Mechanics

If theme is the “why,” mechanics are the “how.” They’re the systems that move your game from beginning to end. They give your game structure and guide players down various paths toward victory.

Contents

Start Here

Board Game Mechanics List

Game Basics: Mechanics

Where to Start: Mechanics or Theme?

Broken Mechanics

Rules versus mechanics

Triggered Effects

Core Game Elements

Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics, and Board Games

Parallel Design – Main Mechanism VS the Rest of the Game

Euro and Ameritrash: Why Blanket Terminology Is Hurting Us

Building Your Game Mechanics

Experience VS Mechanics

Sagrada Bot vs. Viticulture Automa: Two completely different approaches to handling drafting and worker placement

Movement Patterns


Beginning and End

Determining Start Player

Moral Compass: The Last Turn

Game Over – Game End Conditions


Scoring

Ties and Scoring Systems (7 Part Series)

Scoring Frequency

How to Design Tie Breakers

Hidden Scoring

Bottom-Up Scoring

Fine-Tuning Scoring on Hundred Kings War

Catchup Mechanics

Should Games Have a Catch-Up Mechanic


Mechanics and Theme

What Comes First: Theme or Mechanic?

Translating the Controlling Idea Into Theme and Mechanics

Mechanics and Theme: The Best of Friends!

Theme VS Mechanics: The False Dichotomy

Mechanics Are More Important Than Theme

Theme Is More Important Than Mechanics

Avoiding the Trap of Theme VS Mechanics

Mechanical Cousins


Economic

Trading for Fun and Profit

Resources

Resources Are Temporary

Trade Mechanic Equilibrium in Board Games

Market Mechanic Lecture: Retrospective

Scarcity

Time-Value

Feedback loops

Cost and Value


Cooperative

Cooperative Game Theory

Cooperative Games: Advice from the Experts

Lessons Learned from Co-op Games

Cooperative Games – The Very Definition of Multiplayer Solitaire?

Designing My First Cooperative Game

Cooperative Games and the “Piloting Problem”

Making Semi-Cooperative Games Work

Win Ratios in First Time Cooperative Play

What Makes a Good Solo or Coop Game?


Worker Placement

How to Design a Worker Placement Game Part 1

How to Design a Worker Placement Game Part 2

How to Design a Worker Placement Game Part 3

3 Blogs on All the Ins and Outs of Worker Placement

Different Mechanisms in Placing Workers


Drafting

Mechanic Analysis: Drafting

Exploring Drafting

Dice Drafting for Everyone!


Deck Building

4 Blogs on All the Ins and Outs of Deck/Pool Builders


Engine Building

Engine Building and Power Curves


Take That

When Take That Works and When It Fails (Audio)


Trick Taking

Thoughts on Trick Taking (3 Part Series)

Trick Taking Basics (Video)


Puzzles

Designing Puzzles that Make Players Feel Smart


Legacy

Epic Game Night Interviews Rob Daviau on Legacy Games

5 Things I learned While Developing Seafall

The Making of Pandemic Legacy

Interview with Creators of Seafall and Gloomhaven

Legacy Games: From Risk, to Pandemic, to SeaFall, and Beyond

Designer Diary: Gloomhaven


More Reading

Game Mechanics That Prevent Ganging Up and Turtling

The 10 Best Game Mechanisms You Aren’t Using

Five Great Game Mechanics

Change Up Your Core Mechanic

Probability for Game Designers

What to Do with a Broken Mechanic

Lessons from Classic Games

Mechanics Face Off: Dice VS Cards

Prisoner’s Dilemma (4 Part Series)

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