An Experiential Comparative Tool for Board Games
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18778/2391-8551.03.01Keywords:
board games, analysis, comparison, player experience, typologyAbstract
In the field of game studies, contemporary board games have until now remained relatively unexplored. The recent years have allowed us to witness the emergence of the occasional academic texts focusing on board games – such as Eurogames (Woods, 2012), Characteristics of Games (Elias et al. 2013), and most recently Game Play: Paratextuality in Contemporary Board Games (Booth, 2015). The mentioned authors all explore board games from diverse viewpoints but none of these authors present a viable and practical analytical tool to allow us to examine and differentiate one board game from another. In this vein, this paper seeks to present an analytical comparative tool intended specifically for board games. The tool builds upon previous works (Aarseth et al. 2003; Elias et al. 2012; and Woods 2012) to show how four categories – rules, luck, interaction and theme – can interact on different levels to generate diverse gameplay experiences. Such a tool allows to score games objectively and separately in each of the categories to create a combined gameplay experience profile for each board game. Following this, the paper proceeds to present numerous practical examples of contemporary board games and how it can be used from a design perspective and an analytical perspective alike.
References
Aarseth, E., Smedstad, S., & Sunnana, L. (2003). A Multi-Dimensional Typology of Games. Utrecht: DiGRA.
Boardgamegeek.com. (2015). BoardGameGeek | Gaming Unplugged Since 2000. Retrieved 1 July 2015, from http://www.boardgamegeek.com
Booth, P. (2015). Game Play: Paratextuality in Contemporary Board Games. New York: Bloomsbury.
Caillois, R. (1961). Man, Play and Games. Urbana and Chicago: Univeristy of Illinois Press.
Calleja, G. (2011). In-Game. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/8429.001.0001
Costikyan, G. (2008). Uncertainty in Games. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
Costikyan, G., & Davidson, D. (2011). Tabletop. Pittsburgh, PA: ETC Press.
Elias, G., Garfield, R., & Gutschera, K. (2012). Characteristics of Games. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Elverdam, C., & Aarseth, E. (2007). Game Classification and Game Design: Construction Through Critical Analysis. Games and Culture, 2(1), 3–22. doi:10.1177/1555412006286892 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412006286892
Garfield, R. (2011). Luck in Games. Presentation, NYU Game Series.
Knizia, R. (1999). Dice Games Properly Explained. Tadworth, Surrey: Right Way.
Murray, J. H. (1998). Hamlet on the Holodeck: The Future of Narrative in Cyberspace. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Parlett, D. (1999). The Oxford History of Board Games. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Smith, Q., & Dean, P. (2011). It’s War: Player Interaction. Shut Up & Sit Down. Retrieved 1 July 2015, from http://www.shutupandsitdown.com/blog/post/its-warplayer-interaction/
Woods, S. (2012). Eurogames. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co.
Boelinger, Ch. (2012). Archipelago. [Board Game], Asmodee.
Borg, R. (2006). Commands and Colors: Ancients. [Board Game], GMT Games.
Calhamer, A. B. (1959). Diplomacy. [Board Game], Avalon Hill.
Chircop, D. & Massa, Y. (2015). …and then, we held hands. [Board Game], LudiCreations.
Chvátil, V. (2007). Galaxy Trucker. [Board Game], Czech Games Edition.
Chvátil, V. (2011). Mage Knight Board Game. [Board Game], WizKids Games.
Darrow, C., Maggie. (1935). Monopoly. [Board Game], Parker Brothers.
Dorn, R. (2014). Istanbul. [Board Game], Pegasus Spiele.
Eskridge, D. (2009). The Resistance. [Board Game], Indie Boards and Cards.
Feld, S. (2011). The Castles of Burgundy. [Board Game], Alea.
Hostettler, U. (1991). Tichu. [Board Game], ABACUSSPIELE.
Inman, M., Lee, E., & Small, Sh. (2015). Exploding Kittens. [Board Game], self-published.
Knizia, R. (1998). Through the Desert. [Board Game], Fantasy Flight Games.
Konieczka, C. (2008). Battlestar Galactica. [Board Game], Fantasy Flight Games.
Lacerda, V. (2012). CO2. [Board Game], Giochix.it.
Lambert, R., Rilstone, A., Wallis, J. (1993). Once Upon a Time: The Storytelling Card Game. [Board Game], Atlas Games.
Leacock, M. (2007). Pandemic. [Board Game], Z-Man Games.
Pratt, A. (1949). Clue. [Board Game], Leeds, Unknown.
Rosenberg, U. (2007). Agricola. [Board Game], Lookout Games.
Ross, S. (2010). Haggis. [Board Game], Indie Boards and Cards.
Roubira, J.-L. (2008). Dixit. [Board Game], Libellund.
Teuber, C. (1995). Die Siedler von Catan. [Board Game], KOSMOS.
Ushan, A. (2014). Spyfall. [Board Game], Cryptozoic Entertainment.
Wilson, K. (2005). Descent: Journeys in the Dark. [Board Game], Fantasy Flight Games.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
How to Cite
