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Mechanic, Category, Theme, Type?

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Thu, 08/25/2005 - 13:31

FastLearner

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Joined: 12/31/1969

The BoardGameGeek provides two methods of classifying games when people add them to the database: by mechanic and by category.

Mechanics are fairly clear, to me: the mechanics (or mechanisms) of a game are the functional operating systems behind the game, put in place by the game's rules. Here's their list of mechanics:

I can understand how these are mechanics.

The second classification is Category. This one, unfortunately, seems rather haphazard. It mixes several ideas into one, and now having thought about it a bit, I can understand why: all of these things describe games, but it's hard to tell what should be lumped with what.

Here are the ones that I'd consider to be Themes, from the list, with "theme" defined as the subject matter of the game:

A few might be debateable, and please do if you feel that way, but I think they all more-or-less fit.

Here's an additional list. These seem like mechanics to me, more-or-less:

They're not listed in the mechanics section, but it seems to me that for each of them, you could say that they describe how the game functionally works, with the theme not really mattering, and that from these mechanics rules are generated.

The following list seems like game... "types," let's say. They tell you what overall type of game you can expect, without knowing either the mechanics or the theme. They feel like their own concept, like "type" or "category."

One could argue that "Abstract Strategy" is more closely related to "theme," as it's basically "no theme." The others seem, at least to me, to indicate some basic things about how the game will work. Though maybe Trivia is a mechanic. The idea, in a sense, is that they're also somewhat related to market. Though in which case "strategy" might need to be on the list.... Anyway...

Lastly are some other things listed as categories. They don't exactly seem like themes to me, they don't exactly seem like mechanics, and they don't exactly seem to fit in with the "types" I pulled out above. Yet if you told me a game fit in any one of these categories, I'd understand what you meant (more-or-less):

BTW, know that "civilzation" is both on this list and on my provisional theme list, but that's because it seems like two different concepts, depending on how you look at it.

So, designers and budding designers, publishers and marketers, help me figure this "category" thing out! How would you divide up the list of categories into more useful pieces. Don't worry about the Geek itself, they're not likely to make a change like this, at least not on a whim, but for our sakes of undertanding these games we work with, how do you see things?[/]

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Thu, 08/25/2005 - 14:50

#1

setarcos

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Joined: 07/31/2008

Mechanic, Category, Theme, Type?

Wow, excellent analysis!

Some of this reminds me of the Theme versus Genre versus Mechanic debates I’ve seen on the web.

For Board and Card games (as opposed to some kind of Outdoor or Role-Playing game) I think Adventure, Civilization, and Territory Building are themes more than anything.

The only other input I’d offer right now is that maybe the Geek ought to re-label their “Category” field to “Description”. (Not to be confused with the game “Summary”.)

Thu, 08/25/2005 - 17:48

#2

phpbbadmin

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Joined: 04/23/2013

Mechanic, Category, Theme, Type?

First, let me say you're right on with both theme and mechanics and I don't think you need to touch that. As for game category, I think it's just a method we as players use to classify a game or group it with other similar games. It can be based on anything really.. A predominant mechanic, a predominant theme (or lack there of), a level of strategy or luck,etc.

Here is a relational diagram that I threw together to kind of illustrate what I mean:

So the category (or sometimes called Genre) could be dictated by the theme, or the mechanics or both or possibly neither (in the case of something like Beer & Pretzel games).

So again, I think we should keep it simple and say that categories, classes, genres, or whatever is simply a group you can put a game in that will describe that game and allow you to group it with other similar games.

Does that help any?

-Darke

Thu, 08/25/2005 - 20:32

#3

Nando

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Joined: 07/22/2008

Mechanic, Category, Theme, Type?

I think this endeavor could probably benefit from the idea of tags/labels. There's probably too much overlap to put most games into discrete categories.

Thu, 08/25/2005 - 23:05

#4

markmist

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Joined: 12/31/1969

Mechanic, Category, Theme, Type?

To me, any game should be able to be summed up with the mechanics and the theme. All of the words that you have defined as a type or category are secondary identifiers in my mind.

You can use one of these sentence structures to define any game:

A theme mechanic and mechanic game.
A civil war bluffing and voting game.

(A game may have only 1 mechanic or more than 2, I just used this as an example).

Now let's look at the list of words you classified as types:

Taking into account that we are only talking about board/card games and not other genres of games (RPG, CCG, Minatures, etc.)

Abstract Strategy - this one belongs as a theme (no-theme)
Card - describes type of components
Children's - subjective description - games already have age ranges, so no need to use this.
Collectible Components - describes type of components
Dice - once again type of components - there is already a dice-rolling mechanic.
Educational - this is also subjective.
Electronic - type of component.
Expansion for Base-game - a term unto itself.
Miniatures - type of component.
Party - this is also a subjective term, but unlike the others it is commonly used and has real value, so I am not sure what to do with it.
Trivia - i think this can be classified as a mechanic.
Wargame - Kind of like Party, a category unto itself. However, it can be described in the theme, so you don't really have to use it.

So from this list - you have subjective terms, and types of components. Thinking about it - it might be kind of neat if you could search boardgamegeek based on components. You could look up any game that used an electronic gadget for example.

Your second list - the one you labeled categories:
Adventure - to me exploration mechanic says the same thing.
Civilization - already a theme
Economic - what does this really mean anyway? too broad of a term to be useful.
Math - once again too broad - most games use some form of math.
Maze - a maze in itself is not a game. A game with maze-like qualities could be an exploration game or a dungeon-crawl game.
Music - too broad. Music is covered under the Movies/TV/Radio theme, and the singing mechanic.
Number - this is a ridiculous term to describe a game - worse than Math.
Territory Building - I would probably put this as a mechanic.
Word - a broad term that is like Party, it gets used alot as a generic term to describe any game that has to do with letters and words.

I also would say that the list of mechanics and themes are not all encompassing.

For mechanics I would add:
Push your Luck
Deduction
Dungeon-Crawl
Hidden/Secret Information
Elimination (maybe)

I am sure there are more.

For themes - You have to draw the line somewhere or there would be a million different themes. There is nothing earth-shattering that I can see that is missing from the theme list at this point.

That's my 2 cents.
Mark

Wed, 08/31/2005 - 11:16

#5

Lor

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Re: Mechanic, Category, Theme, Type?

This is terrific. Some notions:

- If we are to create a sophisticated list, we might break it down into even more useful identifiers. In many cases, I see Premise mistaken for Theme. They are different. In storytelling, a Premise is a proposed functional framework. It's not a story, it's not a theme, it is "pre-theme." A Theme is really a romantic descriptor which places us in a given environment and from which the actual game logic derives.

The Mechanics list is pretty good. I've annotated.

Crayon Rail System
Dice Rolling
AKA "Roll and Play" below?

Hand Management
Hex-and-Counter
Line Drawing
Memory
Modular Board = maybe we need an
"Equipment" list?
Paper-and-Pencil
Partnerships
Pattern Building
Pattern Recognition
Pick-up and Deliver
Point to Point Movement
Rock-Paper-Scissors
Role Playing
Roll and Move
Secret Unit Deployment
Set Collection
Simulation = premise!
Simultaneous Action Selection
Singing
Stock Holding
Storytelling

Spinner? Where's the Spinner? I like Spinners.

Tile Placement

Time-limited turn? (Clock or sand timer mechanic.)

Trading
Trick-taking
Variable Phase Order= is this a game or a CD
burner? ;-)
Variable Player Powers
Voting

The Themes list: most Themes should evoke more fully-clothed picture of the look and feel, sporting a a modifier for clarity.

Most of these themes pop out at me. Some don't.

Civil War = premise. "American" above does the trick. I can't tell from this. It's not a genre (which might be Wargame), not a theme (which might be "Bosnian Civil War.")

Civilization ("type-game"? That's a premise. "Alien" might be a theme.)
Comic Book/Strip = premise unless it's a specific comic which the game carries as a theme, i.e "Doonesbury."

Computer/Internet = premise or genre? Too vague for a theme "Hi-Tech" or "IT" might work.
Environmental = same thing.
Fantasy = genre for sure.
Farming = premise. What kind? Colonial? Bionic?
Humor = genre
Horror = genre
Industry/Manufacturing = premise; about what? Labor? Engineering? Marketing?
Robot?

These convey themes:

Korean War
Mafia
Medieval
Modern Warfare

Movies/TV/Radio = sounds generic.
Murder/Mystery = premsie; "Detective", "Real life"
Mythology
Napoleonic
Nautical
Novel-based = more of a premise. "Adventure novel-based" has theme.

Pirates = aye, matey!
Political (or Politics) = premise. Theme= satire? Campaign?
Prehistoric = beautiful! If you mean Dinosaurs.
Racing = premise. What theme? Sail? Bike? Car?
Religious = premise. Which?
Renaissance = sure!
Science Fiction = premise. Which kind? Hard? Soft? Utopian? Distopian?
Space Exploration = fair enough.
Spies/Secret Agents = premise. Theme: Superspy, Cold War, French Revolution, etc.
Sports = premise. Genre= competition? Which game?
Trains = premise; theme: modern railroading, steam era, tycoon, etc."
Transportation = same.
Travel = premise. Where? Time travel?
Video Game Theme = Video Game premise?
Vietnam War
World War I
World War II

Just stuff to chew on. They really are all over the map over there!

Additional mechanics:

Quote:

They feel like their own concept, like "type" or "category."

These are definitely trying to be Genres.

Quote:

One could argue that "Abstract Strategy" is more closely related to "theme," as it's basically "no theme."

Not true! This conflates theme and premise again. There are a zillion themes among abstract strategy. But because they are bare of adornment they often use "mechanic" to describe it over there. As a raw Genre, it's fiine.

So you could say,

Genre: Abstract Strategy.
Premise: Territorial Domination
Mechanic: Fence-building

Quote:

Though maybe Trivia is a mechanic.

Nah. Trivia is a definitely a Genre. I can't derive a mechanic from that term. Facts in Five and Trivial Pursuit are quite different trivia games.

Quote:

They don't exactly seem like themes to me, they don't exactly seem like mechanics, and they don't exactly seem to fit in with the "types" I pulled out above.

These are primarily Genres.

Quote:

BTW, know that "civilzation" is both on this list and on my provisional theme list, but that's because it seems like two different concepts, depending on how you look at it.

There are a few like that. Drives you nuts.

Quote:

Don't worry about the Geek itself, they're not likely to make a change like this, at least not on a whim, but for our sakes of undertanding these games we work with, how do you see things?

I think this should be available on BGDF as a "cleaned," focused list, it's very valuable and it's not really that easy, but boy when it's right does it ever aid clear thinking.

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Wed, 08/31/2005 - 13:02

#6

FastLearner

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Joined: 12/31/1969

Mechanic, Category, Theme, Type?

Thanks for everyone's input. It will indeed be on the BGDF in a cleaned up form -- that's why I'm looking for input here. It's going to be part of the upcoming wiki.

Thanks again. I'll comment more specifically in the next day or so.

-- Matthew

Sat, 09/03/2005 - 02:48

#7

Lor

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Joined: 12/31/1969

Mechanic, Category, Theme, Type?

Maybe add Playing field to cover the game surface varieties?

Genre > Premise > Theme > Playing Field > Mechanic

i.e.:
Twightlight Imperium III

Wargame> Sci-Fi>Galactic Conquest>Modular>roll and play, cards

Playing field types--

Folding board
Rollout board
Modular board
No board or Tabletop (for CCG and Miniature play)

My .02. Starting to become a SuperWiki...

Sat, 09/03/2005 - 19:27

#8

Challengers

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Joined: 12/31/1969

Game Classification System

As a former fingerprint classification technician, I find this discussion fascinating. I am not going to add my two cents; however, I am going to mention a couple of things to make you go "Hmmm...."

I was enthralled at how CDDB (now Gracenote) could always figure out which CD I was ripping. You may know that they simply catlog the track number, track time and total tracks. The liklihood of two CDs having the exact same ordering of times is minimal.
However, CDDB won't classify my CDs as Rock, Country or anything else.

I used to explain the fingerprint classification process to trainees and lay persons by using the telephone book as an example. I won't go into detail here, but I used analogies such as "one does not search for John Smith by opening the phonebook to page 1."
Anyway, if you think about how you look up a phone number in the phonebook, you have to admit that you are doing some sophisticated database retrieval.

Any attempt to classify games meaningfully must provide for the following:
* If I can describe some parts of the game, the database should return "hits" that are close to the one I am describing.
* If I want to add a game to the database, there should be a "collision" detection mechanism, which would prevent duplicate entries, yet allow for new editions and thematic off-shoots (RISK A.D. 2250)

I didn't see the original thread posting, so I am not sure what input was requested and for what purpose. I just assume that you are planning a restructuring of the site, and that a game database is going to be added.
If this is the case, then I would love to share more ideas.

Mitch

Sat, 09/03/2005 - 21:56

#9

Lor

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Mechanic, Category, Theme, Type?

Definitely a HMMMM, Mitch but it's up to the admins. how granular they want to get with the worls and such.

I also like BoardGameGeek's photo gallery accompanying each game found. Lots of folks remember the look of a game but forget the name.

There is also an incredible collection by Jose Diaz of strictly Abstract Strategy games -- heavy on visual, light on info, but with links.

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