Personal Progression Undermines Team Cooperation
Some of the best experiences in games come from teams. They create feelings of camaraderie and shared purpose that can't be achieved any other way. The best team games keep everyone
Ananda Guneratne
Players Take on More Risk When Relief Is Automatic
In Heat: Pedal to the Metal, players race their cards around a racetrack by playing cards and shifting gears. Throughout the race, they have opportunities to add heat cards from their engine to
How to Use Playtester Mistakes to Improve Your Game Design
Recently, I have adopted a new tactic for playtesting. I explain the rules of the game to my playtesters, and then tell them that I am going to roleplay as a rulebook. I
Without Repetition, Autobattlers Are Just Theorycrafting
Feedback is essential when learning games. But choices made in autobattler games occur outside the battle itself, delaying feedback and hiding which choices led to success or failure. Autobattler feedback becomes comprehensible only
Reusable Defenses Favor the Winner
In any multiplayer game with strong interaction, players will naturally tend to team up against whoever is winning. Such games commonly provide ways to defend against attacks from other players, softening or negating