Wired for Gaming

I recently came across this article in Wired Magazine. It is called "Monopoly Killer: Perfect German Board Game Redefines Genre". It speaks about how the now famous board game "Settlers of Catan" has revolutionized the board game industry.

Having fell under the spell of this Settlers board game several years ago, I can attest to the truth of this article. The best part about the article is that fact that it goes out of its way to point out why Settlers is so successful, and why it is so educational and edifying for families.

Here's some quotes from the article:

"Settlers is now poised to become the biggest hit in the US since Risk. Along the way, it's teaching Americans that board games don't have to be either predictable fluff aimed at kids or competitive, hyperintellectual pastimes for eggheads. Through the complex, artful dance of algorithms and probabilities lurking at its core, Settlers manages to be effortlessly fun, intuitively enjoyable, and still intellectually rewarding, a potent combination that's changing the American idea of what a board game can be."

"...but part of the reason we don't play much Risk and Monopoly as adults is that those are actually poorly designed games, at least in the German sense. Derk Solko, a garrulous former Wall Streeter who cofounded the Web site BoardGameGeek.com in 2000 after discovering Settlers, explains it this way: 'Monopoly has you grinding your opponents into dust. It's a very negative experience. It's all about cackling when your opponent lands on your space and you get to take all their money.' Monopoly, in fact, is a classic example of what economists call a zero-sum game. For me to gain $100, you have to lose $100. For me to win, you have to be bankrupt. Gouging and exploiting may be perfect for humiliating your siblings, but they're not so great for relaxing with friends.

Monopoly also fails with many adults because it requires almost no strategy. The only meaningful question in the game is: To buy or not to buy? Most of its interminable three- to four-hour average playing time (length being another maddening trait) is spent waiting for other players to roll the dice, move their pieces, build hotels, and collect rent. Board game enthusiasts disparagingly call this a 'roll your dice, move your mice' format.

Unfortunately, Monopoly still dominates. 'It's the Microsoft of our world,' Solko says. 'If I could wave a magic wand and replace all the copies of Monopoly out there with Settlers, I truly think the world would be a better place.'"

Anyway, I suggest you at least skim the article. It's chock full of good information about the wonderful pasttime of board gaming. Enjoy.