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“The rules are there to help you get the most out of your time”

A quick interview with the nice folks of Pizza Games in Milan:

I would definitely double down on the idea that the purpose of game rules is to help us get the most out of our time. All the other stuff — having fun, getting on the same page, being clearly written — comes back to that: respecting and maximizing the return on our time. Because time is our ultimate finite and irreplaceable resource.

If you want to think about it in stages, step 1 of good rules is to be clear about what the game is like and what we can expect if we play it, so we can decide if we even want to spend the time bringing it to the table (sales pitches that lead you down the primrose path are bullshit). Then step 2 is clarity in the rules, so we can easily follow the instructions and play the game as it is intended. And then, step 3 — ah, step 3! — actually being a structure of play that delivers. What the kids call “being a good game”.

    Ben Robbins | July 18th, 2022 | , , , , | show 2 comments