equity and equality in gaming board game events for the elderly
TRANSCRIPT
EQUITY AND EQUALITY IN GAMING
Board Game Events for the Elderly
Any question anytime…
Perfunctory Inspirational Quote…
We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing. ~ George Benard Shaw
Board games are multigenerational
A little background
Tabletop Gaming at the Library Weekly,
intergenerational, mostly gateway games
Game Designer’s Guild Monthly,
intergenerational, design, learn, create, play-test.
Pick and Play Monthly, teens,
Board Games at the Primos Branch Library
Demographics
50% of attendees were 55+.
50% of attendees were female.
The rest were mostly 30[ish] male.
Led me to think that a gaming event targeted for seniors was both warranted and needed.
Tabletop Gaming at the Library
The “Over the Hill” Gamers of Newtown, PA. [meetup]
Motto: We're old but we still game.
“Modern” board game event basics
Teach. Encourage help. Start simple and work up [or not]. Make connections to past or well-known games. Just like storytelling, be confident even if you’re
falling apart. Answer questions and guide throughout the
game. Avoid jargon. Don’t touch a persons’ bits, cards or pieces
w/o asking first.
A few words on teaching games.
Moderate, don’t play. Unless you need to, don’t play.
Allow for half the playing time for instruction. If the game lasts 30 minutes then allow for 15 extra minutes.
Know the game before you play. Read the rules and have at least one play-through
Teach in the following order What is the game about? What do I do? How do I win?
Use scaffolding for complex games. Debrief afterwards with a post-mortem.
A guide with pictures.
Preconceptions
Source: Rapid City Public Library North, Gaming Afternoons, Rapid City, SD.
When we think of gaming, does this pop into your head?
Source: A Knit Wits session at the Active Senior Network Room in the Berea (Ohio) Recreation Center.
When you think of adult programs do you think of this…
Some of us even think of this…
Source: Wii Bowling for Adults at the Library Lester Public Library, Two Rivers, Wisconsin.
Source: Bowling in the Library, Danbury Public Library, Danbury Connecticut.
I think of this…older ladies with guns.
Increases in multitasking, cognitive abilities, working memory, and attention sustainment over time while playing specially designed video games. [source]
Potential “application to other brain-related disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, and dementia…”
“Video game training enhances cognitive control in older adults”
Obligatory Survey Data
Seniors tend to play games more frequently than young adults.
Over one-third of gamers 65+ say they play games everyday or almost everyday.
Almost half of all adult gamers reported playing games at least a few times a week.
Adults and Video Games Dec 7, 2008 by Amanda Lenhart, Sydney Jones, Alexandra Macgill
Let’s talk about a few things:Game Weight
Player Interactivity
Game Mechanics and Theme
Before we dive in…
Game Weight
Light Medium Heavy
Game Weight will depend on: Decision Space Length of Rules Play time Strategy vs. Luck Atmosphere Accessibility of
theme
Player Interaction
Solitary Games Minimal interaction
Friendly Competition Encourage interaction
through a shared board and personal objectives.
Direct Competition Main mechanic is
confrontation with other players.
Cooperative Players work together
towards a goal.
1. How much noise is appropriate in the library?
2. What space am I considering – an open, accessible space or closed, exclusive space.
3. Am I encouraging new players?
Mechanics and Theme
The "moving parts" of the game, the rules, how the games is played.
A game with a focus on mechanisms focus on what you are doing rather than the story surrounding those actions.
The story, setting, premise and character of a game.
With a heavily thematic game, game play will be immersive.
Mechanics Theme
Birth of the Golden Gamers•Evaluation of need•Goals•Collection Development
Development
Evaluation of need
Issues with Video Games: Accessibility tends to be a
challenge due to physical determinants (carpal tunnel, poor eyesight, arthritis)
Large learning curve Lack of a social experience.
Benefits of tabletop board games Interactive, social experience. Cognitively challenging. Wide range of decision space. Familiar themes.
Difficulties of tabletop board games Large rule-set. Lots of fine print (on cards, boards). Crazy mechanics (what is a worker
placement?)
Upper Darby Library Senior Activities Board
Goal Number 1
Choose games with small, simple rule-sets. familiar mechanics used
in interesting ways. Find games which
focus on singular mechanics.
have familiar themes. are social. Play quickly with minimal
set-up time.
Lower the barrier of entry of gaming for seniors.
No rule books. Quick to learn. Easy to teach.
Board games are the only hobby that you need to pass a written and speaking exam before you start. ( Rob Daviau, designer)
Goal Number 2
85% of the attendees of regular board gaming group are not card holders.
Next step: Journey to senior centers, retirement homes, schools.
Community outreach centered around a positive and emerging cultural building medium.
Go places! Meet people!
Goal Number 3:
Recognize the culture of your library/group and build around it. Experimentation and
Interaction. (Modern Board/Card Games, Design)
Comfort and Familiarity. (Classic Games/Mass Market)
Competition and Interaction. (Chess, Bridge, Scrabble)
Interaction. (Party/Social Games)
Encourage constructive play, social learning and friendly competition.
Goal 4: Support learning and explore a diversity of board games.
Collection development hints:
Start with a small, diverse collection. Keep initial games inexpensive ($8-$35 each). Be sure they are in print from reliable
publishers. Purchase online for good deals. Purchase from brick & mortar stores for
goodwill. Encourage sharing of games. Build the collection as group aligns toward
certain games.
Find help and support!
A staff person who may be a hobby board gamer.
Contact local game shops. Peruse Meetup.com for any board game
groups. Contact board game publishers. Ask for
educational discounts or demo copies. [hint: request “dinged” copies]
Start with what you have or what people can provide.
10 Board Games that aren’t Scary!
1) Sushi Go!
Card Drafting Set Collection Plays in 15-20
minutes 2-5 players Next Step?
7 Wonders Seasons
Collect sushi. Score points. Pass cards.
2) Augustus
Plays like, but doesn’t feel like, Bingo.
Completes objective by pulling symbols from a sack and placing on cards.
3) Las Vegas
Introduces area control/influence.
Players roll and place dice on casinos to for payouts.
2-5 players (can expand to 7 with extra dice).
Plays in 30 minutes. Next Step?
Small World Kingdom Builder Tammany Hall
Roll dice. Dominate casinoes.
4) Incan Gold!
Press Your Luck game. Players decide
whether to go deeper into a temple for treasure or play it safe and head back to camp.
3-8 players. Plays in 20 minutes.
With great risks come great rewards!
5) Bohnanza
Negotiation/Trading
Collect sets of beans to “harvest” for money.
2-7 players. Plays in 45
minutes. Next Step?
Settlers of Catan
Collect Beans/Harvest for Cash.
6) Citadels
Take a role, build a city.
Variable player roles. Each round players draft a
new role. 2-8 players. Plays in 45-60 minutes. Can play a shortened
version of the game. Next Steps?
Flash Point: Fire Rescue Pandemic
7) Hanabi
Card game where you can’t look at your cards!
Players can play a card, discard a card or give a hint.
Everyone works together to create a fireworks display.
2-5 players, 30 minutes. Next Steps?
Pandemic Flash Point: Fire Rescue Forbidden Island
Look at everyone’s cards but your own!
8) For Sale
Auction/Bidding players bid for buildings
then sell the buildings for the greatest profit possible.
Next Steps? Alhambra Going, Going, Gone Power Grid Ra
9) Skull
A game of bidding/bluffing.
Minimal components. Simple game play.
Lots of player interaction. 3-6 players, 30-45
minutes.
10) SOS Titanic
Cooperative solitaire themed to the Titanic.
Moving cards around the board similar to a game of Solitaire.
Plays 1-5, 30-45 minutes.
These open the gates for so many more….
Alhambra ~ markets Carcassonne ~ tile-placement Dixit ~ storytelling Dominion ~ deck-building Kingdom Builder ~ area
influence/control King of Tokyo ~ press your luck Mascarade ~ social games,
bluffing Stone Age ~ worker-placement Letters from Whitechapel ~
hidden movement Ticket to Ride ~ route-building Ra ~ bidding Takenoko ~ action point
allowance
Post Mortem
What about the game was frustrating?
Did you have fun with this game?
Would you want to play similar games?
Would you play a similar game if it were more difficult?
Did you enjoy the interactions with other players?
Would you play it again?
John Pappas
Board Game Reviews: www.Trollitc.com
Board in the Library Series: http://www.webjunction.org/news/webjunction/board-in-the-library-part-one.html
Blog: www.couldshouldabuddha.com
Email: [email protected]
Shoot me an email if you are interested in a suggested list of gateway games for libraries and reliable board game publishers.
Questions?