In writing, we know that audiences prefer proactive characters to reactive ones. Likewise, in game design, we want to frame players in a proactive rather than a reactive role. Practically, this means they
Restricting players to one move per turn has many advantages in turn-based board games. It simplifies turns, prevents leaders from running away from the game, and makes future actions more predictable. The key
The classic social deduction setup pits an informed “evil” minority against an uninformed “good” majority, challenging the good players to find the truth. Because they are at an information disadvantage, telling the truth
Every game is composed of multiple smaller subgames. The quality of their connections determines how unified the game feels. When connections are loose, as in "chessboxing", players easily perceive the individual
Auction mechanics risk degenerate gameplay when the item bid on is so valuable that players are forced to bid it up. Generally, you want situations where players are comfortable losing an auction. One