I'm mostly out of video games to review for the moment, but simpler tabletop games can teach just as much about game theory as can video games. I've always liked Go Fish. While often considered somewhat childish, it's a good game for when you simply want to pass time without the stress of some other card games. Part of what makes it work so well is its simplicity. It's at heart a memory game; one of the most important aspects is keeping track of who has asked for which cards (meaning the asker has at least one of said card) and who does not have them. Interestingly, while drawing a card is a penalty (common in many card-based games), it can end up working to the player's advantage, either by providing a needed card or simply giving the opportunity to lay down more sets of cards. This, plus the inherent comedy and triviality in a phrase like "go fish," can help make the game less stressful than more "serious" card games. What can be gleaned from this is that comedic aspects can be useful for cutting tension in any game and preventing the player from growing too anxious or frustrated. Allowing disadvantages to be taken into stride and even used to the player's benefit is another interesting idea to keep the player motivated. While these aspects are not ideal for every game, it's helpful to consider what makes such a simple yet well-known game work. So, to summarize:
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AuthorI'm moving on to my 4th (and final) year as a Game Art & Design student at Durham School of the Arts. I'd like to call myself an artist, but I'm a programmer at heart. Archives
February 2020
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