Making Non-Combat Builds Viable
What do you do when you want to add a non-combat character to a game with heavy combat? We often design combat systems assuming everyone can deal damage. Otherwise, how can they
Ananda Guneratne
Creating Positional Heuristics Through Limits
Players develop two types of heuristics: positional and directional heuristics. Positional heuristics tell them how well they are doing, and directional heuristics tell them what to do next. You need to give players
The Intentionality Problem
Back in 2011, I became obsessed with the video game Achron, which was then unreleased. It billed itself as the "World's First Meta-Time Strategy Game." What made Achron
Expansions Dilute Base Game Content
One of Carcassonne's greatest strengths is its rich array of expansions. Expansions range from the push-your-luck shepherd to the dragon's take-that antics. It is tempting to
How To Prevent Trade Goods Laundering
Some players refuse to trade because they fear giving their opponent an advantage. If your game revolves around trade, this is a problem. One of the simplest solutions is to give them resources