Ananda Guneratne

First-Strike Attacks Need No Additional Reward

The main feature that separates combat mechanics from most other mechanics is the focus on degrading your opponent's abilities. Attacking another player generally weakens them, so the first player to attack

Static Boards Are Better for Early Prototypes

One way that tabletop games create replayability for players is through modular boards. Catan is the classic example: by shuffling the positions of the terrain hexes and the productivity tokens on them, each

Relative Time Pressure Makes Negotiation Games Fairer

Despite the advantages of passive trade mechanics, active negotiation can be fun, especially when it is the centerpiece of the game. The biggest drawback is that negotiations slow down gameplay. Players want the