Huh? 🤔
When bravely venturing into an unknown domain (such as game design), there’s that (almost) unavoidable feeling of having no idea what people talk about. This post contains some words and phrases that have made me go “huh?” during conversations with game designers or while listening to game design podcasts.
| Word | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Input randomness | A random event that occurs before a player makes a decision. | Drawing cards from a shuffled deck and then deciding which card to play. |
| Output randomness | Randomization that takes effect after a decision is made. | Rolling dice to determine the success of an attack. |
| Worker placement games | Genre of games where players assign “workers” to gather resources or trigger actions. | Common examples include Lords of Waterdeep and Agricola – though my personal favorite is Everdell. |
| CCG (Collectible Card Game) | Also called TCG (Trading Card Game), it’s a genre of games where players collect and build custom decks of cards that they bring to the game session. | The most famous CCG is undoubtedly Magic: The Gathering (often referred to simply as "Magic"). |
| Rubber-banding | A game mechanic designed to keep games competitive by giving weaker players an advantage. | The most (in)famous example being the blue shell from Mario Kart. |
| RAW | Means “Rules as Written” and refers to interpreting the game’s rules exactly as they are worded. | Sometimes seen being used in online forums discussing games like Dungeons & Dragons. |
| Abstract games | Games that focus almost exclusively on mechanics and strategy rather than on theme. | Chess and Go are classic examples. |
| Drafting | A game mechanic where players take turns selecting cards or other resources, usually from a limited pool. | Ever played 7 Wonders? Well, that’s a drafting game. |
| Eurogame | A category of board games known for their complex rules and minimal player conflict. | If you’ve played Catan, you’ve played a eurogame. |
| Game theory | The study of strategic decision-making in competitive situations. | You might have heard of the prisoner’s dilemma. |
| Min-maxing | Commonly used in RPGs – it basically means to find and use the best and most powerful strategy. | Prioritizing fighting prowess when creating a fighter in D&D (over everything else). |
| Tactics vs. Strategy | Strategy is the long-term plan or goal in a game, while tactics are the short-term moves to achieve that goal. | In chess, your strategy could be to capture your opponent’s queen, while the specific moves you make to achieve that goal would be considered your tactics. |
| Trick-taking | A game mechanic where players play one card each in a round (a “trick”) and the winner of the trick is determined by the cards played. | Popular in card games like Bridge. |
| Deck-building | Unlike CCG, where players bring their decks, in deck-building games, players start with a basic deck and build it during the game. | Dominion is often considered to be the game that birthed the genre. |
| Polyomino | Pieces made up of smaller squares, like in Tetris. | These shapes are used in games like Blokus for spatial puzzles. |
| Agency | Often mentioned in D&D and other RPGs, agency refers to the player’s sense of control. | Players lose agency if the GM forces them down a fixed story path. |
| Positive feedback loop | Occurs when an action reinforces itself, leading to increased rewards or advantages (also called snowball effect). | In chess, when you capture an opponent’s piece, your opponent suffers a disadvantage (fewer pieces). |
| Negative feedback loop | This type of loop is designed to balance gameplay and keep it competitive (see rubber-banding). | The blue shell from Mario Kart is, again, a classic example. |