Glossary of Designer Board Game Terminology
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ay" and potential werewolves are "locked e extra roles can be excluded, depending i school district. That being said. Ultimate students in narrative by not only making 1 strong motivation to participate. Because 3ativity, character identification, and per- it is a perfect choice for classroom cre- tivities. Glossary of Designer Board Game Terminology Area control. A type of game mechanic in which players work toward controlling the most area i n a playing space. It is a mechanic often used as a criterion for end-game victory conditions or for earning rewards during play. The use of area control can be found across all styles and genres of games, from abstract games like go to more the- matic games like Richard Ulrich and Wolfgang Kramer's El Grande. As a learning experience, area control games provide students with the opportunity to think critically and be adaptive in developing and implementing strategies. Cooperative play. A mechanic for player interaction that rewards, and often requires, working together for there to be any chance at a suc- cessful game resolution. Many times, each player will have some unique characteristic he can contribute, making how and when each player helps part of the game's strategy. Cooperative games are espe- cially effective at building team skills and helping students see value in different opinions and approaches. i .. . .... Gateway game. A game that is often used to introduce those unfamiliar with designer games with the genre. They often play in under an hour and have very few rules, while offering a level of strategy and interaction beyond expectations. This results in an easily accessible and often surprising game play experience that piques new players' interests in other designer games. The most often cited examples are Klaus-Jiirgen Wrede's Carcassonne, Klaus Teuber's Settlers of Catan, and Alan R. Moon's Ticket to Ride. Imperfect information. An element of game design in which the other players' actions and other relevant details are not accessible or reli- able. Most games fall into this category, where players do not have
Transcript of Glossary of Designer Board Game Terminology
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:
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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 .
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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
