Game Assumptions: A Technique for Coming Up with Game Ideas
In Rob Daviau's oft-circulated talk about how he created Risk: Legacy, he discusses his process of coming up with new ideas. He just lists the basic assumptions we have about tabletop games and examines how they might be subverted. I thought Twitter would be a great medium for this exercise. It kind of blew up!
#GameAssumptions Your pawns can only be moved by you.
— Daniel Solis (@DanielSolis) February 19, 2014
@DanielSolis You know which player you are. #GameAssumptions
— Rob Daviau, Gamer (@robdaviaugamer) February 19, 2014
@DanielSolis You draw from a draw pile and discard to a discard pile and not vice versa. #GameAssumptions
— Rob Daviau, Gamer (@robdaviaugamer) February 19, 2014
@DanielSolis Your pawns like you and do what you say. #GameAssumptions
— Rob Daviau, Gamer (@robdaviaugamer) February 19, 2014
#GameAssumptions Game mechanics do not respond to external stimuli. i.e. non-players, phone calls, crying children, ambient light, the news.
— Andrew Lenox (@andy_lenox) February 19, 2014
When a die is rolled, the only relevant data is on the top face. #GameAssumptions
— Michael Huven-Moore (@michaeldhm) February 19, 2014
(Check out PipPip)
#GameAssumptions infinite loops are undesirable in abstract strategy games.
— T. C. Petty III (@PuppyShogun) February 19, 2014
You have to sit still at the table or you're not paying attention to the game. #GameAssumptions
— Jess Banks (@ProfBanks) February 19, 2014
#GameAssumptions The cat is not part of the game.
— Kate Kirby (@uncanny_kate) February 19, 2014
#GameAssumptions players cannot leave in the middle of the game (unless they are out) @minipete
— Matthew O'Malley (@BlackOakGames) February 19, 2014
Cheating is undesirable #gameassumptions
— Sara Thacher (@thacher) February 19, 2014
Cheating is undesirable #gameassumptions
— Sara Thacher (@thacher) February 19, 2014
#GameAssumptions The deck can run out of cards.
— Daniel Solis (@DanielSolis) February 19, 2014
@DanielSolis @robdaviaugamer Players' assets and capabilities will tend to increase as the game goes on. #GameAssumptions
— Kevin Spak (@Captain_Spak) February 19, 2014
#GameAssumptions reading the rules will not change their contents. #quantumgaming
— The Author M (@TheAuthorM) February 19, 2014
#GameAssumptions All of the players engage in the same set of activities.
— Ryan Macklin (@RyanMacklin) February 19, 2014
#GameAssumptions That players will tell one another when it's their turn.
— Colin Conn (@BadmedosForge) February 19, 2014
#GameAssumptions More options are better than fewer.
— Logan Bonner (@loganbonner) February 19, 2014
Looking at your cards or pieces doesn't affect them. #GameAssumptions
— Isaac Karth (@isaackarth) February 19, 2014
#gameassumptions games need to be winable to be enjoyable.
— Tori Street (@toristreet) February 19, 2014
#GameAssumptions Teach any game to a 3 year old. You'll figure out a lot of the assumptions we always make about how to play games.
— Andrew Lenox (@andy_lenox) February 19, 2014
This is just a small sample of the cool ideas that got sparked yesterday. Also check out Ignacy Trzewiczek's blog post for games that already subvert some of these basic assumptions.
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