So, since April of this year, GameCareerGuide has been running these (mostly weekly) game design challenges, aimed at providing some real-worldish challenges to students of game design. They usually have to do with video games, but there have been some that don't deal with video games. The one on spoken word games was neat, and I think the current one on making Monopoly fun could be interesting, as well. Here's the challenge:
Monopoly has been one of the most popular board games of all time. As a new designer for the Parker Brothers, you have been tasked with updating the classic game for a new generation of families to play. The design team understands that the board game has some fundamental flaws and wants to address them.Like I said, they're aimed at students of game design, but they're open to everyone. The deadline for this one is Wednesday, so hurry if you want to enter this week's challenge. I'm very curious to see what people come up with.
The flaws of Monopoly have been identified as follows:
- the game has a very large amount of luck involved
- games go on for a very long time
- once a player has lost the game, they have nothing to do while others play
In order to get the best possible ideas, all the designers on the game are going to propose three new rules or rule changes that address one or more of these flaws. These rules must be written in the same way they would be in an instruction book, and you have been instructed not to be overly complex with the rules to reduce the number of domestic disputes that occur from the game.
The main reason the game goes on too long is that everyone uses that idiotic house rule where you get $500 for landing on Free Parking. If you play the game as written, it's much more reasonable.
I like Monopoly the way it is. The game is entirely about the "grind" and haggling. If you're not constantly haggling and negotiating, you're not really playing the game.
I like the random element that brings some players back from the edge of poverty.
I like the length of the game (in computer versions, I can cycle through a game in 20-45 minutes).
I like that players get the boot while the rest of the game continues.
All of these elements are precisely the elements of most gambling games. And yes, I like poker and blackjack.
Do I want every game to be like Monopoly? No, sir! But I don't want Monopoly to become like other games either.