Looking for advice on direct conflict games

Greetings!

I'm currently writing a book about games in libraries, as that's my research area. I've been teaching a free class on YouTube about it during the month of June as well. One of the things I do is talk about different gaming experiences the library can facilitate as a tool to helping librarians select games (you can see all the experience types at www.gamesinlibraries.org/course/?p=79 )

One category of gaming experience is the Narrative game experience, which are games where the focus is on the player's interaction with the game world. Players make choices as though they are characters in that world. You can see the video I did on this topic at www.gamesinlibraries.org/course/?p=152 . The video was a starting point, and now I'm working on the book version.

Roleplaying games are a great tool for providing a narrative game experience. But there are many board games - Ameritrash games - that excel in immersing the player into the narrative.

Now, I'm a big fan of fantasy board RPGs, and also am knowledgeable about the cooperative games in this category.

Where I am weak in is the mutliplayer direct conflict games, i.e., Risk, with heavy theme (Dudes on a Map games). Things like A Game of Thrones and Twilight Imperium are examples that I used in the video, but this is an area in which I'm weak. (I also used examples of Hammer of the Scots, Napoleon at Waterloo, and A House Divided).

I'm working on a book now on the topic, and want to provide more examples. It would be great to have some lighter examples - while these games are good, they are complex and can be long. Something like Small World or Nexus Ops has very little underlying narrative, so they better support the Strategy game experience. {note, these experience types aren't mutually exclusive - I see most of these Narrative Boardgames also as Strategy games.} Heroscape has some potential in the area - I think that Marvel Heroscape is a much easier fit as a Narrative game because there is a significant world that people know and can play in.

So, what I'm seeking is some advice on either boardgames or wargames that would fit this description:

- Direct conflict game for more than 2 players
- Significant theme, and the choices you make in the game fit the choices that the character would make within the story
- Less complex than A Game of Thrones or TI
- Currently available

Thanks!

Awesome to see you here Scott - I'm glad you made it over!

My first suggestion would be Last Night on Earth. I know that's not a "DoaM" game per se, but it is unquestionably narrative. Or does this fall into another category for your purposes? Or is the subject matter what keeps it out?

The classic example is Axis & allies. History of the World is another good one, though it's not in print right now. There's also the themed versions of RISK, though the ones I played are still basically RISK with different pieces and a new board, so not too much narrative there. Mare Nostrum?

StarCraft TBG and War of the Ring are great, but probably a bit more rules-heavy than you're looking for.

There's also the free-for-all style adventure games out there (Talisman, Prophecy, Runebound), but it sounds like you already got those covered.

The 'still currently available' does limit choices for games meeting all the other criteria. Ones I have played or seen that may meet most of the criteria are:

- Warrior Knights (not a strong narrative but pretty thematic)
- Fury of Dracula (Co-op rather than full on direct conflict between all players)
- Battlestar Galactica (not really a regular DoaM game of conflict though)

Southernman wrote:

The 'still currently available' does limit choices for games meeting all the other criteria. Ones I have played or seen that may meet most of the criteria are:

- Warrior Knights (not a strong narrative but pretty thematic)
- Fury of Dracula (Co-op rather than full on direct conflict between all players)
- Battlestar Galactica (not really a regular DoaM game of conflict though)

Heh, I listed both Fury and BSG in the video in the "mostly cooporative" category. That's where Last Night on Earth would be, too. (I also mentioned Arkham, 1960, Twilight Struggle).

I need to try out Warrior Knights; I was looking at that, but wasn't sure what kind of underlying Narrative there was. I also had Starcraft in the list at one point, but took it out, as I have played it (and liked it) but it's not got much narrative (but what a great draw for video gamers who love this game).

The idea of the narrative game experiences is that they tie into concepts of reading and literacy and storytelling, which some libraries are seeking to do with games. Many of these narrative games could have great tie-ins to specific books.

I think the difficulty here is, in my not-so-vast experience, that DoaM multiplayer conflict games are usually more thematic that narrative. But I'm sure someone will be along soon to list multiple exceptions to this comment ...

Welcome Scott!

Cripes the only thing that comes to mind unfortunately is Dune. It's complexity I think is less than AGOT and it's very thematic and narrative but of course it's out of print.

That's my 2 cents. NEXT!

"More than two players" rules out vast numbers of games in this category.

Sag.

What about Dungeon Twister with the 3-4 player expansion?

Marvel Heroes? I'm not sure it's really "direct" combat, but it does form a narrative. But it's also pretty much out of print. But not like super old and out of print.

Unless I'm missing something as to how it wouldn't fit---how about Marvel Heroscape? Or Heroscape, in general? I think those might work --- esp at a library.

I'm interested in these as I'm the vice-president of the board of our city library (though my main concern is to get focus on books---not just videos and computers)

Merkles wrote:

Unless I'm missing something as to how it wouldn't fit---how about Marvel Heroscape? Or Heroscape, in general? I think those might work --- esp at a library.

Heroscape works great! I've brought that to the local library gaming functions, and it drew the 8-14 year old boys all away from the video games for hours. The two levels of difficulty also worked well as a quickie to lure them in, then a more advanced game to keep them going. It's got great eye appeal and wonderful dolls miniatures! It's more in the Strategic game experience line, as there isn't any sort of a story connecting the characters.

Marvel Heroscape is a great suggestion in the Narrative pot, because people already know the backstory, and can be a good way to connect games to graphic novels that are already in the library - I see it as a fantastic game in this line.

scottnicholson wrote:

Merkles wrote:

Unless I'm missing something as to how it wouldn't fit---how about Marvel Heroscape? Or Heroscape, in general? I think those might work --- esp at a library.

Heroscape works great! I've brought that to the local library gaming functions, and it drew the 8-14 year old boys all away from the video games for hours. The two levels of difficulty also worked well as a quickie to lure them in, then a more advanced game to keep them going. It's got great eye appeal and wonderful dolls miniatures! It's more in the Strategic game experience line, as there isn't any sort of a story connecting the characters.

Marvel Heroscape is a great suggestion in the Narrative pot, because people already know the backstory, and can be a good way to connect games to graphic novels that are already in the library - I see it as a fantastic game in this line.

Alright, Mr. Nicholson...you going to hang around these parts, we GOT to break you of this "doll" business.

WE IS MACHO AND MENS LIKE US DO NOT PLAY WITH DOLLS.


Thank you. Now I'm going back and finish watching my VOLTRON DVD.