Garrett and I talk all the time as you all can imagine, but sometimes in between our terrible ideas and aimless conversations, something really poignant and thought-provoking emerges.
Today when Garrett was pitching an idea for a new game, he said something that I hadn’t really considered much before…
There are certain games that eventually develop such a following that the players who invest their time in them develop an ecosystem of traditions that transcend the rules that the designer(s) originally set in place. Think about when someone is “The Dummy” in Bridge and you’ll get what we’re talking about…
These classic games seem to take a life of their own that evolves and develops variants that are based on geography and the customs of the people playing them… A game of Wingspan is a game of Wingspan, but a game of Pinochle is different based on where you play and who you play with. A game of canasta is different depending on if the grandmother you’re playing with dictates that you draw one card or two…
Are these just glorified house rules, or are we looking at something more? You tell us.
Either way, exploring this game will be a fun rabbit hole to tumble down.
Tom