Tenets of Game Design
About 3,500 board games are published every year. It is a cornucopia of options, with great games ranging in scope from lovely wallet games by publishers like Button Shy, to grand big-box multi-session epics by the likes of Cephalofair. There are light party games, kid’s games, and abstract strategy games.
Our goal for Pine Island is broader than taking a single game to market. We want to create a catalogue of games and define ourselves through consistent execution and quality. To do this we need some direction, both to guide our own design choices, as well as narrow down the types of designs that we look to license.
We’ve settled on eleven tenets of game design that will define Pine Island as a company. These aren’t universal truths of game design – they are just the attributes that we believe in, and that we are choosing to focus on.
Game Design Tenets.
Strategic depth & mechanical elegance. Player cognitive load should be spent on strategic decisions, not on understanding complex (sometimes fiddly) mechanics. While mechanical complexity can be appropriate – it must be applied to drive an exciting strategic payoff. In general we prefer to simplify games wherever possible.
Organic start, organic progression, organic end. A progressive game play where pacing is driven by the players rather than strict mechanical progression and rounds.
Reward over punishment. Reward players for good play, rather than punish them for mistakes.
Resonant thematic drive. Strong and memorable thematic elements are relevant mechanically. We don’t believe in stapling on themes, but strive to weave theme through game play.
Ability to plan ahead. Decisions matter from turn to turn and players should have the ability to plan ahead. Of course, the best laid plans of squirrels and gamers…
Balancing luck and skill. Our favorite games balance skill and luck. While tight strategic game play improves a player’s chance of winning, elements of luck add drama, excitement, and an opportunity for players of all levels to enjoy a game together. We prefer randomness of inputs, rather than as a mechanic for resolution.
Replayability. Replayability through both interesting, dynamic, game play, and through variable mechanics. No two games are alike.
Tactile and visual. Board games are tactile and visual experiences. We value strong physical and visual design to engage players, draw them into the game, and improve ease of play.
Screw the man, not the players. While we value player interaction and conflict in our designs, we also try to minimize feel bad and “gotcha” moments. We avoid mechanics that screw over individual players, create ganging up, or king-making dynamics.
Bringing people together. Games are a conduit for bringing people together, both through exciting game play and community.
Main course or desert. Pine Island’s initial focus is on medium weight games in the 30-60 minute range. These games can bring people together as events (a night of Nut Hunt), or be a side dish for a social gathering (a game after dinner). In the future we expect to expand our menu of games to include more “main dishes”, or event games in the 60-120 minute range.
