Board Games

Weird Board Games

adminFebruary 18, 2021 0

In today’s blog I decided treat you all with something wonderfully strange. Somewhat controversial but all in good fun, we uncover some of the world’s weirdest, odd and absurd board games ever published. Now, I’m can’t validate whether or not they are from big or small publishers, but if it’s been published and played it’ll probably be on this list. This isn’t a top 10 list of games, but a shortlist of games I’ve come across in real life or on the intratubes. I have a few odd ones in my collection, but after a little digging on the interwebs I found a lot more. In no particular order, and without further adieu…

The weirdest board games I’ve come across

Let’s Be Safe Board Game

On the surface it seems harmless, and it is. It’s a matching game where parents play with their children. It gives the parent the opportunity to discuss sensitive subject matter in a fun, relaxed environment. Topics like talking to strangers, how to behave around adults and other children, spotting potentially dangerous situations and how to act accordingly. The games moto, “If every family played this game, we’d all feel a lot safer,” is a testament to the times but is timeless in it’s methodology. We’d all be better if we all taught our children how to identify and deal with hardships in life. But, it’s a game at the end of the day so how many kids are REALLY taking in the lessons. Jimmy just wanna beat Sally and Mom. If not taking candy from a stranger is the path to victory, then no candy for Jimmy.

Tic Tac Tongue

As odd as it is cool, this game has all the makings of an entertaining evening at the dinner table. I think it being on this list is a bit of a joke, and there are weirder games, but I like this because it’s so outside the box. Someone was really thinking (drinking) when they presented this one. Using a prosthetic tongue, players try to knock down targets before their opponent does. You and your opponent face off as chameleons, yes, not frogs. At a glance I guess one would be confused. I was at first. Odd, yes, weird, not really. Guaranteed laughs all around, this game is still available at retailers like Toys R Us and Amazon. A great gift for the board gaming child in the family, or for adults when other substances are involved.

Pimple Pete

Now HERE we have a odd, weird and “why?!” type of game. Popping pimple and getting splashed with water. *sigh* No reasons other than the shock value I suppose. I think there is some kind of excitement factor that comes with blind choice options. Apparently, squishing, squeezing and popping things is some type of dexterity/fidget fascination that people have. I remember bubble wrap being a thing for me, but now it’s devolved into something a little too gross for my liking. Upon a simple amazon search, there were more of these types of toys for kids… and adults.

Mr. Bacon’s Adventure Game

Um… What can I say. Bacon for the win. In this weird, but understandably popular theme, you and your family/friends roll and move to navigate Mr. Bacon and his … ?family through a treacherous, winding road of food related obstacles. Making your way through Meatland, you’ll pass through areas like the Mustard Marsh, the Wiener Wasteland and the Sausage Sea. The first one to make it to the frying pan at the end of the trail wins. I guess the destiny of a bacon strip IS to be eaten, so why not be happy when your journey ends with being fried alive and consumed. For the meatatarian or bacon fan, this is a must have. Novelty and entertainment wrapped up in a nice, greasy, slightly crispy, bacony package.

Skworms

Odd, eccentric, and definitely different from a lot of games out there. Produced in the mid ’90s, this crank based game features a very interesting theme, executed through simple mechanics and a random factors. What really sells this game is the commercial. If you’ve never heard of Skworms before please check out the game commercial. Parker Bros outdid themselves with this one. There were a lot of mechanical based games created back then, and now with my understanding on the costs involved in molded plastic games (like Mouse Trap, Fireball Island, Jumanji/Zathura, and Sorry/Trouble to a lesser extent). Kids also love squishy gross things. This has been a trend in toys and games for over 30 years now and it’s not different today than it was in the ’80s. For a game that seems so simple there is an interesting approach and winning condition.

Doggie Doo

WTF?! This is an actual game, and not just that. This game has been licensed a few time AND even had an updated edition created. Apparently, Doggie Doo models responsibility in a fun (and gross!) way and “is America’s favorite dog and is for 2-4 players, ages 4 and up”. The level of confusion and intrigue battle for reasons in my mind. Again, going back to Pimple Pete (game above), this type of game caters children who enjoy gross things. Gross things have been a staple in kids toys for decades. I shouldn’t be shocked, but every time I see games or products like this I can’t help but wonder “what parent in their right mind would buy this AND find it educational or entertaining??” *sigh* And if that’s not enough, there is a whole slew of games that fall into this genre, as shown above and below. A smorgasbord of trash for you and your family to enjoy.

Swack!

Okay. Now, I don’t mind this game at all. I don’t only have negative things to say about weird games. This one falls into the endearment side. It seems super fun for kids and adult-sized children who like a good dexterity game. After watching the commercial for this, I can see the pure entertainment value. Odd, yes. Weird, maybe. I’m all for dexterity games and this would actually be one I would have at home. Give the commercial a watch and judge for yourself – it’s a wonderful time to be a child.

Feeley Meeley

Another one of those weird family fun games, Feeley Meeley has a lot of innuendo but at the root of things it’s just harmless entertainment. The premise of the game is to place a bunch of objects in a box, flip over a card, then take turns feeling around to pull out the object of the picture on the card. Simple enough, but adults always take it too far. You know, the perv stuff that makes this more than just a kids game. What’s genuinely interesting about this game is it’s not that unique and not that weird, but has ended up on many awkward and weird board games lists on the intratubes. I think I’d smash at this game. What would make this game even harder is to have a ton more things in there that share the same shape but have subtle textures, or incorporate timer and punishment, or put gross things in there. I think the gross game things is already done – Google Halloween Mystery Feel Box.

Slime – Monster Game

Ooze, check. Gross factor, check. Monsters and or aliens, check. This game has all the makings of 80s kids gaming gold. Making a board game where you have to avoid the NPC monster is cool in itself, but as soon as you add the ooze, WHAM!!! Whole ‘notha level. I can honestly say that this game bares no interest for me. Maybe seeing someone playing it, sure, but as for playing it myself? I think I’ll pass. I don’t know if it’s the adult in me, or the kid in me that doesn’t react to gross factor. Nothing about this interests me. Skworms on the other hand (above) would be something I’d like to experience at least once. Mechanically sound, moving both your player and the monster in a turn. Two part play, first making your way to 1 checkpoint, then trying to flip over the monster. Time based play, moving with haste and strategically positioning the monster to make it hard for other players. So many things happening in a seemingly simple spin and move game… with ooze. As the last entry in this post, it’s definitely worth a review.

I thoroughly enjoyed investigating these, and many other, weird board games. Never discount the strange ones. You never know what might pique your interest. I’ll leave you with a few honourable mentions and links to some other weird and awkward game lists. Enjoy.

26 Funniest and freakiest board games you can buy

12 Weirdest board games ever

Board Games, Just Talk

Monopolist Complex

adminJanuary 10, 2020 monopoly 0

This is a long one so get a tea/coffee, grab your salt shaker and park your keyboard warrior ego for a few moments. I have a story to tell.

I have a love hate for Monopoly, as do many, but my issue with the game isn’t really about the game at all. It lies with the fact that Monopoly, as a whole, is greater than the sum of its failures. Any modern game designer or theorist will babble on about PAPI and the equilibrium to the game. How Monopoly falls short on the core concepts, but excels at teaching how the capitalist concepts molded modern society (in the US at least). How you waste money, abuse power and ultimately bully your way to victory. How luck can work in and not in favour – Luck has no bias. How house rules have warped a generally boring player experience for the “better”. The National Post has a very interesting article on why we continue to perpetuate such a loathsome board game. Give it a read when you get a chance. This article isn’t necessarily about Monopoly in history. It’s more about how it’s spun off many favourable, and in one case a very unfavourable, variants.

Monopoly is now more or less synonymous with terrible, unbalanced, rage inducing, friendship ending engagement. Anyone who plays the game either loved it as a kid and now hates it, hated it as a kid and still hates it, or loved it as a kid and tolerates it now because they know what to expect. Casual gamer or not, Monopoly is one of those games that evokes a deep feelings in all our hearts. Hence, we keep re-themeing it to make it “better”. Let’s dive in, shall we.

The great

Playing with friends/family
Picking the game pieces
Owning properties and tacking chances
People really getting into the spirit
Revel in making money
Crushing one’s opponent without remorse
Easy to learn

The hate

People really get into the game (offensively so)
More money usually equates to less risk
Roll & Move board games are passé
There is no catch up mechnism
Whomever controls property controls the game (which is the point)
Incurring more debt by borrowing money
The sorrowful parallels to real life

Spin-offs

Monopoly has and still has a list of spin-offs using the ‘Opoly’ form factor (licensed and unlicensed). This has definitely kept a tired and outdated game in fashion for so long. People don’t always remember the game but they do recall the feelings and memory of playing the game. I think a lot of it’s charm comes from the experience more so than outcome. Win or lose, you were always involved, always righting against the odds and always fretting where you will land. Paying up is such a bitch. All of this made for a foundation for many themes people found to be more exciting than playing ‘Get Rich – The board game’.

12 Shit Monopolies that can’t possibly exist, but they do

Some of the fun little opoly games I’ve found on my travels.

Hasbro has capitalized on the fad of custom Opolies with their own spin-offs. I’d say the majority of the fun comes from the unlicensed, homebrew games. Ones created by those who love the format and slap on a wacky theme. Even when Monopoly was at its height (which varied with each generation) it was always seen as a entertaining game that provided hours and hours of fun for those willing to customize the experience.

The next (de)generation

There is something to be said about releasing an ‘Opoly game that actually annoyed people. It was such a big deal that Monopoly released a statement calling out all the haters while still being respectful. Yeah, I totally see it as a

“We created Monopoly for Millennials to provide fans with a lighthearted game that allows Millennials to take a break from real life and laugh at the relatable experiences and labels that can sometimes be placed on them.”

(conversation depicted below is purely fictional. Any resemblance to actual people and actual things said are purely coincidental and not to be take as truth)

Lunch Room:
Nixon, Cresta and Jo are sitting around reminiscing about their childhood when Jo brings up that her mom found the old Monopoly board in the cellar with a bunch of stuff being packed up for good will. Jo remembers playing the game when she was younger.

Jo – Oh. My. God. The amount of times my cousins would beg to play every time they came over. I got sick of that game so fast.

Cresta – I know, right?! I only played it when I went to camp. I was like, I don’t know, like 8. The counselors would either break that out or Snakes and Ladders or Checkers. Games back them aren’t like they are now.

Jo – Totally. There are so many interesting copies of Monopoly out there. You know, the customised ones with crazy themes. I played this one called Weedopoly once. Absolutely hilarious when you’re a little high.

Nixon – Playing any game high is fun. Weedopoly sounds hella fun. What’s popular in mainstream media now? We could design a Monopoly around, let’s say, Trump’s presidency. Trumpopoly. A game around his whole empire.

Jo – Oh my god. Totally. The Presidential election alone would be a theme for the game. Become the next president. I would play that game.

Cresta – How about Farmopoly? Or Caropoly, based on the automotive industry? Those concepts have range. Anything to do with managing money and fuking over the next man.

Nixon – Pimpopoly, bitches! Manage yo hoes and make dat monay!

Cresta – YES!

Jo – Totally!

Cresta – How about a Monopoly around having no money. The Oppositopoly. Like, my life. Just burning cash as I run around, existing. Jesus.

Jo – Oh. My. God. I got it!

The next day a very lengthy email is sent to Greg, the 25yr veteran developer over at Hasbro. He has a laugh and dismisses it as a joke. It is not a joke. His manager is involved, then their superiors, and holy bujesus it’s green lit. Monopoly for Milliennials is produced. Greg smacks his forehead, the trio all high five each other over lattes and scones.

‘Monopoly for Millennials’ causes outrage among Generation Y on Twitter

Oh, you know Hasbro had to do it to ’em. I kind of get why certain people would get up in arms about it, but enough so to berate the brand for poking fun at a very common (and understandable) mindset?

And the second in a supposed slue of parody Opolies from Hasbro, here comes Ms. Monopoly.

The Waiting Game

Standing in queue is what you do. The game generally describes the Poland at the tail-end of the Communist era. Play is simple: players send their pieces different stores on the board to buy the items they require. The trick is you don’t know what items will come up in what store and certain things may be short on supply, therefore you may never get it. Product deliveries are uncovered (by turning over face down cards) and there will be only product for the lucky few who happen to be in line when deliveries drop. Players can use certain action cards to manipulate their place in line, like “Mother carrying small child”, “This is not your place, sir”, or “Under-the-counter goods”. It’s quite interesting and I think for anyone who loves an Opoly spin-off, though not directly a copy, would like this game inspired by such.

Socialists Unite

In this Hasbro Official spin-off players move around the board working together to make a better community. The new cooperative game play leverages teamwork to and , in a way, forces players to succeed together, but no one said teamwork was easy. Flipping over Chance cards presents players with controversies and complications they have to work out. Issues like annoying neighbors and failing community projects, you’re constantly voting to shake things up. The goal is to contribute all 10 of your chips to win the game, unless the Community Fund runs out of money and everyone loses. Good luck with that. To “do or die” by no power of your own. There is always a catch.

Barrie Game Exchange 2019

adminApril 8, 2019 0

Give credit where credit is due

First off, I’d like to send a big THANK YOU to Barrie Game Exchange (BGE) for putting on another outstanding show. My first time visiting this amazing event was when I exhibited back in fall of 2018. I’ve seen and heard about it for years but never thought it was going to be anything more than a game swap. Boy was I wrong.

I’d also like to thank the board and video gaming community for coming out and supporting such an awesome show, the various vendors (like me) and giving Barrie something unique to celebrate 2x a year. Yes! You heard correct. This show happens twice a year. One in Spring, the other in Autumn.

What’s new with ADLi

Traffic was slow for me at BGE 2019, and I know a large part of that has to do with the fact that I don’t have any industry recognized media or merch. At a glance I’m just some guy with a Go/Checkers looking game and a bunch of words on cards. The thing I’ve come to accept with the 20+ years of game and fan conventions (on both sides of the table) is that a glance is all it takes. In that moment, can I capture an interest. It’s either provide something people have seen and love, or something so abstract they can’t help but take a closer look. I don’t offer neither so that is my challenge.

The show itself offers a lot. The vendors there range from full on games shops to collectors unloading stuff from their basements. The amount of people I saw selling game manuals, game cases (no games included) and empty console boxes was insane. Yes. People buy empty boxes for retro consoles. It’s a thing. That’s all on the video game side of things. There were also retro and vintage collectors hawking their old board games, clocks, electronics, dishware (I know) and anything else the geek culture would find fascinating.

On my end, as an indie designer with unique unknown games, I’ve been surprised at the general interest I’ve received. Yes, it’s primarily a video game swap but there are a lot, and I mean a LOT, of tabletop enthusiasts who visit these shows. Games are games and I believe I’m in the right place. Providing a more general interest in merch is my current goal for 2019. Some of those items include more novelty ideas like custom coaster, shot glasses, vinyl stickers, better keychains, wearables/jewellery and more. Keeping them in the realm of tabletop or maybe expanding into the video games may help get more bodies to the table. Then I can hook them on the wonders that are StormGate and Word•a•Bout.

There are more conventions to come this year and I can’t wait to get behind the table again. BGE 2019 is a refresher every year. The next big show is the CottageCountryComicon (CCC) in Orillia on May 19. For more info check out their site. Below is a little gallery showing some of wares created for the show. Here’s to a successful and delightful 2019 season. Check out more social posts at my Facebook page and Instagram (@adlinteractive). OH! And keep an eye out for PostPlay Novelties. I’m finally getting into the accessories and merch game with up-cycled and tabletop inspired goods.

ADLi Games, Board Games, Conventions, Just Talk

It was the best of times

adminJuly 5, 2018 2018, cottagecountrycon 0

… It was the worst of times.

In all honestly the Cottage Country Con (CCC) in Orillia this year wasn’t all that bad. Reviews online may be a bit over zealous, but there is no doubt the show was plagued with amateur mistakes. From a setup perspective, space management and visitor flow, execution was a tricky, but doable for this venue configuration. Accommodations for special guests, a whole other topic of discussion, and just the overall feel was lacking. And this coming from seasoned con veterans, not some 1-a-year conboy vendor like me. And only after hearing all the opinions of those affected and understanding the real gripes that vendors had with the show, it was apparent. CCC went too big too soon. There were a lot of good points as well which I share in my post covering ADLi’s 2nd successful show.

Flashback

The Orillia Comic Con 2017 was an eye opener for the Muskoka region. Young and old geeks and fans of game and comic media showed up in droves to enjoy the North-of-Toronto convention. It was their first year and it was great. Small rec center atmosphere, limited space and guests, but a solid first year for any show. I’ve been to a couple first and second year cons, and this one felt very tight and promising. Yes, a lot of artists and vendors didn’t make bank, but it’s a super small show. Those who craft or draw for a living can’t sustain off small shows like this so a lot of them stated they weren’t coming back. Understandable.

A little late late night work to ready myself for the show

Moving on, the show had good numbers for a fledgling con. The organizers were ecstatic and wanted to go big for year 2. Changing the name to CottageCountryCon (which is more encompassing of the area) they moved to a bigger venue. A sports complex with two ice rinks. The space works as a convention centre, but as mentioned in my opening, was not utilized to it’s best potential. Cosplay and gaming were also two big factors I feel this show was lacking. It was heavily catering to the casual con goer and maybe its lack of niche stuff like inviting professional cosplayers or a gaming room really didn’t lend itself to the crowd they were hoping for. People won’t make the trip for an average con. It must be extraordinary! CCC really only had the movie cars and creators as 2 of many things a general fancon must leverage. I hate saying this, but more pandering required.

Consensus

I look at the bright side. The show was good overall. I won’t let the poor experience of others ruin my opinion of a good show. It felt like a big con. It’s had the heart and space of a big con. It just didn’t have the numbers and guts of a big con, and that’s where I see the cracks. It is a totally different community north of the GTA and it’s hard to get a community of con-goers who are used to Fan Expo and Anime North to travel 1h 30m north to visit a fledgling show. Marketing had to be beyond average. They had the stars, they had the cars, they had the interest, they had the space, they had the energy, they had a great first year. But, the outreach, the hype, they pre-show prep, and the acknowledgement was good… but not great. Pulling people out of their convenience is a very hard thing. If we had the cosplayers and the gaming community willing to make moves I believe Orillia would have had a better turn out and this situation would be mute.

It’s disheartening to see that a local fan con such as this get flak and discredited from a lot of vendors. It may possibly hurt the show’s rep. The con vendor/exhibitor community has mixed feelings, and once the word spreads next year’s show may suffer. I doubt there won’t be a 3rd year, but big vendors from the GTA may be gun shy about ever setting up in Orillia again. I, for one, will do it again IF they keep the pricing relative to this year and sort out the follies they made. Learning from mistakes is possibly more crucial than learning from other’s successes. Funny enough the same organizers have another convention set for August in Bracebridge. This one is a Comic and Toy convention primarily, but those that missed CCC may second guess going to Muskoka Con due to the backlash. I’m going to roll through the Muskoka con either way as I enjoy going to those events. I’ll be observing how this one works out, from a con-goer’s perspective, and look out for some of the artists that may have been at CCC. I’m not a comic guy but I do like toys and collectibles. And cons are like family gatherings for me.

I’ve kept the review and my opinion of the con light hearted as I really don’t want to get into the politics that is convention exhibiting. You can watch my post-con thoughts below and share with me what you think. If you were at the show I’d love to hear your point of view. I share my opinion of the bad stuff for only the first minute and seventeen seconds. To get to the ADLi experience skip to 1:18.

[youtube id_video=”IUnAPK-uTtI” autoplay=”false” ]

Like with any community there is a lot of drama, usually founded around experience, expectations and bias. Bottom line, it had its faults and didn’t live up to the hype and expectations according to some. Here’s hoping the Muskoka Con is a good one and Orillia can bounce back from this fumble and get back to small town con roots. I’d love to have a convention in my neck of the woods.

Fingers crossed.

ADLi Games, Board Games, Concepts, Reviews

Clone Wars – Axia meets its twin

adminNovember 20, 2017 0

If a designer publishes a game and you’ve never heard of it, does it exist? Better question: If a designer publishes a game and you’re not around to play it, is it still good? Well, someone was there to review it and it was poor apparently. This “clone” had my interest piqued at first glance. Why concentric circles? Why 3 rings? Why varying paths between rings? I was blown away … maybe that’s too strong a words. I was surprised to see this in my Tumblr feed. I was going to do an update on a post (for another game) and read through some of my previous game dev posts when I decided to refresh the page. Scrolled through, dropped a few likes, and THEN … duh duh duuuuuuhhh. Jumping out at me with its orbit-like appearance was, what I can only guess is, a game that basically one I’m developing right now. Not just closely resembling, mind you. It’s a friken clone of AXIA!!!!

Resemblance is uncanny

“That’s AXIA!” I told myself out loud at work. Then I realized where I was and looked around. Phew. No one staring. I looked closer at the structure and placement of things and instantly had to reference my original post about the evolution of AXIA. I just wanted to share what I’ve thought about different ideas from different people not differing that much. Especially when you’re working with a visibly specific type of board design. Now circular boards aren’t anything new, but how they are used is pretty specific.

Now, based on who’s game was developed first either of us can say the other is a “clone”. Fine! I don’t mind being a Sammy-come 2nd. This post is from a Japanese game review site called Boardgame Memo (Tumblr) that I’ve followed for over a year now. Some that interest me I tend to translate and read up on it. This was no exception. I HAD to read it. Here is the original posts and here is Google’s best attempt at translating the review.

“And the two of holding hands

Rating: 3/10

Cooperation game in which two people who began to bad relationship regain the relationship.

While controlling the emotions, we continue to achieve the goal.

A look at the summary I I thought or “Dikushitto” specific association game of the system to the emotional element is not.

Using six of the public hand of each other, it will move the piece to the color of the mass of the goal.

Is moving emotional balance of players for each mobile, this is going to be limited action can not hand replenishment and not in the center.

So, with no attempt of ingenuity to playing, I felt I think we account for a large part of the game of win or lose the card luck.

Since the theme is changed, … be enjoyed if the theme-oriented person”

So yeah. That made a lot more sense now that it’s in shattered English 😛 But recently I found out the English information of this game on BGG. Here is the English grammatical version.

…and then we held hands

…and then we held hands. is a co-operative game about finding balance. To win, the two players must complete objectives and reach the center of the board.

The players take turns trying to fulfill the current common emotional objective by discarding emotion cards to move from node to node. They must do this without verbal communication, empathizing and always considering each other’s situation when making a move.

A player can use their own cards or their partner’s, but if their move causes their partner to be unable to move, the players lose and the game ends. While moving from node to node, their balance shifts, and they are not able to refill their hand.

The players win by meeting in the center while in a balanced state and within one turn of each other – something quite difficult, and therefore very rewarding when achieved.

Both players cooperate to achieve a goal, without verbal communication, to build a successful relationship. The cards you have relate to objectives that are positive or negative in a relationship and you play that card or matching a similar “emotion card” with your teammate. If you draw a card with a red band, you must move to the nearest red dot with matching icon. And for each card played you do that, eventually both players meeting in the center, in perfect harmony for the win. Very interesting co-op game.

Axia – The clone wars

It’s pretty obvious, the visual similarities are between the two games. I wish I could see more game play or read the rules about ATWHH (and then we held hands). I could compare how close the mechanics between the two games are. From what I’ve read it does vary quite a bit from Axia.

[columns]
[two_columns title=”Similarities” ]

Circular board design
3 concentric rings with a goal in the center
Varied paths between points in each ring

[/two_columns]

[two_columns title=”Differences” ]

Colour coded spaces
Meter for each player (corresponds to coloured spaces)
Dice vs. cards
Co-op play
Hand management
Point-to-Point movement

[/two_columns]
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So quite honestly, it’s not a clone. And since ATWHH was published in 2015, Axia would technically be the clone. That’s my life. Always late to the party. In my devblogs about Axia, I express how this concentric circle style board is specific to a common set of mechanisms. ATWHH follows that same tradition, two (or more) players working towards moving their pieces to the center goal. It’s actually very intuitive if you think about it. Either moving inward or outward towards a goal and or racing along the rings. I also have another concept for a concentric circular board design, but it’s more of a racing game than a destination game. And staying away from the center is critical for survival. Last player standing wins. If I can find a print ‘n play of this game, or find a copy at a reasonable price, I would love to give it a try.

For anyone wanting to explore these limits, take any pawn/disc style game and apply it to a round board. Chess, Backgammon, Chutes & Ladders even, and adapt to the board. It’s really interesting and you may get some great results doing so. There are so many of them already being applied and there are a whole lot more. Check out my post Round and round and round we go to see some of the concepts out there, plus a little something I’ve contributed to the cause.

Board Games

Round and round and round we go

adminOctober 17, 2017 0

Circular board games. YES!! They are amazing, and I’ve talked a little bit about it during my Axia: The clone wars post a while back. Circular boards, without or without concentric circles, are visually appealing due to many factors – like varied paths of movement and multi-directional strategy. The mechanisms required to drive a circular game forward are fairly intuitive, and they provide a refreshing visually appeal. I’ve considered the circular board design for 3 games I’m working on so far: Axia, a castle defense game and a space travel game (the latter two have no name). In my post I talked about how circular board versions of existing games were created, giving the game a new lease on playability. Also some incredibly cool unique games were created, both of which I’ve referenced below. Some of the more popular ones are Chess and Monopoly, but there are so many others.

[columns]
[two_columns title=”” ]

Game variants

Here are some board games that have a circular board variant

[/two_columns]

[two_columns title=”” ]

Circular designs

And here are some games created with a circular board design

Doctor Who – Battle to Save the Universe

[/two_columns]
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There are so many wonderful games out there but this short list was just for reference. The square board has alway been a staple in board game design, but the circular board has always brought a level of style and interest. What else could designers use? Triangular, Hexagonal, Elliptical? Triangles offer a great variety of movement, not to mention [simple_tooltip content=’def: An arrangement of shapes closely fitted together, especially of polygons in a repeated pattern without gaps or overlapping’]tessellation[/simple_tooltip]. Configurations with triangles can arrange into a myriad of polygonal board layouts. I’m pretty sure any of those would definitely enhance the specific mechanisms of a game. Every board game designer should take into account the formatting and use of space of their boards. Now I’m off to find some Triangular board games… that are more than .

Board Games, Card Games, Just Talk, Quotes

Cheater Cheater Pumpkin Eater

adminMay 3, 2016 ramble, theory 7

Is it your responsibility as a game designer to create a system where it is difficult to cheat?

This conversation has people flip flopping depending on which side they sympathize with, the player or the designer. But since this post is directed at designers there should be no defensive stance on this. I will say this loud and clear for all to hear;

“It is your duty to limit (eliminate) confusion, complication and misuse of your game and its mechanics.” — cK Leach

Bottom line. There will always be cheaters and liars and the more tightly sealed your game is the more apparent cheating will be.

Math = Power

Math is the answer. Whether it’s a mechanism or a player that checks and balances, mathematical deduction usually produces any back handed actions to be visible. I’ve found that if you as a designer found ways to exploit your own game, fix it. If not, play testers will exploit it for you. In that case, fix it! That is the point. If there is a hole and fixing it will break your mechanism(s), then you didn’t really work out all the wrinkles. It’s just sloppy game design. No game is really cheat-proof, don’t get me wrong, but making cheating visible is a lot easier than people think. Isolating scenarios that are too perfect is one way to do it, which often leads to pigeon-holing. Another way is to have there be exception. Exception in gaming, as well in our world’s set of rules, is how we’ve come to understand the limitation of said system and how it’s patched to water tight for the most part. I use the word exploit specifically because an exploit isn’t always a cheat. Though the two words seem to be synonymously they are not the same. One can exploit a hole in a game to better their outcome. This isn’t always cheating. Cheating seems to lean more towards breaking or bending the rules/confines of an given environment to better the outcome …. see what I did there. I know the argument and I hear you loud and clear. Look at it this way. If there is rule that allows for a player to take advantage of or access a certain criteria, and it’s within the confines of the games’ law, then by all means it’s not cheating. At least not to the designer. They designed the game that way, so that’s how it’s played. If it’s used over and over again or incites rage from other players because it ruins the balance of the game, then yes, I can see an exploit becoming more of a cheat or a cheap. That’s why my argument about using math to isolate said scenarios is so important.

For more ways on how to exploit games just search YouTube

For instance, any game where numbers are involved, there is always some variable that cannot be used to acquire a desired outcome. If that outcome is too frequent or non existent in theory and then shows up to be a game changer, cheating/exploiting is definitely a factor. I like to believe the more complex anything is the easier it is to have gaps. Now there are times when a perfect storm would arise, a moment when all the planets would align and even the developer with hundreds of thousands of hours play testing with thousands upon thousands of people may not have calculate. It could happen. I’m not saying that. But when the developer knows, and for the most part any serious player knows when a moment like that comes up it’s due to a miscount, a missed card, a missed action or a sly act, it’s flagged right away. Then it becomes a situation of back tracking to find out where the miscalculation was and who was to blame, intentional or not. Errors should be easy to track because at the end of the day it comes down to numbers and numbers can be easily controlled by math. Math is the answer.

Solving = Cheating

Is counting and “solving” games considered cheating? This, I suspect, is a sub-set to this conversation and personally I don’t think so. In a perfect-information game cheating doesn’t exist without it being blatantly apparent. It’s more so the responsibility of all players to be conscious of the game play and possibilities. Does the blame directly lie with the game designer? I don’t think so, nor should it. The act of cheating should be marginalized to the point it breaks the game. There a lot of solved games out there. And technically any game can be solved if you know all the variables regardless if they are visible at the time. Perfect play and all that jazz. It’s almost like both players are playing at the same time but they are not necessarily playing against each other. A lot of solitaire games with fixed starting points and simple movements can be solved via reverse engineering. I’ve played my share of puzzle games and it has always come back to order. How can you arrange pieces/number/men/cards in the order they need to be to get expected result. I may be rambling a bit but there is a science to design. Deduction, strategy, tactics, it’s all about calculating probability and maximizing that chance of an expected outcome. Or minimizing the risk of unknown factors. Math. Math is the answer.

At the end of the day we, as designers, have to do our best to lock down the possibility of cheating. And no matter how hard we try it’s a long, arduous battle to try and keep a game streamline and not have it susceptible to being solved or exploited. The more complicated the games gets the greater the chance of grey areas going unseen by both sides. These grey regions are where the mathematically inclined like to work their magic. Card games in general are notorious for cheaters and we all know someone who knows a way to ~~beat~~ cheat at a card game. The funny thing is, if those conditions are known then it’s easy to point out. I’d hate to have been in a game for 2hrs where someone’s been skimming the whole time and eventually edge me out just because of some exploit AFTER all the numbers are tallied. Math …. *shaking fist* Math is the answer.

Winning = Respect

To turn the tides from designers to players just for a moment. It’s obviously clear that no matter how hard one designs a game with iron clad rules and almost impossible loopholes, a designer cannot get around human nature and the almost innate need to best the system. Systems, like rules, are too regimented at times leaving those involved and invested restricted in their freedoms. And when it comes to the human factor in a game, that is something even the most rigid of game mechanics can’t ignore. I had recently read a post about how players are finding new ways to cheat in games. Similarly to how casinos have not tried to eliminate/limit the dealer (human factor) as much as possible there is still the factor of the player. There have been card sharps (card sharks) since poker and other card games have been invented. Unless the game has changed or the rules have changed, little will help card sharps or mathematicians from besting others by playing the best hand, or making the best play, or using the best route to success. Even if it means a little underhandedness.

You’d think that if a human went up against a computer in any game the human would lose. This is not always the case. We’ve seen humans beat computers in all types of board and card game challenges. This has only proven how masterful the human mind works and how it can deduce probable outcomes from the information it’s provided. The computer, though many, many times faster does the exact same thing. So now you have people playing people online and using another tab or their phone to calculate moves based on the current game’s information. As you will read in the article I’ve linked above it even happens at Master Level events. Local tournaments are one thing, but at an international level people are still trying to finagle a way to best their opponent. It’s not like they’ve solved the game. It’s more like they’ve pulled a thread in the tightly woven rules and weaseled their way through. All for fame and riches? All for accolades and a place in history? Scary. Even among the local friendlies, players still use sly tactics to get the upper hand their opponents. And it’s all just bragging rights. Doesn’t make sense, right? Well, to humans it does and that’s why mathematicians have found ways to help combat this strain of short-handed success by creating programs that recognize patterns. Matching player patters to that of a computer program has helped tournaments keep a close eye on not just the winners, but how the winners are winning. Because it’s all numbers there is a finite amount of options any player has at any one time. And if the quickest way to success is evident by a machine and can be matched up to a human player, it may be more than just coincidence or skill that has this player walking through to the finals. And in the end it’s all math. Math is the answer.

So developers, fix your games and players, stop your shit. The lesson of the day is don’t cheat because it ruins it for everyone, including math.

ADLi Games, Board Games, Concepts, Prototypes

The fusion of two minds – Game evolution

adminApril 28, 2016 update, WIP 4

The evolution of mind — Funny, when you’re designing a game (or anything really) and you get stuck, your mind happens to spawn new ideas from the road block. There have been several times where I’ve found myself at a fork in the road, having to pick one direction and sticking it out to the end. The benefit; explore an opportunity to it’s fullest, pouring in all brain power to bring it to fruition. The catch; seeing it fall short of some due to unforeseen complications. Results; more work, more time, more refined way of identifying success.

Roadblocks breed evolution

Case in point, I’ve been working on Axia on and off for some time now. I’d had a couple ideas that really worked for mechanics but the player engagement was poor, therefore the experience was weak. When I change the Axia game board from the Double Diamond to the circular (orbit style) format, I felt that was the breakthrough I’ve been waiting for, the one thing that was needed better this game’s experience. I liked where this new evolution was going and how the movement on the board helped players to strategically choose who moves when and where. Now, I’ve let the game sit for such a long time and never really got back to it because I felt that it should have more for some reason. Something else was missing and I wasn’t comfortable with where it was. By no means was it bad, but it wasn’t exciting either.

That little something extra

Tonight I was flipping through some old notes for a trading card game I was designing called Spin Driver. Reading through my hand drawn drafts and notes, all the ideas I had and the plans for the game somehow fired up the creative engine in my head. I put Spin Driver back on the shelf to pick up another design idea and read through that. Then another, and yet another. After about 5 or 6 game drafts I came across my King of the Hill (KotH) game. This game was meant to be a classic style game where two players use 4 discs to circle around a board and make it to the center, the winner being the first to have all 4 of their discs on the hill.

I was upstairs packing some stuff and found my old Axia board laying on the bookshelf under a bunch of other docs and folders. I thought to myself “Hey self! This circular board idea would work for KotH” seeing as I was trying to design something with concentric movements. The board design lends itself to a myriad of specific gaming mechanics. Why reinvent the wheel. I took the board and added a few more spaces to it, keeping most of the original movement rules and mechanisms that were created for Axia. I broke out some backgammon pieces and stacked them on the board. Thus began the evolution.

Using the basic roll-n-move mechanic, I had a functioning game designed in under 2 hours. I played 2 full games and after 5 test rounds of weeding out the functions, to my delight, it worked. The ideas I had for Axia, the foundation for movement and capture mechanic, confirmed to be ideal for KotH. Now, what do I do with the Axia game you ask? KotH may very well be the final evolution of Axia. The destination I could not picture, and somehow in another skin was able to materialize. There are few other little ideas I have now that I’m at this new level of design, but for the most part it’s a working game. I couldn’t be more excited.

The board’s mechanics are specific to the KotH and weren’t really conducive to the original Axia concept (seeing as the mechanics were built for the double-diamond board) as the game was created with that in mind. In a weird way I had to build another game to prove that the original Axia concept didn’t fit… or at least, I couldn’t get it to fit. I think I know now where I got stuck with the double diamond, so with this orbit style board, the Axia name may live on.

Board Games, Card Games, Concepts

Get to the point

adminDecember 3, 2015 BGG, rules 4

Creating a game is a wonderful feeling. Having other enjoy what you’ve enjoyed creating is an artist’s or designer’s greatest accomplishment. Getting you newly developed game(s) out the public is nothing to shake a stick at, but the real nitty gritty comes with explaining how the game works. This is where some designers may not have the vocabulary chops to get players through the learning curve before enjoying their creation. I can attest to this as I’m a very wordy individual. I’m also very technical with every aspect of my life, so simple convos or tutorials tend to stray into premise and concepts that aren’t necessarily required for the layman to get the job done. That being said, and this linguistically loaded lead in brings me to the point of this post. Getting to the point.

Came across a very insightful article on my devlog posted by a blog I follow, CardBoard Edison. I have shared some of their posts in the past and I wanted to share this as well. This hit home heavily as I’m in the process of creating a lot of final drafts (hopefully) for several of my games. These are to ready for several conventions and shows next year. As the author illustrates in this post, he’s both a writer and a designer as am I, and the struggle between providing as much and as little information relative to the game is an undertaking.

Practice being Concise

Just so summarize some of things the author has pointed out practice makes perfect. One needs to practice being concise. It’s a great exercise and not just for game design but can be applied to any writing one would do in their life, especially when communicating ideas to others where a length explanation isn’t necessary.

“Social media isn’t usually viewed as practical experience for anything, but think about how much information you try to squeeze into a tweet or text. Use that same mindset when writing rules. Look for common or unnecessary rules you can remove but still convey the same meaning. Also look for parts of speech you can remove, even if the grammar suffers. Opportunities could include card text or bullet lists. You may get called out for it, but ultimately gamers are trying to get to playing the game and will generally overlook your word choice.”

Removing text and playtest

Designers can agree that when putting on a playtest, be it publicly or with friends and family, one would be eager to try and explain everything and then some. Partly to explain how you intended them to play the game and talk up your reasoning for said ways to play. It’s a thing I’ve noticed I do a lot and other designer games I’ve playtested.

“The written text needs to convey everything the players need to play properly and, arguably most importantly, have fun. While it sounds like you should just throw everything and the kitchen sink at the rules, there’s an upper limit to how many rules players are willing to sit through depending on the complexity of the game.”

It’s hard enough sitting back and watching them read the rules, then break the game and look at you for some type of explanation. Either a lack of understanding or a lack of clarity can be to blame. Usually it’s a little column A and B. So what do you do? The authors states to iterate the rules during playtest and not just the mechanics. Play around with the way the rules are written, inserting and omitting things and testing with each test group is a good way to get a feel as to how people/players interpret the rules written. Even during the same playtest, have your rules written in 3 different ways and observe those who question or have trouble with information before or during game play. If certain things explain themselves and players pick on particular parts of the rules or play organically then you can leave it out.

Move rules to components

Now this is a popular format for delivering rules, especially with the rising insurgence of micro and mini games. Game components are already meticulously crafted to fit a restriction and who’s to say your rules don’t have to follow suit. Placing the basic rules on the back of cards that match the game sets’ size or on the back or below of the actual game components is a great way to practice short and sweet. Again, it comes back to how players absorb the game through little info and a couple play through.

“While not a full replacement for written rules, these cards or boards can help fill in gaps that you could leave in the rule book. Again: rule book for generalities, components for specifics.”

Give the article a read and take what you will from a write up about practices to consider when writing rules. The full article can be found at http://designingcardboard.com/how-to-write-concise-rules.

If you’d like to find out more about formatting rules and creating rules for your games, here are some other game designers that have a lot more info in store.

Ryan MacKlin – 11 Rules for Board Game Rules Writing

BBG Forum – Rule book writing

StackExchange – Organizing a rule book

Enjoy!

Board Games, Card Games

It just got Real-Time in here!

adminOctober 7, 2015 BGG, real-time, video

Every wondered what real-time gaming is? Well, wonder no longer. For those not familiar with the concept of real-time table top gaming here is the short and sweet of it:

“Real-time games often allow for players to take their turns (or part of their turns) simultaneously. This is in contrast to turn-based games. There are also some Real-time games in which there is a consequence if a player does not play their turn in a set amount of time.” — BoardGameGeek

You can also view a video here of real-time games by the Board Game Knights.

Although this is not a very common mechanic used by many board games, it does define a board game when it’s done right. High paced, competitive game play is often sought after in today’s rebirth of board games and what better way to build excitement than with a game where timing and pace could secure your success… or seal your fate. I’ve come across a few games like this not many enough to remember how fun they are. Spoons is one game that comes to mind, and concepts like musical chairs promptly follows. Other games that come to mind right away are Scrabble® Slam, Spot It, and to some extent Pictureka. Other common Real-Time board games include Brawl, Space Cadets: Dice Duel and Ricochet Robots. This concept is almost effortless to pull off in digital gaming as it is synonymous with multi-player games. Achieving this on a game board, however, could prove to be a little trickier.

Looking at card games, as a standard form of multiplayer tabletop gaming, one can see that cards can naturally be used to create a Real-Time game. I also think dexterity games to some degree could lend themselves to Real-Time gaming. After pondering the thought of simultaneous play some time ago I had come up with a game called Junk Mail: The card game. Junk Mail is essentially an email management game where 2-4 players play at the same time. The goal of the game is to keep your inbox from overflowing. I know, sounds kinda lame doesn’t it? So I thought initially. When I went back and reviewed my initial notes written years ago, the primary goal was to create a game that can;

be multiplayer without limiting a 3rd or 5th player,
be played simultaneously,
be played solitaire.

Though it may not have a strong marketing value on theme or originality it does promise to have the makings of a great party/filler game that is both intense and rewarding. Players can bury themselves in emails or chain link their opponents into dealing with junk mail, chain letters and spam. Still in it’s infancy, the games core mechanisms are still being fleshed out. The speed at which each player plays at can vary, but when goals are achieved a player can impose restrictions on their opponent or reward themselves with bonuses. Both inboxes are visible so each player can keep check — and more importantly keep track — of their opponents inbox management. Players draw cards from a fixed, shuffled deck, organize the cards by types and follow actions dictated by the cards. There are 5 inbox slots, 1 archive slot, 1 trash bin and 1 outbox slot. By placing a card in the outbox slot, your opponent has to use those cards. Now, they can use them as they come or they can let them pile up before using them. It’s up to the player to manage their inbox, but more on this when the game is put into actual development. You’ll be able to read about this and many more games on my devlog.

I see a place in any board game bookshelf or game room where a Real-Time game can fit, and I don’t doubt there isn’t an open-minded board game player out there who wouldn’t give a Real-Time game a good effort. For the casual gamer such as myself, it’s a good way to pass the time with friends and family and ensure that everyone is getting in on the fun as the fun is actually happening. Party games truly do benefit from this mechanic, so the next time your designing or buying a game for a group of people to play that needs to be light, fast and fun, think Real-Time.