Difference between revisions of "Game Boards"

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[[Category:Mechanical Patterns]]
 
[[Category:Mechanical Patterns]]
 
[[Category:Interface Patterns]]
 
[[Category:Interface Patterns]]
[[Category:Needs work]]
 
 
[[Category:Needs revision]]
 
[[Category:Needs revision]]
[[Category:Needs examples]]
 
 
[[Category:Needs references]]
 
[[Category:Needs references]]
 
[[Category:Patterns created on the Wiki]]
 
[[Category:Patterns created on the Wiki]]
[[Category:Stub]]
 
 
[[Category:To be Published]]
 
[[Category:To be Published]]
[[Category:Staffan's current workpage]]
 
 
''A surface designed to support gameplay.''
 
''A surface designed to support gameplay.''
  
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=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
[[Game Boards]] are the defining characteristic of [[:Category:Board Games|Board Games]]. Besides classical examples such as [[Chess]], [[Diplomacy]], [[Go]], [[Monopoly]], and [[Pachisi]], there are many examples including [[7 Wonders]], [[Advanced Squad Leader]], [[Agricola]], [[Car Wars]], [[Concordia]], [[Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game]]
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[[Game Boards]] are the defining characteristic of [[:Category:Board Games|Board Games]]. Besides classical examples such as [[Chess]], [[Diplomacy]], [[Go]], [[Monopoly]], and [[Pachisi]], there are many examples including [[7 Wonders]], [[Advanced Squad Leader]], [[Agricola]], [[Car Wars]], [[Concordia]], [[Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game]], [[Egizia]], [[Forbidden Island]], [[King of Tokyo]], [[Memoir '44]], and [[Twilight Struggle]].  
[[Egizia]], [[Forbidden Island]], [[King of Tokyo]], [[Memoir '44]], and [[Twilight Struggle]].  
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For a detailed discussion of [[:Category:Board Games|Board Games]] and [[Game Boards]], see Parlett<ref name="parlett"/>.
 
For a detailed discussion of [[:Category:Board Games|Board Games]] and [[Game Boards]], see Parlett<ref name="parlett"/>.
  
 
== Using the pattern ==
 
== Using the pattern ==
The design of [[Game Boards]] consists of the actual design of the board and what game elements, e.g. [[Cards]], [[Dice]], and [[Tokens]], should be used in conjunction with them.  
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The design of [[Game Boards]] consists of the actual design of the board and what game elements, e.g. [[Cards]], [[Dice]], and [[Tokens]], should be used in conjunction with them. Designing [[Game Boards]] can mostly be treated as designing [[Levels]] although this becomes most clear when a game uses several different [[Game Boards]] during one game instance. [[Tiles]] can also be used, and are most likely used more often.
 
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Designing [[Game Boards]] can mostly be treated as designing [[Levels]] although this becomes most clear when a game uses several different [[Game Boards]] during one game instance  
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Examples of design elements that can be used to populate [[Game Boards]] are numerous. [[Alarms]], [[Controllers]], [[Boss Monsters]], [[Enemies]],  [[Environmental Effects]], [[Game Items]], [[Helpers]], [[Installations]], [[Landmarks]], [[Obstacles]], [[Pick-Ups]], [[Props]], [[Resource Generators]], [[Self-Service Kiosks]], [[Spawn Points]], [[Switches]], [[Vehicles]], and [[Warp Zones]] are all examples of specific items and things that can be placed on [[Game Boards]]. In addition, [[Big Dumb Objects]], [[Clues]], [[Diegetically Outstanding Features]], and [[Traces]] can be used to provide information to players about the boards. [[Game Boards]] can further be subdivided into various regions with specific characteristics through the use of the previously mentioned patterns as well as how various parts of them are interconnected. Examples of such regions include [[Arenas]], [[Backtracking Levels]], [[Choke Points]], [[Flanking Routes]], [[Galleries]], [[Inaccessible Areas]], [[Safe Havens]], [[Secret Areas]], [[Sniper Locations]], [[Strongholds]], [[Transport Routes]], and [[Vehicle Sections]]. Many of these become [[Strategic Locations]].
  
 
If a [[Game Boards|Game Board]] isn't a [[Score Tracks|Score Track]] in itself it can be augmented with one.  
 
If a [[Game Boards|Game Board]] isn't a [[Score Tracks|Score Track]] in itself it can be augmented with one.  
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== Relations ==
 
== Relations ==
Alarms, Props, Big Dumb Objects, Boss Monsters, Controllers, Clues, Enemies, Environmental Effects, Game Items, Helpers, Installations, Landmarks, Obstacles, Pick-Ups, Resource Generators, Self-Service Kiosks, Switches, and Traces are all common. These, and the spatial relationships between them, can be used to subdivide the Levels into areas with distinctively different gameplay, including Arenas, Choke Points, Flanking Routes, Galleries, Safe Havens, Secret Areas, Sniper Locations, Strongholds, and Transport Routes. Of course, they may also make them into Inaccessible Areas. Designing parts of Levels to be traversed mainly by Vehicles can make them into Vehicle Sections.
 
 
Many of these are inherently Strategic Locations
 
 
[[Safe Havens]]
 
[[Strategic Locations]]
 
 
Spawn Points in Safe Havens. Warp Zones can be created both as abstract entities or Installations, and can be used to either connect together different parts of the Level or provide the means to move to other Levels. Diegetically Outstanding Features
 
 
Backtracking Levels, Finale Levels,
 
 
[[Tiles]]
 
  
 
=== Can Instantiate ===
 
=== Can Instantiate ===
 
[[Game Worlds]],  
 
[[Game Worlds]],  
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[[Inaccessible Areas]],
 
[[Levels]],  
 
[[Levels]],  
 
[[Maps]],  
 
[[Maps]],  
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=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
 
=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
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[[Tiles]]
  
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
[[Score Tracks]]
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[[Arenas]],
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[[Alarms]],
 +
[[Backtracking Levels]],
 +
[[Big Dumb Objects]],
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[[Boss Monsters]],
 +
[[Choke Points]],
 +
[[Controllers]],
 +
[[Clues]],
 +
[[Diegetically Outstanding Features]],
 +
[[Enemies]],
 +
[[Environmental Effects]],
 +
[[Flanking Routes]],
 +
[[Galleries]],
 +
[[Game Items]],
 +
[[Helpers]],
 +
[[Inaccessible Areas]],
 +
[[Installations]],
 +
[[Landmarks]],
 +
[[Obstacles]],
 +
[[Pick-Ups]],
 +
[[Props]],
 +
[[Resource Generators]],
 +
[[Safe Havens]],
 +
[[Score Tracks]],
 +
[[Secret Areas]],
 +
[[Self-Service Kiosks]],
 +
[[Sniper Locations]],
 +
[[Spawn Points]],
 +
[[Strategic Locations]],
 +
[[Strongholds]],
 +
[[Switches]],
 +
[[Traces]],
 +
[[Transport Routes]],
 +
[[Vehicles]],
 +
[[Vehicle Sections]],
 +
[[Warp Zones]],
  
 
=== Possible Closure Effects ===
 
=== Possible Closure Effects ===

Latest revision as of 16:02, 23 July 2016

A surface designed to support gameplay.

Many games require that game elements are moved between places or that their spatial relation to each other are part of the game state. Yet others have many game components that need to be organized to make gameplay feasible. Designed boards, Game Boards, can help with all these issues.

Examples

Game Boards are the defining characteristic of Board Games. Besides classical examples such as Chess, Diplomacy, Go, Monopoly, and Pachisi, there are many examples including 7 Wonders, Advanced Squad Leader, Agricola, Car Wars, Concordia, Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game, Egizia, Forbidden Island, King of Tokyo, Memoir '44, and Twilight Struggle.

For a detailed discussion of Board Games and Game Boards, see Parlett[1].

Using the pattern

The design of Game Boards consists of the actual design of the board and what game elements, e.g. Cards, Dice, and Tokens, should be used in conjunction with them. Designing Game Boards can mostly be treated as designing Levels although this becomes most clear when a game uses several different Game Boards during one game instance. Tiles can also be used, and are most likely used more often.

Examples of design elements that can be used to populate Game Boards are numerous. Alarms, Controllers, Boss Monsters, Enemies, Environmental Effects, Game Items, Helpers, Installations, Landmarks, Obstacles, Pick-Ups, Props, Resource Generators, Self-Service Kiosks, Spawn Points, Switches, Vehicles, and Warp Zones are all examples of specific items and things that can be placed on Game Boards. In addition, Big Dumb Objects, Clues, Diegetically Outstanding Features, and Traces can be used to provide information to players about the boards. Game Boards can further be subdivided into various regions with specific characteristics through the use of the previously mentioned patterns as well as how various parts of them are interconnected. Examples of such regions include Arenas, Backtracking Levels, Choke Points, Flanking Routes, Galleries, Inaccessible Areas, Safe Havens, Secret Areas, Sniper Locations, Strongholds, Transport Routes, and Vehicle Sections. Many of these become Strategic Locations.

If a Game Board isn't a Score Track in itself it can be augmented with one.

Interface Aspects

Game Boards is an Interface Pattern.

Consequences

Game Boards are often Maps and in that sense can depict Game Worlds. When they are used to keep track of how players move Tokens from one place to another to win, they also work as Score Tracks. When they are used with Dice or Tokens, the latter becomes Non-Diegetic Features in the Game Worlds.

When they are physical game components (as opposed to representations on a computer screen), Game Boards work against Ubiquitous Gameplay since players need to be near them to use them.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Game Worlds, Inaccessible Areas, Levels, Maps, Score Tracks

with Dice or Tokens

Non-Diegetic Features

Can Modulate

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Can Be Instantiated By

Tiles

Can Be Modulated By

Arenas, Alarms, Backtracking Levels, Big Dumb Objects, Boss Monsters, Choke Points, Controllers, Clues, Diegetically Outstanding Features, Enemies, Environmental Effects, Flanking Routes, Galleries, Game Items, Helpers, Inaccessible Areas, Installations, Landmarks, Obstacles, Pick-Ups, Props, Resource Generators, Safe Havens, Score Tracks, Secret Areas, Self-Service Kiosks, Sniper Locations, Spawn Points, Strategic Locations, Strongholds, Switches, Traces, Transport Routes, Vehicles, Vehicle Sections, Warp Zones,

Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

Ubiquitous Gameplay

History

New pattern created in this wiki.

References

  1. Parlett, D. 1999. The Oxford History of Board Games. Oxford University Press.

Acknowledgements

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