Dudes on a Map Board Games: Chess to Root

"It's an expression of personality. It's an expression of ambition. It's a type of experience that other games often won't provide, unless one gets the same level of satisfaction at being the best art auctioneer or the best sheep farmer as one does when conquering the galaxy. Those effigies on the board are your people and you're going to lead them to their destiny. Even if it is just 50 victory points."

This really resonated with me as I think back on board games as an expression of ourselves in some deeper way. Not always, and it's certainly harder to see/feel with some games, but let me share an example that I think fits this.

It was the first game of TI4 with my closest gaming buddies. We were all having a great time, progressing and reveling in the experience - some who'd played TI3 and others wholly new to the glory of it. There came an inflection point in the game where I, neighbors with my best friend from childhood, could either rescind the nonagression pact we had. Up to this point, it had been mutually beneficial. In games I shy away from outright lies and betrayal unless it's built into it (BSG, Werewolf, etc). So while I felt like he'd left himself exposed, with only me to take advantage of the opportunity, I legitimately felt like I should provide him the courtesy of a "warning round" before breaking this social contract between us.

Even though in my gut at that moment, I felt like he was on the cusp of an insurmountable lead I did nothing. I did feel like I (and/or the other players) could probably still reign him in later if it became more obvious he was going to win.

So, of course, he did end up winning our first game of TI4 - and deservedly so! The aspect of the game I love so much is that at it's core it's about playing other players. It's about the metagame that a group has around how to interact and the rules and components are just tools to express ourselves.

In processing it later, I didn't feel upset that he won. Instead, I felt upset at myself for not following what my gut was saying, which was that I'd analyzed the situation correctly and that I should indeed break our nonaggression pact. That was not just the "better play" but it was the one that was truer to who I have become now as a person. Instead of someone who instinctively avoids rocking the boat (to my detriment very often), I've been really working on asserting myself. On doing what's best for me, but doing so in a diplomatic manor. And I felt actually bad that I'd not done that - even though it was in a situation surrounded by plastic space ships and playing as a race of sentient plants.

#arborecforlife

Awesome. I'm glad it spoke to you. It's moments like those that continue to make me think the social interaction and expression of playing games (with others. in the room.) is the best part about the activity.