(9/4/2025 Meredith_B) Reading/Homework Questions

What Mechanics would you like to use for a game with a theme that revolves around being the size of a nanometer?
- I think having a jumping or shrinking system would be cool. Jumping in context of jumping over/around household objects, or shrinking to open the opportunities to have a tall and tiny version of the game (Like Antman)
Who are you making games for?
- I want to make fun for ages 12+ as that is a good range to have some somewhat complex mechanics, but also to keep the game easy to understand, allowing for my game to reach wider audiences and be a generally family friendly game.
Who will be your play testers outside of class?
- Mostly friends/peers, since I am too far away from home to test board games on younger family

Can you think of a game you were able to play without referring to the rules?
- Uno,Life,Cards Against Humanity, Blackjack
How do you define what a game is?
- A game is something that has a set of rules to push players into a state of mind for some kind of goal to be completed in some way.
What features can make your games more intuitive?
- Keep point values/ important information is placed on cards or game pieces so they are always visible and can be easily referenced.

What was your gateway game? What do you play to introduce others to gaming?
- It depends on if its for tabletop or video games. For tabletop games my gateway game was Candyland, and Minecraft was for videogames. To introduce people to games, I would offer them UNO and MInecraft or Roblox, since they are easy to understand and can be adjusted and there are multiple versions and ways to branch out, and starts a good foundation for other games.
What features do gateway games share?
- Easy to pick up, simple concept and rules, and can be understood by 99% of the population.
What are the 10 beautiful mechanics and what should you aim for with your own?
- Kingmaker’s Noblesse Oblige, BattleTech’s Heat, Set’s Set-making, Magic Card Tapping, Battle Cattle Cow tipping rule, xXxenophile’s Popping, Bohnanaza’s hand order rule, Mississippi Queen Paddlewheels, Times Up Communication breakdown, Dominions constant shuffling. As a gamemaker, you should aim to understand and use these guidelines as a bar to go above in order to make your game successful.
How does luck and strategy factor in to game play?
- It adds a factor that the game can always keep changing until the final moment and keeps the player engaged. It’s no fun when one person is always winning, so luck can help anyone win, and strategy can be used to push the factors of luck more to help someone win.