Mechanics to avoid when designing a modern board game
Player Agency
- Offer choices, especially where the "correct" choice isn't obvious.
- Avoid stretches where 1+ players can't take part (skips, unplayable cards, etc)
- Avoid choices where you have no context about a correct decision (battleship). Transparant choices nd effects.
- Favor informed choices, especially over guesses. Occasional shot in the dark or high risk / high reward is satisfying, but should not be the norm
- Avoid random events, especially those that aren't powered by player decision. Better is something like when you drill for oil, add an earthquake card to the deck (chance for it to come up later). When you DO have event decks, make them affect all players equally (or punish / reward the player who took the risk / invested the energy to make it happen -- see clank)
- Don't have them all be negative or positive; negative effects punish players in last more. Make sure every player is having fun!
Exact dice counts
Don't set up games where some of players don't get to play (see Parhcheesi, trouble, you can't start until you roll a 6 - better to let your first piece start on the track, and then choose on subsequent whether to move your piece or add a new one)
Requiring exact rolls is a catch up mechanic, but it's frustrating for the winner, and draws out the game. Better is to empower the people in the back (see quacks rat tails)
Don't add hurdles for the people in the lead
Avoid moving backwards, especially when you don't choose it.
Avoid actions that prolong the game or undo other players options.
Avoid swap places with other players (see above: undoes player actions)
Avoid skipping, missing turns.
if you DO skip, make sure that turns are short and quick (missing like a mintue not 15)
Bad: force other players to discard their hands
Avoid runaway leader mechanics
Kick 'em while they're down (boo)
Catch up (wooo)
Hiding winning information, taxing resources, gifting trailing players resources, altering turn order to benefit losing players
Keep things speedy, avoid reference tables
Special dice symbols can reduce lookups
Streamline games where possible.
Avoid the default 2-4 players. 1-5 or 2-6 are more desirable. For party games, 6-8+ is good
Some niche for solitaire and 2-player only, but not as wide.
Keep component quality high.
Cardstock is preferable to plastic these days
Mechanics not referenced:
Roll and move, memory, take that, player elimination
Roll and move is intuitive, not bad. It's the lack of agency that's bad. Don't want luck to dominate.
Take that: directly attacking your opponents
It's polarizing, but can be done well. Make sure the attacks don't undo an entire strategy or prevent someone from playing the game entirely. Shouldn't be too punishing.
Memory
Staple, especially in children's games.
Much-maligned, especialyl when overy (compared to trackable but hidden information, or card counting)
Potential for interesting space in party games
Player elimination
Can counter being so far behind you know you can't win (another design failure)
IMO, only good for short games.
Personlly, I houserule player elimination INTO Puzzle Strike
Game should end soon after first elimination (1-2 rounds)