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What makes a game "replayable"?

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Tue, 06/06/2017 - 21:34
Rick L
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Something I've been thinking over a bit lately is the idea that we have of games needing to have certain features that "make" it replayable. But why do you replay any particular game?

I'm just going to go with some familiar examples so we can relate easily -
let's say "Catan": is it replayable mainly because you can rearrange the hex tiles in all sorts of ways? Does that make it like a new game every time? Personally, that aspect does very little for me - I could play the exact same map layout 10 times in a row and enjoy each game. For me the replayability is in making the most of the resources I get, making good trades, and deciding when to play it safe and when to take chances with a Development card, etc. etc.

How about 7 Wonders? Is the replayability in the 7 different civilizations, and the different advantages each board gives? For me, it's the same as above - I could play the same civilization every time and still have fun from the intricacies of the gameplay.

Here's a game that i've never played, but fits what I'm getting at - Small World. You have a random match of races and abilities each game, right? For those who have played it and replayed it, is that what makes it worth playing again? Or is there enough to the game that this little "gimmick" is just a cool embellishment?

What I'm getting at here is the misconception that a game needs to have a lot of multi-variable or randomly generated something or other to make each session unique enough to bother playing it. Don't get me wrong - I see plenty of value in having different styles of gameplay based on something variable. I'm working on the (hopefully) finishing touches on my own game, and mainly that's going to involve balancing out some special abilities of various "characters" - each game you choose one character, and either see how you can adjust your play style to the special abilities, or simply pick the character that most compliments your play style.

But we've enjoyed the game tests over the past year and a half without even having those characters - they're not what makes the game fun. Yes, they can add fun and add interesting aspects and interactions, but it's the gameplay overall that is fun. Seeing how your strategies pan out, trying to weigh your risks against your preparations against those risks. And each time you play, you get to try to improve on your past strategies, as well as dealing with the newly evolved strategies and tactics of your opponents, or even the unpredictable choices of new players.

Now that is just a part of any game, and to me, the more ways I can find to "tweak" my strategies, the more interesting the game is, and the more replayable. So if a game has all that, does it need a variable map to make it enjoyable more than once? Does it need a bunch of starting variables to make it feel fresh and new each time?

What do you think?

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Wed, 06/07/2017 - 00:48
#1
Tbone
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Control

I love when a game allows you to counter easily, as in, I don't have to completely change my strategy to win, I can just modify my attempt ever so slightly so that I still keep my original strategy, but can straddle you attempt to win. I think variables make the environment interesting, but not necessarily the game.

I love special abilities and customization, but if the game doesn't allow me to modify my strategy on a dime it just doesn't sit right with me. So I guess the value of replay-ability is increased when the player feels that he can adequately feel in control of the variables that change.

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Wed, 06/07/2017 - 19:05
#2
questccg
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Replayability = Variability = Modularity

With the original "Early Release" of "Tradewars - Homeworld", the core game played exactly the same no matter which player you were. The game still had it's merits -- but nothing "unique" to say: "Hmm... Maybe I'd like to try Faction X because it seems to change the way I might play the game."

And then we come to scenario... Having a different goal can also change how you play the game. You might run the gauntlet for the Tradewars scenario just beating your closest opponent to the 100 credit victory condition. Or muster up a formidable army of starships to deal serious damage in the Spacewars scenario, where it's the last player standing who is the declared winner.

We've also got two (2) expansion scenarios which one is a Race to the finish and amassing of Galactic Achievements while the 2nd one is geared for "retrofits" and trying new strategies to out-smart your opponents.

But it doesn't end there... We've got a Planetary Expansion which allows you to make stronger trades and conduct missions with Tradeships and this can or cannot be added to all the above scenarios.

And then there is the play order. Do you use Premium Role Cards to vary the turn order, do you use the Puerto Rico variant which has 2 cards of each role or is the default of clockwise sufficient for your gaming group?!

All this "variability" lets you MIX and MATCH what you would like to bring to the table for a session of "Tradewars - Homeworld". And nothing stops you from focusing on the original "core" and play the base game too!

In my mind, this equals REPLAYABILITY: the game is modular so you can choose which module you want to play with, making the game's experience DIFFERENT from another.

Does any of this make any sense???

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Thu, 06/08/2017 - 01:09
#3
Rick L
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Scenarios, yes!

While the idea of factions helps change things up, it's probably a more minimal factor in replayability, like my characters with special abilities. It makes for some interesting variety, but doesn't drive people to play over and over.

I think scenarios or variable/multiple win conditions definitely add a more significant motivation to replay a game. Using the example of Catan, the Seafarers expansion adds several scenarios to the game, and I think those tend to drive me and my wife to get the family together to play it time and again. The gimmick of being able to set up the island hexes differently each game has nothing to do with motivating us to replay the game - except in scenarios where you venture out into the sea to uncover random land or sea tiles!

So the random tile thing doesn't provide replayability by itself, but when it is incorporated into an interesting scenario, it suddenly does.

But I still feel that the overall "player experience" that you get from the combination of theme, components, mechanics, and interactions will be the greatest factor for me in how much I want to play a game over and over. A game can have random map tiles, various combinations of factions/characters/abilities and even a long list of scenarios won't make me replay a game that doesn't have a really fun, interesting, or engaging "core".

Some games have a lot of repetitive actions that could start to feel boring after a couple of plays. Some lack any significant player interaction, so you feel like you're all playing solo games.

Anyway, I just got to thinking about all this because I realized that I see advertising or reviews that seem to highlight all the variables in a game as a basis for replayability. And then I realized that those things really don't factor in much for me when it comes to feeling like I want to play a certain game over and over! In actuality, it just comes down to the overall experience I have in playing it.

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Thu, 06/08/2017 - 01:33
#4
Rick L
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Control

Also, as Tbone mentioned, control - or the player having a variety of meaningful choices/options is a great key to make a game replayable. Options that allow you to adjust to game events or other players' choices (for example, Chess) makes you feel like you're in control of your part of the game. And that makes me want to see if I can successfully steer through whatever obstacles come up each time I play. And when those obstacles come from the results of the choices of other players - that is the kind of variability that makes me want to play a game over and over.

Of course, it doesn't always have to come just from other players. Interesting mechanics can provide a lot of challenge too!

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Thu, 06/08/2017 - 01:52
#5
X3M
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My thoughts on this

Some games are waaaay to short to actual matter in terms of replayability. Sure you can play a short game a lot of times. But isn't it better to look at the total play time?

The same goes for games that take weeks to no end. Why even replay them?

[number of plays] x [1 play time] = [Total play time]

I think it is the trick is to get players, play your game as much as possible. Not as often as possible.

Sure it helps to get players to play as often as possible. But you need to keep in mind the play time. Which influences players just as much. In matter of fact. Lets take a look at the itterations of the game. Will players play the game 1 time a day? Several times? It also matters how players remember their previous games.

For several times a day, you need to have the game enough variation to feel new each game. This for increasing a positive gaming experience.
But too much variation will start to feel as gambling. This is bad for the experience of most players.

Games that take a longer time, tend to be played way less.
A long game doesn't need much variation per game, but needs variation during the game. There is more need for a story like play. With that, I mean that the game needs to show variation in the progress to players. A change in gameplay, if you will.
Again, too much variation will be a killer. This time, the game would become too chaotic. First time players can't follow it any more.

One doesn't need much for variation. But what choices do we have, is what matters. So, if you add variation to the game, you could also read. Meaningfull choices.

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Fri, 06/30/2017 - 21:30
#6
john smith
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Joined: 06/26/2017
System like Star Wars

System like Star Wars Miniatures battles. The original West End version and the original FASA Battltetech have the highest replay value for me. The Core rules of both systems include guidelines to create your own custom units and Scenarios. Your imagination can take you very far with those tools.

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