How to Escalate Tug-of-War Games
Players need to feel that a game is moving towards a resolution. Framing your victory condition as a tug-of-war undermines this because one player's progress erases the other'
Applying Sanderson's Laws to Board Game Design
Brandon Sanderson, an author famous for his magic systems, came up with three laws for writing a magic system. They are, in order:
1. Your ability to solve problems with magic is proportional
How Mage Wars Solves the Tutoring Problem
One of the most disruptive common mechanics in card-based games is "tutoring": searching a deck or discard pile for a card to add to your hand. Tutoring interrupts the flow
The Best Game Discussions Are Built on Positive Claims
Table talk does not always improve a party game. Meaningful discussion requires players to make claims supported by evidence. As any improv performer can tell you, when the only response is "no&
Nertz Understands the Ergonomics of Real-Time Card Play
Playing cards present challenges for real-time gameplay. They take time to parse, can be difficult to pick up from the table, and are impractical to shuffle under time constraints. The game Nertz