Re: [piecepack] So Copycats and Confusion Win??

[Porter TwoThreeFive <porter235@...>]

A note on "Copycats" or the reuse of game mechanics.

Taken from an article about Wolfgang Kramer  found at<http://www.thegamesjournal.com/articles/SpecialK2.shtml>..(emphasis mine)
   This early effort anticipated two common themes which run throughKramer's games. The first was innovation: giving players the option ofcontrolling movement via card play was something new and fresh. Thesecond theme was the reuse of ideas. Kramer worked the basicmechanic of Tempo into no less than four other racing designs(Niki Lauda's Formel 1, Daytona 500, Detroit/Cleveland Grand Prix,and 1996 Spiel des Jahres nominee Top Race), modifying the rulesfor each effort, with the result each time being a popular and successfulgame. An article by Larry Levy<http://www.thegamesjournal.com/articles/GenesisOfAGame.shtml>suggests the following...
   Don't be a lazy designer. For example, why be satisfied with rollingdice if with a little more effort you can come up with a more skillful orinteractive mechanic? There are too many Monopoly clones out thereas it is.
   On the other hand, don't be afraid to borrow from what has been shownto work or from games you like, particularly from current designers. 

And finally check out Al Newman's article "PleaseRecycle"<http://www.thegamesjournal.com/articles/PleaseRecycle.shtml>where he discusses the recycling of game mechanics.



At 02:08 AM 8/19/2003 +0000, you wrote:
Im not going to pout, yet simply point out that my games Seemed to 
be the most ORIGINAL and well  FUN.  I can't fully speak to the 
other games yet, but Im pretty sure my two rulesets are the 
thinnest, and therefore simplistic. Next contest, I will be sure to 
rip off every Board Game Ive ever played.....   and that will be 
sure to provide the most F-U-N.  Because aparently doing something 
UNIQUE  doesnt get you anywhere. Why do we even have a 
piecepack....   Just buy every 40 dollar board game you can afford 
and put them in a blender. Also... Thanks for waiting til the 20th!!!

Eric 



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