tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.comments2023-05-23T14:24:57.427-04:00Dr.Wictz Board GamesDr.Wictzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17880199562978081307noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-64316228703863653242022-01-15T01:52:42.690-05:002022-01-15T01:52:42.690-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01949194961491502153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-53740129697767437272019-06-17T21:34:43.450-04:002019-06-17T21:34:43.450-04:00So in a game called The Farming game there is a cr...So in a game called The Farming game there is a credit mechanic which allows a player to assume debt by taking note, the game assumes you'll payback in so many turns and requires that 20% of the note is paid upfront. Each time you take a note your fee is increased. Once players have maxed out at the bank they may take loans from players on any conditions the players can agree on. I typically will keep myself 100% leveraged in order to win in a single year I will make enough to pay back all loans and make the required 100k to win. This game has very open minded mechanics of credit and is essentially the meat of the game. Kevin Qhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03807109055011483187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-16215846215967929792018-11-13T08:51:36.318-05:002018-11-13T08:51:36.318-05:00I like the idea of thinking of a stock mechanic as...I like the idea of thinking of a stock mechanic as a cooperation mechanic. I really need to pay more attention in different games I play that have stock mechanics to see if that comes through every time.Doug Schulzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03777717583854876582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-85491198416413090482018-05-18T14:01:06.569-04:002018-05-18T14:01:06.569-04:00While I am not about to give a lengthy exposé I do...While I am not about to give a lengthy exposé I do think its important to note that in a trade eccentric game, the modern principled approach should be to create a mechanism that ends the phase before trading runs out. I think some recent designers have tried to do this by introducing entropy into their games, the robber poorly represents this to the player. <br /><br />We could and should also consider introducing entities into the game to limit the storage capacity of players. Worker placement games accomplish thus quite well in that you may only have a max number of workers, or place a max number of workers in a particular spot to gain resources. <br /><br />The answer is have the game end prior to the dice chucking's beginning by employing other alternative mechanics.Kevin Qhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03807109055011483187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-77992644171747465562018-04-12T15:55:21.007-04:002018-04-12T15:55:21.007-04:00Have you tried getting these into the apple Podcas...Have you tried getting these into the apple Podcast system?<br /><br />I think it would be a cool podcast to listen to.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18149814852408760321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-32500332670832398692018-02-20T11:38:20.863-05:002018-02-20T11:38:20.863-05:00Have to agree, you need to find play testers who e...Have to agree, you need to find play testers who enjoy playing games. Avoid people that are more attracted to shiny baubles than problem solving, as well as those intent only on winning.<br /><br />Also, take some core mechanics for specific play testing if possible. You do not need a full game, just do a few rounds of whatever mechanic you want to test. If people have fun playing there might be a game there, if it quickly gets boring it should probably not be a core mechanics of a game.MeTahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12995170417742600993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-84100205764846536462017-12-29T18:39:17.481-05:002017-12-29T18:39:17.481-05:00I think perhaps we're really discussing is the...I think perhaps we're really discussing is the method of keeping score, in Monopoly you kinda know if you're out early because of a bad decision, usually you end up paying too much for your buildings. <br /><br />In Skip-Bo you know because in a larger player game say 6, someone gets a run and keeps going, which in turn is the same thing that happens in Phase 10 albeit P10 has a break mechanism which allows other players to catch up. <br /><br />There is strategy in all of the above games but that can be mitigated if just one person is really paying attention. <br /><br />Many card games require you to play several times scoring after each round and you soon realize that loosing isn't all that bad; but in Monopoly you'll either be in or out. <br /><br />Another game by the Weekend Farmer titled The Farming Game (1979), handles the back and forth aspect very well, it allows someone who knows what they are doing to go way in debt, (talking six digits) and come roaring back to win in just a couple of trips around the board. The one problem with this game is it takes so long to get your engine running, a three player game can run 4-5 hours, a two player game will last at least 3 hours all because the game makes you pay fees every time you turn around. <br /><br />The scoring mechanic is important to how players feel at the end of a game. <br /><br />In Orleans players know the game has a definitive end in 15 rounds and just like in The Farming Game, in Orleans you have upkeep to pay along the way but unlike the Farming Game, you know ahead of time what that upkeep is and thus the game is shortened. <br /><br />Orleans' solution to this was to provide more resources so players could work faster. A gravitas solution. <br /><br />Orleans also offers end game scoring, you kind of get a sense who's gonna win but it can be close sometimes. <br /><br />Players are getting smarter about how the games we play work and therefore it's getting more and more difficult to hide that scoring mechanism. <br /><br />In Viticulture Players have real-time scoring and end game scoring. Watch a group of players play that game and it'll appear they are all even then at the end someone often wins outright although there are tie-breakers. <br /><br /><br />So is a last turn victory really a last turn victory, no its often not unless a considerable amount of luck is involved. Last turn victory is not realizing you've won, the winner often won't know, rather its about the other players realizing they just don't have what it takes to win coming down the home stretch,which is suspected before they ever picked up the first token to play the game. <br /><br />Suspense in a game is keeping players egos in check until it's the last turn. That's why we play seven games, when necessary in the world series. Or why the triple crown is so difficult to win, it happens but those moments when they do are epic, not every NBA final is epic, not even every Superbowl is epic but when they are we remember them for many many years.<br /><br /> Kevin Qhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03807109055011483187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-38457521903704616662017-12-09T16:52:33.537-05:002017-12-09T16:52:33.537-05:00I would like to respectfully disagree with you on ...I would like to respectfully disagree with you on several fronts. <br /><br />First, you mentioned that these sound like problems found on a blind play test. No, no they don't, I could not imagine sending my game out for a blind play test with any of these things not already well past resolved. <br /><br />The current game I'm involved in has had three people sit down and play through the opening phase three times. I stopped the play test after the first round and fixed what was wrong, then I went back and re-tested it and found some issue in the second round, we sat down again after resolving the issue and have made it through three rounds without any problems and it's as smooth as a baby's butt. <br /><br />All this in less than a week, tonight we will finish the first play test and then I will be able to track data sheets.<br /><br />The only area I'll agree on with you is that there isn't enough player interaction, that was an issue I ran across after just two rounds of the second play test. After fixing it we began the third play test and are still on it now. <br /><br />I've already got the expansion pack designed. <br /><br />My priority is to have a game so fundamentally sound that the publisher will have too difficult of a time unwinding it.<br /><br />If we can divide the play test into four categories, prototype, Alpha, Beta and Gamma tests. The Blind Play test begins at the Alpha stage personally I would not send out a game to blind play test which had any issues at all. <br /><br />I would like to ask you a question though. Do you know of or are aware of questionnaires to ask the blind play testers? <br /><br /> Kevin Qhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03807109055011483187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-40896078911421433032017-10-05T22:18:26.529-04:002017-10-05T22:18:26.529-04:00After listening to this episode board game designe...After listening to this episode board game designer was inspired to write about "Finding A Game's Broken Bits."<br /><br />http://lucidphoenix.blogspot.com/2017/09/finding-games-broken-bits.html?m=1Dr.Wictzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17880199562978081307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-83245019077403403082017-10-05T22:16:55.860-04:002017-10-05T22:16:55.860-04:00After listening to this instalment board game desi...After listening to this instalment board game designer Douglas Schuz asked "Why Do Players Do It Wrong? Barriers to Nash Equilibrium in Game Design."<br /><br />http://lucidphoenix.blogspot.com/2017/10/why-do-players-do-it-wrong-barriers-to.html?m=1<br />Dr.Wictzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17880199562978081307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-15593041228586028212017-07-19T09:28:35.106-04:002017-07-19T09:28:35.106-04:00Douglas Schulz uses Game Trees inspired from our d...Douglas Schulz uses Game Trees inspired from our discussion on "Games of Strategy" to reflect on The Tragedy of the Game Commons.<br /><br />http://lucidphoenix.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-tragedy-of-game-commons.htmlDr.Wictzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17880199562978081307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-36120993460123931392017-04-18T20:41:55.886-04:002017-04-18T20:41:55.886-04:00Game Designer Douglas Schulz is inspired from our ...Game Designer Douglas Schulz is inspired from our discussion to ask the question are solo games a game?<br /><br />http://lucidphoenix.blogspot.com/2017/03/is-solo-game-game-and-other-thoughts-on.html<br />Dr.Wictzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17880199562978081307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-31297258374613324412015-10-06T23:25:34.971-04:002015-10-06T23:25:34.971-04:00I am happy that the information was helpful. Than...I am happy that the information was helpful. Thank you for the correction.Dr.Wictzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17880199562978081307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-26370562577372331052015-10-06T12:30:35.281-04:002015-10-06T12:30:35.281-04:00I really enjoyed this series! I've been consid...I really enjoyed this series! I've been considering making some videos for my game, and this helped me see what would be valuable.<br /><br />By the way, there may be a typo in your titles. I think you mean "Unpublished."Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17097463672022542746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-58057387687082495352015-05-21T17:05:02.162-04:002015-05-21T17:05:02.162-04:00"My own feeling is that for many of the best ..."My own feeling is that for many of the best games, the outcome of the last turn can't be separated from the process of getting to that turn. "<br /><br />I couldn't agree moreJoshua J Millshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11408561636419999132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-66408584978630239142015-05-21T10:25:05.423-04:002015-05-21T10:25:05.423-04:00My own feeling is that for many of the best games,...My own feeling is that for many of the best games, the outcome of the last turn can't be separated from the process of getting to that turn. Dominion is a great example because many games come down to every player ready to end the game on his turn. But the fun is in all of the deckbuilding decisions, not a single hand. And when you have distinct strategies that have different timing for winning, the game naturally tends towards the point that all players have the best chance. (i.e. equal in a well balanced game.)<br />I'd even go further that if the outcome of ANY turn (and particularly the last) doesn't depend much on what happened earlier or later in the game, that makes it a bad game, because you've taken the Meaningful part away from the decisions. If players are forced to remain close (e.g. rubber banding) each turn is effectively random. <br />But randomness isn't to blame. Viva Java Dice is frequently neck and neck on the last, but it doesn't feel disconnected from the game because the situation is strongly dependent on every other choice in the game. <br />I have a tiny game that more or less compels players towards a final roll to determine the winner after several rounds of jockeying. It works because the game is short and already somewhat random, but there's still enough player control that it's a fun climax when you hit that final die roll.<br />So it's not a question of whether it comes down to the final turn of the game, as much as whether the end condition has any connection to the choices that came before it. Good article to spur discussion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-89717897858288255442015-04-27T11:21:12.870-04:002015-04-27T11:21:12.870-04:00I'm no lawyer but I could see a whole lot of t...I'm no lawyer but I could see a whole lot of trouble in defining what constitutes a "mechanic" that could copyrighted. For example... is simple rolling a die a copyrightable mechanic? Placing a token in a space on the board? Exchanging a resource for another resource? There are some more clearly defined and specific mechanisms (such as deckbuilding) but others that are really generic and broad and could easily be abused by the big companies.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16943069743769638883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-13704193416459400812015-04-25T05:21:35.803-04:002015-04-25T05:21:35.803-04:00Additional comments and discussion on this post ca...Additional comments and discussion on this post can be found on Board Game Geek at the link below.<br /><br />https://www.boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/41297/danger-stronger-copyright-laws-board-gamesDr.Wictzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17880199562978081307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-86112297646801271482015-04-24T09:44:05.506-04:002015-04-24T09:44:05.506-04:00Can't agree more!Can't agree more!Doug Schulzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03777717583854876582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-47997917796527977882015-04-08T07:56:15.643-04:002015-04-08T07:56:15.643-04:00Nat Levan of Oak Leaf games reflects is his post &...Nat Levan of Oak Leaf games reflects is his post "What's the Big Idea?" on how he would modify the Controlling Idea.<br /><br />https://oakleafgames.wordpress.com/2015/04/07/whats-the-big-idea/Dr.Wictzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17880199562978081307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-47970179687103569192015-03-26T08:38:48.585-04:002015-03-26T08:38:48.585-04:00Very cool. I think it came together very well, I ...Very cool. I think it came together very well, I had no idea that one of you was not physically "there."Doug Schulzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03777717583854876582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-86275205346518667312015-03-06T09:01:24.723-05:002015-03-06T09:01:24.723-05:00There would be a video on YouTube with a very exci...There would be a video on YouTube with a very excited, balding, middle-aged, white guy explaining how to fill out your taxes.Doug Schulzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03777717583854876582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-48040007222579911612015-03-05T09:31:39.459-05:002015-03-05T09:31:39.459-05:007. There would be a clear definition of when the ...7. There would be a clear definition of when the taxes were done.<br /><br />8. Everything needed to file taxes would be in the box.<br /><br />9. It wouldn't be necessary to pay someone to explain the rules to you. (I suppose this property is a corollary of #6.)Paul Owenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02260814589584723033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-65347260015427967792015-02-12T09:26:29.630-05:002015-02-12T09:26:29.630-05:00I want to give a big thank you to Douglas Schultz ...I want to give a big thank you to Douglas Schultz and Daniel Solis for helping me put on the UNPUB Presidential Race Cup circuit. I also want to thank all the play testers who participated, be it Rob, Johan, and Marcus who competed for the Cup or the other play testers who only competed for a race trophy. Dr.Wictzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17880199562978081307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719480054640289846.post-31047764722465549802015-01-24T11:18:13.557-05:002015-01-24T11:18:13.557-05:00-Chip Beauvais @the_FlyingSheep
"I see ex...-Chip Beauvais @the_FlyingSheep <br /><br /> "I see exclusion more" - do you think there's more exclusion, or you're more aware (or both?)<br /><br /><br />-Dr. Wictz @drwictz <br />The full quote from Gil Hova "All I know is that I see exclusion a lot more than I used to, and I feel like someone has to bring it up."<br /><br />-Gil Hova @gilhova<br />Yes, I’m sure it’s happening just as much as before, but I’m a lot more sensitive to it now.<br />Dr.Wictzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17880199562978081307noreply@blogger.com