DOCSLIB.ORG

Sometimes It's Just Games: Creating Video Essays to Teach Ethnographic

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Sometimes It's Just Games: Creating Video Essays to Teach Ethnographic DocuSign Envelope ID: 839DEE2A-59F5-4D0B-B2B6-B2CE283022CE “IT’S NOT ALL FUN AND GAMES; SOMETIMES IT’S JUST GAMES:” CREATING VIDEO ESSAYS TO TEACH ETHNOGRAPHIC METHODS TO TABLETOP GAME DESIGNERS A Project Report Presented to The Faculty of the Department of Anthropology San José State University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree Master of the Arts By Jamieson Mockel May 2020 DocuSign Envelope ID: 839DEE2A-59F5-4D0B-B2B6-B2CE283022CE i © 2020 Jamieson C. Mockel ALL RIGHTS RESERVED SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY DocuSign Envelope ID: 839DEE2A-59F5-4D0B-B2B6-B2CE283022CE ii The Undersigned Graduate Committee Approves the Project Report Titled “IT’S NOT ALL FUN AND GAMES; SOMETIMES IT’S JUST GAMES:” CREATING VIDEO ESSAYS TO TEACH ETHNOGRAPHIC METHODS TO TABLETOP GAME DESIGNERS By Jamieson C. Mockel APPROVED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY ______________________________________________________________________________ Dr. Jan English-Lueck Date ______________________________________________________________________________ Dr. Roberto Gonzalez Date ______________________________________________________________________________ Dr. Stephanie Coopman Date DocuSign Envelope ID: 839DEE2A-59F5-4D0B-B2B6-B2CE283022CE iii ABSTRACT For this project, I created a series of video lectures to distribute on YouTube to teach basic ethnographic methods to tabletop game designers to supplement their game design processes. I developed my research methods using a communities of practice lens, uncovering how game designers leverage a combination of personal experiences, professional skills, and social relationships in their practices. Due to the social nature of playing tabletop games, their development is often a communal process of play, feedback collection, and iteration based on playtester experiences and reactions. In the San Francisco Bay Area, tabletop game designers attend public events where players test their prototype games. Playtesters then share their reactions and opinions about changes that the designer can make to their prototypes. For this project, I joined a community of designers as a researcher and an aspiring designer. I created my own games, playtested with other designers, and observed the testing and iterative processes that designers utilize. After I conducted research on the ways that designers develop and iterate games, I created my video lecture series based on the data I collected about designers and their methods. My videos focused on three primary ethnographic methods that I determined designers could learn quickly and that would supplement their existing design processes and practices. These methods include participant observation, focus groups, and community building. I discuss my reasons for selecting these methods and how designers can implement each of these methods into their playtesting and iteration techniques. I conclude by exploring the challenges of distributing content on video sharing platforms like YouTube and suggest ways that researchers can use video essays to disseminate their findings for a wider audience. DocuSign Envelope ID: 839DEE2A-59F5-4D0B-B2B6-B2CE283022CE iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I owe a great deal of gratitude to many people who have helped me both with this project and during my entire graduate career. First and foremost, I want to express my undying love and commitment to Chelsea Halliwell, my spouse, partner in all things, and fellow nerd, whose brilliance and empathy helped me through this project in more ways than I can possibly recount here. Thank you to my committee chair and advisor, Dr. Jan English-Lueck, who let me undertake a project I was passionate about, guided me throughout my graduate career, and provided support and compassion when I needed it the most. Thank you as well to my committee, Dr. Roberto Gonzalez and Dr. Stephanie Coopman, who encouraged me throughout the long writing process and took time from their busy schedules (and during a global pandemic) to provide me with valuable feedback that improved this report in countless ways. Dr. Charles Darrah and Dr. John Marlovits guided me during the initial stages of this project and made sure I could get the credits I needed to graduate, and I am grateful to them for lending their expertise. Dr. A.J. Faas gave me my first research job as a graduate student and gave me the opportunity to test my ethnographic methods in the field, and the rest of the San José State University Anthropology Department have been among the friendliest and most supportive group of people I have had the pleasure to know. Thank you to my classmates who worked with me, challenged me intellectually, and put up with my silly jokes and loquacious nature. To my parents, Diane and Ken Mockel, who have helped me in every conceivable way and who instilled in me a compassion for others and a fascination with all things, I would like to say: Thanks for letting me be myself. My friends mean the world to me – I like to call them my logical kin – and my life would be greatly diminished without them: thank you Alisha, Brieann, Casey C., Casey M., Jack, Jorge, Larry, Miki, Steve, and the many other lovely people who have entered and improved my life. I love you all. DocuSign Envelope ID: 839DEE2A-59F5-4D0B-B2B6-B2CE283022CE v To my informants and game designer friends: thank you for letting me join your community and play your games, and for giving me feedback on my own designs. This project literally could not have happened without your generosity and openness. Finally, thank you to Sam, my dear friend and codesigner, with whom I spent countless hours designing, talking, and living games, both throughout this project and in our 20 years of friendship. Sorry to anyone else I missed – it’s nothing personal, but I only have so much space! DocuSign Envelope ID: 839DEE2A-59F5-4D0B-B2B6-B2CE283022CE vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 – Rolling the Dice: Introduction…………………………………………………….1 1.1 Project Overview and Goals……………………………………………………………….1 1.2 Brief Description of the Community………………………………………………………3 1.3 Attending Playtesting Events………………………………………………………………7 1.4 Project Deliverables………………………………………………………………………..9 1.5 Project Significance and Areas of Inquiry………………………………………………..10 1.6 Report Map……………………………………………………………………………….12 Chapter 2 – A Pack of Cards: Tabletop Games and the Bay Area Design Community…...14 2.1 What are Tabletop Games?................................................................................................14 2.2 Why Game Design Matters: The Social Significance of Tabletop Games………………18 2.3 The Anthropological Significance of Tabletop Games…………………………………..20 2.4 Project Background and Social Context………………………………………………….21 2.5 The Cast of Characters: Board Game Designers…………………………………………23 2.6 How are Tabletop Games Designed?.................................................................................27 2.7 Setting the Scene: Playtesting Events……………………………………………………29 Chapter 3 – Joining the Party: Methodologies for Studying Tabletop Game Designers…..36 3.1 Entering the Bay Area Tabletop Game Design Community……………………………..36 3.2 Playtesting and Iteration………………………………………………………………….38 3.3 Learning Design from Designers………………………………………………………...42 3.4 Uncovering Communities of Practice……………………………………………………50 3.5 Becoming a Designer…………………………………………………………………….68 3.6 Working with a Collaborator…………………………………………………………….70 3.7 Playtesting with the Community…………………………………………………………71 Chapter 4 – Assessing the Board: What Designers Look for in Game Prototypes…………73 4.1 The Elements of Good Game Designs…………………………………………………...73 Chapter 5 – Playing my Hand: Creating the Anthroview YouTube Series………………...88 5.1 Bringing It All Together: Turning My Data into Practical Suggestions for Designers…..88 5.2 Creating the Video on Participant Observation Methods….……………………………..90 5.3 Creating the Video on Focus Group Methods……………………………………………99 5.4 Creating the Video on Community Building……………………………………………107 5.5 Why I Created Videos for YouTube………………………………………………….…112 5.6 About the Critical Lens Series on YouTube………………………………………….…113 DocuSign Envelope ID: 839DEE2A-59F5-4D0B-B2B6-B2CE283022CE vii 5.7 About the Video Series Anthropology for Game Designers……………………………114 5.8 YouTube as a Platform for Tabletop Design Advice…………………………………...116 5.9 The Challenges of Using YouTube to Disseminate Findings…………………………..117 Chapter 6 – Endgame State: Conclusion…………………………………………………….120 6.1 Summary…………….…………………………………………………………………..120 6.2 Limitations and Challenges……….……………………………………………………..122 6.3 Applications….………………………………………………………………………….124 References Cited...……………………………………………………………………………..127 Appendices……………………………………………………………………………………..132 Appendix A – Interview Questions…………………………………………………………132 Appendix B – Technical Information for Creating Videos…………………………………133 Appendix C – Video Transcripts with Timestamps……………………………………..….137 Endnotes……………………………………………………………………………………….215 DocuSign Envelope ID: 839DEE2A-59F5-4D0B-B2B6-B2CE283022CE viii LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Table 1 89 Key ethnographic concepts that my videos were based on Figure 1 106 Example of using index cards as visual aids for playtesters Figure 2 115 A title card from one of my videos Figure 3 115 A ‘talking head’ shot from one of my videos Figure 4 116 A slide from one of my videos DocuSign Envelope ID: 839DEE2A-59F5-4D0B-B2B6-B2CE283022CE 1 Chapter 1 – Rolling the Dice: Introduction 1.1 Project Overview and Goals The goal of my project was to offer tabletop game designers useful techniques and practices
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Gamstorm16 Program Book
    OryCon 36 Windows to Futures Past November 7-9, 2014 Lloyd Center Doubletree Hotel Portland, Oregon Artist Guest of Honor Author Guest of Honor Mark Roland William F. Nolan Panels • Gaming • Vendors • Art Show • Concerts Dances • Writer’s Workshop • Children’s Activities OryCon hosts some of the major names in science fiction and fantasy, as well as offers many events for convention-goers. OryCon is sponsored by the Oregon Science Fiction Conventions, Inc. (www.osfci.org). $45 Adults $22.50 Children 6-12 Children 5 & under are free (Prices are good through 3/31/2014 ) www.36.orycon.org Information Table of Contents Information Hotel Message from the Chair 2 Hotel Map 24 GameStorm Wants You 2 Convention Room Maps 25 People Oregon Science Fiction Conventions, Inc. Schedule (OSFCI) Code of Conduct 3 Thursday, March 20th 29 Policies 3 Friday, March 21st 34 Info Desk 5 Saturday, March 22nd 42 Registration and Badge Pickup 6 Sunday, March 23rd 49 Hospitality 6 Events Swag and GameStorm Bucks 6 Top Attractions 52 Event Sign Up 8 Board and Card Games 55 Open Gaming 8 Collectible Card Games 74 Hotel Game Library 8 Children's Programming 77 Merchandise 9 Console Gaming 78 John Andrews Memorial Worldcon Scholarship 9 Indie Hurricane! 78 People Game Lab 81 Guests of Honor 10 Live Action Role-Playing 85 Mike Selinker 10 MIB: Men In Black (SJ Games) 86 Zev Shlasinger 11 Miniatures 89 David Coronado, Michelle McNeill & Organized Role Playing 91 - Schedule Matt Branstad 12 Role-Playing Games 97 Shane Hensley 13 Special Events 104 Special Guests 14 Committee Dealers Room 16 Committee Members 106 Dealers List 16 What is OSFCI? 107 Dealers Room Map 19 Mini Painting Contest 20 Indie Hurricane! 20 Video Gaming 21 Steve Jackson Games 21 Events Children's Programming 21 Game Lab 22 Publisher-Designer Speed Dating 22 Committee Cover Art: The GameStormer Artist: Julia Gross (Tinderbox Entertainment) 2 GAMESTORM 16 Message from the Chair GameStorm is not a convention.
    [Show full text]
  • The Commodification Process of Extreme Sports: The
    THE COMMODIFICATION PROCESS OF uncertainty. He also defined the risk sports "as a variety of EXTREME SPORTS: THE DIFFUSION OF THE self-initiated activities that generally occur in natural­ X-GAMES BY ESPN environment settings and that, due to their always uncertain and potentially harmful nature, provide the opportunity for Chang Huh intense cognitive and affective involvement" (p. 53). The origin of using the word "extreme" in those activities goes Ph.D. Candidate in Park, Recreation, and Tourism back to the 1970s in France-when two Frenchmen referred Resources, Michigan State University, 172 Natural to their conquest of Chamonix couloirs as "ski extreme" Resources Building, East Lansing, MI 48824 (Youngblut, 1998). Youngblut described the word "extreme" as "far beyond the bounds of moderation; Byoung Kwan Lee exceeding what is considered reasonable; radical" (p. 24). Pedersen and Kelly (2000) contended that the term Ph.D. Candidate in Journalism and Communications, "extreme" was used in the context of sports to describe any University of Florida, 2096 Weimer Hall, Gainesville, FL sporting activity that was taken to "the edge." Then, they 32611 defined it as "a variety of sporting activities that have almost nothing in common except for high risk and an EuidongYoo appeal to females and males from the ages of 12_to_34" (p. 1). Synthesizing the definitions of Robinson and Pedersen Ph.D. Candidate in Physical Education, Florida State and Kelly, extreme sports are defined as a variety of University, Tallahassee, FL 32306 individual sporting activities that challenge against uncertain and harmful nature to achieve the enjoyment itself, especially, among the young generation.
    [Show full text]
  • From Brighton to Helsinki
    From Brighton to Helsinki Women and Sport Progress Report 1994-2014 Kari Fasting Trond Svela Sand Elizabeth Pike Jordan Matthews 1 ISSN: 2341-5754 Publication of the Finnish Sports Confederation Valo 6/2014 ISBN 978-952-297-021-3 2 From Brighton to Helsinki Women and Sport Progress Report 1994-2014 Kari Fasting, Trond Svela Sand, Elizabeth Pike, Jordan Matthews IWG Helsinki 2014 1 Foreword: Address from the IWG Co-Chair 2010 – 2014 in sport at all levels and in all functions and roles. The variety and number of organisations engaged in this work is remarkable, and the number con- tinues to grow. Twenty years marks a point in the history of the Brighton Declaration, where we can and must review the implementation of this document. The ‘From Brighton to Helsinki’ IWG Progress Report provides examples of initiatives that have been undertaken by Brighton Declaration signatories and Catalyst-subscribers to empower women. In spite of these efforts, the latest data shows that in some areas progress has been limited. The IWG Progress Report offers a chance to evaluate the Dear friends, measures already taken and sheds light on the Twenty years have passed quickly. I wonder if new goals and actions that we must adopt in order to take further steps toward our mission: ‘Empow- Women and Sport in 1994 in Brighton, UK, ever ering women – advancing sport’. imagined how things would have developed by 2014. The Brighton Declaration on Women and On behalf of the International Working Group on Sport has been endorsed by more than 400 or- Women and Sport (IWG) I would like to express ganisations worldwide.
    [Show full text]
  • Human, Arkaiun
    ™ Sample file 620_17929_Ch1.indd 1 8/2/04 1:46:47 PM DESIGNER: Thomas M. Reid DEVELOPER: Michael Donais EDITORS: Chris Sims, Chris Thomasson, Penny Williams MANAGING EDITOR: Kim Mohan DESIGN MANAGER: Christopher Perkins DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Andrew J. Finch DIRECTOR OF RPG R&D: Bill Slavicsek PRODUCTION MANAGERS: Joshua C.J. Fischer, Randall Crews ART DIRECTOR: Robert Raper COVER ARTIST: Sam Wood INTERIOR ARTISTS: Wayne England, Sam Wood, Richard Sardinha, Carl Frank, Chris Hawkes, Jason Engle, Christopher Rush, Ralph Horsley, Vince Locke, Mike Dubisch GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Kate Irwin, Dee Barnett CARTOGRAPHER: Todd Gamble GRAPHIC PRODUCTION SPECIALIST: Angelika Lokotz IMAGE TECHNICIAN: Jason Wiley SPECIAL THANKS: Richard Baker, Eric L. Boyd, George Krashos, Thomas M. Costa Sources include the FORGOTTEN REALMS Campaign Setting by Ed Greenwood, Sean K Reynolds, Skip Williams, and Rob Heinsoo, Counselors & Kings Trilogy by Elaine Cunningham, Defenders of the Faith by Rich Redman and James Wyatt, Demihuman Deities by Eric L. Boyd, Dragon Magazine, Dwarves Deep by Ed Greenwood, Faiths & Avatars by Julia Martin with Eric L. Boyd, Faiths and Pantheons by Eric L. Boyd and Erik Mona, Magic of Faerûn by Sean K Reynolds, Duane Maxwell, and Angel McCoy, Masters of the Wild by David Eckelberry and Mike Selinker, Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn by James Wyatt and Rob Heinsoo, Monster Manual II by Ed Bonny, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Skip Williams, and Steve Winter, Old Empires by Scott Bennie, Pages From the Mages by Ed Greenwood and Tim Beach, Pirates of the Fallen Stars by Curtis M. Scott, Player’s Guide to Faerûn by Richard Baker, Travis Stout, and James Wyatt, Powers & Pantheons by Eric L.
    [Show full text]
  • Flexible Games by Which I Mean Digital Game Systems That Can Accommodate Rule-Changing and Rule-Bending
    Let’s Play Our Way: Designing Flexibility into Card Game Systems Gifford Cheung A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Washington 2013 Reading Committee: David Hendry, Chair David McDonald Nicolas Ducheneaut Jennifer Turns Program Authorized to Offer Degree: Information School ©Copyright 2013 Gifford Cheung 2 University of Washington Abstract Let’s Play Our Way: Designing Flexibility into Card Game Systems Gifford Cheung Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Associate Professor David Hendry Information School In this dissertation, I explore the idea of designing “flexible game systems”. A flexible game system allows players (not software designers) to decide on what rules to enforce, who enforces them, and when. I explore this in the context of digital card games and introduce two design strategies for promoting flexibility. The first strategy is “robustness”. When players want to change the rules of a game, a robust system is able to resist extreme breakdowns that the new rule would provoke. The second is “versatility”. A versatile system can accommodate multiple use-scenarios and can support them very well. To investigate these concepts, first, I engage in reflective design inquiry through the design and implementation of Card Board, a highly flexible digital card game system. Second, via a user study of Card Board, I analyze how players negotiate the rules of play, take ownership of the game experience, and communicate in the course of play. Through a thematic and grounded qualitative analysis, I derive rich descriptions of negotiation, play, and communication. I offer contributions that include criteria for flexibility with sub-principles of robustness and versatility, design recommendations for flexible systems, 3 novel dimensions of design for gameplay and communications, and rich description of game play and rule-negotiation over flexible systems.
    [Show full text]
  • Deafweekly August 12, 2009 Deafweekly
    Deafweekly August 12, 2009 deafweekly August 12, 2009 Vol. 5, No. 10 Editor: Tom Willard Deafweekly is an independent news report for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community that is mailed to subscribers on Wednesdays and available to read at www.deafweekly.com. These are the actual headlines and portions of recent deaf-related news articles, with links to the full story. Minor editing is done when necessary. Deafweekly is copyrighted 2009 and any unauthorized use is prohibited. Please support our advertisers; they make it possible for you to receive Deafweekly. SIGN UP HERE for a free subscription. Be sure to open the confirmation email and click on the link to activate your subscription. It is required by law and prevents others from signing you up without your permission. Last week's most-read story: MARYLAND COMPANY LINKED TO ALLEGED FRAUD / The Gazette Last week's website page views: 4,312 Deafweekly subscribers as of today: 3,039 ADVERTISE IN DEAFWEEKLY FOR AS LITTLE AS $18.46 PER WEEK. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NATIONAL +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Edwardsville, IL MAN SENTENCED TO PRISON IN DISABLED SON'S DEATH A southwestern Illinois man who admits he killed his deaf, disabled 2-year-old son in 2007 should spend the next 44 years in prison. That's the sentence a Madison County judge handed last Tuesday to 24-year-old Johnny Garcia of Alton. Garcia pleaded guilty in May to a first-degree murder count in exchange for a promise of no more than 50 years in prison. / AP Shelby, NC POLICE: DEAF WOMAN ASSAULTED WITH MUG Reports indicate a 44-year-old woman assaulted her deaf roommate Sunday morning [August 2].
    [Show full text]
  • Women's Experimental Autobiography from Counterculture Comics to Transmedia Storytelling: Staging Encounters Across Time, Space, and Medium
    Women's Experimental Autobiography from Counterculture Comics to Transmedia Storytelling: Staging Encounters Across Time, Space, and Medium Dissertation Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Ohio State University Alexandra Mary Jenkins, M.A. Graduate Program in English The Ohio State University 2014 Dissertation Committee: Jared Gardner, Advisor Sean O’Sullivan Robyn Warhol Copyright by Alexandra Mary Jenkins 2014 Abstract Feminist activism in the United States and Europe during the 1960s and 1970s harnessed radical social thought and used innovative expressive forms in order to disrupt the “grand perspective” espoused by men in every field (Adorno 206). Feminist student activists often put their own female bodies on display to disrupt the disembodied “objective” thinking that still seemed to dominate the academy. The philosopher Theodor Adorno responded to one such action, the “bared breasts incident,” carried out by his radical students in Germany in 1969, in an essay, “Marginalia to Theory and Praxis.” In that essay, he defends himself against the students’ claim that he proved his lack of relevance to contemporary students when he failed to respond to the spectacle of their liberated bodies. He acknowledged that the protest movements seemed to offer thoughtful people a way “out of their self-isolation,” but ultimately, to replace philosophy with bodily spectacle would mean to miss the “infinitely progressive aspect of the separation of theory and praxis” (259, 266). Lisa Yun Lee argues that this separation continues to animate contemporary feminist debates, and that it is worth returning to Adorno’s reasoning, if we wish to understand women’s particular modes of theoretical ii insight in conversation with “grand perspectives” on cultural theory in the twenty-first century.
    [Show full text]
  • Three Different Paths for Tabletop Gaming in School Libraries
    Three Different Paths for Tabletop Gaming in School Libraries Teresa Copeland, Brenda Henderson, Brian Mayer, and Scott Nicholson Abstract Three school library staff members explore how they have used table- top games in different school library settings. Teresa Copeland (Tes- seract School, Paradise Valley, Arizona, USA) explores how tabletop and role-playing games have been integrated into the curriculum across a wide variety of grade levels. Brenda Henderson (Trinity High School Learning Resources Centre, Redditch, UK) discusses how a board game club has made a difference in a high school library in the United Kingdom. Brian Mayer (School Library System, Genesee Valley Educational Partnership, LeRoy, New York, USA) supports multiple school libraries in finding matches between the curriculum and authentic games and runs game design workshops. Introduction Gaming in school libraries is evenly split between two primary goals: ed- ucation and recreation (Nicholson, 2008). Some libraries have worked with teachers to integrate games into the curriculum. Other libraries have created recreational programs around games where students can engage with each other in a safe space. One advantage of gaming programs in school libraries is that tabletop games, if chosen properly, can be both ed- ucational and recreational. Good educational games are also good games, and recreational tabletop gaming facilitates social engagement, planning, decision making, and mathematics. The focus in this article is on nondigital games: board, card, and role- playing games that are played on tables instead of on screens. Most stu- dents are used to digital games but may not have familiarity with tabletop gaming. Tabletop games are inexpensive, have a long shelf-life, are porta- ble, and can be used in a much wider variety of classroom situations than LIBRARY TRENDS, Vol.
    [Show full text]
  • Oriental Adventures James Wyatt
    620_T12015 OrientalAdvCh1b.qxd 8/9/01 10:44 AM Page 2 ® ORIENTAL ADVENTURES JAMES WYATT EDITORS: GWENDOLYN F. M. KESTREL PLAYTESTERS: BILL E. ANDERSON, FRANK ARMENANTE, RICHARD BAKER, EIRIK BULL-HANSEN, ERIC CAGLE, BRAIN MICHELE CARTER CAMPBELL, JASON CARL, MICHELE CARTER, MAC CHAMBERS, TOM KRISTENSEN JENNIFER CLARKE WILKES, MONTE COOK , DANIEL COOPER, BRUCE R. CORDELL, LILY A. DOUGLAS, CHRISTIAN DUUS, TROY ADDITIONAL EDITING: DUANE MAXWELL D. ELLIS, ROBERT N. EMERSON, ANDREW FINCH , LEWIS A. FLEAK, HELGE FURUSETH, ROB HEINSOO, CORY J. HERNDON, MANAGING EDITOR: KIM MOHAN WILLIAM H. HEZELTINE, ROBERT HOBART, STEVE HORVATH, OLAV B. HOVET, TYLER T. HURST, RHONDA L. HUTCHESON, CREATIVE DIRECTOR: RICHARD BAKER JEFFREY IBACH, BRIAN JENKINS, GWENDOLYN F.M. KESTREL, TOM KRISTENSEN, CATIE A. MARTOLIN, DUANE MAXWELL, ART DIRECTOR: DAWN MURIN ANGEL LEIGH MCCOY, DANEEN MCDERMOTT, BRANDON H. MCKEE, ROBERT MOORE, DAVID NOONAN, SHERRY L. O’NEAL- GRAPHIC DESIGNER: CYNTHIA FLIEGE HANCOCK, TAMMY R. OVERSTREET, JOHN D. RATELIFF, RICH REDMAN, THOMAS REFSDAL, THOMAS M. REID, SEAN K COVER ARTIST: RAVEN MIMURA REYNOLDS, TIM RHOADES, MIKE SELINKER, JAMES B. SHARKEY, JR., STAN!, ED STARK, CHRISTIAN STENERUD, OWEN K.C. INTERIOR ARTISTS: MATT CAVOTTA STEPHENS, SCOTT B. THOMAS, CHERYL A. VANMATER-MINER, LARRY DIXON PHILIPS R. VANMATER-MINER, ALLEN WILKINS, PENNY WILLIAMS, SKIP WILLIAMS CRIS DORNAUS PRONUNCIATION HELP: DAVID MARTIN RON FOSTER, MOE MURAYAMA, CHRIS PASCUAL, STAN! RAVEN MIMURA ADDITIONAL THANKS: WAYNE REYNOLDS ED BOLME, ANDY HECKT, LUKE PETERSCHMIDT, REE SOESBEE, PAUL TIMM DARRELL RICHE RICHARD SARDINHA Dedication: To the people who have taught me about the cultures of Asia—Knight Biggerstaff, Paula Richman, and my father, RIAN NODDY B S David K.
    [Show full text]
  • Major Developments in the Evolution of Tabletop Game Design
    Major Developments in the Evolution of Tabletop Game Design Frederick Reiber Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences University of California Irvine Irvine, USA [email protected] Abstract—Tabletop game design is very much an incremental these same concepts can and have been used in video game art. Designers build upon the ideas of previous games, often design. improving and combining already defined game mechanics. In Although some of these breakthroughs might be already this work, we look at a collection of the most impactful tabletop game designs, or games that have caused a significant shift in known by long time game designers, it is important to formally the tabletop game design space. This work seeks to record those document these developments. By doing so, we can not only shifts, and does so with the aid of empirical analysis. For each bridge the gap between experienced and novice game design- game, a brief description of the game’s history and mechanics ers, but we can also begin to facilitate scholarly discussion on is given, followed by a discussion on its impact within tabletop the evolution of games. Furthermore, this research is of interest game design. to those within the tabletop game industry as it provides Index Terms—Game Design, Mechanics, Impact. analysis on major developments in the field. It is also our belief that this work can be useful to academics, specifically I. INTRODUCTION those in the fields of game design, game analytics, and game There are many elements that go into creating a successful generation AI. tabletop game.
    [Show full text]
  • MATCHING SPORTS EVENTS and HOSTS Published April 2013 © 2013 Sportbusiness Group All Rights Reserved
    THE BID BOOK MATCHING SPORTS EVENTS AND HOSTS Published April 2013 © 2013 SportBusiness Group All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the permission of the publisher. The information contained in this publication is believed to be correct at the time of going to press. While care has been taken to ensure that the information is accurate, the publishers can accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions or for changes to the details given. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements including forecasts are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties that cannot be predicted or quantified and, consequently, the actual performance of companies mentioned in this report and the industry as a whole may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Author: David Walmsley Publisher: Philip Savage Cover design: Character Design Images: Getty Images Typesetting: Character Design Production: Craig Young Published by SportBusiness Group SportBusiness Group is a trading name of SBG Companies Ltd a wholly- owned subsidiary of Electric Word plc Registered office: 33-41 Dallington Street, London EC1V 0BB Tel. +44 (0)207 954 3515 Fax. +44 (0)207 954 3511 Registered number: 3934419 THE BID BOOK MATCHING SPORTS EVENTS AND HOSTS Author: David Walmsley THE BID BOOK MATCHING SPORTS EVENTS AND HOSTS
    [Show full text]
  • INTRODUCTION 1 Ryptic Vault Is a Company That Focuses on Creating Games to Be Played on the Ctable with Others
    INTRODUCTION 1 ryptic Vault is a company that focuses on creating games to be played on the Ctable with others. To achieve this, I had to run through a process that is ever expanding. First, we had to research the market and history of tabletop gaming to see what is trending and what our potential competition are doing. Along the way, questions as well as assumptions and answers to some of those questions were covered and Cryptic Vault began to establish self-identity. This includes goals, stance on the market, logos, and the games that will be produced. This process books showcases this process and helps unravels the secrets that lie ahead for Cryptic Vault’s future. Purpose & Goals Benefits The purpose in making this board The benefits to this project are to game revolves around building a offer a non-digital, more social connection and sharing the experience. engaging game that people can I hope other people have fun with this enjoy with one another. People who game and want to play with others. As playing tabletop games can add a person who enjoys tabletop games, this to their next play session along sometimes it is nice to have fun with with people who may be new to friends without the need of technology playing these types of games. since that has become prevalent in our daily lives. Research Resources First initial way to conduct research The most obvious resources that is to interview friends of mine who are needed is a computer with the engage in tabletop gaming and ask Adobe Suite and a text editor for them what they like to see in a game.
    [Show full text]