Developing a Theory of Player Intent in Board Games

Abstract

This paper focuses on the relationship between rules and player experiences. We begin the paper by asking, "How does a game's design create fun for players?" only to reframe it to "How do players use games to create fun?" This reframing has three benefits. First, it considers players as active creators instead of passive consumers of experience (Players as Designers). Second, it views gameplay as a crafted and intentional property apart from being an emergent property. In order to approach this question, gameplays of six abstract strategy games are subjected to event analysis. The analysis results in identifying events across five layers. Through events, we can give ontological attention to gameplay and how players experience fun while creating the gameplay. We found that players create gameplay with intent. Based on our findings, we propose Intent Obfuscation Theory in Board Games. The paper contributes to the design research in games in three ways. First, it views gameplay as the ultimate particular and players as designers. This expansion, we find pertinent for design research. Second, is identification and characterising gameplay through different events. Thirdly, proposal of the Intent Obfuscation Theory in Board Games, which we believe will find a place in player experience studies in board games.