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TIMELY TOPICS - Tension in games - Ratchet it up, please!

Posted by -matt s.

Timely Topics

18 May 2011

-matt s.

(tasajara)

United States
Eugene
Oregon

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/blog/22

I love tension in games. I'm sure you know what I mean, those games where the tension builds and you can feel your adrenaline start to rise. You get that little bit of shakiness as you are about to pull off what you hope is a big move, but afraid of how the other person might counter.

The other night I got to play some good, tense games with my friend Cary. It's amazing how something as simple as a game with just cards, bits and a handful of rules can have such an affect on you. Your blood starts flowing and you get an almost euphoric feeling. Like I'm feeling right now after playing several tough games.

Tension is probably the biggest draw for me in a game - the tensest games are the ones I seen to remember and enjoy the most. Every move you make seems crucial. You can't let your guard down one bit or it will be the end of the game for you. You are engaged and focused on the game throughout.

What kind of elements seem to make a game tense for me? I'd say its a handful of things:
* The ability to plan ahead and make a clever move that surprises your opponent.
* The ability to quickly turn the tables then have it turned right back on you again.
* Racing to meet certain conditions in a set period of time (not just 'time' itself, but in the depletion of cards or resources)
* Multiple possible paths to victory.
* Auctions where every auction has value in it, either for what's in the auction or for the need to prevent someone ELSE from getting what's in it (or at least making them pay the price).
* Brinkmanship - taking a chance and putting yourself out on a limb in the hopes of achieving a goal before others can stop you (hopefully)
* Tight two-player games (this isn't crucial for me, but I love head-to-head competition and find it the most interesting in games) Don't get me wrong, multi-player games can also be tense and terrific at those higher numbers, but 2-player to me is where it's really at.

So, what specifically got me so amped up in these games we played? Well, let me tell you...

(read more....)

8 Comments

Wed May 18, 2011 5:15 pm

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Geoffrey Ulman

(ulmangt)

United States
Herndon
Virginia

I'm by no means a wargamer. I usually enjoy standard Euro fare, but I do occasionally enjoy the growing set of Euro-influenced wargames (Napoleon's Triumph, Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage, Twilight Struggle, things of that nature).

I find that, if you're judging games simply by the tension they create, these types of games simply can't be beat. Napoleon's Triumph in particular has a deliciously tense hidden information mechanic where one wrong move could lead to disaster. Plus the game is gorgeous:

Posted Wed May 18, 2011 5:56 pm
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-matt s.

(tasajara)

United States
Eugene
Oregon

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/blog/22

ulmangt wrote:

I have played a couple of war games and yes they can have a lot of tension. War games in general I don't tend to be drawn to them - although TS is certainly one I have played and really enjoyed (and now own) - I only have 1-1/2 plays of it under my belt and I should have added it to my list. TS to me is an area control game at heart although, I suppose fundamentally many war games are just that to some extent.

Notice on my list that I have several games of that type there - something about area control that really gets me going. (Now I'm thinking of more games that I could have put on my list - Condottiere, San Marco, Dominant Species)

I also have a couple of war games in hand but need to get them out and learned - Panzer Blitz and The Civil War in particular. My issue is they have SO many rules it takes some time to learn them (and play them).

Now, Memoir '44 certainly had that level of tension I like and it's pretty easy to get into.

I'll have to check out Napoleon's Triumph - thanks for the tip!

Edited Wed May 18, 2011 7:19 pm
Posted Wed May 18, 2011 7:14 pm
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Andrew P

(fateswanderer)

United States
San Francisco
California

I have found 2 de Mayo (a short, sharp micro wargame with hidden orders each turn), Mr. Jack in New York (very clever deduction-based game) and Carolus Magnus (area control quasi-abstract, with tonnes of swinginess) high in tension. The first two involve hidden information and the possibility of instant-win conditions that keep you on the edge of your seat; in the latter the stakes ramp up through the game as regions merge and castles grow in number, while swings become more and more painful (castles changing allegiance en masse).

Posted Wed May 18, 2011 11:45 pm
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-matt s.

(tasajara)

United States
Eugene
Oregon

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/blog/22

fateswanderer wrote:

I've heard about 2 de Mayo and Carolus Magnus before but never looked into them much before - I guess I'll have to now!

I've played the original Mr. Jack and loved it! Yes, that one has high tension as well. I've been meaning to get a copy of it and I've heard excellent things about the New York version as well. Of course, I'll end up getting both versions I'm sure

Thanks for the suggestions!

Posted Thu May 19, 2011 1:06 am
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Michael Green

(jumpingsquare)

United States
Pottstown
Pennsylvania

Going along the co-op route, it knind of plays like Pandemic but give Forbidden Island a try. It's pretty light, but I played a few games just the other day, and the feeling of 'oh crap, the island is closing in on us, oh crap' is unlike any other game I've played. It's more of an 'anxious' type of tension, but it's great nonetheless.

Posted Thu May 19, 2011 6:37 pm
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-matt s.

(tasajara)

United States
Eugene
Oregon

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/blog/22

jumpingsquare wrote:

Actually, we have that and I've played it a handful of times. It's a bit light for me personally, but I do love the tension in it (but had forgotten that when I wrote this entry). I usually play it with my kids and my friend Bob who got us turned on to it.

A couple of months ago we played with me, my kids and my parents. My wife opted out but pretty soon she was joining in offering advice. You can see the anticipation in the kids' face when playing it as the stakes get higher and higher. Everyone has something to say and contribute as you explore the possibilities. No one wants to die!

Posted Thu May 19, 2011 10:26 pm
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Laszlo Molnar

(lacxox)

Hungary
Budapest
Hungary

To me, tension comes from uncertainity.

The ability to plan ahead and make a clever move or to quickly turn the tables then have it turned right back on you again does not do it for me. Nor do multiple possible paths to victory.
Tension comes from situations where you have to choose from possibilities and just can't be sure which one is a better choice. It can come from situations where you can choose from bad and worse alternatives. It can come from a hidden information that would be very much crucial to know before you make your moves. It can come from having fewer available actions than what you need.
To me, these are real sources of tension.

Posted Sun May 22, 2011 11:16 pm
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-matt s.

(tasajara)

United States
Eugene
Oregon

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/blog/22

lacxox wrote:

Yes, I agree those are good ways to produce tension as well. Of course, it depends on the game and the situation. Sometimes open information can be just as exciting.

For me, the clever move is filled with tension because the PLANNING for it is full of tension - setting yourself up to do it and hoping someone else doesn't block you or see/expect what you're doing. Very tense sort of situation.

For multiple paths to victory, this creates tension for me because you don't always know what the others are doing and if you're going to be interfering with each other or not.

Posted Mon May 23, 2011 6:42 am
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TIMELY TOPICS - Tension in games - Ratchet it up, please!

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