Game Parts
What is the setting, story or idea behind the game that gives it its identity?
The theme
Remembering where cards are is what game mechanic?
Memory
What game makes you yell one word when you have one card left?
Uno
Is it okay to change your game rules after playtesting?
Yes!
A camper has a rule in their game where every time a player draws a card, everyone else has to switch seats. Would this be an easy rule to follow, or would this create chaos?
This rule would be VERY chaotic!
What are the physical pieces used to play the game, such as the board, cards, dice, pawns, money, or tokens?
The components
Rolling a die and moving spaces is what game mechanic?
Roll & Move
Which game lets you sink your opponent's ships?
Battleship
Why shouldn't one player become way stronger than everyone else?
Because the game becomes unfair or unbalanced.
What is one silly move you could add to a boring game to make it more fun and interesting?
Answers will vary, ideas include: dancing on your turn, saying 67 when you roll a 6, adding a card that lets you swap positions with another player.
What exactly explains how a player wins the game?
The winning condition.
What game mechanic happens when players work together to beat the game?
Collaboration
What game asks yes or no questions to identify a mystery person?
Guess Who
Name two things you should always have in a rulebook.
Answers may vary; possible answers include: goal, setup, components, rules, winning condition.
You have a card in your game called "Super Mega Awesome Winner Card." Whoever gets it wins the whole game immediately, but there are 20 of these cards. Is this a good idea, and why?
No, because this card wouldn't be fair, and the game would end really fast because there are so many of these cards!
A game has beautiful artwork, exciting pieces, and fun cards, but the players don't know what they are trying to accomplish. Which important game part is missing?
The goal/objective
A game asks players to collect five different coloured gems before anyone else. Which game mechanic is the main focus here?
Set collection.
Name 3 games that use cards as one of their main components.
Answers may vary. Examples are Uno, Go Fish, Monopoly Deal, Pokemon, Magic the Gathering, etc.
You playtest your game with three different groups. They all get confused at the same point in the rules. What should you do?
Rewrite or change the rules before changing the rest of the game. If many people are confused, the rules probably are not very clear!
A camper makes a rule that says, "every player skips every turn." What would happen to the game if you tried to play it?
The game would never happen! It would be impossible to play because no one would ever get a turn.
A camper creates a game with a board, cards, dice, pieces, a goal, and a winning condition. But the players are still confused on what to do. Which game part is missing, AND why is it important?
The rules! Rules are important because they explain how to play, what players can do, and how everything works.
A game asks players to search a castle for clues, eliminate suspects, and figure out who stole the treasure before anyone else. Which game mechanic is MOST important here?
Deduction
Which game uses these 4 components dice, cards, money, and a game board?
Monopoly
During playtesting, every player says the game is too easy because one special card lets players skip to the end and immediately win. What should the designer do?
Change the card to make it weaker, harder to get, or remove it from the game, so that the game is fairer and more fun for players!
A camper wants to add racing, deduction, memory, strategy, cooperation, card, drawing, and dexterity to one game. Is this a good idea, and why?
Not really! Too many game mechanics can make the game confusing and difficult to learn and play.