This week we are beginning the brainstorming of our board game project. At this moment nothing is decided but after watching the How Board Games matter video it makes me think of how I would want our board game to be. The host uses the game “Innovation” as an example of a board game with a complex play style. He shows one of the cards and it has a lot of texts and mechanics how to play. It’s a bit overwhelming and slows the game down so a player can learn what they need to do to play competitively. I want our game to be fun and somewhat complex but if the player has to essentially learn a lot of rules at once, it can kill the fun and just overwhelm the player.

Later in the same video, the host talks about a board game called “Race for the Galaxy” and their cards inspire me with ideas. Their cards aren’t text heavy like the previous board game, in fact their is no text just symbols of when to draw a card or to do something. The cards have symbols when to do something in their game. I like this because it doesn’t overwhelm the player and if done correctly, simplicity rules and the player can easily understand what they need to do based off a simple picture, if that makes sense.

In the reading by Mary Flanagan, she writes about American board games  focused on morality and behavior while European board games recounted on folklore. This is interesting because I dont play board games, they never interested me, BUT alot of these American board games focus on some sort of American Ideal. Like Monopoly or Life, all about acquiring wealth. While European games focus on castles and dragons, some sort of role play if you will, even though Monopoly and Life has some form of role play. This makes me think of the game i suggested we undertake, of what I want to do with it.