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Players can impact random events in meaningful ways
In board game design, few moments are as thrilling—or as frustrating—as the roll of the dice or the draw of a card. Random events are a pillar of game design, introducing unpredictability makes a game replayable. Yet, when pure luck dictates the outcome without any player input, the experience can feel hollow and even unfair.…
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Turns increase in impact as the game progresses
With this lens, we are considering how turns in a game increase in impact and importance as the game progresses. Often, this culminates in big and exciting turns to end the game. Not all games have this; some go at an even level the whole way through. Others grow and almost spiral towards being too…
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The game ends, leaving players wanting more
As a game designer, I can’t imagine wanting anything more than to create a game that leaves players wanting more. This is obviously a reflection of a positive player experience. But we all know there are plenty of games we never want to play again or that we just kind of feel meh about. I…
