Ames' syllabi

Madison Hurst

Was it fun? – I thought the game was very fun because I enjoyed the tactics of the game. It made me think steps ahead and how my opponent’s moves could help me. For instance, I thought it was fun when I was able to complete an action or be extremely close to winning the game.

What were the player interactions?- The player interactions were competitive because we couldn’t see each other’s cards. We were trying to get the panda to eat the bamboo that the other player just placed to prevent them from getting ahead. Some of the interactions were beneficial because players were able to add bamboo to their tiles that weren’t watered if another player added a water tile or water stick. The majority of the game was competitive, but at times it was collaborative without the players realizing. 

How long did it take to learn?- At first, it was super tricky to learn because the directions were lengthy, but we watched a five minute overview of the game on YouTube, and I fully understood the game after that. 

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?- The most frustrating moment of the game was not being able to move the panda where you wanted, and making it go only forward, not diagonally. I struggled to succeed with the panda action card since at points of the game it was across the entire board.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?- My favorite moment was being able to see how the plan I made three to four turns back worked out in my favor. For instance, I planned to use the gardener for the green bamboo, which would garden any tile adjacent to it. This helped me get my 6th card, and I knew that if I grabbed the two tile action cards, then the next round I would be able to use them to win. 

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?- Something I wanted to do but couldn’t was being able to add more bamboo on top of a tile. At times, it felt difficult to add, but I may have been missing something or didn’t fully grasp that instruction. 

If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything

From the experience, what would it be?- If I could count an action card being successful, I would. I thought it was a freebie when you completed an action, but when you placed it down in your pile, it didn’t count a 1 of the action turns. 

Is this a game you would play again? Yes, because I thought the game was pretty light and fun. It still had a competitive aspect to it, but I really enjoyed the designs and the uniqueness of the game. I think it challenged me to think about my turns and future turns, but didn’t confuse me or make “my brain” hurt. 

Analyze the game using the 3 act structure.- In Act 1 this is when players are reading instructions and understanding what the game’s purpose is. Tiles are starting to be placed, and we are figuring out different ways to win. In Act 2, everyone now understands the game, and this is when I was completing actions and gathering points. I was now being more strategic with my moves and what I wanted to turn in the future turns. I started to bet on what other players were doing and working off of them. This is when everyone’s wheels were spinning and figuring out how to get a leg up. In act 3, the game slowed down a bit, and I was close to winning. I started to think how I can ensure other opponents don’t get even with me when regarding completed action cards. In this act, it was the final moves to secure the win. 

What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game? – The majority of this game was competitive, while having some aspects of collaborative play without us knowing so. The competitive side was when players were using the panda to eat our tiles, bamboo, or using the dice to possibly get a leg up. The collaborative side was when a player would add a tile to the board, which set you up for your next turn. This happened a lot when Meredith would play a tile that would help accomplish a task. 

What is the game’s metaphor, and which of the game’s mechanics stand out? – The theme of this game was between nature (the panda) and the gardener/players growing bamboo. The game was all about agriculture and watering systems while completing tasks to win. Some of the game mechanics were tile laying, getting action cards done, weather dice, and preventing the panda from eating your bamboo crops. The tile laying allowed you to grow various bamboo types, which helps you successfully complete the task. The weather dice mechanic can give an extra turn or make your life easier for that round. Lastly, the panda mechanics made it difficult to grow bamboo and forced you to still be aware of your crops throughout the game. 

Was it fun?

Yes, I really enjoyed playing the game, and the visuals were also enjoyable.

What were the player interactions?

The player interactions were rotating the sun part around, placing trees, taking turns/ passing the player token around.

How long did it take to learn?

It literally took us a whole hour to learn how to play. We could NOT understand the written instructions so after 45 excruciating minutes we looked up a video. 

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?

The instructions was the most frustrating part of the game, besides that it was very enjoyable.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?

My favorite part of the game was the whole concept and how you had to grow your tree with light points. I thought it was very cute and creative. 

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?

I wanted to buy and grow my trees all in one turn but you had to do those actions in completely different turns, and we have a limited amount of turns, so you have to play strategically.  

If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything

from the experience, what would it be?

I would change the instructions. They were very hard to comprehend, and I don’t know if it was very wordy or disorganized, but we had a hard time. I would also add a key with all the parts labeled.

Is this a game you would play again? Yes _____ No ______ Why

Yes, because I ultimately enjoyed the experience and I want to try different strategies to get the most points.

Analyze the game using the 3 act structure.

The first act was the set up where we all picked our tree type and we set up our first trees on the board, and established who went first (the youngest player). Then the second act was us starting to plant trees, rotating the sun around the board, and starting to gather points by chopping trees. Lastly the third act is when the sun goes around the board for the third time and players add up all their points from the chopped trees, and their remaining light points. 

What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game?

There wasn’t much collaboration, but it also didn’t feel like strong competition, since there are no direct interactions between players that affect each other’s status, but the only aspects of competitiveness were blocking trees so others can’t score points and the point system as a whole because the one with most points wins. 

What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics stand out?

The game’s metaphor is the natural process of photosynthesis, represented through the growth and life cycles of different types of trees. The mechanics that stood out most were the strategic placement of trees on the board, the personalized player boards used to purchase trees and track light points, and the rotating sun, which controlled the pace and flow of the game.

1. Was it fun?
   • I actually really enjoyed the game. I felt like it kept me on my toes and I was anxiously waiting till I could take my next turn.
2. What were the player interactions?
   • The player interactions mainly consisted of whether or not someone had all the resources to choose the card you had been saving up for or reserving a spot for. This main interaction made the game 10x more interesting.
3. How long did it take to learn?
   • The game didn’t take more than 5 minutes to learn even though we had a veteran play with us so we got the run down nice and quick.
4. What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
   • The most frustrating part was waiting for the other players to take their turn because I had already strategiezd mine.
5. What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
   • My favorite part of the game was the third act because we were so into it and everyone was so competitive about taking their turn to get their next set of gems or purchase something. 
6. Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
   • I wish that the cards in the first level didn’t have an empty no number point value to them because I feel like that put me at a disadvantage having more of those numberless cards as opposed to ones with numbers.
7. If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be?
   • I would put numbers on the begining set of cards which could up the antique but could potentially ruin the pacing.
8. Is this a game you would play again? Yes _____ No ______ Why
   • I would play this game simply because of the way the rapid competition it was able to build within the first 2 minutes. It was frustrating to see other players cards but that made it all the more motivating.
9. Analyze the game using the 3 act structure.
   • The first act within this game starts with people collecting either 3 different gems or 2 of the same. It’s all about how you set yourself up that first round that could put you in a better or worse position. Then this allows you to purchase outside gem cards to help you get more expensive purchases since they don’t count against your chip limit. Then in the second act we see more of the engine-building strategies of permanent gem cards to purchase second and third tier tokens which is where the game intensifies and people start strategising what cards are the most possible to achieve to get me closer to my goal. The third and final act usually occurs when  players are reaching around 10-12 points and buying from the third tier but the game doesn’t end when a player reaches 15 or more victory points, everyone has to complete the same amount of rounds giving other players a last chance to make bigger decisions. 
10. What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game?
    • This game is most definitely on the competitive side being that every player can asses another opponents cards while strategiesing what they may be saving up for or already purchasing which is an aspect I thoroughly enjoyed.
11. What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout?
    • The metaphor of the game is simply about collecting coins inevitably reaching the idea of imbalenced wealth. The mechanic that stood out the most was the hand limit of chips being 10 because that limited what you and other players could pick up because some of the 2nd and 3rd tiered items you would want to try and achieve in the beginning with no card tokens would be hard if you needed 7 blue gem and 3 red but youre missing 1 blue gem and you have 1 green gems so you can’t just pick up that last blue token in the pile.

1. Was it fun?
   • The game was entertaining; however, it had several drawbacks that made it less interesting and fell short of its full potential. Overall, this game makes me feel weird. If I play this more, I might enjoy it.
2. What were the player interactions?
   • The player interactions involved handing out curses and attack cards, which was the main interaction.
3. How long did it take to learn?
   • It took us at least 20 minutes to learn. It was overwhelming at first, but not at all what I was expecting to play.
4. What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
   • The most frustrating aspect of the game was that I couldn’t use the throne room card as a stackable one from the cards I had already placed, which was annoying because I ran out of action cards in my hand. See the image for a better explanation.
5. What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
   • The best part of the game was when I won. I wish there were more action and collaboration within the game, so there wasn’t any big moment in the game that was my favorite.
6. Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
   • As mentioned before in the inserted image, I wanted to replay 2 actions from the throne room card that I couldn’t because I no longer had any actions left to play.
7. If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be?
   • If I could wave a magic wand and could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, I would increase the stakes in the sense that instead of a curse, make there be an orge you have to defeat of some sort that if you don’t have a specific card(s) to defeat it you lose -4 coins. 
8. Is this a game you would play again? Yes _____ No ______ Why
   • I would play this game again just to see if we could get into the meat of the game faster and more into the strategy. I think deeper in the game faster with better pacing into the second act would make this more interesting. 
9. Analyze the game using the 3 act structure.
   •  The first act of Dominion falls under the fixed deck and getting set up with money or copper and Estates. Player go about the begging of the game by purchasing more money, actions, or estates hence the “Action, Buy, Cleanup” to build their decks. The process after the discard then repeats itself. The second act struggle is where the most of the game is played by choosing strategy, and accumulating cards to optimize you turn until one of the decks lost their cards. When the Privince pile runs low that when we approach the third act which is where players must acciqure as many Estates as possible for the most points. A race to the end for the most victory points while also avoiding curses. The person with the most estate or points wins.
10. What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game?
    • Not many collaborative efforts in this game considering its you versus everyone else trying to get the most points as you can within one turn.
11. What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout?
    • The game’s metaphor symbolizes the struggle and gain for full control and sovereignty. The most effective or stand out mechanic was the constant shuffling of the deck which kept the game interesting. You never knew if you was gonna get the card you needed on a specific turn and you just hoped to have enough of the right cards to do something. 

Dominion is a game where players aim to build their “kingdoms” by buying money and actions so gain the most points (land) against other players’ “kingdoms”.

Was it fun? Yes very much

What were the player interactions? Honestly, if every player knew what they were doing there really wouldn’t need to be much interaction, except if you got attack and had to defend yourself or take a curse

How long did it take to learn? A good bit, if we didn’t have somebody (thank you professor ames) to explain it in person, it would have take quite a while to figure out but thankfully we didn’t have to read the 50 page rule book

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? Getting down the reshuffling was frustrating when trying to explain it to others, not too much frustration otherwise

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? The amount of cards was really fun after you understood what they all did, it was very overwhelming at first but then made sense and made it really interesting

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? Be able to block witch attacks with the defense even if it wasn’t in your hand (although it would make it too easy)

If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be? Perhaps be able to get coin cards in other ways than just buying them

Is this a game you would play again? Yes, because of the different iterations it’s a game that is designed to be play again so I’d like to with totally different action cards

Analyze the game using the 3 act structure. There is the setup and the slow beginning of gaining money and actions, then it gets more complicated with stacking actions and buying point cards, then the end draws near when the piles run out and you count them.

What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game? It’s not super collaborative in my opinion but pretty much completely competitive with the kingdoms competing against each other

What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? The metaphor is that of a kingdom (a fantasy one by some of the actions and pictures) where there are kingdoms trying to gain the most land

I had a lot of fun playing Splendor. It was an extremely unique game play experience that I had not previously experienced.

Players formulated strategies, multiple turns in advance, lining up a series of purchases. It was common to hear another player’s sigh as you buy the card they hoped for.

The game did not take long to learn, only about 10 minutes.

One of the most frustrating aspects of the game was the coin and card limit. I understand the limitation to encourage players to make more purchases, but I saw players hoarding a lot.

I had fun winning by a landslide through the automatic noble acquisition (if you have the cards, you automatically receive a noble).

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?

We made the mistake of thinking that the number representing “prestige” on the card meant that you received 2 or three gems for the price of one card. After reading the rules, we realized that it was impossible.

I would add more money to the overall “economy”. I understand that the money limit is to force players to make purchases and not hoard, having more money to play around with would make games more technically complex.

Yes, I would play Splendor again. It offered a unique competitive experience in which players are always wondering if they’re the only person vying for the card they need.

The first act starts slow, as players are amassing wealth and trying to understand the game. Usually, an initial strategy forms, buy cheap cards in order to have enough to cover a more expensive one.

The game had many competitive aspects. We all shared the same coins, so we were forced to contribute to the economy while shutting others out. I often bought cards that my opponent were looking for to force them to revise their strategy.

The metaphor is similar to monopoly, which is capitalism. Strategic investments allows you to win in the long run.

Aleah Dudek

Splendor

Was it fun? Yes I enjoyed it.

What were the player interactions? yes there are aspects that get competitive.

How long did it take to learn? It took us a lot shorter than other games maybe about 10 minutes.

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? I didn’t really find anything frustrating.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? I liked the different moves and you n ever know what card you are going to go for.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? I wish there was cards where you could steal other peoples cards.

If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything

from the experience, what would it be? I wish there was more action cards.

Is this a game you would play again? Yes _____ No ______ Why I enjoyed it I Liked the strategy in it too.

Analyze the game using the 3 act structure.

Act 1: The focus is on collecting gem tokens to afford the cheapest development cards. Most players just grab what’s available; strategy is light, and everyone’s building their “engine” from scratch. Victory points aren’t usually scored yet, this stage is about laying groundwork.

Act 2: Players have cards that permanently give gems, making each future turn stronger. Players start racing for medium-value cards, noble tiles become reachable, and blocking moves emerge. Some players aim for nobles, others for big-point high-cost cards, creating diverging paths to victory.

Act 3: The board shrinks in options—players fight for the last few cards that can push them over 15 points. Every gem token and reserved card matters; timing is crucial since the first to 15 triggers the end. Victory comes from a combination of planning (engine + nobles) and tactical plays in the last few turns.

What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game? The collaborative part I think would be not hogging the tokens I guess and the competitive could be the ability to steal a card someone wanted to eventually take.

What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout?

The metaphor : The gems = raw resources of wealth and beauty.

The development cards = mines, transportation, artisans → infrastructure for growing power.

The nobles = recognition and patronage from high society once your wealth reaches a certain level.

The mechanic: Players collect gem tokens .Use gems to purchase development cards, which give permanent gem bonuses .Those bonuses make it easier to buy more expensive, higher-point cards.Noble tiles reward players for meeting certain card thresholds 

Madison Hurst

Was it fun? – At first, my friends and I struggled to fully grasp the concept of the game and what actions were allowed to do. But after we started playing and learning all of the hacks and tricks of the game, it became more intriguing.

What were the player interactions?- The player interactions were working together to take down the four infections. I thought this game was unique in a way because it encouraged players to work together and to see each other’s cards. In a normal card/board game, players are against each other and trying to win.

How long did it take to learn?- I would say the game took a fair amount of time to learn because the directions were vague or didn’t say you couldn’t do a certain actions or move. For instance, we struggled to understand what role cubes could take and who couldn’t. My one friend had the Quarantine Specialist, and the card never said if he could take a cube off a city, but as we played and we found that in a small sentence in the instructions that he could take one cube off.

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?- The most frustrating moment or aspect of the game was it being over after you went through the player deck. The other frustrating part about the game was the 4 actions rules because I was the research specialist, and I was able to help cure the infections, though I couldn’t in times due to the action limit. This made us wait until the next turn and struggle to get the cards together to cure the infection.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?- My favorite moment of the game was when we worked together to get me the blue cards through the duration of two rounds, and curing blue to then eradicate it. It was super fun, and I think it pushed us to want to cure the next infection. This small win gave us motivation to continue the game and kept it fun.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?- Some of the things I wanted to do that I couldn’t were to be able to cure an infection because the other players couldn’t meet my game piece. At times, we had all of the cards in order, but they weren’t in the same place, which then made us wait a whole round.

If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything

From the experience, what would it be? – If I could change or add anything to Pandemic, it would be more specific instructions in the rules. I think it was hard at times to understand what to do, and it was made harder than it was.

Is this a game you would play again? Yes, because my friends were asking when we are playing it next. I think after we understood what to do it was super fun. I think it challenged us to communicate and figure out game strategies to eliminate the pandemic. This made it fun and intriguing. Furthermore, my attention span was long, and I stayed engaged in the game throughout the whole duration.

Analyze the game using the 3-act structure. – In Act 1, this is when the players start to see their role and read the instructions. Cards are being dealt, and diseases are starting to be implemented throughout various cities. Players are starting to understand what the research hubs and basic tools are in place. Act 2 is when the epidemic starts to get fairly bad and more difficult to control. We start to see outbreaks happen, and epidemic cards coming into play. Sharing cards has become a thing, and switching city to city becomes more difficult since the outbreaks are coming from opposite sides of the world. Tension to make the right move and the risk of losing increases. Act 3 is when players are drawing cards to find a cure for the four diseases as we near the game’s potential ending. Key cards are becoming limited as we suffer outbreaks around the world. The final rounds are crucial in deciding the player’s fate, whether they will lose or win.

What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game? – Pandemic is a collaborative game, and has the players join together to compete against the game itself. Their competition is the outbreaks, the epidemics, the risks, and the limited resources. The collaboration is encouraged through sharing knowledge cards, giving out roles, and every mistake affecting everyone rather than just one.

What is the game’s metaphor, and which of the game’s mechanics stand out? – The game’s metaphor is the global health crisis and outbreaks, which is the entire theme of the game. In the game, we see outbreaks happen, and the spread of the pandemic rapidly increases. The roles that each player has in the game are some jobs people have in reality, which makes the game more “realistic” for the player. For instance, my role was a research specialist, so when an outbreak happens, I study what it is and figure out how to cure it. The metaphor creates tension and urgency, which can be compared to what may happen in real life. For instance, the Kobold’s guide, Part 1 does a great job explaining how games are created through metaphors. They help make the mechanics of the game and ensure it is more cohesive