a y " a n d p o t e n t i a l w e r e w o l v e s are " l o c k e d e extra ro les can be e x c l u d e d , d e p e n d i n g i s c h o o l d i s t r i c t . T h a t b e i n g s a i d . U l t i m a t e s t udents i n n a r r a t i v e b y n o t o n l y m a k i n g 1 s t r o n g m o t i v a t i o n t o p a r t i c i p a t e . Because 3ativity, character i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , a n d per-

i t is a p e r f e c t c h o i c e for c l a s s r o o m cre-t i v i t i e s . Glossary of Designer Board

Game Terminology

A r e a control . A t y p e o f game m e c h a n i c i n w h i c h p layers w o r k t o w a r d c o n t r o l l i n g t h e m o s t area i n a p l a y i n g space. I t is a m e c h a n i c o f t e n u s e d as a c r i t e r i o n for end-game v i c t o r y c o n d i t i o n s or for e a r n i n g r e w a r d s d u r i n g p l a y . T h e use o f area c o n t r o l can be f o u n d across a l l s tyles a n d genres o f games, f r o m abstract games l i k e go to m o r e the ­m a t i c games l i k e R i c h a r d U l r i c h a n d W o l f g a n g K r a m e r ' s E l G r a n d e . A s a l e a r n i n g e x p e r i e n c e , area c o n t r o l games p r o v i d e s tud en ts w i t h t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o t h i n k c r i t i c a l l y a n d be a d a p t i v e i n d e v e l o p i n g a n d i m p l e m e n t i n g strategies.

Cooperative play. A m e c h a n i c for p l a y e r i n t e r a c t i o n t h a t r e w a r d s , a n d o f t e n r e q u i r e s , w o r k i n g together for there to be a n y chance at a suc­cess ful game r e s o l u t i o n . M a n y t i m e s , each p l a y e r w i l l h a ve some u n i q u e charac ter i s t i c he can c o n t r i b u t e , m a k i n g h o w a n d w h e n each p l a y e r h e l p s p a r t o f the game's strategy. C o o p e r a t i v e games are espe­c i a l l y e f fec t ive at b u i l d i n g t e a m s k i l l s a n d h e l p i n g s tuden ts see v a l u e i n d i f f e r e n t o p i n i o n s a n d approaches . i . . . ....

G a t e w a y game. A game t h a t is o f t e n u s e d to i n t r o d u c e those u n f a m i l i a r w i t h des igner games w i t h the genre . T h e y o f t e n p l a y i n u n d e r a n h o u r a n d have v e r y f e w r u l e s , w h i l e o f f e r i n g a l e v e l o f strategy a n d i n t e r a c t i o n b e y o n d expec ta t ions . T h i s resul ts i n an eas i ly accessible a n d o f t e n s u r p r i s i n g game p l a y e x p e r i e n c e t h a t p i q u e s n e w p l a y e r s ' interests i n o ther des igner games. T h e m o s t o f t e n c i t e d e x a m p l e s are Klaus - J i i rgen Wrede 's Carcassonne, K l a u s Teuber's Settlers o f Catan , a n d A l a n R. M o o n ' s T i c k e t t o R i d e .

Imperfect information. A n e l e m e n t o f game d e s i g n i n w h i c h the o th er p l a y e r s ' ac t ions a n d o ther r e l e v a n t deta i l s are n o t accessible or r e l i ­able. M o s t games f a l l i n t o t h i s category, w h e r e p layers d o n o t h a ve

Glossary of Designer Board Game Terminology

k n o w l e d g e o f a l l t h e i n f o r m a t i o n a v a i l a b l e w i t h i n the game. T h i s l a c k o f i n f o r m a t i o n resul ts i n p l a y e r s h a v i n g to m a k e inferences a n d s p e c u l a t i v e choices w h e n m a k i n g d e c i s i o n s a n d d e v e l o p i n g strate­gies.

Language independence . A game d e s i g n c h o i c e t h a t makes the game's c o m p o n e n t s free o f a n y t e x t u a l c o n t e n t . Ins tead , m o r e u n i v e r s a l l y u n d e r s t o o d images , p i c t u r e s , or s y m b o l s are u s e d to c o n v e y m e a n ­i n g a n d d i r e c t i o n s d u r i n g p lay . B y u t i l i z i n g l a n g u a g e - i n d e p e n d e n t games, schools p r o v i d i n g services to a p o p u l a t i o n o f E n g l i s h lan ­guage learners c a n b r i d g e t h e language b a r r i e r a n d p r o v i d e c o m ­p l e x a n d engaging l e a r n i n g exper iences to a l l o f t h e s t ud e nt s t he y i n s t r u c t .

M e c h a n i c . A set o f r u l e s t h a t g o v e r n h o w an aspect o f the game is p l a y e d . S i m p l e r games m a y o n l y use a s ing le m e c h a n i c , w h i l e m o r e sophis­t i c a t e d ones c a n i n c o r p o r a t e a b l e n d o f m u l t i p l e m e c h a n i c s . I n terms o f game de s ign , t h e p r o p e r m a t c h i n g o f m e c h a n i c s a n d t h e m e can c o m b i n e to create a t r u l y i m m e r s i v e game p l a y e xpe r ie nce . W h e n e x a m i n i n g a game's c o n n e c t i o n s t o l e a r n i n g s t a nd a r d s , m e c h a n i c s o f t e n re late to m a t h a n d science s tandards .

Perfect information. A n e l e m e n t o f game d e s i g n i n w h i c h e v e r y t h i n g r e l e v a n t to t h e game e x p e r i e n c e is m a d e o p e n l y a v a i l a b l e for a l l o: the p l a y e r s . Centered a r o u n d strategic choices a n d l o g i c , t h i s gam­i n g genre is b u t a s m a l l subset o f games t h a t i n c l u d e s classic t i t les s u c h as go a n d chess, a l o n g w i t h m o r e c o n t e m p o r a r y games s u c h as A l v y d a s Jakel iunas a n d G i i n t e r Cornet t ' s H e y ! That ' s M y F i s h !

P u s h (or press) y o u r l u c k . A game m e c h a n i c t h a t a l l o w s the p l a y e r tc select or take ac t ions u n t i l e i ther she chooses to s top or she meets a t r igger p o i n t f o r a n es tab l i shed negat ive consequence . B u i l t i n t o this m o d e l is an ever - increas ing l e v e l o f r i s k w i t h each a d d i t i o n a l a c t i o n I n c o r p o r a t i n g games t h a t e m p l o y t h i s m e c h a n i c is a n e x c e l l e n t w a } to i n t r o d u c e s tudents to t h e concepts o f r i s k m a n a g e m e n t a n d m a t h ­e m a t i c a l p r o b a b i l i t y .

Resource management . A set o f game m e c h a n i c s i n w h i c h t h e p l a y e r s con­t r o l a n d m a n i p u l a t e , a c c o r d i n g to a set o f r u l e s , a v a i l a b l e resource^ w i t h i n t h e game i n o r d e r to affect p l a y i n some w a y . T h i s s ty le o: game a l l o w s s tudents t o e x p e r i e n c e e c o n o m i c concepts s u c h as sup­p l y a n d d e m a n d , m a r k e t e c o n o m y , free t rade , a n d scarci ty .

Role selection. A game m e c h a n i c i n w h i c h p l a y e r s select one or m o r -roles each t u r n based o n t h e ac t ions or resources p r o v i d e d . O r d e r c:

Glossary of Designer Board Game Terminology 115

c h o i c e p l a y s a h e a v y p a r t i n strategy d e v e l o p m e n t , e s p e c i a l l y w h e n selected roles a l l o w every p l a y e r access to t h e i r benef i t s . To offset the p o t e n t i a l p o w e r o f f i r s t c h o i c e , r o l e s e l e c t i o n games w i l l e i t h e r rotate t h e s t a r t i n g p l a y e r each t u r n or i n c l u d e s t a r t i n g as p a r t o f a h a n d i c a p p e d cho ice i n t h e game. Because o f the u n i q u e n a t u r e o f t h e ro les , d u r i n g t h e s e l e c t i o n process s tudents n e e d to e x p a n d t h e i r focus b e y o n d s i m p l y a d v a n c i n g t h e i r needs a n d goals a n d take i n t o a c c o u n t h o w t h e i r s e l e c t i o n m i g h t affect the needs a n d goals o f o th er p layers as w e l l .

Scalabil i ty . T h e a b i l i t y o f a game to m a i n t a i n the i n t e n d e d p l a y e x p e r i ­ence as m o r e or f e w e r p l a y e r s are a d d e d . Some games m a y r e q u i r e s l i g h t m o d i f i c a t i o n s to a c c o u n t for v a r y i n g n u m b e r s o f p l a y e r s . O f t e n , these v a r i a n t s w i l l a l l o w a s m a l l e r or larger n u m b e r of p l a y e r s to en joy t h e game w i t h o u t c o m p r o m i s i n g the elegance o f the game's m e c h a n i c s . W h e n the e x p e r i e n c e becomes b r o k e n ( i .e . , t h e game's d i f f i c u l t y d r a s t i c a l l y changes or too m a n y m o d i f i c a t i o n s are n e e d e d to m a k e i t w o r k ) , t h e game's s c a l a b i l i t y l e v e l has been rea ch ed . Some games are n o t scalable a n d o n l y w o r k for the r e c o m m e n d e d n u m b e r o f p l a y e r s , w h i l e others can eas i ly a c c o m m o d a t e m o r e t h a n the n u m ­ber stated o n t h e b o x .

S i m u l t a n e o u s action selection. A game m e c h a n i c tha t a l l o w s f o r each p l a y e r to select or execute an a c t i o n at the same t i m e . T h i s r e m o v e s a n y p o t e n t i a l for a n advantage b e i n g g a i n e d b y m o d i f y i n g a p layer ' s c h o i c e based o n t h e ac t ions se lected b y the o ther p l a y e r s . Each d e c i ­s i o n for a c t i o n is based o n the last g r o u p a c t i o n as a w h o l e a n d n o t as the r e s u l t o f p l a y e r order . T h i s p l a y m e c h a n i c i n t r o d u c e s a c e r t a i n l e v e l o f u n p r e d i c t a b i l i t y , e s p e c i a l l y i f some f o r m o f p l a y e r in te ra c ­t i o n is t h e resu l t .

T h e m e . T h e s tory e lements t h a t p r o v i d e m e a n i n g a n d c o n t e x t for t h e m e c h a n i c a l ac t ions o f t h e game. T h e m e d games can v a r y n o t o n l y i n w e i g h t b u t i n subject m a t t e r as w e l l . A b s t r a c t games, o n t h e o th er h a n d , are d e v o i d o f t h e m e a n d s t a n d a lone o n t h e i r m e r i t s a n d the e n j o y a b i l i t y o f t h e i r m e c h a n i c s . W h e n e x a m i n i n g a game's connec­t i o n s to l e a r n i n g s tandards , t h e m e w i l l o f t e n create c o n n e c t i o n s w i t h t h e soc ia l s tudies a n d E n g l i s h a n d language arts c u r r i c u l a .

Ti le placement . A game m e c h a n i c i n w h i c h p layers d r a w a n d l a y d o w n t i les to e i t h e r advance t h e game or to es tab l i sh a p l a y i n g area w i t h i n w h i c h o ther ac t ions can be t a k e n . Klaus- J i i rgen Wrede 's Carcassonne is a classic e x a m p l e o f t h e latter . T i l e p l a c e m e n t games are a great w a y to h e l p s tudents d e v e l o p s p a t i a l s k i l l s as t h e y m a t c h or create pa t te rns w i t h the t i l es .

116 Glossary of Designer Board Game Terminology i ]

Traitor. A game m e c h a n i c c o m m o n l y f o u n d i n c o o p e r a t i v e games t h a t i n t r o d u c e s a secret r o l e m e a n t t o sow d i s t r u s t a n d u n c e r t a i n t y a m o n g p l a y e r s . T h e p o t e n t i a l effect o f the t r a i t o r is d i r e c t l y p r o p o r t i o n a l to t h e game's d i f f i c u l t y l e v e l a n d n e e d for c o o p e r a t i o n . T h i s effect is h e i g h t e n e d w^hen t h e i n c l u s i o n o f t h e r o l e is n o t a c o m p l e t e ce r ta in ty . S t u d e n t s p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n a game e x p e r i e n c e t h a t u t i l i z e s t h e t r a i t o r m e c h a n i c d r a w f r o m a n d s t r e n g t h e n persuas ive a n d e v a l u a t i v e l a n ­guage s k i l l s as w e l l as d e v e l o p m o r e s o p h i s t i c a t e d soc ia l s k i l l s .

Victory points. A n i n c l u s i v e s c o r i n g m e c h a n i c u s e d i n m a n y designer games to t r a c k each player ' s progress over the course o f the game. B y ass igning p o i n t values to d i f f e r e n t aspects o f the game a n d i n d i c a t i n g v i c t o r y c o n d i t i o n s , designers a l l o w a l l o f the p layers to stay i n v o l v e d u n t i l t h e end-game c o n d i t i o n s are m e t . Games u t i l i z i n g v i c t o r y p o i n t s are a w i s e cho ice f r o m a c lassroom m a n a g e m e n t perspec t ive , as the w h o l e g r o u p w i l l f i n i s h the l e a r n i n g exper ience at t h e same t i m e .

W o r k e r placement . A game m e c h a n i c i n w h i c h p layers have a set n u m b e r o f p a w n s to p lace each t u r n . T h e p l a c e m e n t o f a p a w n , or w o r k e r , u s u a l l y p r o v i d e s access to a n a c t i o n or resource necessary for the p r o g r e s s i o n o f the game. W h e n w e l l e x e c u t e d as a game m e c h a n i c , p layers s h o u l d n o t have e n o u g h p a w n s ava i lab le to a l l o w access to every d e s i r e d a c t i o n each t u r n . T h i s scarc i ty h e l p s s tudents ref lect o n t h e i r needs a n d goals , t e a c h i n g t h e m h o w to p r i o r i t i z e a n d focus o n e f f i c iency .

List of Game Download this list from the Web: www.i

Agricola P u b l i s h e d b y : Z - M a n Games, I n c . D e s i g n e d b y : U w e Rosenberg Year p u b l i s h e d : 2007 N u m b e r o f p l a y e r s : 1-5 Grade leve ls : M i d d l e a n d h i g h

s c h o o l

Amun-Re P u b l i s h e d b y : R i o G r a n d e Games

a n d H a n s i m G l i i c k D e s i g n e d b y : Re iner K n i z i a Year p u b l i s h e d : 2003 N u m b e r o f p l a y e r s : 3 -5 Grade leve ls : M i d d l e a n d h i g h

s c h o o l

Android P u b l i s h e d b y : Fantasy F l i g h t Games Des igned b y : D a n i e l C l a r k a n d

K e v i n W i l s o n Year p u b l i s h e d : 2008 N u m b e r o f p l a y e r s : 3 -5 Grade l e v e l : H i g h s c h o o l

Antike P u b l i s h e d b y : R i o G r a n d e Games

a n d Eggertspie le Des igned b y : M a c Gerdts Year p u b l i s h e d : 2005