I am obsessed with replaybility in my designs. You probably know it pretty well from Robinson Crusoe - 300 different cards with events and adventures, 6 different scenarios in the box, 3 more scenarios as a free expansion put on our website... You buy Robinson and I promise that you'll have like 100 hours of fun. This is me designing game. The same with Stronghold, Imperial Settlers, with all games I do. Replaybility is the king.
But!
Even though my design philosophy is all about putting in the box that much content that you will never get bored, I actually agree with Tom Vasel who once said in his podcast that if he plays a game and has a great gaming night with his friends, it was already worth buying it and it might have replaybility value of 0 (zero!) and he will still be happy.
Probably most of you thinks now that this is dumbest thing you ever read on this blog.
Believe it or not, but I am with Tom on this one.
Let me explain.
Grab your 3 friends and go to the cinema to see Spectre. 4 x 20 = 80 usd
Grab your wife and 2 kids and go to the ZOO. 4 x 20 = 80 usd
Grab your girlfriend and take her for a concert. 2 x 50 = 100 usd
Grab your friends and buy and play Robinson Crusoe. 1 x 70 usd
OMG, I would never buy Robinson if I could play it only once!!! Well, really? What about giving it a second thought, huh?
***
I am writing about this because Rob Daviau and Matt Leacock did something extraordinary. They convinced you to buy a game that has a limited replaybility. You'll play about 12 games of Pandemic Legacy and that's it. You are done.
(yeah, I know, first step was done with Rob's in his Risk Legacy)
Players are not complaining.
Players are happy as a kid who just got his Sphero BB-8 Droid.
Players praise a great game.
Players value experience they had, just like watching amazing movie or reading amazing book.
Players are witnessing a revolution, even though they might not recognize that yet.
***
Back to the Tom Vasel statement - the question we might ask today is if we are ready to pay 60 or 80 usd for an amazing one time experience, just like we pay for cinema, Rolling Stones concert or visit in the ZOO.
I think we are not there yet. But the wall has been breached. Pandemic Legacy showed us that there is new world out there.
I am very curious what's next. Are you?
But!
Even though my design philosophy is all about putting in the box that much content that you will never get bored, I actually agree with Tom Vasel who once said in his podcast that if he plays a game and has a great gaming night with his friends, it was already worth buying it and it might have replaybility value of 0 (zero!) and he will still be happy.
Probably most of you thinks now that this is dumbest thing you ever read on this blog.
Believe it or not, but I am with Tom on this one.
Let me explain.
Grab your 3 friends and go to the cinema to see Spectre. 4 x 20 = 80 usd
Grab your wife and 2 kids and go to the ZOO. 4 x 20 = 80 usd
Grab your girlfriend and take her for a concert. 2 x 50 = 100 usd
Grab your friends and buy and play Robinson Crusoe. 1 x 70 usd
OMG, I would never buy Robinson if I could play it only once!!! Well, really? What about giving it a second thought, huh?
I am writing about this because Rob Daviau and Matt Leacock did something extraordinary. They convinced you to buy a game that has a limited replaybility. You'll play about 12 games of Pandemic Legacy and that's it. You are done.
(yeah, I know, first step was done with Rob's in his Risk Legacy)
Players are not complaining.
Players are happy as a kid who just got his Sphero BB-8 Droid.
Players praise a great game.
Players value experience they had, just like watching amazing movie or reading amazing book.
Players are witnessing a revolution, even though they might not recognize that yet.
***
Back to the Tom Vasel statement - the question we might ask today is if we are ready to pay 60 or 80 usd for an amazing one time experience, just like we pay for cinema, Rolling Stones concert or visit in the ZOO.
I think we are not there yet. But the wall has been breached. Pandemic Legacy showed us that there is new world out there.
I am very curious what's next. Are you?