At the heart of any cooperative tabletop game is its challenge system. In the absence of a human opponent, players expect the game to offer a challenge appropriate to their skill level. Challenge
Players want two contradictory things in games: to feel in control of the outcome and to be surprised by it. Surprise normally contradicts agency because players feel helpless to predict the future, but
In lock-and-key puzzles, it is generally better to show the lock before the key. But what happens when that key is an ability? Unlike a key item, which can be consumed
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
How much should a player do in one turn? Short turns may feel empty, while long turns create downtime for others. Ideally, turns should be atomic and meaningful. The key is to create