Questions tagged [mechanics]
Mechanics are the way in which a particular game process is carried out. Questions with this tag are game development questions or deal with a comparison of (game-independent) mechanics.
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How can I make a real-time mechanic in a tabletop game?
I'm coming up with a prototype for a card game with real-time mechanics. Players would act simultaneously, each performing actions that take a set amount of time to complete. These actions can be ...
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What is the purpose of minimum points required for initial meld?
In Canasta and several variants of Contract-Rummy, like Rummikub and Kaluki, there is an "initial meld" rule: The first melds put down by a player must consist of cards to a total value of ...
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How can I identify the mechanics of Risk?
Today I learned about game mechanics and I'm trying to find some game mechanics in the board game Risk. It is pretty hard since it is a new lecture I learned. So far I found 4:
player elimination,
...
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What board games have maps that change each time? [closed]
I'm designing a board game
Each time the game is played, the board must change and also be revealed as player pieces scout the edges of the known map
Can anybody name other board games with similar ...
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Is there a quantification of how much skill a game requires? [duplicate]
For example, if you play a round of cribbage mathematically perfectly, someone will win because they got better cards on average. But if that difference in scores comes down to 10 points, that could ...
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What is the general name for this particular game mechanic?
I'm hoping to find a common general terminology for a mechanic I have encountered in several board games.
As an example, here's an excerpt from the rules for The King's Dilemma:
At the end of your ...
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Is there a method that gets beneficial diminishing returns when adding more dice, yet stays random?
Short Story: I want to find a dice system where multiple dice are rolled and compared at once, but rolling more dice is only slightly more effective than rolling fewer dice, while still being fairly ...
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What are the standards for algorithmically forecasting metagame evolution under certain conditions of TCG design?
Company X operates a trading card game, periodically designing and releasing new card sets, which seed evolutionary shifts in its competitive metagame. For the purpose of achieving balanced card ...
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Recommendation for good Asynchronous Board Games a la Diplomacy? [closed]
Background
Looking to setup board game(s) in a 24/7 office environment. Players could end up working any time of day, or have any 2 days off - so the wait-time between turns has to be at-minimum 3 ...
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Games with flipping tokens for action selection?
We are creating a game with what we think is a new action selection mechanic. The mechanic is based on poker chip like tokens that you flip to take the action the top side, then there is a different ...
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How semi-cooperative games handle players who have nothing to lose?
After watching Jumanji I wondered if the eponymous game was meant to be a co-op or a competitive game. Having difficulty figuring it out on my own, I have asked that question on a different stack ...
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Is there any card game where the cards' back color is meaningful?
Many card games are played using a double deck of 52+2 cards where the back colors are different (e.g., in Italy it's customary to have red and blue).
Is there any game, played with such a ...
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What is meant by "game mechanics"?
What are game mechanics?
Conceptually I think of the mechanics of the game as how it's played but the definition is a little fuzzy. I don't think rules and mechanics are the same - although I think ...
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Is there a strategy PVP board/card game with Negative Feedback loops? [closed]
Feedback loops (for those who aren't aware)
(A Negative Feedback Loop is the technical term for "comeback mechanics", akin to what you experience in Mario Kart. This is when the game makes it easier ...
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Deck Size Problems in Deckbuilding
Question: What kind of mechanic would allow players to remove cards from their constructed decks in my game?
Theory: I'm making a deckbuilding game! So, players start with a number of cards which ...
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When you take a trick, you *take* a trick
I played a hand of Hearts with someone who had not played cards in a while. When she took her first trick, she started to put the cards in her hand before remembering to put them down. That gave me ...
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Mutual Identification mechanics in a deduction game
I'm thinking about a deduction board game idea for at least five players where there are two Spies who don't know each other (Spy A and Spy B).
Their mission is to accomplish mutual identification ...
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Most important elements of easy-to-learn hard-to-master? [closed]
I'm researching the logic necessary for an internally-consistent rule system that is easy to learn, but has enough complexity/subtleties that it keeps someone coming back and striving towards mastery. ...
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I need some good mechanics for how the player's character can enhance their tool kit
So I am blanking on the word for this, but the goal is for the character to get stronger over time (power curve), where the character gains levels/items. What I am looking for is different ways a ...
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Tapping cards - mana pool - general questions [closed]
I've been playing for very long time right now (with long breaks though...) and I happen to find some uncertainties about mana pool/tapping etc.
When you usually play with your friends do you argue ...
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Action selection in a hidden movement game that may require more information to be complete
I want to have simultaneous action selection, but the action selected may need some additional information, like the space on the board that it is of relevance to, additional equipment that you choose ...
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How do I avoid making a "video game forced to be a board game"? [closed]
My last playtest for the game, useful as it was, resulted in a player saying it feels like a board game, but the players have to run and update the normally-passive numbers manually.
I'm worried that ...
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Handling multiple "timers" on the board and player mat
The game I'm working on might feature a number of "timed" events, such as:
a big ability requiring a cooldown before it can be used again
a summoned or undead unit decaying over time
a bomb timing ...
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Does this mining mechanic add genuine choice to my game?
To be concise, I am designing a game based on resource/risk/conflict management. Units will be carrying around several piles of resources, which also power and boost actions like movement, attacking ...
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How can I add a taste of adventure games to my game?
I'm designing a card game based on an ancient fairy tale book. So far my game consists of some hero or character cards with 3 attribute: coins, strength and intelligence. And there are quest cards ...
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Board games involving players' consensus for who wins?
I'm looking for inspiration about mechanics for a game I would like to design for a course in education.
I'm juggling with the idea of a board game related to calligraphy. The theme is exploited in ...
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Does this dice mechanic exist in other games and does it have any drawbacks?
Forgive me if this is an obvious question: I've only just started looking at board game design, so I'm still learning of the different game mechanics.
I have a concept for a dice mechanic and I as ...
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Mechanics for interactivity in card games
I am creating a fantasy collectible card game and one if its aspects is mage battles. I have been a bit stumped on how to make it highly interactive.
I am familiar with Magic: The Gathering and I ...
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Tokens and how blocking works
I have a heavily token based deck. The tokens can usually become something between 5/5 and 15/15 in a few turns, but don't have trample. Is it possible for my opponent to be able to block all of my ...
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Mechanic for secret actions in a card game
Is there a good mechanic for taking an anonymous action in a card game, specifically one that still moves resources?
For context, in one phase of this game, each player will give the target player a ...
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If damage is redirected infinitely, does the game end in a draw?
I have a creature enchanted with Pariah:
All damage that would be dealt to you is dealt to enchanted creature
instead.
I then play Blood of the Martyr:
Until end of turn, if damage would be ...
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How many poison counters warrant an EDH loss?
I tried Googling the answer, but it seems like different sources say different things, and I can't find anything about it in the Commander rules (on the official Commander website). My main takeaway ...
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Is there a tool that will help me construct a list of games with a more specific game mechanic?
I would like to construct a list of games that have a particular mechanic, but with a twist. Dice rolling is the mechanic I am interested in but specifically with Non-numeric, partially numeric, or ...
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Investment Mechanics [closed]
I'm designing a board game about gem collecting. To collect gems players must invest on different gems in their turns (i.e. resource collecting is done using investment). Investment part in my design ...
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When do I lose 2 SO Points at the end of each day?
In Thunderbolt Apache Leader, the Artillery Unit (1S) notes say:
Lose 2 SO Points at the end of the Day.
Can the 2 SO points come from Daily SO Points that are awarded at the end of day? Or must I ...
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Does Republic of Rome usually generate one or more wars per turn, leading to a loss even when cooperating?
I have played Republic of Rome several (4?) times with a group (usually 4-5 players) without studying the rules myself. We have always started in the Early Republic period, and even when we try to ...
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Are there any dice games you can play with a standard 7-die set? [closed]
Are there any dice games that you can play with a standard role-playing 7-die set (d4, d6, d8, d10, d%, d12, d20)?
Maybe you have some time to kill before your tabletop session starts, or during a ...
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point buy TCG CCG deck building mechanics
what games are there that use a point buy system for deck building instead of a card limit?
what are the obvious effects this would have on the style of play?
I am only currently aware of one example ...
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Is there an in-game mechanic reason for placing action cards face down during the planning phase
I've just picked up Space Alert, and read through handbook (as yet un-played), the thing that I can't understand is the reason for placing your action cards face down during the planning phase.
The ...
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Magic the Gathering lingering spell effect
I have a question about a card sequence.
Let's say I play an instant card that says "all creatures who dealt damage this turn return to owners hand" in my first main phase.
Then if my opponent ...
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Do Collectible Card Games without shuffling exist?
All Collectible Card Games (like Magic the Gathering or Yu-Gi-Oh!) I know require the players to shuffle their decks before the game begins. Also, the deck's card order is unbeknown to the players.
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Is Dungeon! biased towards the Cleric?
My group of friends have now played almost a few dozen games of Dungeon! and we have consistently noticed that the Cleric wins.
The Cleric has a target of 10,000 and works very well across all levels ...
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Retreat in case of slide trap in Dungeon!
In a game of Dungeon! there is Slide Trap in Level 3 which says:
Gain 1 Treasure and move to any chamber on Level 4
What happens when I encounter a monster in the level 4 chamber, attack it ...
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Diminishing Returns vs Increasing Returns
I'm making a board game about constructing molecules out of elements. For example you can construct water out of 2 hydrogen and 1 oxygen. When a player constructs it they take a water card worth 6 ...
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Looking for games with drop-in drop-out mechanic [closed]
When playing video games, I often prefer games that are easy to drop in and drop out of. Games like Team Fortress 2 where players are always respawning so the new player isn't set back, especially if ...
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Mini game within a game [closed]
Are there any board games where you play a mini game within the main game?
For example, imagine playing Axis & Allies where you play a quick game of Tic-Tac-Toe each round to see which side gets ...
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What games have plan-moves-in-advance mechanics like Robo Rally? [closed]
I'm looking for games with pieces on a board that move and interact according to actions taken previously in the game. In Robo Rally you give your piece instructions in advance. I recall a similar ...
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Improved wording for dealing out cards
I'm writing up the manual for a new game, and this one bit is giving me trouble. Here's what you do in this part:
Shuffle the cards.
As long there are enough cards left for each player to take one, ...
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What aspects of a game are not protected under copyright?
Certain aspects of a game are protected by copyright, while others are not. You certainly cannot copy the particular expression of the rules, but the mechanics themselves aren't copyrightable.
For ...
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Where can I find examples of Game Mechanics? [closed]
I'm prototyping a game, but I'm not very schooled on board games. I'm looking for a list of game mechanics so that I can
Describe my game in terms of mechanics
Find other uses of the mechanics to ...
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