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Play Time

5 replies [Last post]
Mon, 04/01/2013 - 20:23
czman
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Joined: 03/26/2013

I have a question about game play time.

What do people think is a reasonable time frame for a cooperative board game? I think shooting for under 1.5 hours including setup and tear down is desired.

I understand that there is variation based on game play mechanics and group dynamics. I have no data on what is expected. Does anyone have any data, possible because you work in the industry and know things others don't, that would shed some light on where the sweet spots are for game time?

I would assume that the larger companies have done some studies on this and have at least attempted to find data about what "gamers" on average find to be a reasonable game time.

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Mon, 04/01/2013 - 21:58
#1
questccg
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Joined: 04/16/2011
For cooperative play

I have played a couple of co-op games and I think 1 hour to 1.5 hours is reasonable. If the game is well designed, for the most part players usually lose track of time... and the game plays out. Some co-op games are *treacherous* if they go over 30-45 minutes. What I mean by this is that the ODDS of winning as a team become much harder... That kind of game play is *stressing* and is also a desirable quality for a co-op game.

Also games that allow more than 4 players in co-op game are also desirable...

I was working on a *dungeon crawl* for 6 players... However I have taken some time away from it. But it is a co-op game... where players compete for treasures/rewards... My play time on that game was 1.5 - 2 hours. A little long... But hopefully as players get immersed in the game, they will play it to the end - victory or loss...

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Mon, 04/01/2013 - 22:15
#2
silasmolino
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Joined: 02/01/2013
My wife controls the time...

No more than 1 hour. play time

10 minutes to set up and another 10 down sounds reasonable.

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Tue, 04/02/2013 - 09:45
#3
czman
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Joined: 03/26/2013
Is there a reason that you

Is there a reason that you say no more than 1 hours or is it your wife's preference?

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Tue, 04/02/2013 - 11:37
#4
Dralius
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Joined: 07/26/2008
czman wrote:Is there a reason

czman wrote:
Is there a reason that you say no more than 1 hours or is it your wife's preference?

It is a matter of preference with one hour being a threshold for many people. Once you go past that you lose potential audience. The higher the fewer as they say.

For me I want a game that can be set up, taught, played, & put away in under 2 hours.

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Tue, 04/02/2013 - 12:21
#5
czman
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Joined: 03/26/2013
I am shooting for ~1:15 of

I am shooting for ~1:15 of game play and <15 for setup/put away.

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