Dr. Boozehead, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Get Drunk: Design Principles and Analysis of Drinking Games in the Silicon Age Kelvin M. Liu-Huang Emily J. Simon Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University [email protected] [email protected] Published in Proceedings of SIGBOVIK 2017 (16 March 2017) Informal revision (5 April 2017) Abstract standardized internationally, generously funded, From beer pong to beer bong, drinking games vicariously enjoyed by large fractions of the have a storied past, seated at the intersection of population, and game elders typically receive the sublimating puritanical repression [1] and the highest salaries at learning institutions great ape's boundless curiosity. Animals utilize [6]. Furthermore, games (as well as all other play to express themselves and practice activities) are often integrated with ingestion of behaviors. For humans, play is so important that poisonous liquids to stimulate social interaction rules of play are codified into games. Yet, and enjoyment. In many ways, these “drinking scientific study of human games and game design games” may be regarded as paragon forms of play has been greatly underrepresented, and even because they achieve so many different objectives more so for drinking games. In the present study of play. we sought to distill the essential principles of Despite the importance of such games those traditions, which lie at the intersection of and the complexities of game design, very little interactive gaming and indulging in poisonous formal study and scientific discourse have been fluids. Through careful field analysis and devoted to game design. Ordinary tabletop games repetitive study, we propose that concrete require delicate balance of tool complexity, rule prerequisites, mental requirements, and social complexity, computational complexity, game-to- abetment are all fundamental attributes of a game variance, audience appeal, and mechanical successful drinking game. To evaluate our design and narrative harmony. principles, we designed three novel drinking The design of drinking games requires games, beer baseball, soccer shots, and beer nim. arguably even more sensitivity. Between the We also evaluate the popular drinking game, beer innately chaotic environment of parties, the need pong, as a benchmark. Comparing our to facilitate communication, and judicious innovations to the benchmark, we demonstrate application of refreshments [1], drinking games the effectiveness of applying our design principles, embody the highest achievements of human showing that beer baseball and beer pong knock it design gathered from the likes of Chess, Go, or out of the park, while beer nim (our straw man) Ping Pong. Yet the design and study of drinking eats dirt. games is even lower in the pecking order than ordinary games. Even fewer serious examinations have been made of drinking game design 1. Introduction [1][7][8]. Popular with men and women fond of Animals evolved play to communicate and classical languages, drinking games have manipulate [2][3]; learn aggressive, predatory, historically been typecast as intellectually and and foraging behaviors [4]; and improve cognitive socially inferior. At the risk of resorting to function [5]. To the great ape, play is so important platitudes, we know that correlation does not that rules of play are codified into numerous imply causation [9], so this alone should not be an philosophies called “games.” Popular games are indictment of the noble pastime of drinking option to devote only an aliquot of time is games. vital. Therefore we must always remember the KEG! 2. Design Principles A fecund party is a maelstrom of eclectic 2.3. Appropriate difficulty (NP-complete) attributes: activity, bass/brainless, clumsy, dance, The computational complexity of such critically and entropy. Look for these symptoms using the acclaimed board games as Agricola and 7 Wonders simple acronym, ABCDE. A drinking game should tend to be unpalatable for a drinking satisfy all the principles of game design, as well as environment. Other forms of play, such as judiciously accommodate these party properties. football, hunting, and monster truck driving, carry a level of risk and finesse that should not be 2.1. Easy to organize (ABCDE) expected of inebriated patrons, due to Due to spontaneity and inattentiveness (A), a brainlessness (B) and clumsiness (C). That is not drinking game must require minimal planning, to say that refreshments do not go well with a simple setup, and little infrastructure. Due to titillating round of Elder Dragon Highlander, but heavy bass (B), brainlessness (B), and entropy (E), rather, the choice of drinking game depends mobilizing players and organizing a game must be heavily on the mood and flavor of the party. simple. Props (if used) should be low cost and Because intoxication impairs judgment ubiquitous, or at least portable. There should be (B), the runtime complexity of a drinking game is a few and simple rules to explain due to (A) as well strict criterion. We are most interested in the as interjection from the hard bassline (B). Due to runtime per turn, because it is fine, though not brainlessness (B), clumsiness (C), and entropy (E), ideal, if a game is long. However, it is crucial that the drinking game should be low risk. Messes and players can complete each turn with reasonable injuries are sure to dampen a thriving runtime, otherwise players will become bored due party. Above all, the drinking game needs to be to (A). We find that an ideal drinking game has technically feasible given the specific parameters runtime complexity between O(0), inclusive, and of the party. Space for a large game can that of ordinary games, exclusive. As with depreciate due to dancing (D) and entropy ordinary games, the level of difficulty also heavily (E). Too much bass (B) might also drown out the depends on the mood and audience. The game is speaking portion of some would-be drinking boring if too easy and either boring or draining if games. too hard. That optimal level just happens to be lower than for ordinary games. More importantly, a drinking game should have a runspace 2.2. Social (NP, P=NP, KEG) complexity much less than that of ordinary games Parties must facilitate social interaction to avoid because impaired memory capacity is one of the noncompliant prairie-dogs (NP), individuals who first symptoms of intoxication (B). We must avoid wallflower, stand alone, or look around a game that is completely not playable (NP- perplexed. In general, we don’t want players not complete). playing (P=NP). A drinking game readily serves this need by providing a platform for players to communicate [1]. Meanwhile the game itself 2.4. Low cost, high reward (PING PONG) cannot require too much focus, so as to allow Given the whimsical yet effusive milieu (A) of a informal conversation. To facilitate social party, patrons should not feel too physically, networking, a drinking game ideally allows players mentally, or emotionally drained after a single to join or leave as they please. We introduce a game. Therefore we propose the following metric for this fungibility called the KEG (keep heuristics to optimally calibrate the primary entering/exiting games) norm. Though some investment energy gift (or PING) against the partygoers may wish to linger on one game, the principle output and gain (PONG). (1) A single game should not occupy an unreasonably large Sticky Wet Floor). Secondly, drinking games are aliquot of the party time. (2) Players should not reserved for parties. If one were to play them have to learn unreasonable skills. (3) Players sober, they would be reduced to “games for should receive maximum fun output in exchange people with poor fine motor dexterity” due to (C), for participation input. or alternatively, “stupidly easy games” due to Points (1) and (2) requires a reduction in (B). Third, winning and losing, and increasing the activation energy for playing the game due to inebriation by proxy, should not make the game inattentiveness (A) and brainlessness (B). This less fun [1]. In fact, a good drinking game ripens disqualifies widely lauded games such as Settlers with age as the party progresses! of Catan with the Cities and Knights expansion, Warhammer 40,000, and Dungeons and 3. Examples Dragons. These games may offer high payoff in the currency of intrigue and imagination, but 3.1. Beer Pong prove unfeasible for the passing tourist without Few drinking games are as popular and time- dedicating hours or weeks preparing and learning honored [1] as beer pong, also known as Beirut the strategy. Unless the social norms of partying [10]. Beer pong is often considered the undergo a dramatic paradigm shift to progenitor of the shooting into cups (SIC) drinking accommodate pre-party strategy sessions and games archetype. Thus due to natural selection, avatar development, drinking games will remain one would expect beer pong to be a highly limited to simple setup and rules. optimized drinking game which satisfies many of To satisfy point (3), players cannot be our design principles. excessively focused on winning or losing (since With regards to feasibility, beer pong only a fraction of players can win each requires virtually no planning (just selecting two game). Point (3) comes attached with the caveat or four players), ubiquitous resources (red solo that anyone who does not find the game “fun” will cups and ping pong balls), and little be ceremonially denominated as “excretory maintenance. However, the full rule set can be celebrants.” It thus follows that any reasonable quite cumbersome and vary dramatically with the partier should find the game entertaining and east and west coast populations. Furthermore, exciting in a manner linearly related to BAC. the large number of cups poses a high risk of a pathogenic state known as a “party foul.” 2.5. Drinking is integral (DUI) Socially speaking, players can freely apply We all like games, from corn hole to cricket to KEG if they can find a substitute, or even take Chrono Trigger, and we all like drinking, but “celebrity shots.” Watching balls land in cups can drinking games stand alone.