tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21988030.post3653037661231359997..comments2024-02-19T06:21:58.706+00:00Comments on Board Games - Creation And Play: Which Came First? The Mechanics or the Theme?Jackson Popehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12685562784078130612noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21988030.post-45810603600888658792011-12-13T11:01:57.854+00:002011-12-13T11:01:57.854+00:00Hiya Mal,
I'm also unaware of a game with the...Hiya Mal,<br /><br />I'm also unaware of a game with the same theme. I think I've mentioned it in the past (probably using a codename to avoid giving too much away), but I could never get it to a workable stage.<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />JackJackson Popehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12685562784078130612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21988030.post-25420947880693820562011-12-12T22:23:29.754+00:002011-12-12T22:23:29.754+00:00That flotsam theme sounds MINT! Totally original. ...That flotsam theme sounds MINT! Totally original. (To my limited knowledge, at least.) How come you never mentioned it before?Malhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15745303146740798489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21988030.post-683918222870547962011-12-10T08:38:17.138+00:002011-12-10T08:38:17.138+00:00Hiya Dave,
It sounds like your method is very sim...Hiya Dave,<br /><br />It sounds like your method is very similar to mine, mechanics first, let the broader theme steer and inform rather than drive.<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />Jack.<br /><br />P.S. Adding your blog to my roll...Jackson Popehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12685562784078130612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21988030.post-86242958955466004842011-12-07T21:13:11.261+00:002011-12-07T21:13:11.261+00:00I personally have to start with a mechanic or it g...I personally have to start with a mechanic or it goes nowhere. I might have some idea I want it to be about Monkey racing or something, but until I have an actual mechanism I can play with, I essentially have nothing. <br /><br />Once I have a mechanic (or two, or three) that I can mess with / try out, I try to get a rough theme going as soon as possible. That way I can let the theme inform some of the mechanical decisions. But if I let the theme drive things too much, often the game itself isn't very interesting. Thematic, yes, but flat. So it takes a bit of back and forth. <br /><br />If you're interested, you can check out my blog, <a href="http://boardgameforge.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow">playing and designing board games</a>.Davehttp://boardgameforge.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21988030.post-89747330097660555022011-12-06T17:01:44.470+00:002011-12-06T17:01:44.470+00:00Hiya Eric,
Yes, it's definitely a sliding sc...Hiya Eric, <br /><br />Yes, it's definitely a sliding scale from start with a completely abstract game and then theme it at the end, to start with a very focussed theme and try to create a game for it. I think we might both be somewhere near the middle!<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />JackJackson Popehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12685562784078130612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21988030.post-67235452258387148062011-12-06T13:41:48.157+00:002011-12-06T13:41:48.157+00:00Well, maybe we are talking about the same thing ju...Well, maybe we are talking about the same thing just from two different perspectives. I will try to think about it and be more aware of the more subtle details when I start to scribble down my next idea.<br /><br />I might re-post this discussion on my blog and elaborate some more there.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10081002700176970080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21988030.post-19876605303002893162011-12-06T08:20:08.584+00:002011-12-06T08:20:08.584+00:00Hiya Eric,
When I say mechanics first, I have a r...Hiya Eric,<br /><br />When I say mechanics first, I have a rough idea of a theme in mind, though that theme can be tweaked (e.g. from fantasy to historical) as things go on. Those games where I've thought of the theme first I've come up with a very specific theme (e.g. kids collecting flotsam on a beach as the tide comes in/goes out) and then tried to make a game around that. Those haven't worked out so well for me.<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />JackJackson Popehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12685562784078130612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21988030.post-4615401235270995922011-12-05T21:39:48.214+00:002011-12-05T21:39:48.214+00:00I do agree that a balanced approach is the best wa...I do agree that a balanced approach is the best way.<br /><br />When I say theme, I am almost always talking about something fairly broad. Space Exploration, Dungeon Building, Grave Diggers, etc. But as I work on the idea I start integrating the world/story into the game. Its almost always impossible to change the theme once I am done.<br /><br />My current project is based on something that existed a long time ago (a old computer game called Taipan). While it would not be overly difficult to change the world setting, the theme of "Merchant Trading" is so interwoven with the game, it would be impossible to change at this point.<br /><br />For Example: Right now the game is early 1800's ship captains trading goods in the Far East. I am thinking about changing the game to be set in more of a Steam Punk kind of world setting, but it will still be the same basic game with some changes to the names of things in the game and back story.<br /><br />I couldn't make the players Sky Captains since that would change a lot of the traditional water based ship type mechanics. In that example, flying would allow players to move place on the map that would brake some of the balance of where cities are positioned.<br /><br />Ok, I feel like I am rambling.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10081002700176970080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21988030.post-4798876538189837592011-12-05T13:19:59.715+00:002011-12-05T13:19:59.715+00:00Hiya Josh,
You're welcome! As for what I choo...Hiya Josh,<br /><br />You're welcome! As for what I choose to blog about, no real method, whatever I've been thinking about over the last few days usual comes out here!<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />JackJackson Popehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12685562784078130612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21988030.post-37359581503079664452011-12-05T13:11:08.295+00:002011-12-05T13:11:08.295+00:00Thanks for posting your blog, Im looking forward f...Thanks for posting your blog, Im looking forward forward to reading it :)<br /><br />I was wondering jack, do you have a specific method of choosing what to post about on your blog? Maybe you could write about it lol!Josh Salskehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275877931945599905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21988030.post-42096111344890297562011-12-05T12:39:44.243+00:002011-12-05T12:39:44.243+00:00Hiya Eric & Josh,
Eric, I can see you're ...Hiya Eric & Josh,<br /><br />Eric, I can see you're point about mechanics-first leading to Euro-style pasted on themes, but I tend to think mechanics-first with a rough theme in mind like Josh said, then let the two grow together. On the occasions where I significantly change the theme later it's often a chunk of work to choose a theme that fits, or tweak the mechanics or the game until they mesh together.<br /><br /><br />And as you mentioning your blog Eric, no problem at all - I'm adding it to my blog roll any second!<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />JackJackson Popehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12685562784078130612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21988030.post-34834532828731153242011-12-05T03:54:20.336+00:002011-12-05T03:54:20.336+00:00I hope Jack doesn't mind me giving that info o...I hope Jack doesn't mind me giving that info on his blog. My blog is: http://warprime.blogspot.com/<br /><br />I started it to document my design process and as a way to try to stay focused. I am very easily distracted by the ideas that pop into my head, so I am off to a new idea before the current one has even got a chance to get started.<br /><br />The great thing about having a hyperactive creative mind is that I am never short of ideas. The down side is that I am frequently derailed by wanting to explore a new idea. Also, I don't have enough time in my lifetime to realize even a tenth of them.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10081002700176970080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21988030.post-18694489649126596192011-12-05T02:53:49.227+00:002011-12-05T02:53:49.227+00:00What's your blog Eric? I just started my own, ...What's your blog Eric? I just started my own, so I'm always on the look out for more blogs to read!<br /><br />I personally find mechanic first easier, with a rough idea or a theme in mind (eg space exploration). That way the design of the mechanic influences the theme but the theme still has an impact, if that makes sense.Josh Salskehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275877931945599905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21988030.post-4896060857411826572011-12-05T02:22:51.498+00:002011-12-05T02:22:51.498+00:00I briefly touched on this same topic in my blog la...I briefly touched on this same topic in my blog last month. I am almost exclusively a Theme Designer. Every once in a while I will come up with a mechanic first, but in almost all instances I have struggled to figure out what to do with it once I have an interesting mechanic.<br /><br />That being said, I am still a novice when it comes to board game design and still haven't finished a single project. I have about 8 games in various stages of development.<br /><br />I find that games that have their foundation based solely on mechanics tend to feel a bit generic. They could be about almost anything, just switch the art and story setting around and it's an all new game. I feel like a lot of Euro games can be this way. They are always mechanically sound, but are inherently uninteresting past the initial exploration of the mechanics.<br /><br />I wish I had a stronger math background to make my mechanics better. But I feel (and this is just my opinion) that games that have a theme interwoven with mechanics make for a more compelling game. <br /><br />Or, maybe I just feel this way because I am not a mechanical designer. =)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10081002700176970080noreply@blogger.com