conquering obstacles and attaining mastery, while others are inspired by the creative freedom of sandbox experiences or the emotional depth of a compelling narrative. Social players thrive on collaboration or rivalry, and escapists seek immersion in alternate worlds. Understanding these diverse motivations is key to crafting games that resonate with players, providing them with experiences that are not only engaging but also deeply rewarding.

This understanding is further grounded in psychological theories, such as Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and concepts like “flow”—a mental state where players are fully immersed in an activity, achieving an optimal balance between challenge and skill. In game design, achieving flow involves creating mechanics that are intuitive yet increasingly complex, fostering a sense of accomplishment without frustration. Reward systems, both extrinsic (e.g., points or achievements) and intrinsic (e.g., the satisfaction of overcoming a challenge), activate the brain's dopamine pathways, reinforcing engagement. The essence of fun in gaming lies in balancing challenge, exploration, mastery, and social interaction. Engaging challenges inspire strategic thinking, skill development, and perseverance, while exploration fuels curiosity and encourages discovery. Mastery brings a sense of accomplishment and progression, and social interaction fosters relationships and shared experiences. Player agency—through choice, consequence, customization, and experimentation—empowers players to shape their own journey, forging a deeper connection to the game world. By thoughtfully integrating these psychological elements, designers can create immersive, fulfilling experiences that cater to various player motivations, ensuring games that are not only enjoyable but also memorable and rewarding.


Identify the fun, incentivize the fun. - Peter C. Hayward

FUNdamentals

The following aspects play a crucial role in shaping gameplay, player engagement, and strategy, catering to varied preferences and play styles. Mechanics, dynamics, aesthetics, and narrative are essential elements that shape a player's experience. They work together to create engaging, memorable gameplay, but each serves a distinct role in a game’s structure and design philosophy. Whether drawn to the immersive narratives of thematic games or the strategic depth of abstract games, players are ultimately guided by how these elements resonate with their gaming desires:

  • Player Experiences
    • MDA framework (Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics)
      • Mechanics
      • Dynamics
      • Aesthetics
    • Narrative / Theme

In addition with tabletop gaming, components are essential in shaping the overall experience and engagement. Dice, for example, are a fundamental tool, bringing an element of chance that can significantly alter the course of play. Their unpredictability adds excitement and suspense, ensuring no two games unfold in exactly the same way.

Player Experiences

By defining the broader style, setting, and objectives of a game, genres provide a high-level classification of its core characteristics, shaping both the expectations of players and the creative direction for developers. Players can explore vast colony-building worlds like Terraforming Mars or immerse themselves in the challenges of managing intricate train networks as seen in Ticket to Ride. These thematic frameworks allow gamers to experience unique styles of play, whether rooted in strategy, storytelling, or competition, offering clarity about gameplay mechanics and the narrative tone.

Game genres also serve as thematic bridges between the player's preferences and the designer's vision, offering an engaging blend of themes. For instance, nature-themed games like Wingspan celebrate environmental beauty, while sports-focused titles such as Blood Bowl combine athletic challenges with fantastical twists. Business simulation games, like Monopoly, evoke the thrill of building empires, while historical games such as Memoir '44 take players back to pivotal moments in history, blending strategy with educational elements. The variety of themes ensures a connection to real-world experiences or fantastical escapades, catering to diverse interests.

Genres further enrich player experiences by adding an emotional layer to gameplay. Horror titles like Dead of Winter invoke suspense and survival instincts, while sci-fi games like Star Realms or fantasy adventures like Gloomhaven let players explore imaginative universes. Crime-themed games such as Clue or Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game focus on unraveling mysteries, while apocalypse-centered games like Pandemic Legacy challenge players to prevent or survive global disasters. Even the anthropomorphic charm of games like Root or the immersive mystery in Mysterium demonstrates the versatility of game genres in creating evocative and memorable player experiences.

Genres

Genres are frequently utilized to group games with similar themes, mechanics, or player interactions, providing a framework for identifying and exploring games that share common elements and experiences. Here are example genres:

Action

  • involve high-intensity gameplay, fast-paced combat, and quick reflexes, often focusing on physical challenges and hand-eye coordination.
  • Examples: Devil May Cry 5, DOOM Eternal, Bayonetta
  • Key Elements: Precise timing, combo-based combat, and dynamic movement mechanics.

Adventure

  • emphasize exploration, puzzle-solving, and narrative-driven experiences, often featuring immersive storytelling and character development.
  • Examples: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, Life is Strange
  • Key Elements: Environmental interaction, decision-making, and immersive world-building.

Children

  • aim to teach basic concepts like counting, strategy, or teamwork.
  • Examples: Candy Land, Guess Who?, Hungry Hungry Hippos
  • Key Elements: Straightforward gameplay that children can understand and follow. Bright, sturdy pieces that are visually appealing and durable. Games often last 10-20 minutes, keeping young players engaged.

Educational

  • aim to teach or reinforce knowledge and skills, often featuring interactive learning experiences, quizzes, and educational content.
  • Examples: Brain Age, Kerbal Space Program, Typing of the Dead
  • Key Elements: Learning objectives, interactive exercises, and skill reinforcement.

Family

  • have simple rules, moderate playtime, and encourage interaction without intense competition.
  • Examples: Ticket to Ride, Catan, Carcassonne
  • Key Elements: Easy-to-learn instructions that suit a broad range of ages with emphasis on social interaction, trading, and light competition.

Gambling

  • Gambling games provide a player experience driven by risk, anticipation, and the thrill of potential reward, often evoking emotional highs from winning and tension from uncertainty. They typically balance chance with elements of skill or strategy, creating a dynamic interplay between luck and decision-making.
  • Examples: Wits & Wagers, Casino games, poker, blackjack
  • Key Elements: Wagering; players bet tangible (money) or intangible (game currency, points) assets on outcomes. Element of Chance where outcomes often rely on randomization mechanics.

Horror

  • evoke fear and suspense, often featuring atmospheric environments, psychological horror, and intense, unsettling experiences.
  • Examples: Resident Evil Village, Silent Hill 2, Amnesia: The Dark Descent
  • Key Elements: Suspenseful atmosphere, limited resources, and fear-inducing environments.

MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena)

  • involve strategic team-based combat, objective control, and character abilities, often featuring distinct hero roles and competitive multiplayer matches.
  • Examples: League of Legends, Dota 2, Heroes of the Storm
  • Key Elements: Team coordination, character roles, and real-time strategy.

Music / Rhythm

  • challenge players to match beats, follow musical cues, and synchronize actions with the rhythm of the game, often featuring diverse music genres and interactive soundtracks.
  • Examples: Beat Saber, Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero
  • Key Elements: Rhythm matching, timing precision, and musical cues.

Open-World

  • provide expansive, non-linear environments for exploration, questing, and player freedom, often featuring a wide range of activities and dynamic interactions.
  • Examples: Grand Theft Auto V, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Red Dead Redemption 2
  • Key Elements: Large, interactive world, player freedom, and emergent gameplay.

Party

  • meant for larger groups and focus on creating a lively, fun atmosphere. Rules are typically simple, and games emphasize humor, creativity, or social interaction.
  • Examples: The Resistance: Avalon, Werewolf, Mafia, Blood on the Clocktower, Mario Party, Jackbox Party Pack, Overcooked!, Cards Against Humanity, Pictionary, Charades
  • Key Elements: Social interaction, multiplayer focus, and easy-to-learn gameplay often featuring simple mechanics, quick rounds. Lighthearted Fun: Emphasis on humor, creativity, or storytelling, often leading to laughter. Team or Cooperative Play: Many party games encourage teamwork or friendly competition between teams.

Platformer

  • involve navigating environments, jumping between platforms, and overcoming obstacles, often featuring precise timing and spatial awareness.
  • Examples: Super Mario Odyssey, Hollow Knight, Celeste
  • Key Elements: Precision jumping, environmental hazards, and hidden secrets.

Puzzle

  • challenge players with logic-based problems, pattern recognition, and spatial reasoning, often featuring abstract or visually engaging puzzles to solve.
  • Examples: Tetris Effect, Portal 2, The Witness
  • Key Elements: Pattern matching, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

Racing

  • focus on high-speed competition, vehicle control, and track-based challenges, offering players the thrill of speed and maneuvering through various courses.
  • Examples: Snow Tails, Formula 1, PitchCar, Forza Horizon 4, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Need for Speed Heat
  • Key Elements: Drifting mechanics, track knowledge, and vehicle customization.

Role-Playing (RPG)

  • allow players to assume the roles of characters within a fictional world, engaging in quests, character development, and decision-making that impacts the game's story.
  • Examples: Captain Sonar, Pitchstorm, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Divinity: Original Sin 2
  • Key Elements: Character customization, narrative choices, and progression systems.

Sandbox

  • provide open-ended, non-linear gameplay, allowing players to explore, create, and interact with the game world in diverse ways, often featuring player-driven experiences and emergent gameplay. Players are given a large degree of freedom to explore, make choices, and pursue their own objectives within the game world. Unlike games with structured objectives or linear progression, sandbox games are often open-ended, encouraging creativity, experimentation, and player agency.
  • Examples: Minecraft, Garry's Mod, Terraria, Western Legends, The Sims, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, The Sandbox
  • Related Game Mechanics: Rule Modification, Boards - Modular / Variable Terrain, Asymmetric Abilities / Factions, Resource - Dynamic Market, Action - Points, Worker Placement with Dynamic Options, Open-World Exploration, Multiple Victory Paths, Crafting, Stacking / Building Structures
  • Key Elements: Open-world exploration, player-driven objectives, and creativity-driven mechanics. Sandbox games typically have no single, overarching objective. Players can set their own goals or simply explore. Players have control over their actions, decisions, and how they engage with the game world; offer a world or environment that encourages exploration and discovery, with hidden elements or features that reward curiosity.

Simulation

  • replicate real-world activities, systems, or environments, providing players with immersive experiences that mimic aspects of reality, such as city-building, flight simulation, or life management.
  • Examples: Twilight Struggle, Fog of Love, SimCity: The Card Game, The Sims 4, Flight Simulator, Planet Zoo
  • Key Elements: Understanding the mechanics of the simulated environment often requires strategic thinking and long-term planning. Realistic physics, economic management, and environmental simulation.

Sports

  • simulate real-world sports, allowing players to compete in virtual versions of activities like football, basketball, or racing, often featuring realistic physics and player control.
  • Examples: FIFA 21, NBA 2K21, Forza Horizon 4
  • Key Elements: Player statistics, team management, and sports simulation.

Stealth

  • emphasize avoiding detection, using cover, and strategic takedowns, often featuring espionage, infiltration, and covert operations.
  • Examples: Hitman 3, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Dishonored 2
  • Key Elements: Stealth mechanics, strategic movement, and environmental awareness.

Strategy

  • require tactical planning, resource management, and long-term decision-making, often involving complex gameplay mechanics and competitive or cooperative play. Real-Time Strategy; players act simultaneously with no turn structure, making rapid decisions.
  • Examples: Chess, Civilization, StarCraft II, XCOM 2, Galaxy Trucker, Captain Sonar
  • Key Elements: Base building, unit control, and strategic positioning.

Survival

  • players face resource scarcity and challenging conditions, focusing on keeping their character or group alive while achieving objectives. Challenge players to endure harsh environments, gather resources, and manage their character's needs, often featuring elements of crafting, exploration, and danger.
  • Examples: Survival, Robinson Crusoe, Worst Case Scenario: The Game of Surviving Life, Dead of Winter, This War of Mine, The Forest, Don't Starve, Subnautica
  • Key Elements: Resource management and risk mitigation are crucial as players often face tough choices to balance immediate needs with long-term survival. Resource gathering, crafting, and environmental management.

Wargames / Fighting / Shooter

  • simulate military conflicts, historical battles, or tactical scenarios. These games are usually complex, have long playtimes, appeal to players interested in deep strategic planning, and sometimes includes miniatures. Fighting games emphasize one-on-one combat, special moves, and competitive multiplayer battles, often featuring diverse characters with unique fighting styles. Shooter games focus on combat and marksmanship, often featuring first-person or third-person perspectives, diverse weaponry, and competitive multiplayer modes.
  • Examples: Risk, Axis & Allies, Twilight Struggle, Street Fighter V, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Mortal Kombat 11, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Overwatch
  • Key Elements: Emphasis on strategic planning, often with simulated combat scenarios. Shooting mechanics, weapon variety, and competitive play. Combo execution, frame data knowledge, and spacing control.

MDA framework (Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics)

The MDA framework (Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics) was introduced by R. Hunicke, M. LeBlanc, and R. Zubek at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in 2004. The game designers wanted to simplify complex game design processes and enable designers to think of games as both systems of rules (mechanics) and as experiences that evolve in play (dynamics and aesthetics).

Mechanics

Mechanics encompasses a broad spectrum of concepts, including engine building, worker placement, drafting, push your luck, prediction markets, fantasy team/league, deck building, and more. These mechanics involve strategic decision-making, resource management, and diverse ways of engaging with other players. This section delves into the implementation of these mechanics in popular games, highlighting the associated key elements and strategies. Furthermore, it introduces additional concepts such as hidden roles, negotiation/trading, and memory, which contribute layers of complexity and interaction to game dynamics. Mechanics play a pivotal role in shaping gameplay and determining the available strategies. Mechanics are the rules and systems that define how a game operates. This includes everything from player actions, scoring systems, and win conditions to specific tools (e.g., dice, cards) or player capabilities. Mechanics are the building blocks of the game. They establish what players can and cannot do, and how they interact with the game world or each other. Each mechanic introduces unique strategic layers and possibilities, serving as the foundation for diverse and captivating game designs. By combining and integrating these mechanics, complex and engaging gameplay experiences are achieved, allowing players to explore a variety of strategies and interactions. Each mechanic contributes distinct dynamics to a game, influencing player choices, as well as the overall flow and tension of the gameplay. Here are some popular mechanics:

Engine Building

  • involves creating a system or "engine" within the game that allows for increasingly efficient actions or resource generation, often allowing a player to accelerate their strategy.
  • Examples: Pan Am, Splendor, Terraforming Mars, Wingspan, Gizmos, It’s a Wonderful World
  • Key Elements: These games are typically about compounding benefits, where players start with limited resources but build toward a point where their engine produces rewards efficiently.

Worker Placement

  • players place "workers" (tokens) on specific spots on the board to claim actions or resources. Once a space is occupied, others might not be able to use it until the next round.
  • Examples: Carcasonne, Pan Am, Agricola, Lords of Waterdeep, Viticulture
  • Key Elements: Strategic choices on which spots to claim are critical, as timing and competition for limited resources or actions shape the game’s outcome.

Drafting

  • players choose items (cards, tiles, etc.) from a limited selection in turns, which limits others’ options while allowing players to shape their hand or resources strategically. Drafting often involves choosing items from a shared pool, either one at a time or based on specific criteria, allowing players to tailor resources or abilities.
  • Examples: Azul, Chrononauts, 7 Wonders, Terraforming Mars, Isle of Cats, Blood Rage, Magic: The Gathering, UNO, Exploding Kittens.
  • Key Elements: Drafting requires balancing immediate needs with long-term goals while considering opponents’ likely choices. Random chance, planning based on new draws, often introduces randomness to strategy, reshaping plans with new information.

Push Your Luck

  • players take risks to try and maximize their rewards, but they may lose it all if they push too far.
  • Examples: Pickomino, The Quacks of Quedlinburg, Can’t Stop, Incan Gold, Port Royal
  • Key Elements: Players must balance risk and reward, knowing when to stop before losing everything they've accumulated.

Digital Collectible

  • players collect, trade, and enhance virtual items, often represented as cards or characters, in a digital format. These items frequently have distinct attributes, abilities, or rarity levels and can be used competitively or cooperatively in game scenarios. Digital collectible games typically involve strategy around building and optimizing a collection for gameplay advantages or social status.
  • Examples: Hearthstone, Magic: The Gathering Arena, Pokémon TCG Online, Marvel Snap, NBA Top Shot, FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT).
  • Key Elements: Virtual cards or items that players can acquire, trade, or upgrade. Strategic Deck or Team Building: Players assemble and refine collections to create competitive decks or rosters. Monetization Options: Often involves in-game purchases or trading markets for acquiring rare or desirable items.

Blockchain and NFT Games

  • integrate blockchain technology to allow players ownership over in-game assets as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), enabling players to trade, sell, or transfer items with verifiable ownership and scarcity. Blockchain and NFT games often feature economies where assets can have real-world value and are stored on decentralized networks, enhancing transparency and control for players.
  • Examples: Axie Infinity, The Sandbox, Gods Unchained, Decentraland, Zed Run.
  • Key Elements: Ownership and Scarcity: In-game assets are NFTs, making them unique, tradable, and often scarce, with ownership verifiable on the blockchain. Player-Driven Economies: Players can buy, sell, or trade assets, creating real-world economic potential within the game. Decentralization: Asset management and transactions are stored on blockchain networks, reducing central control and allowing player autonomy. Interoperability: Certain assets may be used across multiple games or platforms, enhancing the versatility and appeal of collectibles. Play-to-Earn Mechanics: Players can earn in-game rewards with real-world value, encouraging sustained gameplay and investment.

Deck Building

  • players start with a small, weak deck of cards and improve it over time by acquiring new cards that get shuffled into their deck.
  • Examples: Dominion, Clank!, Ascension
  • Key Elements: Resource management (such as money or actions) is crucial to buying better cards, and deck management strategies are often needed to keep the deck balanced.

Bag and Pool Building

  • players draw from a randomized set of resources (like tokens, chits, or cards) that they have chosen to place in a pool or bag. As the game progresses, they add, remove, or alter items in this pool to improve their odds of drawing beneficial pieces. Similar to deck-building, but players draw tokens from a bag instead of a deck, adding a tactile and random element to the acquisition of resources or abilities.
  • Examples: Orléans, Quacks of Quedlinburg, Undaunted series, Altiplano.
  • Key Elements: Random draws, customizable resource pool, strategic decisions on what to add/remove, management of risk vs. reward in draws. Chit-Pull Systems are found in wargames or tactical games.

Set Collection

Tableau Building

  • players build a collection or "tableau" of cards or items in front of them, typically to unlock abilities or accumulate resources.
  • Examples: Five Tribes: The Djinns of Naqala, Wingspan, 7 Wonders, Race for the Galaxy, Terraforming Mars
  • Key Elements: Success depends on assembling an efficient and synergistic tableau that enhances the player’s capabilities or point generation.

Hand Management

  • players optimize their hand of cards or resources, deciding the best way to use them based on their goals or constraints. Players are limited by the cards or resources in their hand and must decide how and when to use them effectively to maximize their impact or mitigate loss.
  • Examples: Bohnanza, The Mind, Snake Oil, Hanabi, The Crew, Queen's Necklace, Snow Tails, For Sale, Ivanhoe , Thurn and Taxis, Race for the Galaxy, Ark Nova
  • Key Elements: Strategic planning and timing of actions, often managing a limited number of options, while considering what others might play - balancing between short-term gain and setting up for future opportunities.

Shedding Card

  • players aim to be the first to play all the cards in their hand, typically by following specific rules about how cards can be discarded. This mechanic often involves tactics like matching cards by number, color, or suit, or playing in a particular sequence. Success in shedding games requires players to manage their hand strategically, anticipate opponents’ moves, and maximize every play to accelerate the depletion of their cards.
  • Examples: Uno, Crazy Eights, Phase 10, Tichu, President (also known as Asshole)
  • Key Elements: Players usually take turns, with specific rules governing the order and conditions for discarding cards. Players adjust their strategies based on their hand and the flow of play, often needing to shift tactics to discard efficiently.

Trick Taking

  • players aim to win specific rounds or "tricks" by playing cards of the highest value, suit, or in specific sequences.
  • Examples: Hearts, Spades, The Crew, Bridge, Euchre
  • Key Elements: Players must balance taking or avoiding tricks, reading opponents' intentions, and strategically playing cards to gain points or avoid penalties.

Matching

  • players look for identical or complementary items, often connecting or collecting them to achieve points or objectives.
  • Examples: Go Fish, Memory, Azul.
  • Key Elements: Recognition of patterns, speed (in some cases), memory, sometimes a race to collect sets or pairs.

Spatial Reasoning

  • involves games that require players to visualize, manipulate, or understand the relationships between objects in space. This often includes fitting, arranging, or moving pieces within a specific area or in relation to other pieces, leveraging players' ability to think about orientation, distance, and spatial relationships.
  • Examples: Wavelength, Tsuro, Blokus, Azul, String Railway, Tetris, Patchwork, Santorini, Jenga.
  • Key Elements: Players are tasked with manipulating shapes, navigating a board, or constructing arrangements. This may involve geometric thinking, pattern recognition, or managing limited space. Three-Dimensional Thinking; Some games add complexity by incorporating vertical layers, like Santorini or stacking mechanics in games like Jenga.

Pattern - Recognition

  • identifying patterns within game elements, which may involve spotting sequences, sets, or hidden clues.
  • Examples: Concept, Set, Spot It!, Qwirkle, Bingo.
  • Key Elements: Speed of recognition, visual acuity, ability to spot sequences or similarities quickly, often real*time competition.

Pattern - Alignment / Building

  • players arrange components (tiles, cards, symbols, tokens) into specific patterns to score points or achieve objectives. Connection configuration patterns can include straight lines, diagonal arrangements, clusters, or other configurations depending on the game's rules.
  • Examples: Azul, Tsuro, Sagrada, Patchwork, Blokus, Connect 4, Tic-Tac-Toe (Noughts and Crosses), Through the Desert
  • Key Elements: Requires spatial planning, foresight, and occasionally blocking opponents from forming their patterns. Emphasizes spatial reasoning, planning, and often tactical blocking to prevent opponents from completing their arrangements.

Pattern - Movement

  • moving pieces on the board in specific patterns to accomplish goals, often avoiding obstacles or optimizing paths.
  • Examples: Onitama, RoboRally, Hive .
  • Key Elements: Planning movement sequences, anticipating opponent moves, spatial reasoning, managing piece movement constraints.

I Cut, You Choose

  • one player divides a resource (cards, points, etc.), and another player chooses their preferred portion. This ensures both players get a say in the outcome.
  • Examples: Piece o' Cake, New York Slice, Straw.
  • Key Elements: Fair division strategy, incentive to make balanced cuts, equalizing player control over resources, decision tension.

Layering

  • players building or stacking elements in successive layers, where each layer impacts or interacts with previous ones, adding complexity or strategic depth. This mechanic can appear in physical stacking games, where players physically add layers, or in strategy games, where new actions or decisions "layer" over previous ones, creating compounded effects or cumulative benefits.
  • Examples: Rhino Hero, Patchistory and Smartphone Inc. using cards, and Taluva using tiles.
  • Key Elements: Progressive complexity where each new layer adds additional complexity or choices, impacting prior decisions and adding depth to the strategy. Layers are often interdependent, meaning players must consider how current actions will influence or be influenced by previous actions.

Mind-Mapping / Ambiguity Management

  • players create a visual or conceptual map to connect ideas, tasks, or strategies, often used to solve complex problems or generate creative solutions.
  • Examples: Concept, Mysterium (to some extent with visual clues)
  • Key Elements: Encourages creative thinking and abstract reasoning, as players must draw connections between seemingly unrelated elements to achieve objectives or solve puzzles. Players must create clues that are meaningful enough for the group to follow but vague enough to avoid obvious connections, adding depth to the guessing process.

Network / Route Building

Point-to-Point Movement

  • movement is restricted to specific points or connections between points, limiting players to paths or networks. Players create connected paths or networks across the game board, often for efficiency, resource collection, or strategic advantage.
  • Examples: Ticket to Ride, Power Grid, Brass: Birmingham
  • Key Elements: Careful planning of movement or route-building is essential, as players navigate a network that often grows tighter over time.trategic placement and connection of routes are crucial, as players often try to maximize points, connect key locations, or block opponents.

Roll and Move

  • players roll dice (or spin a spinner, draw a card, etc.) to determine the number of spaces they move their piece on a game board. The mechanic is often associated with linear or branching tracks where movement outcomes are largely determined by chance. Spaces on the board often have specific actions or effects that trigger when landed upon e.g., gaining turns, penalties, or bonuses.
  • Examples: The Really Nasty Horse Racing Game, Snakes and Ladders, Monopoly, Candy Land, Formula D, Camel Up
  • Key Elements: Randomness; movement outcomes are determined by dice rolls, spinners, or similar random generators. Players have limited control over their progression. Movement Along Tracks; most games feature a pre-defined path or board track for player tokens. Some paths may include branching or diverging routes.

Pick-up and Deliver

  • players pick up items from one location and deliver them to another to gain points or rewards.
  • Examples: Spices of the World, Mississippi Queen, Drop Drive, Merchants & Marauders, Firefly: The Game, Merchants of Venus, Wasteland Express Delivery Service
  • Key Elements: Route planning, balancing risks and rewards, resource management, efficient delivery strategy.

Programming

  • players plan a series of moves in advance, which are then executed in sequence, often leading to unexpected interactions and outcomes.
  • Examples: Robo Rally, Colt Express, Mechs vs. Minions
  • Key Elements: Anticipating opponents' moves and accounting for chaos is key, as players must balance flexibility with calculated risk. Anticipating opponents and maintaining flexibility are essential, as the sequence often creates unintended interactions and requires adaptive thinking.

Rule Modification

  • players have the ability to change, add, or remove rules during gameplay encouraging creativity and adaptability, allowing players to influence the structure of the game and tailor the experience to their preferences or strategies. One twist, the game encourages players to bend rules and play creatively and adapting its gameplay through informal, flexible rules.
  • Examples: Fluxx, We Didn’t Playtest This at All, The Metagame
  • Key Elements: Empowering players to make choices about the rules fosters engagement and investment in the game - with players able to alter rules can lead to unpredictable and varied game sessions, enhancing replayability.

Action - Points

  • players are given allowance; set number of action points, to spend on their turn, choosing from a range of possible actions.
  • Examples: Mississippi Queen, Tikal, Pandemic, Arkham Horror, Agricola, Eclipse
  • Key Elements: Requires players to make strategic trade-offs, as they often can't do everything they want in a single turn.

Action - Selection

  • players choose from a predefined set of actions during their turn. Players often have direct access to all available actions, though limitations may exist due to resource availability, action slots, or restrictions placed by other players.
  • Examples: Twilight Imperium, Puerto Rico, Terraforming Mars, Twilight Struggle, Scythe, Agricola
  • Key Elements: Diverse Action Pool; players are presented with multiple actions that serve varied strategic objectives, such as resource gathering, territory control, or scoring. Player Agency; players directly choose actions from the pool, allowing for freedom in decision-making and strategic exploration.

Action - Rondel

  • players selecting actions from a circular or sequential track (the "rondel"). Movement around the rondel dictates available actions, often limited by specific rules such as maximum steps or costs for skipping spaces. Rondels add a layer of strategic planning, as players must anticipate future turns while optimizing current choices. Some games feature multiple rondels, where players manage interconnected tracks, adding complexity and interaction between various strategic choices.
  • Examples: Trajan, Navegador, Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar, Imperial 2030, Great Western Trail (Second Edition)
  • Key Elements: Circular or Sequential Action Track; actions are arranged in a loop or defined sequence, creating a natural progression or cycle of options. Limited Movement; players can only move a specific number of spaces or must pay costs to skip ahead. This introduces a balance between urgency and economy. Timing and anticipation are key, as players often need to plan multiple turns in advance to maximize their moves within the constraints of the rondel.

Action - Simultaneous

  • all players secretly choose their actions and then reveal them at the same time, creating a mix of planning and unpredictability.
  • Examples: Diplomacy, Captain Sonar, Sushi Go!, For Sale, Puerto Rico, Galaxy Trucker
  • Key Elements: Balancing prediction of others' choices with careful planning is crucial, as each reveal can lead to unexpected conflicts or synergies.

Action - Queue Manipulation

  • players plan out a series of actions in advance, but the order of actions can change based on other players’ actions or game events.
  • Examples: Guillotine, Robo Rally, Colt Express, Mechs vs. Minions
  • Key Elements: Players must anticipate their opponents' moves and adapt their plans dynamically, creating a layer of strategic depth and potential chaos.

Action - Fixed Sequence Management

  • players must manage a predetermined sequence of actions or items that can only be addressed or acted upon in their current order. Limited mechanisms to adjust the sequence create strategic constraints and opportunities for adaptation.
  • Examples: Bohnanza, Century: Spice Road, Robo Rally
  • Key Elements: Sequence Constraint; the sequence of actions or resources is fixed, with restrictions on altering the order. Adaptation; players may have limited tools or opportunities to reorder or influence the sequence through in-game mechanics or player interaction. Interactive Influence; the fixed sequence can be influenced by other players' actions or shared game events, adding unpredictability and depth.

Chain of Effects

  • players can trigger multiple actions in sequence by completing a specific set of conditions or using a combo mechanic, where one action leads to another.
  • Examples: Terraforming Mars, Race for the Galaxy
  • Key Elements: Actions or choices cause a series of connected effects. Strategic planning of moves or combos to maximize outcomes. Often used for complex resource management or combo building.

Catch the Leader

  • mechanics are in place to prevent a single player from getting too far ahead, allowing others to stay competitive. Catch-up mechanisms that helps the losing player(s) catch up with the leading player(s), often through bonuses or other incentives to maintain balance.
  • Example: Power Grid, Mario Kart (blue shell)
  • Key Elements: Balance, player competition, game pacing.

Variable Phase Order

  • changes the sequence of game phases or actions during gameplay. This can depend on player choices, game state, or specific conditions, allowing flexibility and dynamic strategies. It often influences turn order, resource collection, or action availability.
  • Examples: Puerto Rico, Race for the Galaxy, Twilight Imperium, Viticulture, Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization
  • Key Elements: Dynamic Game Flow: with the sequence of phases or actions isn't fixed, creating variability between rounds or turns.

Race

  • the objective is to reach a target or complete a set of requirements before opponents. Victory is typically awarded to the first player or team to finish, rather than based on points accumulated over time. This mechanism encourages fast, optimized decisions and may involve multiple approaches to reach the goal..
  • Examples: Snow Tails, The Really Nasty Horse Racing Game, Lifeboats, The Quest for El Dorado, Formula One
  • Key Elements: Goal-Oriented Victory: Players compete to complete objectives before others, such as reaching a location, gathering resources, or fulfilling specific conditions. Time Pressure; the game may incorporate limited resources or actions per turn, driving urgency in decision-making. Players might hinder others' progress or use strategies to boost their own position while slowing down competitors.

Race - Cross and Circle

  • the primary gameboard design involves paths that follow a cross-shaped or circular pattern. Players move pieces around these paths to achieve objectives such as reaching a goal or collecting resources. These games typically involve a combination of luck (usually via dice or spinners) and strategy, and they often originate from ancient or traditional games. The structure of cross and circle games facilitates cyclical movement, and progress often depends on specific milestones along the path.
  • Examples: The Landlord's Game (precursor to Monopoly), Parcheesi, Trouble, Sorry!, The Game of Life
  • Key Elements: Boards feature tracks shaped as a cross, circle, or a combination, creating a looping or intersecting movement pattern. Movement Based on Luck; progress along the track is often determined by dice rolls, spinners, or card draws, making randomness a key factor. Race or Objective Completion; players compete to move their pieces to a target zone or achieve a specific objective before opponents.

Time - Pressure

  • players are given a specific, often limited, time to complete actions, make decisions, or finish objectives. The constant pressure of a ticking clock creates urgency and heightens the challenge, forcing players to think quickly and act decisively within the given time limits. The game typically involves countdowns, timers, or other mechanisms that restrict the available time. Players must complete tasks or achieve objectives within a limited timeframe, adding urgency to gameplay. Actions are taken within a set time limit, adding pressure and encouraging quick decision-making.
  • Examples: basketball, Captain Sonar, Codenames: Duet (Timer Mode), Grape Escape, Escape: The Curse of the Temple, 5-Minute Dungeon
  • Key Elements: Timed Pressure adds a thrilling dynamic to games by forcing players to operate under stress, simulating high-stakes environments where decisions must be made quickly. The ticking clock creates an exciting atmosphere of urgency and is well-suited for action-oriented, cooperative, or party games where the goal is to push players to perform under pressure. The mechanic works particularly well in games where fast-paced interaction is key to gameplay, ensuring that each moment feels critical. Time Limit; the defining feature is a fixed time limit, often enforced by a timer or countdown. This adds a layer of urgency to the game as players race against the clock. Urgency; the ticking clock creates an atmosphere of urgency, pushing players to make faster decisions and reducing the time they have to carefully plan or reconsider their moves. Speed and rapid planning are vital, as players must think quickly, often making trade-offs or coordinating under time pressure as players balance speed with strategy.

Time - Track / Turn Order Claiming

  • players take turns according to a timeline, with actions costing variable time units. Players spend "time" as a resource, with their position on a time track determining turn order and allowing for tactical choices. e.g. whoever is furthest back on the track takes the next turn, even if it's consecutive. Also where there's an advantage to going first typically in games where you're competing for the selection of moves or resources so there's a strategy in these games to be the first player in the next turn.
  • Examples: Patchwork, Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar, Thebes, Tokaido, The Quest for El Dorado
  • Key Elements: Efficiently managing time costs is key, as players must balance short actions with high-value moves while maximizing turns.

Time - Uncertainty

  • players are unaware of when a key event—such as the end of a round, game, or specific action—will occur. This mechanic creates suspense, encourages strategic risk-taking, and adds a layer of unpredictability to gameplay. appeals to players by introducing psychological tension and creating memorable moments of surprise and laughter. Its ability to balance strategic thinking with unpredictable outcomes makes it a versatile mechanic for party games, strategy games, and family-friendly titles.
  • Examples: Hot Potato (Traditional), Exploding Kittens, Time Bomb Evolution
  • Key Elements: Hidden or Variable End Condition; The timing or trigger for the end of an event is not known to players in advance. It might be based on a shuffled deck, hidden timer, or concealed event. Tension and Suspense; Players are kept on edge, anticipating the event’s resolution but unsure of when it will occur. Risk Management; Players must decide whether to play conservatively to avoid consequences or take risks for potential rewards. Player Reactions and Adaptation; The mechanic encourages quick thinking and adaptation to sudden changes in the game's state. Event Randomization; The mechanism often relies on a randomizer (e.g., shuffled cards, dice rolls, hidden clocks) to ensure unpredictability.

Time - Travel

  • players can manipulate time within the game, allowing them to revisit previous turns or alter past actions to affect the current game state.
  • Examples: Chrononauts, That Time You Killed Me, T.I.M.E Stories, The Big Book of Madness
  • Key Elements: This mechanism introduces complex strategic planning, as players must consider the consequences of their time manipulation and how it impacts both their own strategies and those of their opponents.

Telephone

  • players pass information sequentially, typically through drawing, writing, or verbal communication. Each participant interprets or transforms the information they receive before passing it to the next player. This process often leads to humorous or surprising deviations from the original input.
  • Examples: Telephone, Telestrations, Eat Poop You Cat, Broken Picturephone
  • Key Elements: Sequential Communication; players interact one after another, passing along the evolving message, drawing, or phrase. Each turn builds on the previous player's interpretation. Transformation; the input undergoes changes due to interpretation, creativity, or limitations (e.g., artistic or verbal). These transformations are central to the humor and unpredictability of the game. Ambiguity and Miscommunication; the mechanism often capitalizes on misunderstandings, which lead to entertaining results. Intentionally or unintentionally ambiguous contributions can further distort the message.

Bet / Wager

  • players bet or wager money or in-game currency on outcomes determined by chance, skill, or a combination of both.
  • Examples: Wits & Wagers, The Really Nasty Horse Racing Game, Casino games; poker, blackjack
  • Key Elements: Challenges players to evaluate risks and make strategic decisions by placing bets or wagers, often with the potential for high rewards or significant losses. Uncertainty and Bluffing; introduces an element of uncertainty, with players often needing to interpret incomplete information, anticipate opponents’ moves, or bluff to influence outcomes.

Auction / Bidding

  • players bid or compete in auctions to acquire resources, items, or actions, with the highest bid typically winning but at a cost.
    • English Auction: Players bid progressively higher amounts.
    • Dutch Auction: Starts high and decreases until someone claims the bid. Common in flower markets (e.g., in the Netherlands) and some financial markets (e.g., IPO pricing or bond sales).
    • Dutch Priority Auction: introduces an additional layer of complexity to the Dutch Auction where players not only bid in descending order but also gain priority in selecting rewards or resources based on the timing of their acceptance.
    • Blind Bidding: Players submit bids secretly, with the highest winning. Without knowing other players' choices introducing a layer of strategy and surprise.
  • Examples: Chinatown, Power Grid, For Sale, Merchants of Amsterdam, Ra, Modern Art, Pan Am, Queen's Necklace, The Estates, Foundations of Rome
  • Key Elements: Balancing the amount of resources spent versus their value and understanding how much competitors may be willing to pay is essential. Understanding the value of resources and managing risk within an auction format adds dynamic competition to resource acquisition.

Negotiation / Trading

Assassin

  • players engaging in strategic gameplay that emphasizes elimination, stealth, and deception. This mechanic can manifest in various forms, such as players taking on roles to outmaneuver opponents or utilizing elements that can lead to unexpected consequences, such as "poison pills" or traps that can hinder progress or cause immediate losses when triggered.
  • Examples: Codenames, Stratego, Live-Action Assassin, Among Us
  • Key Elements: Stealth and Strategy: Players must often employ stealth tactics to avoid detection while planning their moves against opponents. This can involve hiding, using distractions, or timing attacks carefully.

Hidden Information

  • some information is concealed from certain players, the group as a whole, or both. This hidden data can include player roles, objectives, resources, or moves, creating opportunities for deduction, bluffing, or strategic decision-making. The mechanic often heightens tension and player engagement by introducing uncertainty and surprise.
  • Examples: Hanabi, Fog of Love, Clue, Battleship, Scotland Yard, Poker, Sheriff of Nottingham
  • Key Elements: Information Revelation; over time, hidden information may be revealed, creating dramatic tension or strategic turning points..

Hidden Roles

  • players have secret identities or roles that influence their actions and objectives, leading to deduction and social interaction. One or more players secretly work against the group, often trying to sabotage the shared goal.
  • Examples: The Resistance: Avalon, Spyfall, A Fake Artist Goes to New York, The Chameleon, Werewolf, Secret Hitler, Saboteur, Shadows Over Camelot
  • Key Elements: Players must deduce others' roles while concealing their own, adding layers of strategy and deception.

Hidden Movement

  • some players move in secret, while others try to track or locate them, creating tension and strategy around hidden information.
  • Examples: Captain Sonar, Scotland Yard, Letters from Whitechapel, Fury of Dracula
  • Key Elements: Stealth, deduction, and timing are central, with pursuers attempting to predict or deduce where the hidden player might be.

Hidden Goals / Objectives

  • players receive secret objectives to complete, often earning points or bonuses for achieving them without revealing their intent.
  • Examples: Scythe, Lords of Waterdeep, Clank!
  • Key Elements: Encourages players to work subtly toward their goals, potentially misleading others or disguising their strategies.

Secret Unit Deployment / Deceptive Setup

  • players place units secretly, revealing their positions later to surprise or mislead opponents.
  • Examples: Root, Cyclades, Memoir ’44, Mysterium, Shadows Over Camelot
  • Key Elements: Hidden information, strategic placement, surprise or deception, often leads to bluffing or outguessing opponents.

Drop

  • physically or procedurally placing components onto the game board or play area in an unplanned or semi-randomized manner, where the position of the dropped item directly impacts gameplay. This mechanic introduces an element of dexterity, randomness, or strategy, depending on how and where the dropped items land.
  • Examples: Drop Drive, Catacombs, Tokyo Highway, Click Clack Lumberjack (Toc Toc Woodman), Plop!, Go Cuckoo!, Tumblin-Dice
  • Key Elements: Randomized Placement; the drop mechanic often introduces variability or unpredictability, as players may not have full control over where components land. Physical Interaction; players interact physically with the components, which may require careful positioning or creative approaches. Outcome-Based Effects; the final position of dropped items determines outcomes such as scoring, movement, or resource collection.

Variable Setup

  • each game session begins with different initial conditions creating varied experiences and strategies.
  • Examples: Scythe, Robinson Crusoe, Eldritch Horror
  • Key Elements: Replayability is increased as players adapt to new objectives, and strategies must shift each game.

Boards - Modular / Variable Terrain

  • the game board changes or is arranged differently each time, providing varied experiences and strategies. Map Addition; players expand or modify the game map by adding tiles, cards, or other components during play. Multiple Maps; the game includes or allows the use of different maps for varied gameplay or scenarios.
  • Examples: Catan, Hexagony, Snow Tails, Mississippi Queen, Betrayal at House on the Hill, Carcassonne, Eclipse, Explorers of the North Sea
  • Key Elements: The modular setup creates new strategies in every game, requiring players to adapt as the board evolves based on their actions.

Area Movement

  • players move their pieces across an area, grid, often with limitations on direction or range, to achieve goals, capture pieces, or control regions.
  • Examples: Chess, Onitama, Tsuro, Risk, Twilight Imperium.
  • Key Elements: Strategic positioning and spatial awareness are crucial as players plan moves to optimize position and block or counter opponents. Often involves navigating obstacles or other players.

Area Majority / Area Control / Area Influence

Position

  • emphasizes the spatial arrangement of pieces, tokens, or elements on a game board. In these games, players strategically maneuver their components to achieve specific goals, often involving control of spaces, optimal placement, or advantageous configurations. Success depends on a player's ability to evaluate the board and anticipate the consequences of different placements or movements.
  • Examples: Chess, Go, Twixt, Hexagony, Santorini, Hive, Dots and Boxes
  • Key Elements: spatial Awareness; players must understand and analyze the board or play area, often requiring foresight to predict how positions will evolve over time. Strategic Placement; positioning involves careful decisions about where to place or move pieces, considering both current goals and potential future developments. Adversarial or Competitive Interaction; many position-based games involve reacting to and anticipating opponents' moves to gain an advantage. Win Conditions Tied to Positioning; Success is typically tied to objectives like occupying specific areas, creating patterns, or restricting the opponent’s options.

Contracts

  • players completing specific objectives or tasks (referred to as contracts) in exchange for rewards, such as points, resources, or in-game advantages. These contracts are often presented as a list of required items, actions, or achievements that players must fulfill. In Bridge, a "contract" refers to the number of tricks a partnership commits to winning during the bidding phase. The declarer (the player who won the bid) must fulfill this contract during the play phase to score points.
  • Examples: Bridge, Lords of Waterdeep, The Voyages of Marco Polo, Century: Spice Road, Scythe
  • Key Elements: Contracts define specific goals that players aim to accomplish, adding structure and direction to gameplay. Resource Management: Players must often collect, trade, or allocate resources to meet the requirements of the contract.

Deduction

  • players use clues to logically deduce hidden information or outcomes. This often involves eliminating possibilities to narrow down the answer.
  • Examples: Codenames, Concept, A Fake Artist Goes to New York, The Chameleon, Decrypto, Clue, Deception: Murder in Hong Kong, Cryptid, Guess Who?
  • Key Elements: Logical reasoning, observation, elimination of possibilities, often involves a hidden answer or secret that players reveal progressively. Includes deductive reconstruction where players use associative clues often requiring interpretation or inference.

Deduction - Bluffing

  • players try to deceive or deduce information from each other, often hiding their true intentions or identities.
  • Examples: Werewolf, The Resistance: Avalon, Secret Hitler, Skull
  • Key Elements: Emphasizes reading opponents, strategic deception, and sometimes alliances, adding a psychological layer to the game.

Deduction - Visual Investigation

  • players study detailed illustrations or maps to uncover clues and solve mysteries. These games typically require players to find hidden objects, track characters, and connect visual evidence to piece together stories or solve puzzles.
    • Deduction often involves logic and systematic elimination of possibilities to arrive at a solution. The goal is to use observation skills and deductive reasoning to solve a series of cases or mysteries. These games often feature large, densely packed illustrations with numerous characters, objects, and events that contribute clues. Players need to carefully observe the scene, looking for hidden details, patterns, or character paths to connect the dots in each case. Each game or scenario typically has a narrative element, with players piecing together events or character motives as they uncover clues. Beyond simple object-finding, players use deduction to interpret clues, determine character actions, and construct a timeline of events. Players explore freely, analyzing the scene and clues in any order. This allows for open-ended problem-solving and exploration.
    • Induction; many visual deduction games leverage pattern recognition or quick observational skills, which often feel more instinctual or intuitive. Intuition can guide players toward areas of interest or key elements in the visual scene before deeper deduction occurs.
  • Examples: Illusion, MicroMacro: Crime City, Where’s Waldo?, Spot It!, Crime Scene: The Board Game
  • Key Elements: focuses on visual observation, logical deduction, and sometimes collaborative problem-solving. Often, identifying the correct clues involves logic and connecting visual elements to broader narratives or objectives. Visual deduction games appeal to a wide audience because they blend intuitive gameplay with satisfying moments of discovery and insight.

Induction

  • players make educated guesses and formulate rules or patterns based on observed data, testing and refining hypotheses. Induction games are compelling because they blend logical reasoning with discovery, offering moments of revelation when players "crack" the game's patterns or solve its puzzles. Players typically form broad generalizations from clues. Games revolve around forming hypotheses about the patterns and testing them. Players deducing the best moves based on limited information and the clues given by teammates. Players may rely on their intuition and the collective understanding of timing, which involves inductive reasoning as they try to gauge when to play their resources based on the actions of others. Some games involve a mix of deduction and induction as players gather information through experimentation and must infer their relationships.
  • Examples: Mastermind, Hanabi, The Mind, Alchemists, Zendo, Eleusis
  • Key Elements: Formulating patterns from observations, testing hypotheses, adapting to new information, refining guesses. Players analyze visual, numerical, or symbolic cues to identify overarching trends or rules. Players must make educated guesses about hidden information or the game's logic. Feedback loops (e.g., trial and error in Mastermind) allow players to refine their understanding. Induction games often require flexible thinking as new information can shift the player's conclusions. Cognitive Engagement; the mechanic challenges players to think critically and adapt as they gather data.

Communication Limits

  • restricts how players can communicate with one another, often limiting verbal exchanges, gestures, or the sharing of specific information. These restrictions are designed to increase challenge, encourage creative problem-solving, and foster non-verbal or indirect collaboration among players.
  • Examples: Codenames, Just One, The Crew, Hanabi, The Mind, Cahoots, Mysterium, Magic Maze
  • Key Elements: Players must rely on inference, observation, or subtle cues to understand each other's intentions or strategies. Coordination Without Full Clarity; successful gameplay hinges on working together despite incomplete or ambiguous communication. The need to convey complex ideas with limited interaction encourages creatively.

Risk Management

  • players must make decisions based on assessing risks and potential rewards, often involving gambling mechanics or uncertain outcomes.
  • Examples: The King’s Dilemma, The Mind, High Society
  • Key Elements: Players weigh the benefits of taking risks against the potential costs, fostering a dynamic and often tense decision-making environment.

Memory

  • players must remember information revealed earlier in the game to make strategic choices later on.
  • Examples: Simon, Hanabi, Concentration, Mastermind, The Mind, Sheriff of Nottingham, Memoir '44, Zendo, Saboteur
  • Key Elements: Recall and strategic planning are crucial as players try to remember hidden or revealed elements to optimize future decisions.

Push-Pull Dynamics

  • players compete to shift a marker or control in opposite directions along a track, with the aim of bringing it entirely into their own territory.
  • Examples: Star Wars: Rebellion, 13 Days: The Cuban Missile Crisis, Watergate, Tug of War, Balance of Power
  • Key Elements: Players must balance offense and defense, often pushing and pulling for control in a high-stakes setting.

Multi-Objective Scoring

  • players earn points in a variety of ways, allowing flexibility in strategy and rewarding different play styles.
  • Examples: Point Salad, Castles of Burgundy, Scythe
  • Key Elements: Players have diverse options to score, requiring them to balance immediate gains with long-term point potential across multiple areas.

Overlapping Objectives

  • players work to achieve goals or objectives that may conflict or overlap with other players’ objectives. This creates tension and competition, as players may need to adjust their strategies to navigate these competing interests.
  • Examples: Catan
  • Key Elements: Multiple objectives that may overlap or conflict with others. Players must navigate and adapt to others' actions. Encourages dynamic decision-making and strategic planning.

Multi-Use Cards

  • each card can serve multiple purposes, giving players flexibility in how they use them (e.g., as currency, resources, or actions).
  • Examples: Race for the Galaxy, Innovation, Glory to Rome
  • Key Elements: Players must make strategic decisions about how to use each card, often balancing competing needs for different functions.

Events

  • Event mechanisms, e.g. cards, dice-based tables, inject variability, encourage adaptability, and can change the flow of the game, sometimes impacting all players simultaneously. Event mechanisms introduce unexpected changes to the game environment, often shifting strategies, altering game rules, or adding unique challenges or rewards. While some events may impose challenges, others provide opportunities or bonuses, keeping the mechanic balanced and engaging.
  • Examples: Twilight Struggle, Pan Am, Pandemic, Arkham Horror, Ticket to Ride: Europe, Catan: Cities & Knights, Everdell
  • Key Elements: Event mechanisms bring an element of surprise, which can disrupt planned strategies and require quick adaptation. Events often affect all players, either directly (e.g., penalties or rewards) or indirectly (e.g., environmental shifts). Players need to be flexible, as events may require them to pivot from their main strategy to address immediate changes. Events usually align with the game’s theme, creating immersion. For example, mythos events in Arkham Horror intensify the horror atmosphere..

Crafting

  • allows players to combine raw materials or resources to create items, tools, weapons, or other in-game objects. It often involves recipes or blueprints and requires players to gather, manage, and sometimes process resources. This mechanic emphasizes resource collection, experimentation, and strategic planning, often tying into survival, exploration, or progression systems.
  • Examples: Minecraft, Stardew Valley, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Don't Starve, ARK: Survival Evolved
  • Key Elements: Players must collect materials through exploration, farming, mining, or defeating enemies. The availability and rarity of resources influence crafting difficulty and player strategy. Items are crafted based on predefined recipes/blueprints or player discovery. Recipes may be unlocked via progression, quests, or experimentation. Some games require specialized tools (e.g., crafting tables) or facilities (e.g., forges) to create certain items. Players must decide how to allocate finite resources between crafting, other gameplay needs, or trade. Advanced crafting options often become available as players unlock skills, levels, or new blueprints, providing a sense of growth. Some games allow players to discover new recipes by experimenting with combinations of materials, adding an element of creativity or trial-and-error. Crafted items often serve practical purposes, enhancing survival, exploration, or combat. Synergy between crafted items and other game systems (e.g., crafting a boat to explore new areas) enriches gameplay. Crafting may require time to process materials or complete an item, introducing strategic decisions about when and where to craft. Crafting can allow for personalization, letting players design or upgrade items to suit their play style (e.g., modifying weapons in RPGs).

Scenario-Based

  • games include unique scenarios or missions, each with distinct rules, objectives, or winning conditions.
  • Examples: Gloomhaven, Mansions of Madness, Arkham Horror
  • Key Elements: Each scenario adds variety and replayability, often requiring players to adapt to new rules or storylines in each playthrough.

Chance-based

  • Dice, spinners, etc. are often used to resolve actions, determine outcomes, or influence the game's state in some way. The roll of the dice is typically linked to specific game events such as combat, movement, resource acquisition, or the success/failure of a particular action. Chance-based components can be used to introduce an element of chance or randomness into gameplay.
  • Examples: Yahtzee, Risk, Dungeon & Dragons, Catan
  • Key Elements: Randomness; dice introduce uncertainty by providing random results, which adds unpredictability and excitement to the game. Probability; the type of dice (e.g., six-sided, ten-sided, etc.) and how they are rolled (e.g., a single roll, multiple rolls, or re-rolls) affect the likelihood of different outcomes. Resolution Mechanism; dice are often used to resolve conflicts or determine outcomes. For example, a player may roll dice to determine the success of an attack, the amount of damage dealt, or whether an event happens.

Dice - Pool Management

  • players roll and manage a pool of dice, using results to take actions or achieve objectives.
  • Examples: Roll for the Galaxy, Quarriors!, King of Tokyo
  • Key Elements: Managing luck and strategy as players allocate dice to maximize efficiency, sometimes needing to reroll or sacrifice dice to optimize outcomes.

Resource - Dynamic Market

  • players buy and sell items or manage an economy within the game, with prices fluctuating based on supply and demand. The value of specific resources diminishes/increases as the game progresses or due to player actions.
  • Examples: Queen's Necklace, Power Grid, Pax Pamir, Foundations of Rome, Food Chain Magnate, Brass, Monopoly
  • Key Elements: Timing, resource allocation, and predicting opponent actions are critical, as players must adapt to changing market conditions. Prices and values change based on supply, demand, or the game state, creating a fluctuating resource market. Players must decide the best time to buy or use or trade resources.

Resource - Production and Upkeep

  • players produce resources at set intervals (such as each round or turn), but they may also need to pay upkeep costs to maintain those resources. Random Production; resources or events are generated randomly, often through dice or card draws.
  • Examples: Through the Ages, Gaia Project, Civilization, Catan, Stone Age
  • Key Elements: Balancing production, managing costs, and planning for future expenses require efficient and forward-thinking gameplay.

Resource - Management

  • players must carefully manage limited resources like money, materials, or energy, making trade-offs to achieve their goals effectively. Victory Points as a Resource; players spend or lose points as part of the gameplay, balancing short-term gains with long-term success.
  • Examples: Bohnanza, Catan, Hexagony, Chinatown, Power Grid, Spices of the World, Wingspan, Puerto Rico
  • Key Elements: Decision-making about when and how to spend resources often drives the game, and shortages or bottlenecks require planning and adaptability.

Resource - Conversion

  • players convert resources from one type to another, often enhancing their capabilities or enabling new actions in the process.
  • Examples: Agricola, Stone Age, The Castles of Burgundy
  • Key Elements: Efficiently managing and converting resources is essential, as players must balance immediate needs with long-term strategies.

Resource - Asymmetric Rotation

  • players are initially given asymmetric resources (cards, tokens, units, etc.), and after a set period or round, these resources are rotated to the next player. This rotation ensures that all players experience and utilize the full range of resources, preventing one player from having an ongoing advantage due to a particularly favorable starting position balancing out the influence of luck.
  • Examples: Turn the Tide
  • Key Elements: Strategic depth as each player must figure out how best to use what they are dealt. After each round, the resources (whether cards or tokens) are passed to another player, giving everyone a chance to utilize all resources equally over the course of the game. This prevents players from being stuck with underperforming resources or hands for too long.

Investment / Commodity Speculation / Economic Management

  • players invest in assets or resources with fluctuating values, managing funds to maximize profits through share buying. Inflation or Interest may be part of this mechanism.
  • Examples: Acquire, Power Grid, Pan Am, Stockpile
  • Key Elements: Financial risk management, market forecasting, and timing are key, as players must decide when to invest, sell, or hold assets.

Mergers and Acquisitions

  • involves the integration of one entity (e.g., a corporation or territory) into another during gameplay, creating opportunities for players to gain or lose assets based on their involvement. This mechanic often includes rules for evaluating dominance, resolving conflicts, and redistributing resources. It introduces strategic depth by encouraging players to make calculated investments or positional moves that maximize their control and value.
  • Examples: Acquire, Pan Am, Small World, Terraforming Mars
  • Key Elements: Players interact with entities like corporations, territories, or groups, which can grow or combine during the game. Mergers are triggered when specific conditions are met, such as entities occupying adjacent spaces or reaching a threshold in size or influence. Rules define how assets (e.g., money, shares, or resources) are redistributed during and after the merger, often favoring the dominant player.

Prediction Markets

  • are platforms or games where players make wagers or investments based on their predictions of real-world event outcomes. Similar to fantasy sports, participants use strategic thinking and analysis to forecast events accurately, with rewards tied to the accuracy of predictions rather than in-game achievements or skills.
  • Examples: PredictIt, Kalshi, Augur, Polymarket.
  • Key Elements: Real-World Event Focus: Players place bets on outcomes of real-world events, such as elections, economic indicators, or sports results. Strategic Analysis: Success depends on analyzing data, trends, or expert opinions to make informed predictions. Market Dynamics: Prices fluctuate based on supply and demand, with odds often reflecting the collective sentiment of the market. Risk and Reward: Players risk their stakes for potential gains, making accurate predictions financially rewarding.

Tile Placement

  • players place tiles on a board to build patterns, complete objectives, or create strategic positions.
  • Examples: Acquire, Carcassonne, Azul, Suburbia, Foundations of Rome
  • Key Elements: Spatial awareness and long-term planning are crucial, as each tile must fit within the larger game strategy.

Fantasy Team / League

  • participants form a team by selecting real-life players from professional sports leagues. These players’ real-world performances contribute to the participant’s fantasy team score. Participants typically compete in a league of other players, with weekly head-to-head matchups or season-long points accumulation to determine standings and, ultimately, league champions.
  • Examples: Fantasy Sport Leagues; football, baseball, basketball, cricket, Sorare
  • Key Elements: Drafting players as season often starts with a draft where managers choose players. Scoring system where points are awarded based on real-life statistics. Roster management where managers make decisions about which players to start. Managers can trade players to strengthen their team or meet specific needs.

Stacking / Building Structures

  • players construct towers or structures by stacking or arranging game pieces, with stability and precision being vital.
  • Examples: Rhino Hero, Junk Art, Menara
  • Key Elements: Spatial awareness, dexterity, and balancing skills are needed, as players carefully position pieces without toppling structures.

Boards - Common Personal Player

  • each player using their own individual board or mat, which provides the same layout, functions, or resources for everyone. These boards are used to track progress, manage resources, or organize gameplay elements without differentiation between players. The boards serve as a personal interface for interacting with the game while following universal rules.
  • Examples: Agricola, Terraforming Mars, Everdell, Azul, Clank!
  • Key Elements: Standardized Layout; all players receive the same board structure, ensuring equal starting conditions. Resource Management; personal boards often include spaces to manage tokens, cards, or other resources. Player Autonomy; players use their boards independently, allowing personal strategy development without immediate interference. Interaction with Central Gameplay; while player boards are personal, actions often affect shared spaces (e.g., communal goals or markets). Visual Organization; boards provide clear organization for elements like scoring, action selection, or progress tracking.

Boards - Unique Personal Player

  • each player has a personal board tailored to their role, faction, or strategy. These boards often feature unique actions, abilities, or resource management systems that distinguish one player’s gameplay experience from another’s. This mechanic enhances asymmetry, providing replayability and diverse strategic opportunities.
  • Examples: Scythe, Terraforming Mars, Root, Everdell, Gaia Project
  • Key Elements: Asymmetry; each board emphasizes distinct playstyles or strategies, encouraging players to adapt based on their role or faction. Personal Resource Managementt; boards often track resources, abilities, or progress, creating a sense of ownership and agency.

Stochastic Movement

  • movement of pieces or units is determined by a random or probabilistic system, such as dice rolls, cards, or other forms of randomization.
  • Examples: Formula D, King of Tokyo
  • Key Elements: Random elements influence movement decisions. The randomness adds unpredictability and variation to gameplay. Often creates tension, as players deal with uncertain outcomes.

Line of Sight

  • actions, such as attacks or interactions, are only possible if a clear, unobstructed path exists between two points—typically between a player and a target. This mechanic often takes into account obstacles, distance, and angles.
  • Examples: Memoir '44, Gloomhaven, Star Wars: Imperial Assault
  • Key Elements: Visibility Requirement; actions like attacking, targeting, or interacting require the player to "see" the target, determined by physical or abstract rules. Obstructions; obstacles such as walls, terrain, or other game components can block or limit the line of sight, impacting strategy. Measurement Tools; Many games use tools like rulers, straight edges, or line-drawing rules on a grid to determine visibility. Strategic Positioning; Players must plan their movements to achieve optimal visibility while avoiding exposure to opponents. Thematic Integration; such as sniping in a combat scenario or sneaking past guards.

Majority Control / Influence

  • players aim to have the most influence in specific regions or over specific elements in the game, often for points or control benefits.
  • Examples: El Grande, Small World, Ethnos
  • Key Elements: Balancing when to invest resources to gain control while keeping an eye on opponents’ actions, as majority bonuses can sway game outcomes.

Elimination

  • involves removing players or their game components (like pieces, tokens, or cards) from play. The objective is often to reduce opponents’ resources or presence until they are eliminated or rendered unable to continue competing effectively. In some cases, elimination means the player can no longer participate in the game, while in others, it signifies losing critical pieces or territory.
  • Examples: Chess, Go, Risk, Axis & Allies, Werewolf, Mafia, Saboteur, Dodgeball
  • Key Elements: Direct Competition: Players often engage in direct actions against one another to eliminate pieces or opponents. Progressive Reduction: Over time, players may lose resources, opportunities, or their presence in the game entirely. Tension and Strategy: Players must balance offense and defense, ensuring their survival while trying to weaken others.

Count and Capture

  • players manipulating game elements (such as tokens, stones, or cards) based on their quantity, typically to "capture" or claim them. This mechanic often involves evaluating numerical or spatial patterns to determine the most advantageous move. The mechanic may require players to manage resources, create scoring opportunities, or reduce opponents' assets.
  • Examples: Mancala, Othello, Go, Nine Men’s Morris, Abalone
  • Key Elements: Numerical or Pattern-Based Interaction; players must identify groups or sequences of items to execute actions, often based on numbers or patterns. Capture Mechanics; capturing may involve removing, claiming, or scoring pieces or tokens from a shared area, with the captured items often contributing to victory conditions. Strategic Counting; players often need to calculate the best possible move by assessing quantities and their future implications.

Mancala Movement

  • inspired by traditional Mancala games, where players pick up tokens (or pieces) from one location and distribute them sequentially into other spaces, usually following a predefined path. The final placement often triggers an action or determines the outcome of the move.
  • Examples: Mancala, Five Tribes: The Djinns of Naqala, Trajan
  • Key Elements: Sequential Distribution; players must pick up all tokens from one location and drop them, one by one, in subsequent locations, adhering to a defined order. Triggering Actions; the location where the final token is placed often activates an action, which can include collecting resources, scoring points, or altering the game state.

Fatigue

  • the cost of continued effort or action over time, often affecting player performance or options in a game. This mechanic simulates the consequences of overexertion, whether it’s physical, mental, or resource-based.
  • Examples: Dark Souls: The Board Game, Gloomhaven
  • Key Elements: Actions or resources cost more over time or as they are used. Can force players to manage their resources and actions carefully. Often tied to endurance, mental strain, or similar concepts.

Puzzle Solving

  • players solve puzzles or riddles as part of the gameplay, often tied to advancing the storyline or unlocking key components. This include games that simulate the experience of an escape room, where players solve puzzles, find clues, and unravel a narrative to "escape" within a time limit.
  • Examples: Exit: The Game, Escape Room Games, Unlock!, Chronicles of Crime, Unlock!
  • Key Elements: Problem-solving and critical thinking are central, requiring players to combine clues, observe patterns, or decode messages to succeed.

Pencil and Paper

  • players often draw, write, or manipulate symbols on the paper to achieve game objectives. These games are typically simple in terms of physical requirements, making them accessible and portable. Gameplay often involves logic, pattern recognition, or strategy, though some games emphasize creativity or storytelling. Crayon Rail System; players use crayons or markers to draw railroads or connections on a map, creating custom routes.
  • Examples: Tic-Tac-Toe, Dots and Boxes, Hangman, Battleship (Paper Variant), Empire Builder, Iron Dragon, Golf
  • Key Elements: Minimal Physical Components. Players engage in either strategic thinking (e.g., planning optimal moves in Dots and Boxes) or creative expression (e.g., storytelling in drawing-based games). Many games rely on grids, freehand drawing, or other paper-based frameworks for their core mechanics.

Roll and Write / Flip and Write

  • players roll dice or flip cards, then use the result to mark off or fill in a sheet, often aiming to complete patterns or sets.
  • Examples: Yatzee, Welcome To..., Ganz Schön Clever, Railroad Ink
  • Key Elements: Players make quick, tactical choices as they aim to maximize points with limited options, often adapting to randomness.

Advantage Token

  • a token or marker that gives a player a benefit or advantage, often temporary, which can be spent or traded.
  • Example: Terraforming Mars (first player to complete a milestone)
  • Key Elements: Resource advantage, limited use, competition for token.

Alliances

  • players form temporary or permanent partnerships to achieve a common goal, often with the potential for betrayal.
  • Example: Diplomacy, Game of Thrones: The Board Game, Who's the Boss
  • Key Elements: negotiation, strategy alignment, potential conflict.

Campaign / Battle Card Driven

  • card play is central to gameplay, often defining player actions, battles, or story progression.
  • Example: Twilight Struggle, Pathfinder Adventure Card Game
  • Key Elements: Card-based tactics, long-term strategy, story advancement.

Take That

  • involves actions where players deliberately hinder, disrupt, or target opponents. These actions are often aggressive or antagonistic, such as stealing resources, damaging their progress, or forcing unfavorable conditions, adding an element of rivalry and conflict to the gameplay.
  • Example: Pickomino, Ivanhoe , Munchkin, Uno, Exploding Kittens, Coup
  • Key Elements: Direct Player Interaction; players actively affect each other’s progress or standing, rather than just competing passively. Conflict-Centric Actions; the mechanic focuses on sabotaging opponents through cards, abilities, or specific moves. Balance of Risk and Reward; using "Take That" actions often comes with the risk of retaliation or lost opportunities for personal gain. Retaliatory Dynamics; the mechanic can lead to cycles of revenge or alliances against a dominant player. Humor or Chaos; often included in lighter games to create unexpected, entertaining situations.

Progressive - Technology

  • players unlock advancements or new abilities by progressing along a technology tree or skill path, enhancing their options as the game goes on.
  • Examples: Sid Meier's Civilization, Eclipse, Through the Ages
  • Key Elements: Balancing immediate needs with long-term investments is key, as each advancement opens new strategic possibilities and boosts capabilities.

Progressive - Campaign

  • a series of games or scenarios that build on each other, with players carrying over elements like character development or resources.
  • Examples: Pandemic Legacy, Gloomhaven, The Campaign for North Africa
  • Key Elements: Long-term strategy is crucial, as decisions have lasting consequences, and players often evolve over multiple sessions.

Progressive - Complexity

  • games present a series of distinct challenges and objectives that evolve over multiple sessions, often tied together by an overarching narrative. Each scenario introduces unique rules, setups, and goals, providing players with a diverse gameplay experience that keeps them engaged and challenged. The complexity of gameplay, player interactions, or game mechanics increases as the game progresses.
  • Examples: That Time You Killed Me, Descent: Journeys in the Dark
  • Key Elements: New rules and mechanics are introduced gradually, allowing players to build on their understanding and skills over time, ensuring that the game remains accessible yet deep. Escalation can take various forms, such as increasing resources, new mechanics introduced over time, or expanding player interactions, all of which contribute to a more intense and strategic experience as the game nears its conclusion. These games often provide a sense of growth and development, where early decisions shape and influence the game's later stages..

Progressive - Legacy

  • Legacy games change over time, with permanent alterations to the board, components, or rules, carrying forward choices from session to session. Legacy Deck Building is a variation of deck-building games where players' actions and decisions in one game carry over to the next, permanently altering the game's components or rules.
  • Examples: Pandemic Legacy, Risk Legacy, Charterstone, Clank! Legacy, Aeon's End Legacy, The Rise of Queensdale
  • Key Elements: Emphasis on long-term strategy and choices, as players know that their actions will have ongoing consequences in future games.

Variable Goals

  • the criteria for ending the game can change based on player actions or specific in-game events, leading to dynamic gameplay where players must adapt their strategies to shifting goals.
  • Examples: Fluxx, Spirit Island, Cosmic Encounter, The End of the World, The King’s Dilemma
  • Key Elements: This mechanism adds unpredictability and strategic depth, as players must stay alert to changing conditions that could abruptly alter their paths to victory.

Acting

  • players use physical or verbal mimicry to communicate clues or perform actions, often without directly stating the answer or intention.
  • Example: Charades, Dixit
  • Key Elements: Improvisation, non-verbal communication, creativity.

Drawing and Guessing

  • players draw images to convey a word, phrase, or concept for teammates or opponents to guess within a limited timeframe. These games rely on quick thinking, creativity, and interpretation, often with humorous results due to the abstract nature of drawings.
  • Examples: Pictionary, A Fake Artist Goes to New York, Telestrations
  • Key Elements: Creativity and quick thinking where players need to be able to visualize and quickly sketch ideas, sometimes simplifying complex concepts. Using their communication through art clearly enough for others to guess, despite time and artistic skill limitations. Guessers need to interpret incomplete or abstract drawings, often reading between the lines to deduce the intended concept.

Singing / Music

  • players sing or hum tunes as part of gameplay, often involving guessing or creativity.
  • Examples: Spontuneous, Encore, Name That Tune.
  • Key Elements: Creativity, music or rhythm knowledge, entertainment value, often humorous or light*hearted interaction.

Voting

Player Judge

  • a player judges responses or actions of other players, often in creative or humor*based games.
  • Examples: Apples to Apples, Snake Oil, Cards Against Humanity, Superfight.
  • Key Elements: Subjective decision*making, player creativity, aligning responses to the judge’s tastes, encourages social interaction.

Word / Term / Spelling / Association

  • players create, spell, or guess words to score points or meet objectives.
  • Examples: Scrabble, Just One, Boggle, Codenames, The Chameleon, Decrypto, So Clover, Scattergories
  • Key Elements: Vocabulary, word building, spelling accuracy, creativity in word use, often involves both skill and knowledge. Players use associative clues to reconstruct the original word(s) often requiring interpretation or inference.

Trivia / Questions & Answers

  • players ask and answer questions to advance in the game, with correct answers yielding rewards or progression.
  • Examples: Wits & Wagers, You Think You Know Me, Trivial Pursuit, Jeopardy!.
  • Key Elements: Knowledge testing, player memory, often time*bound, sometimes involves bluffing or betting on answers.

Dexterity / Physical Skill

  • require physical skill, often involving flicking, stacking, or balancing components. Flicking mechanic where players flick pieces (usually discs or tokens) across the game board, aiming for targets, holes, or other pieces.
  • Examples: Jenga, Crokinole, Carrom, PitchCar, Flick'em Up!, Rhino Hero, Ascended Empires
  • Key Elements: Coordination, control, and hand-eye precision are essential, as actions impact the game directly through physical interaction. Adds a tactile, skill-based layer, where players need steady hands, quick reflexes, or strategic placement.

Multiple Victory Paths

  • offers multiple paths to victory, allowing players to choose different strategies to achieve success. Players may earn points or victory conditions in different ways.
  • Examples: Scythe, Castles of Burgundy
  • Key Elements: Multiple strategies or paths to victory. Encourages flexibility and adaptability. Players must balance different objectives to succeed.

End Game - Penalty

  • imposes negative consequences or point deductions at the conclusion of the game. These penalties often result from unmet objectives, incomplete goals, or surplus/unused resources. The mechanic adds strategic depth by encouraging players to balance their actions throughout the game to avoid excessive penalties.
  • Examples: Ticket to Ride, Azul, Viticulture, Catan: Cities & Knights
  • Key Elements: Risk vs. Reward; players must weigh the potential benefits of ambitious strategies against the risk of incurring penalties if they cannot fulfill objectives. The mechanic encourages forward planning to avoid leaving goals or tasks unfinished by the game's end.

End Game - Bonus

  • players receive additional points at the end of the game based on certain criteria met during gameplay, which can significantly impact final scores.
  • Examples: Scythe, Ticket to Ride, Terraforming Mars, Viticulture.
  • Key Elements: Encourages long term strategies, rewards specific accomplishments or collections, often influences player choices toward endgame goals.

Dynamics

Dynamics refer to the interactions that emerge when players engage with the mechanics during gameplay. They are the "behaviors" and flow that result as players make choices within the rules. Dynamics are essential because they show how the game evolves as players make choices, and they reveal the strategies that players can adopt. While designers can directly control the mechanics, the dynamics are a result of these mechanics interacting with player input, making game design a second-order design challenge.

  • Player Engagement and Agency: Dynamics provide players with meaningful choices and decision-making opportunities, which are crucial for player engagement. By offering a variety of strategies and interactions, dynamics allow players to feel a sense of agency and investment in the game world
  • Emergent Gameplay: Dynamics lead to emergent gameplay, where unexpected and unplanned interactions occur. This can result in unique and personalized experiences for players, enhancing the replayability and depth of a game
  • Feedback Loops: Dynamics often incorporate feedback loops, which are cycles of actions and corresponding feedback that create a sense of engagement. These loops can be positive, reinforcing player success, or negative, providing challenges that players must overcome
  • Balancing Challenge and Skill: Dynamics help balance the level of challenge in a game, ensuring it aligns with players' skill levels. This balance is crucial for maintaining player motivation and preventing frustration or boredom
  • Strategy Development: Dynamics play a significant role in strategy development and decision-making processes in games. They influence how players approach the game, the strategies they develop, and the decisions they make
  • Player Interaction: In multiplayer games, dynamics shape how players interact with each other, whether through competition, cooperation, or a combination of both

Aesthetics

In game design, aesthetics, a core element of the MDA framework (Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics), focus on the sensory and emotional experiences that make games compelling. They encompass a game's look, feel, mood, and tone, including elements like art style, sound design, UI, and atmosphere. Aesthetics shape the player’s emotional journey, creating immersion, setting the mood, and reinforcing themes. By targeting specific aesthetics—such as suspense, wonder, or fantasy—designers can tailor mechanics and dynamics to evoke desired feelings. Here are some key items or dimensions commonly included in this category:

  • Visual Art: This involves the game’s artwork, graphic design, colors, and overall visual presentation. It includes elements like card and board illustrations, icons, symbols, and even the layout of game components, which create an attractive and immersive experience.
  • Theme and Storytelling: A game’s theme or story adds to its aesthetic appeal by creating a narrative or setting that players can get emotionally invested in. A well-developed story and theme can make players feel like they’re part of an adventure, a mystery, or another world, enhancing the game's beauty.
  • Physical Quality and Tactile Appeal: The quality of game components, such as cards, tokens, miniatures, and the board itself, affects how pleasing the game is to play. For example, games with high-quality miniatures, custom dice, or well-crafted game pieces can be more enjoyable to handle and interact with.
  • Sound and Music: Some games, especially digital ones, incorporate soundscapes, music, or sound effects that enhance the atmosphere. In board games, sound effects can be created through certain mechanics, like dice rolling or the clinking of tokens.
  • Simplicity and Elegance in Design: Games that are simple but powerful in mechanics are often regarded as beautiful. Elegance refers to the way complex ideas or strategies are presented in a streamlined, accessible form, allowing the beauty of design to shine through without over-complication.
  • Flow and Immersion: This is how seamlessly the game engages players and keeps them immersed. Games with a good sense of flow provide players with smooth, uninterrupted experiences, where they lose track of time and remain deeply involved.
  • Emotional Engagement: Games that evoke strong feelings, like wonder, excitement, or nostalgia, often have a lasting aesthetic appeal. Emotional engagement can be fostered through meaningful choices, storytelling, or themes that resonate on a personal level.
  • Symbolism and Deeper Meaning: Some games embed deeper meanings or cultural references, which give them a layer of beauty appreciated over repeated plays. These can evoke contemplation or connect to real-life experiences, history, or ethics, enriching the game's impact.

Narrative / Theme

Narrative is the storyline or thematic context within the game. This includes the setting, characters, plot, and the world-building that gives meaning to player actions. Narrative provides context and purpose, motivating players to continue and giving significance to their choices. In some games, narrative is linear and explicit, while in others, it’s environmental or emergent.

  • Narrative / Storytelling - Choices
    • Definition: Players make choices that affect the narrative of the game, often leading to branching storylines and character development.
    • Examples: Pitchstorm, Nemesis, The Pursuit of Happiness, Call to Adventure, Robinson Crusoe, Gloomhaven, Betrayal at House on the Hill, T.I.M.E Stories, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, Above and Below, Star Wars: Rebellion
    • Key Elements: Emphasis on immersion, story and character development, and consequences of actions that shape the overall experience and outcome.
  • Narrative / Story - Progression
    • Definition: The game progresses through a series of events or narrative points, with the story influencing gameplay and player choices affecting future events. The game may include random events or scenarios that change the gameplay each time, influencing player strategies and outcomes.
    • Examples: Forgotten Waters, Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective, Tales of the Arabian Nights, Gloomhaven
    • Key Elements: Immersive storytelling with player-driven outcomes, where decisions influence the game’s direction and players shape the story. Players must adapt to new challenges and opportunities presented by these events, fostering replayability and unpredictability.

Game Aspects

Asymmetric & Symmetric

Both asymmetric and symmetric game mechanics offer unique gameplay experiences, each catering to different player preferences and types of interaction. Asymmetric games provide a richer variety of strategies, challenging players to think differently depending on their role, while symmetric games offer fairness and equality, emphasizing skill and strategy among players with the same tools. Each mechanic brings its own flavor to the table, whether it's the strategic depth of an asymmetric game or the clean, tactical gameplay of a symmetric one.

Asymmetric

refer to situations in which players have different roles, abilities, resources, or goals, creating unique gameplay experiences for each player. This type of game design is often used to create disparity between players, offering varied strategies, tactics, and interactions. Reference 'Personal Player Boards - Unique' mechanic where each player has a personal board tailored to their role, faction, or strategy.

Asymmetric Roles

  • players select roles or powers that give them unique abilities, influencing how they interact with the game's systems and other players. layers assume fictional roles, making decisions and performing actions based on their characters’ abilities, motives, or traits. A dungeon crawl is a type of scenario in fantasy role-playing games (RPGs) in which heroes navigate a labyrinth environment (a "dungeon"), battling various monsters, avoiding traps, solving puzzles, and looting any treasure they may find.
  • Examples: Pitchstorm, Ivanhoe, Puerto Rico, Root, Cosmic Encounter, Vikings on Board, Dungeons & Dragons, Gloomhaven, Fiasco, Vast: The Crystal Caverns
  • Key Elements: Maximizing one’s role or power effectively is key, and understanding others' roles can provide strategic insight.

Asymmetric Abilities / Factions

  • each player has different rules, abilities, or objectives, creating varied gameplay experiences within the same game.
  • Examples: Twilight Imperium, Drop Drive, Root, Scythe, Cosmic Encounter
  • Key Elements: Players must understand their unique abilities and adapt their strategies while considering the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents.

Asymmetric Abilities / Factions

  • the opponents (invaders, enemies, etc.) start off strong and maintain a consistent level of threat throughout the game, while players simultaneously grow stronger. This creates a sense of Balanced Tension, where both sides are escalating toward their respective victory conditions, leading to a climactic, high-stakes finale. Rather than feeling progressively weaker, players experience a build-up of power that matches or balances the enemy's advancement.
  • Examples: Spirit Island, Ghost Stories
  • Key Elements: Players ramp up in power, giving a sense of building strength rather than helplessness - great for cooperative play.

Symmetric

when all players have equal access to the same resources, abilities, and objectives, ensuring a level playing field. Symmetry in game mechanics promotes fairness, with each player experiencing the same game setup and having similar strategic opportunities.

Modes of Play

Encompasses different gameplay dynamics that shape how players interact within a game; e.g. single. two player, multiplayer. Each mode presents unique challenges and collaborative or competitive elements, influencing player experiences and strategies:

Competitive Play

  • Definition: Players are motivated by the challenge of outsmarting or outmaneuvering their opponents, fostering excitement and dynamic interactions..
  • Examples: Catan, Chess, Ticket to Ride, Forbidden Island
  • Key Elements: Players strive to achieve specific objectives, whether that’s accumulating points, eliminating opponents, or completing tasks..

Cooperative Play

  • Definition: Players work together to achieve a common goal or defeat the game itself, instead of competing against each other.
  • Examples: Pandemic, Spirit Island, Forbidden Island
  • Key Elements: Requires coordination, role specialization, and shared problem-solving as players make decisions for the benefit of the team.

Semi-Cooperative Play

  • Definition: Players work together towards a common goal, but there are elements of competition, with one or more players possibly betraying the group.
  • Examples: Dead of Winter, Battlestar Galactica, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – The Board Game
  • Key Elements: Balancing trust and strategy as players must cooperate to achieve objectives while remaining wary of potential betrayals. Players navigate both teamwork and competition, creating complex interactions and strategies.

Team-Based Play

  • Definition: Players are divided into teams, working together to achieve shared objectives against opposing teams.
  • Examples: Capture the Flag, Codenames, Galaxy Trucker (team variant)
  • Key Elements: Coordination and communication among team members are crucial for success, with strategies often tailored to group dynamics.

Solitaire / Solo Play

  • Definition: A game designed for individual play, where the player competes against the game itself or specific scenarios.
  • Examples: Friday, Spirit Island, Gloomhaven: Solo Scenarios
  • Key Elements: Players must develop strategies to overcome challenges set by the game, often with varying difficulty levels to enhance replayability.

Thematic & Abstract

Understanding the different types of games can significantly enhance the player experience. Two prominent categories that often emerge in discussions are thematic games and abstract games. Each type offers a unique approach to gameplay, player engagement, and strategy, catering to varied preferences and play styles.

  • Thematic Games
    • Definition: Thematic games are designed around a specific narrative or setting, where gameplay mechanics closely align with the story or genre. These games often immerse players in a rich story and utilize components that reflect the thematic elements of the game world.
    • Examples: Catan, Gloomhaven, Twilight Imperium
    • Key Elements: Narrative Focus: Strong storytelling and thematic coherence enhance player immersion. Component Design: Artwork, components, and mechanics reflect the game’s theme, contributing to the overall experience. Player Engagement: Players often feel a connection to the game world, influencing their decisions and strategies. Varied Objectives: Gameplay often includes different goals that align with the theme, such as completing quests or achieving specific thematic objectives.
  • Abstract Games
    • Definition: Abstract games are characterized by their focus on strategic gameplay without a specific theme or narrative context. They often feature simple rules and mechanics, emphasizing pure strategy and player interaction over thematic elements.
    • Examples: Chess, Go, Azul
    • Key Elements: Strategic Depth: Emphasis on tactics and decision-making, with players often engaging in direct competition. Minimal Theme: The absence of a strong narrative allows for a focus on mechanics and player interaction. Simple Components: Typically features straightforward components (e.g., boards, pieces, cards) that highlight the gameplay rather than a story. High Replayability: The lack of thematic constraints often leads to varied gameplay experiences, encouraging strategic experimentation and exploration.

Skill & Luck Balance

The balance between player skill and luck in gameplay is a crucial factor that influences how players experience a game and the strategies they employ.

  • Skill: Games based purely on skill, such as Chess, rely entirely on player decisions and foresight, with no random elements. This type of design appeals to players who enjoy developing and testing their strategic abilities, as outcomes depend solely on each player's skill level. Games that have no random elements, meaning all outcomes are determined by player decisions and actions alone. Luck is absent, and success is based entirely on skill and strategy.
  • Luck: On the other end of the spectrum, high-luck games like Candy Land rely entirely on chance, giving players no control over the outcome; these games are often targeted toward younger players or casual groups looking for a fun, low-stakes experience. Because they don’t require complex decision-making, high-luck games are accessible and inclusive, allowing anyone to enjoy them regardless of skill or experience. However, a lack of control can be frustrating for players who prefer to influence the outcome through their choices.
  • Balanced: Game designers frequently combine skill and luck to create balanced games that appeal to a broad audience by providing both strategic depth and unpredictability. In games like Catan, for example, luck is introduced through dice rolls that determine resource distribution, making each turn unpredictable and forcing players to adapt to changing conditions. At the same time, players can use skill to negotiate trades, optimize their resource management, and decide where to build settlements, giving them a chance to influence their success. This blend of luck and skill not only makes the game more accessible but also keeps experienced players engaged, as they must adjust their strategies based on both planned actions and random events. By carefully balancing these elements, designers can create games that challenge players’ decision-making skills while also adding enough variance to ensure that each playthrough feels unique.

Examples: Purely skill-based (like Chess), high-luck games (like Candy Land), games with balanced skill and luck (like Catan). Resource - Asymmetric Rotation such as in Turn the Tide balances out the influence of luck.

Emergent Gameplay

Emergent gameplay is a fascinating aspect of game design where players experience outcomes that were not explicitly planned by the game designers. AI-assisted game design for emergent gameplay interactions represents a frontier in game development, offering unprecedented opportunities to create dynamic, personalized, and engaging player experiences. By leveraging AI techniques such as procedural content generation and dynamic difficulty adjustment, game designers can craft more immersive and responsive game worlds that adapt to player actions. The future of gaming lies in the seamless integration of AI-driven systems that can create, adapt, and respond to player actions, resulting in games that are not just played, but truly experienced. emergent gameplay significantly enhances player experiences by increasing replayability, encouraging creativity and problem-solving, deepening engagement and immersion, enabling personalized narratives, and fostering community interaction.

Emergent gameplay refers to complex situations or behaviors that arise from the interaction of simple game mechanics. In tabletop games, emergence is characterized by:

  • Player-Driven Complexity: Complex gameplay scenarios emerge from players' interactions with game mechanics and each other, rather than from intricate pre-programmed systems
  • Rule Simplicity and Flexibility: Tabletop games typically rely on a fixed set of rules that players interpret and manipulate, leading to emergent strategies
  • Social Interaction: emergence in tabletop games heavily relies on player interaction and interpretation of rules, leading to a more social and collaborative form of emergence compared to video games
  • Narrative and Storytelling: Emergent narratives in tabletop games are often created by the players themselves, as they interpret and react to the unfolding game state

How Limitations or Constraints Encourage Creativity

Constraints, or limits, might seem like they hold us back, but they can actually help us come up with new and creative ideas. Different types of constraints can lead to new and exciting outcomes, especially in games and learning. Limitations and constraints can significantly enhance creativity by providing a framework within which individuals must operate. Limitations and constraints can serve as powerful catalysts for creativity. As game design continues to evolve, embracing constraints will remain a key strategy for fostering creativity and emergent experiences in games. By providing focus, motivating problem-solving, encouraging resourcefulness, reducing choice paralysis, and enhancing collaboration, these restrictions can lead to innovative and effective solutions that might not have been discovered in a more open-ended context. Here’s how these restrictions foster innovative thinking:

  • Focus and Direction: Constraints narrow the scope of possibilities, which can help individuals concentrate their efforts on specific challenges. This focused approach often leads to more targeted and effective solutions, as it eliminates the overwhelming nature of too many options. When faced with limitations, people are compelled to think deeply about the resources and ideas they have at their disposal, leading to more refined and creative outcomes.
  • Problem-Solving Motivation: Constraints often present challenges that require creative problem-solving. When individuals encounter limitations, they are motivated to think outside the box and explore unconventional solutions. This drive to overcome obstacles can lead to the generation of novel ideas and approaches that might not have emerged in a more unrestricted environment. Working within constraints forces individuals to utilize available resources more creatively. They may need to combine ideas or repurpose existing concepts in innovative ways to meet their goals. This resourcefulness can lead to unique solutions that add value and enhance creativity.
  • Reduction of Choice Paralysis: In situations with unlimited options, individuals can experience "paralysis of choice," where the abundance of possibilities makes it difficult to make decisions. Constraints help mitigate this issue by limiting choices, allowing individuals to focus on a smaller set of options and encouraging them to take action rather than getting stuck in indecision.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: Constraints can also foster collaboration among team members. When everyone is working within the same limitations, it encourages dialogue and brainstorming, as team members share ideas and build on each other's contributions. This collaborative environment can lead to richer, more diverse creative outcomes.

Designing for Emergence

Game designers can intentionally design for emergence by crafting systems that encourage creativity, adaptability, and unexpected interactions among mechanics, players, and the game environment. Game designers aiming to foster emergence should:

  • Balance Constraints: Ensure a mix of stable, context-free rules and dynamic, context-sensitive mechanics to encourage diverse player strategies.
  • Encourage Systemic Interactions: Design systems that allow player actions to influence the game state in meaningful ways, creating a feedback loop of emergent possibilities.
  • Allow Player Expression: Provide opportunities for players to experiment, explore, and improvise.
  • Provide Simple Rules with Complex Implications: Create straightforward mechanics that, when combined, yield a wide range of possibilities.
  • Promote Unpredictability: Use randomness or procedural generation to introduce variability, ensuring no two playthroughs are identical; keeping the game experience fresh and varied.
  • Introduce Dynamic Game States:Design games where the state evolves based on player actions or in-game events, creating shifting challenges and opportunities.
  • Improvisation: players' individual actions and decisions interact with others, leading to unanticipated outcomes that emerge from these interactions. The improvisational nature of the players creates a dynamic system, with patterns and results that could not have been predicted at the outset. Improvisation often involves adapting to changing circumstances, which inherently introduces unpredictability. As players improvise, the system as a whole adapts and evolves, leading to new patterns, solutions, or behaviors—hallmarks of emergence.

Games that Promote Emergent Behavior

  • Wavelength: Interpretive and subjective nature of the spectrum as players generate diverse discussions as they navigate how closely a concept aligns with a specific point, often uncovering new perspectives on common ideas.
  • Snake Oil: Players use cards with random words to invent and pitch unique "products" to a customer (played by another player). The combination of these cards and the creativity required for the pitch creates emergent gameplay where unexpected, often humorous, products and strategies arise.
  • Pitchstorm: Unpredictable combinations of character, plot, and executive notes lead to surprising and often hilarious results. Each round is a unique story driven by player improvisation.
  • Bohnanza: The fixed card order in players’ hands and the necessity of trading lead to creative n negotiations, partnerships, and competition for specific bean types.
  • Hanabi: The restriction on direct communication fosters creativity as players interpret clues, leading to surprising solutions and strategies.
  • Chinatown: Dynamic negotiation and auction system, where each player’s strategy evolves through interactions with others.
  • Just One: Players’ ability to provide creative clues that lead to the discovery of the secret word. Because players cannot give identical clues, they must think outside the box and adapt their strategies to avoid overlaps, leading to diverse and sometimes unexpected solutions.
  • Codenames: The open-ended nature of clues and the need for interpretation result in creative and unpredictable connections between words.
  • Diplomacy: Entirely player-driven, the game’s simple rules around territory control lead to complex social interactions and outcomes.
  • Fog of Love: Interplay of character traits, relationship goals, and scenario choices. Players adapt their decisions based on their hidden objectives and their partner's behavior, resulting in dynamic and unpredictable story arcs.
  • Twilight Imperium: The combination of diplomacy, warfare, and economic growth leads to unpredictable inter-player alliances and betrayals.
  • Paleo: Players encounter unexpected challenges or opportunities through random event cards and modular scenarios.
  • You Think You Know Me: Interplay of personal interpretations and unpredictable responses to the prompts. The unscripted nature of player interactions leads to deeply personal and varied experiences, which evolve with each group and playthrough.


The Map of Boardgames

Resources

The following are resources for game design and play:

Crowdfunding

Game crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Gamefound are vital for launching board game projects, offering creators ways to connect directly with potential backers. Kickstarter, the most prominent, supports a wide range of projects with an all-or-nothing funding model that ensures only fully-funded projects proceed. Gamefound, on the other hand, specializes in board games and provides tools tailored for managing pledge tiers, stretch goals, and add-ons, making it popular among tabletop game creators.

Components and Development Tools for Games

Game relies on components and tools to bring its design to life, whether physical, digital, or a combination of both. In board games, components can include cards, dice, tokens, boards, and miniatures. Dice with custom faces or symbols that offer unique effects or actions, allowing players to have more control or variability in their outcomes. These elements not only serve functional purposes—such as tracking progress or enabling actions—but also contribute to the game's aesthetic appeal. High-quality components can enhance immersion, while poorly designed ones may detract from the experience.

In digital games, tools encompass software engines, graphical assets, soundtracks, and user interfaces. The design of these elements is crucial to ensuring smooth gameplay and an intuitive player experience. For example, a well-designed interface in a digital card game ensures players can easily access and play their cards, while compelling graphics and sound effects enhance the overall atmosphere.

Hybrid games, which blend physical and digital elements, add another layer of complexity and creativity. These might include mobile apps that track player progress in a tabletop game or augmented reality (AR) features that overlay digital graphics onto physical components. Whether physical, digital, or hybrid, components and tools must be carefully aligned with the game's mechanics and dynamics to create a seamless and engaging experience for players.


Tabletop

In the realm of tabletop gaming, components play pivotal roles in shaping the experience. Dice are essential, introducing an element of chance that can dramatically influence outcomes. Figures, often intricately designed miniatures or tokens, represent players or characters, adding visual and thematic depth to gameplay. Building structures, such as miniature houses or terrain, add dimension and bring the game’s setting to life. Transparent sleeves offer an intriguing advantage; not only do they protect cards and enhance their longevity, ensuring that the game can be enjoyed for years to come, but they also allow players to easily identify card states. For instance, players can use different colored sleeves or organize cards by their condition, indicating whether they are in play, discarded, or yet to be drawn. Dice towers add both functionality and flair, ensuring fair rolls while enhancing the game’s physical presence. Rondels add a strategic element, guiding players through a predetermined sequence of actions in a circular track, which influences decision-making and encourages planning. Currency tokens, often crafted from metal or plastic, give weight to resources and add a sense of realism to trading and economy-based mechanics. Custom dice, with unique symbols and shapes, introduce thematic randomness beyond standard numbered dice. Player screens and shields allow for secrecy, giving players privacy for hidden resources or strategies. Meeples and custom wooden pieces representing players or resources are both functional and iconic, adding a tactile aspect to resource management and player representation. Tokens serve as versatile pieces that represent resources or points, while game boards often feature intricate paths or grids that dictate player movement and strategy. String for train tracks. Player boards provide individual spaces for managing resources and actions, fostering a sense of personal strategy. Together, these components create a rich tapestry of interaction and engagement, making each gaming session a unique adventure.

Include board games, card games, role-playing games, miniature wargames, where players interact with physical components on a table:

  • nanDECK: designing and printing deck of cards
  • The Game Crafter: make a board game, card game, or custom playing cards
  • Launch Tabletop: custom board game manufacturer
  • Board Games Maker: more options whether it's shape, size, finishing or others
  • Kylin Game: As a custom board games maker we offers a comprehensive service for designing and ordering custom components for tabletop games.

Tabletop Simulation

  • Simulation ... Simulated Environment Learning ... World Models ... Minecraft: Voyager
    • Tabletop Simulator (TTS): offers a 3D, physics-based environment that allows users to create, manipulate, and customize nearly any board game. Its open sandbox nature supports a wide variety of games and user-created content, making it highly versatile.
    • Tabletopia: provides a polished, web-based platform for officially licensed digital versions of board games, preserving their authentic rules and artwork. Its focus on official partnerships with game publishers ensures high-quality, accurate game experiences.
    • Board Game Arena (BGA): delivers a highly accessible browser-based platform, offering real-time or turn-based play with built-in rules enforcement for a wide range of popular board games. The focus on rules automation and user rankings enhances both competitive and casual play.
    • Tabletop Playground: Recreate and modify classic games or build your own and share them with the world. Utilize specialized tools to play niche and complex games with up to 16 players.
    • VASSAL: is a free, open-source platform that supports virtual adaptations of complex, often long out-of-print wargames, enabling fan communities to play and preserve them. Its flexibility allows detailed customization for games with complex rules and systems.
    • Screentop: offers a lightweight, browser-based environment where users can easily create and share custom games using simple drag-and-drop tools. Its straightforward interface caters to both novice creators and players looking for a quick setup.
    • Zillions of Games: is a unique, AI-driven platform supporting over a thousand abstract games and variants by running them on a customizable game-playing engine. The system allows users to experiment with and create their own rule sets for AI gameplay.
    • Ludii: specializes in modeling and playing abstract strategy games, with a comprehensive game description language for easy creation and analysis of new games. It’s also a research tool for studying cultural and historical games, combining AI and game design.
    • Air Board Game: is a free, browser-based platform focused on simplicity, providing a virtual space to play games with basic components like cards and dice. It offers straightforward tools for creating and sharing games without complex programming.
    • VirtualDesktop.io: is designed to create interactive, immersive gaming environments for role-playing games with customizable 3D graphics. Its compatibility with virtual reality headsets makes it a novel choice for a truly immersive tabletop experience.
    • Roll20: Browser-based, primarily designed for tabletop RPGs, Roll20 includes tools for maps, character sheets, dice rolls, and more. It’s particularly suited for D&D, Pathfinder, and similar games with a strong narrative and role-playing component. Best for: Role-playing games, customizable campaigns, collaborative storytelling.
    • Tableplop: Free browser-based lightweight, and easy-to-use tool designed for quick setup of RPG sessions and board games. It offers a streamlined experience without requiring downloads or installations, focusing on fast and accessible game setup. Best for: Quick, simple tabletop sessions, especially RPGs.
    • PlayingCards.io: Browser-based straightforward simulation tool for card and board games. PlayingCards.io lets users create custom games with simple drag-and-drop tools and provides a library of classic games like Poker, Uno, and more. Best for: Simple card games and party games, custom card setups for light gameplay sessions.

Video

Played on a digital screen, requiring a computer or console to run; desktop, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®, Xbox®, Meta Quest, web, Apple Vision Pro

  • Unity: 2D and 3D games
  • Unreal Engine: especially favored for 3D action games
  • GameMaker: 2D Game Engine - scripting language (GML)
  • Godot: open-source, lightweight game framework popular among indie developers - 2D and 3D game development.
  • RPG Maker: tools for building tile-based maps, turn-based combat systems, and storytelling elements, requiring little to no programming.
  • Construct: HTML5-based, no-code game development framework focused on 2D games.
  • Ren'Py: visual novel framework focused on storytelling; text-based scripting, scene management, branching dialogue, save/load system.
  • PlayCanvas: Cloud-based editor, JavaScript scripting, web-focused, efficient for real-time 3D graphics.

Game Prototyping and Playtesting

Tools like assets or mechanics based on project requirements enabling iteration during early development phases and allows designers to experiment.

Newsletters


Videos

  • Everything You Need To Know About Board Game Design | Adam in Wales


Podcasts

...Google search for Podcasts

  • The Game Design Round Table – This podcast has been a staple for both digital and tabletop game designers since 2012, discussing various game design aspects and industry trends. It’s hosted by professionals who delve into real-world challenges in game design.
  • Board Game Design Lab – Perfect for board game designers, this podcast explores the intricacies of creating board games, featuring interviews with designers and publishers.
  • Indie Game Development Podcast – Aimed at indie game creators, this show covers industry insights, tools, and strategies specific to independent developers.
  • Fun Problems - offer insightful tips and tricks on game design, covering everything from how to get started on a design to deep insights into the fun problems that come with developing a hit board game.
  • Think Like A Game Designer - speaks with world-class game designers and creative experts

Games about Games

This game lets you experience the ups and downs of running your own game development studio. You'll make decisions about game design, marketing, and financial management.

Similar to Game Dev Tycoon, this game focuses on building and managing a successful game development studio.

Gamification

Youtube search... ...Google search

Gamification is the strategic attempt to enhance systems, services, organizations, and activities in order to create similar experiences to those experienced when playing games in order to motivate and engage users. This is generally accomplished through the application of game-design elements and game principles (dynamics and mechanics) in non-game contexts. It can also be defined as a set of activities and processes to solve problems by using or applying the characteristics of game elements. Gamification is part of persuasive system design, and it commonly employs game design elements to improve user engagement, organizational productivity, flow, learning, crowdsourcing, knowledge retention, employee recruitment and evaluation, ease of use, usefulness of systems, physical exercise, traffic violations, voter apathy, public attitudes about alternative energy, and more. A collection of research on gamification shows that a majority of studies on gamification find it has positive effects on individuals. However, individual and contextual differences exist. Wikipedia

Crypto Metaverse

Youtube search... ...Google search

Since the concept is slowly starting to become more mainstream as several big-name companies are embracing it and some analysts are calling it “the next big investment theme.”

Non-Fungible Token (NFT) - is a unique and non-interchangeable unit of data stored on a digital ledger (blockchain). NFTs can be associated with easily-reproducible items such as photos, videos, audio, and other types of digital files as unique items (analogous to a certificate of authenticity), and use blockchain technology to give the NFT a public proof of ownership. Copies of the original file are not restricted to the owner of the NFT, and can be copied and shared like any file. The lack of interchangeability (fungibility) distinguishes NFTs from blockchain cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin. Wikipedia

GameFi

Youtube search... ...Google search

The platform is for blockchain game players, shareholders, and investors. The framework is a digital NFT gaming global market where gamers can take part in famous play-to-earn game projects, investors can put the money, and new NFT game designers can enroll their innovative games for greater exposure. All at the same, GameFi is the very first global market to allow in-game products and NFTs to be traded across games. Icetea Labs, an incubator for rapidly increasing initiatives such as Faraland and Kaby Arena, and DAO Maker, a launching pad for multiple high game projects, both firmly favor GameFi. This partnership is an essential step in laying the groundwork for the expansion of GameFi’s environment. Read more to know about the GameFi launchpad, team members the roadmap. GameFi Launchpad Review: How to participate in GameFi IDOs

Polygon

Youtube search... ...Google search

  • Polygon is a protocol and a framework for building and connecting Ethereum-compatible blockchain networks. Aggregating scalable solutions on Ethereum supporting a multi-chain Ethereum ecosystem. ... NFT Gaming

Sandbox

Youtube search... ...Google search

The Sandbox is a community-driven platform where creators can monetize voxel ASSETS and gaming experiences on the Blockchain.

The Sandbox is a virtual gaming world, where players are able to create, build, trade, own, and monetise their gaming within the Ethereum Blockchain. The aim is to provide gamers with actual ownership of in-game items as NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and reward them for their playtime and participation within the games ecosystem – contrary to existing game makers like Minecraft and Roblox. $SAND is the currency of THE SANDBOX and is used for all transactions. It allows users access to the platform, enables them to play games, stake (if desired), and earn rewards. $SAND token is currently listed on over 20 exchanges, with the most well-known being; Crypto.com, Bittrex, and Kraken amongst others. The Sandbox is currently one of the top 5 Metaverse projects representing approximately 7% of the sector. The METAVERSE Is Coming and It Will Be HUGE | Bitcoinist

The Sandbox, a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, is one of the decentralized virtual worlds that has been fueling the recent growth of virtual real-estate demand, having partnered with major IPs and brands including The Walking Dead, Atari, Rollercoaster Tycoon, Care Bears, The Smurfs, Shaun the Sheep, and Binance. Building on existing The Sandbox IP that has more than 40 million global installs on mobile, The Sandbox metaverse offers players and creators a decentralized and intuitive platform to create immersive 3D worlds and game experiences and to safely store, trade, and monetize their creations. SuperFarm Enters the Sandbox | Elliot Wainman - Medium

Axie Infinity

Youtube search... ...Google search

Axie was built as a fun and educational way to introduce the world to Blockchain technology. Many of the original team members met playing Crypto kitties, and it was their first time ever using blockchain]] for anything other than pure speculation. They soon started working on Axie to introduce the magic of Blockchain technology to billions of players. The Vision

  • We believe in a future where work and play become one.
  • We believe in empowering our players and giving them economic opportunities.
  • Most of all, we have a dream that battling and collecting cute creatures can change the world.
  • Welcome to our revolution.

In short, Axie Infinity is a Pokemon-inspired game based on the Blockchain, where players can battle other players and earn money. Axies are unique digital assets stored on Axie’s’ own Blockchain and owned in the form of an NFT. The most expensive Axie sold to date was for 300 ETH (Ethereum). To create a new Axie, existing Axie owners must “breed” them by spending in-game currency earned within the game or purchased from an exchange. By winning battles, or selling their Axies to another player, owners can earn the in-game currency. Any earnings can then be sold or traded on the open market for money, generating income for players. Released in March 2018, Axie was one of the first to combine Crypto, Play To Earn, NFT’s, and METAVERSE and it continues to grow with a total trading volume that exceeds $2.4 billion.The METAVERSE Is Coming and It Will Be HUGE | Bitcoinist

JEDSTAR

Youtube search... ...Google search

JEDSTAR is a fairly new project, launching in August 2021. It’s a 3 token, decentralized ecosystem; which consists of $JED, a DeFi token, $KRED, a GameFi token, and $ZED, a Governance token. They will also launch AGORA – an NFT marketplace where players can buy, sell and trade their in-game NFTs. The first token launched was the DeFi token $JED in August 2021 and the second token $KRED will be the in-game currency and the currency for the AGORA NFT Marketplace which will be launching in November 2021. $ZED, the governance token, will be launching sometime after that, possibly early 2022. Also in development at JEDSTAR is a DCCG (Digital Collectible Card Game) which is under construction at Frag Games and a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) both games will use $KRED as the in-game currency. They also have a partnership with SkillGaming for the upcoming STARDOME which will also use $KRED as its in-game currency but this partnership will also enable players to easily convert their fiat currency into $KRED facilitating an easier way for people to access cryptocurrency, therefore, helping mass adoption of cryptocurrency in general.The METAVERSE Is Coming and It Will Be HUGE | Bitcoinist

Black Eye Galaxy

Youtube search... ...Google search

Vast cross-chain VR space odyssey, Black Eye Galaxy, has partnered with NFT marketplace, Hodooi, for the next step of their cosmic journey. Now, they have a versatile trading platform to match their multi-chain ambitions. Black Eye Galaxy is a massive play-to-earn Blockchain game where NFTs represent spaceships and planets, thus allowing gamers to explore the vast unknown. On their journey through this most final of all frontiers, players can mine planets resources, explore space, and develop intricate in-game economies. The VR space experience will test more than just battle prowess. Players can terraform planets, build civilizations, levy taxes, and forge alliances. The gaming mechanics even allow for custom currencies to feed homegrown economies. The result is a game that will potentially allow users to unleash their inner tyrant, and rule with an iron fist. Furthermore, Black Eye Galaxy prides itself in its cross-chain vision. Consequently, each “star cluster” involved represents a different layer 1 chain. With this in mind, Binance will kick things off, with additional Blockchains arriving at a later date. Expect a land sale later in the year, and Ethereum connectivity in Q1 2022. Hodooi is set to help them on the way with their own in-built interoperability, allowing the seamless trading of in-game assets between factions. The result is an interesting experiment in multi-chain gaming.Black Eye Galaxy Play-To-Earn Forms Cross-Chain Alliance with Hodooi | Russell - NFT Gaming News

SuperFarm

Youtube search... ...Google search

SuperFarm is proudly partnering with The Sandbox, a community-driven platform where creators can monetize voxel assets and gaming experiences on the Blockchain. The SuperFarm ecosystem is excited to announce the acquisition of an XL estate that the SuperFarm community will soon call home. This contiguous plot is a whopping 24x24 (or 576) parcels in size, allowing players to build and explore in a 3-dimensional virtual space. This collaboration between The Sandbox and SuperFarm lays the foundation for a robust player-driven ecosystem that spans the metaverse and drives even more utility to SuperFarm NFTs! This is HUGE for SuperFarm related NFT projects which will now have a dedicated home in the Sandbox. From the EllioTrades Collection to SuperFarm Genesis cards and more, soon holders will be able to flex their incredible assets in the blockchain’s favorite voxel-verse. This partnership will be paired with a ton of community-centric initiatives to drive excitement and engagement with existing and future NFT collections.

MetaWars

Youtube search... ...Google search

MetaWars is a multiplayer strategy / roleplaying game with a vast universe powered by a growing digital economy built on Blockchain technology. Choose your own path using a vast collection of NFTs and impact every major event across the Galaxy. As Battles rage and governments fall, it is up to you to earn your share of the vast fortunes that await.

Introducing MetaWars, the newest play-to-earn Non-Fungible Token (NFT) game. MetaWars is a multiplayer strategy and roleplaying game powered by a growing digital economy built on Blockchain technology. The gameplay invites players to join a highly immersive digital metaverse game set in space, allowing users to earn cryptocurrency and NFTs as rewards. MetaWars has infinite universes where players can choose their own path using a vast collection of NFTs, and impact major events across the galaxy. The game challenges its players to earn their share of the vast fortunes as battle rages and governments fall in the MetaWars universe. MetaWars ($WARS, $GAM): NFT Gaming in Space | Amree Wayne

Game Case Studies

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