| abstract |
adj. Having
greatly simplified concepts and actions, rather than strict attention to detail, in order
to facilitate game play. Often used as opposite of thematic. |
| abstract strategy game |
n. A game,
typically designed for two players, that has no theme, little or no randomness, and
usually a fairly simple set of rules. Chess is an example of an abstract strategy game. |
| analysis paralysis |
n. When
overanalysis and mini/maxing increase the downtime in a game beyond a desirable level.
(See also overanalyze) |
| auction game |
n. A game that
features players bidding on resources as the main mechanism. Modern Art is a prime example
of an auction game. Also called a bidding game |
| balance |
n. The way in
which elements of a game are equalized relative to each player. Often balance is
established by giving all players similar starting positions and maintained by using
mechanisms to hurt the apparent leader or help the likely loser. (See also mechanism) |
| beer & pretzels game |
n. A game so
random that long-term strategies are nearly impossible, and with such a goofy theme that
it is played as a humorous diversion rather than a real competition. Frequently these
games feature several mechanisms that can interact with each other in surprising ways. Wiz
War is an example of a beer & pretzels game. (See also light) |
| bidding game |
n. See auction
game. |
| bits |
n. The assorted
components used to play a game. Most of time this term is applied to game components of
higher quality. Note that the singular, bit, is almost never used in a gaming
sense. |
| broken |
adj. (usually
applied to a game) Having problems that result in a disappointing play experience. A game
might be considered broken if even poor play can lead to a victory, if it
frequently ends in a stalemate, or if one strategy invariably wins. (See also
solvable) |
| CCG |
n. Abbreviation
for Collectable Card Game, this type of game uses a basic rule structure and a large
assortment of cards which each have characteristics that contradict or supplement the
basic rules. Each player brings a customized set of cards to the game, which allows
players to predetermine their strategies. Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon are examples of
CCGs. |
| chrome |
n. A mechanic or
mechanics added to a game to support the theme or make it feel more realistic. |
| closer |
n. A game with
very simple rules and strategies that does not require deep thought and can be used at the
end of a gaming session, when everyone’s brain is worn out. (See also light) |
| computational |
adj. Overtly using
mathematics to determine victory conditions. (See also dry) |
| dice-fest |
n. 1. A game that
uses a whole bunch of dice to determine game outcomes. 2. A game that has a very random
nature because of die results. |
| downtime |
n. The time that a
player spends doing nothing while waiting for other players to complete their turns. (See
also player interaction) |
| dry |
adj. Overly
mechanical or lacking in thematic elements. |
| economic game |
n. A game that
features money management as the main mechanism. Monopoly and 1830 are examples of this
genre. Note that although many games use money as a move-limiting factor or as a way to
track performance such games are not necessarily economic. |
| end-game |
n. The final time
period in a game, which will usually determine the victor. Strategies during this period
often vary slightly from strategies used during the earlier portion of the game. |
| family game |
n. A game that
typically has simple rules, a short playing time, relatively high levels of abstraction
and player interaction, and requires three or more players. A large percentage of these
games originate in Germany. (See also German games) |
| fart-factor |
n. This refers to
the apparent ‘fart’ sound when a game box is closed. This usually occurs with
games that have a significant number of components. (See also components) |
| fiddly |
adj. Requiring
lots of turn-by-turn maintenance which tends to bog down the ebb and flow of the game. |
| filler |
n. A game with
very simple rules, strategies that do not require deep thought, and an extremely short
playing-time. This type of game is frequently used between heavier games. (See also
light) |
| gamer |
n. A person that
likes to spend a most of his free time playing games. |
| gamey |
adj. (usually
applied to a mechanism) Seeming contrived and unrelated to the theme. Often mechanisms
described this way have been added to preserve the game’s balance. (See also
dry) |
| geek |
n. A person that
tends to have keen interest in alter-reality pursuits (science fiction, fantasy, etc.),
almost to the point of distraction. Often these people may lack certain social graces
because of an inability (or unwillingness) to separate fantasy from reality. (See also
nerd
and Neil’s treatise) |
| German game |
n. A game from
Germany. Such games typically have relatively simple rules, short playing times, fairly
high levels of abstraction and player interaction, and attractive physical components.
Games not from Germany that otherwise meet the criteria are occasionally included in this
group, but are more frequently described as ‘German-like’ (See also
family
games) |
| going nuclear |
v. Deciding to
disregard one’s personal standing in the game and simply destroy or harm other
players’ chances of winning. Generally, this is done in response to another
player’s actions. (See also metagame) |
| group think |
n. The general
approach adopted by most of the players in a game, which to some degree determines how
other players will need to play in order to succeed. |
| heavy |
adj. Having very
complex rules and/or complex strategies that require deep thought, careful planning, and
long playing times. |
| heft factor |
n. The physical
weight of the game, used to describe the quality of the components. A game with a
well-made board and lots of cool wooden bits will have a high heft factor. |
| kingmaker |
n. A player,
himself in a losing position, that has the power to decide who will win a given game. |
| LARP |
n. Acronym for
Live Action Role-Playing, a form of Role-Playing Game in which players are encouraged to
physically act exactly how they think their character would behave with other characters
and the surroundings. (See also RPG) |
| light |
adj. Having very
simple rules and strategies that do not require deep thought. Also can be used to describe
a game with an extremely short playing time. (See also filler, opener, closer, and beer
& pretzels game) |
| luck |
n. A result of
randomness giving one or more players an advantage within a game. (See also random) |
| mechanism |
n, -ic. Part of a
game’s rule system that covers one general or specific aspect of the game. |
| metagame |
v. To use reasons
not strictly related to the game at hand to change one’s playing style and attitude
towards other players. Choosing to attack player A instead of player B simply because
player A owes you money is an extreme example of metagaming. |
| mini/max |
v. The process of
analyzing a particular turn with an emphasis on getting the best ratio of personal
resources expended to realized gains. |
| miniatures game |
n. A type of
wargame that uses small three-dimensional lead or plastic figurines to represent military
units to represent tactical-level conflict. Often these games have a high level of
simulation or re-creation. (See also wargame) |
| negotiation game |
n. A game in which
players make deals and trade resources or favors as the main mechanism. Diplomacy is
perhaps the best example of this type of game. |
| nerd |
n. A person that
tends to be immersed in cerebral interests, often at the expense of social functionality.
These people can be recognized by their distinctive pit-stained polyester shirts and
pocket-protectors. (See also geek) |
| newbie |
n. Someone
who’s new to gaming. |
| non-gamer |
n. A person that
does not spend every waking moment thinking, talking, playing, and breathing games, a.k.a.
a normal person. |
| opener |
n. A game with
very simple rules and strategies that does not require deep thought and that can be used
at the beginning of a gaming session to get people warmed up for heavier games. (See also
light) |
| overanalyze |
v. To use an
exorbitant amount of time to find an optimal move, especially when the resulting move is
virtually equal to all other choices. (See also downtime) |
| parakeetitis |
n. An affliction
suffered primarily by spielfreaks, it causes the gamer to be enthralled by gorgeous
components. Sufferers can often be heard to softly murmur, "nice bits" while
examining a game and can be easily distracted by the sight of shiny objects. |
| party game |
n. A game that is
designed for large groups of people and emphasizes social interaction, creativity, and/or
volubility. Taboo and Charades are examples of party games. |
| player interaction |
n. The degree and
frequency with which players can affect each other during a game. High player interaction
can reduce a game’s downtime. |
| playtest |
v. To examine the
rules of and play a prototype game in order to find possible improvements and determine
its viability. |
| processional |
adj. Describes a
game that tends to be very cyclical and/or monotonous. A processional game will often have
little player interaction and high downtime. |
| race game |
n. A game that
features players vying to be the first to complete a given course of travel as the main
mechanism. Formula De or Candy Land are examples of this type of game. |
| random |
n. –ness adj.
When events or players’ actions in a game are very unpredictable. Often players will
have little, if any, control over the elements that control their performance in the game.
(See also luck) |
| re-creation |
n. A game that
takes simulation to a new level by trying to duplicate original historical conditions in
detail. (See also simulation) |
| replay value |
n. A game’s
capacity to remain entertaining after several playings. |
| RGB |
n. Abbreviation
for Rec.Games.Board, a Usenet newsgroup which has discussions about all types of board
gaming. It can be very useful for researching information about games and for getting
answers to rules questions. |
| RPG |
n. Abbreviation
for Role-Playing Game, in which a gamemaster creates a progressive storyline and other
players control the characters within the story. Dungeons and Dragons is an example of an
RPG.
(See also LARP) |
| rules lawyer |
n. A gamer who
interprets rules in an overly literal sense or in such a way to significantly reduce the
thematic or logical aspects of a game. |
| set-up |
n. The first time
period in a game, during which players ready all the components that will be needed for
playing. |
| simulation |
n. A game that
puts major emphasis on accurately depicting historical reality. (See also wargame
and re-creation) |
| solvable |
adj. (applied to a
game) Inevitably winnable when a particular strategy is employed. (See also broken) |
| spielfreak |
n. A gamer that is
totally captivated by German games. From the German word for game, spiel. |
| strategy |
n. 1. The plan
that a player uses in a game. adj –ic. 2. Requiring gaming decisions
based on long-range goals. 3. In a wargaming sense, using a high level of abstraction to
depict conflict. |
| tactics |
n. 1. Decisions
that are based primarily on current situations and short-term goals. adj –ical.
2. In a wargaming sense, using a low level of abstraction to simulate conflict.
For example, using counters to depict individual soldiers or squads instead of platoons or
battalions. |
| Teutonic |
adj. Having a
large number of variables for consideration and an essentially mechanical, slightly
abstract, often repetitive structure [this is an almost direct quote from Sumo issue 8].
This quality is often found in German games. (See also German games) |
| theme |
n. 1. The topic or
subject matter of a game. adj –atic. 2. Having rules and mechanics
based on assumptions regarding the subject matter of the game. Often considered the
opposite of abstract. |
| tile-laying game |
n. A game that
features the placement of components onto a playing surface (rather than moving components
along the playing surface) as the main mechanism. |
| train game |
n. A game that
features route-building and/or picking up and delivery of commodities along particular
routes as the main mechanisms. The crayon rail games, like Empire Builder and Eurorails,
are good examples of train games. |
| trick-taking game |
n. A card game
that features players each sequentially placing a card down to make a trick, which is then
awarded to one of the players. Bridge, Spades, or Hearts are examples of this type of card
game. |
| wargame |
n. A game in which
players put military units in direct conflict with each other. The goal of these games is
typically either annihilation of opponents or the attainment of certain strategic
conditions. These types of games will often have high thematic content and a varying
degree abstraction. (See also miniatures game) |
| zero-sum |
adj. Having an
‘everything good for me is bad for you’ quality. This is generally found in
two-player games, and is reduced as the number of players increases. |
