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Welcome to Strategy Games!Kathleen Mercury

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

+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.

+Luck vs. 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

Luck Strategy

+Candyland

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

+Gamers Are Funny

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Ideal Characteristics ofa Strategy GameIdeal Characteristics ofa Strategy Game

FUN

InteractiveCompetitive

Cool Idea

Product matches expectations

Creative

Frustrating

Purpose

Anything Else?

+Strategy Games

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+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!

+Components of a Strategy Game

Ideas Theme Objectives Mechanics End Game

& Victory Conditions

Tangibles Rules Board Bits

A specific subject or scenario world is created in which to immerse players.

All elements of the game should reflect the theme.

Theme

+ ObjectivesStated 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.

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.

Mechanics

+ RulesSuccessful 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.

+End Game & Victory Conditions

The event that triggers the end of the game.

The method of determining the game winner.

End Game Conditions Victory Conditions

+Game Designer Roles

Game Player

Motivator

Graphic Designer

Writer

Engineer

Salesman

Public Relations

*Negotiator

+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

+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

+ The End ResultYou 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