Greetings,
I am looking for the characteristics that make up the "perfect board game ". Looking for text book answers, outside the box answers, anything that anyone can come up with to define what they think the "perfect board game" is. Simplicity, design, whatever...The more characteristics the better. Thanks in advance for the answers.
Tj
Its a difficult question to answer and I'm sure opinions will vary. I find this classic article by Wolfgang Kramer helpful:
Why do you want to know this? Is your idea to take the answers and try to come up with a board game that fits? You'll get a bunch of different answers and trying to fit all those into a single board game isn't going to work. People like different board games for different reasons. A board game that tries to fill too many niches ends up being a hodge-podge game that makes no sense.
I think you'll be better off coming up with something on your own and asking for help with specific mechanics or other ideas. Also, have you tried using Google? I typed in "what's the perfect board-game" and Settlers of Catan popped up. This is a GREAT game...is it perfect? I don't know...I know I like it, but I'm going to play other games, too (precisely because they're different...they offer different mechanics and play styles.) How 'bout Dominion? I love that game! It's all cards, though. But it's different from Catan and that's why I'll play it, too. Two great games for different reasons.
So if my answer to you was:
You've gotta have resources to trade and manage.
You've gotta have a bunch of cards with different creatures, spells, and abilities.
You've gotta have dice so that it feels random and there's replayability.
You've gotta have a board that changes each time you play the game.
You've gotta make it so that the decks you build have enough variety so that there are different strategies each game depending on the cards available to you.
Are you saying that's what you're looking for? I simply combined aspects of only two games that I like. What would you do if everybody on this board gave you answers like this and you ended up with a list of 1,000 things? Seems to me you could make a list of the aspects of the games you like just as easily and pick from that list.
I'm sorry if this wasn't helpful, but I hope it gives you something to think about.
Good luck,
-CB-
www.thegamesjournal.com/articles/WhatMakesaGame.shtml
I just read this article and it's wonderful! Thanks for posting it!
-CB-
The perfect game is
Co-operative
Quick to learn
Easy to play
Light and silly
Good with a large group
Deep and complex
Takes years to master
Best with 2 players
Highly random
Lasts all night
Competitive
Thought provoking
For young children
Getting the point yet? It’s how you put elements together that make a game good to a specific audience. There is no perfect game that everyone will like.
Co-operative
Quick to learn
Easy to play
Light and silly
Good with a large group
Deep and complex
Takes years to master
Best with 2 players
Highly random
Lasts all night
Competitive
Thought provoking
For young children
On an unrelated note, this month's GDS is to design a game with a theme that is light and silly, suitable for young children while also being thought provoking for adults. It must be good with a large group but best with 2 players. The game must be quick to learn and easy to play, while also being deep and complex and takes years to master. The interactions must be co-operative while also including competitive elements, and the results must be highly random. Bonus points are awarded for a game that lasts all night.
You have until tomorrow afternoon to get your production-quality prototype finished. Go!
Regards,
kos
Co-operative
Quick to learn
Easy to play
Light and silly
Good with a large group
Deep and complex
Takes years to master
Best with 2 players
Highly random
Lasts all night
Competitive
Thought provoking
For young children
On an unrelated note, this month's GDS is to design a game with a theme that is light and silly, suitable for young children while also being thought provoking for adults. It must be good with a large group but best with 2 players. The game must be quick to learn and easy to play, while also being deep and complex and takes years to master. The interactions must be co-operative while also including competitive elements, and the results must be highly random. Bonus points are awarded for a game that lasts all night.
You have until tomorrow afternoon to get your production-quality prototype finished. Go!
Regards,
kos
It's coming out soon - it's called Orbit!
www.fortytwogames.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7UC1-V05Wk
I kid, I kid - though it does nearly qualify for all of those things (its not really BEST for two players, but works well with two players).
To answer the Original question. The best board game is the one that keeps all players in flow the longest. Though that's a bit like the answer "42" for "what is the meaning of life," I'm afraid.
The perfect game is one where each player has fun and is enjoying themselves from the beginning of the game until the end.
On my point of view, perfect game does not exists because imperfection is required to make a good game.
Second, in board games, audiance really have different taste, a very good game for a certain group of people can be a disaster with another group.
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Thank you for all of your input. I am really looking for adjectives (characteristics) that describe what any given person at any given time thinks makes up the perfect game. There is no right or wrong answer...it really is just a simple question not to be read too much into. Obviously, A game cannot be "perfect" if it is not sell-able...a game cannot be "perfect" if it is not fun...etc...Dralius, thank you for your input...