Welcome to Strategy Games!

1. Welcome to Strategy Games! Kathleen Mercury

2. Some call them eurogames, some say designer games, but we’re going to just call them strategy games.

3. Games are Fun! • Games have provided humans the opportunity to engage in mental challenges, social interaction, recreation, and competition for thousands of years. • Many new games are introduced each year, but few are successful enough to merit production in subsequent years. • You, however, will create a classic bound to be played for all eternity.

4. Luck vs. Strategy Luck Strategy • Linear Path to victory • Few decisions • Few pros vs. cons • Unequal knowledge • No reason to plan strategy • Similar experience • Multiple paths to victory • Many decisions • Many pros vs. cons • Equal knowledge • Can play strategy that takes many turns • Different experience every game

5. Candyland http://www.lscheffer.com/CandyLand.htm

6. Gamers Are Funny www.boardgamegeek.com

7. Ideal Characteristics ofa Strategy Game Product matches expectations Purpose FUN Interactive Creative Competitive Frustrating Cool Idea Anything Else?

8. Strategy Games www.boardgamegeek.com

9. Characteristics of Strategy Games • Emphasis is on player decision-making, not luck • Inventive mechanics (what players do) • Allow for multiple strategies to win • Board and bits use symbols, not words, to create language independence • A “clock”: A specific time-keeping device designed to keep the game length consistent between plays • Examples include a set number of rounds, cards, when a particular resource runs out, or some other configuration • No more endless games!

10. Components of a Strategy Game • Ideas • Theme • Objectives • Mechanics • End Game & Victory Conditions • Tangibles • Rules • Board • Bits

11. Theme A specific subject or scenario world is created in which to immerse players. All elements of the game should reflect the theme.

12. Objectives Stated goals players must achieve by the end of the game to win. More complex games give players many different ways to achieve their objectives, but they are harder to create.

13. Mechanics The specific physical actions players must undertake to win. In the case of Ticket to Ride, the mechanics are Card Drafting, Hand Management, Route/Network Building, and Set Collection.

14. Rules Successful rules clearly and concisely communicate to players what they need to know and what they need to do in order for them to play the game as you intend for it be played. In other words, you want to create an experience for players; the rules are the only way for players to achieve that experience.

15. End Game & Victory Conditions End Game Conditions Victory Conditions • The event that triggers the end of the game. • The method of determining the game winner.

16. Game Designer Roles • Game Player • Motivator • Graphic Designer • Writer • Engineer • Salesman • Public Relations • *Negotiator

17. Game Designer Skills • Communication • Written, verbal, visual, aural, persuasive • Observation and listening • Playtesting • Creative Thinking • Resourcefulness • Innovation • Analytical Thinking • Attention to detail • Troubleshooting • Teamwork & Independence

19. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO • Roll and Move • (or similar luck-based movement) • Killing or non-school appropriate weapons • War themes • Sports themes • Player elimination

20. The End Result You will have created a complete physical prototype that is a testament to your ideas and execution. It is a real product that others will be really interested in. http://boardgamegeek.com/article/5977099