Intimidated By Tabletop Gaming? Here’s An Introductory Guide To Help You Get Started!

 

LRM Online is excited to begin featuring content, including previews and reviews, focused on tabletop gaming! Like any hobby, tabletop gaming has its own culture and even nomenclature. With so many options and terms, where does one even start?! Well, LRM Online is here to help with our introductory guide and glossary! Below, we outline some of the most common terms used to describe tabletop games, as well as their mechanics! So, dive on in, whether you’re a new or experienced gamer, and enjoy! Please feel free submit questions and feedback in the comments below!

Types of Games

1 v Many – Typically one player has a set objective, but all other players are on an opposing team with their main goal being to stop the “one.”

4X Game: A strategic and often complex game, with typically the following activities or actions dictating gameplay: 1) eXplore (uncover new areas of the board), 2) eXploit (collect resources), 3) eXpand (build your presence), and eXterminate (defeat opposing players).

Amerithrash: Slang term to describe older games that rose to prominence in the U.S. that were categorized by a lot of luck (i.e. dice rolling, random card drawing) and conflict (think Monopoly or Sorry!).

Choose Your Own Adventure: A game which allows teams/players to decide how the story will play out by giving them options for how to proceed, once an objective has been reached.

Cooperative/Competitive: Fairly obviously, but cooperative (co-op) games have players working together towards an objective, while competitive typically names one player/team a winner.

Eurogame: A game historically categorized as being strategic and complex in terms of mechanisms and objectives.

Gateway Game: Often a popular game that highlights a particular game-playing mechanic very well and serves as an introductory title to more complex games.

Legacy Game: A game that typically is played over many sessions, growing and evolving through play. These games can involve making permanent alterations to the game throughout playing, making them playable only once.

Party Game: A game that is typically designed for a larger crowd/number of players with basic and easy to pick up rules.

PvP (Player versus Player): Typically designates a two-person competitive game.

RPG (Role Playing Game): A game in which a player assumes the identity of a fictional character to engage in a story.

RELATED: Tabletop Game Review: My Little Scythe

Common Game Mechanics

Auction: A component of the game has players bidding on components/resources strategically

Asymmetrical: A game where each player engages gameplay with a different style and/or overall objective.

Asynchronous/Synchronous: This refers to the turn order of a game. Many games are asynchronous, where a person take a turn, and then the next person, then the next, etc. Others are synchronous where all players play at the same moment.

Bluffing: A game where players deceive others through lying and/or other means to achieve their own objectives.

Deck-Building: A game where the primary mechanic is strategically collecting and playing cards to have an optimal set of cards.

Engine-Building: Strategically playing action components (cards, resources) that have a result that can trigger other actions in a chain-reaction, leading to high output.

Programming: Players pre-set a series of actions/movements which are all executed in order upon their turn.

Press Your Luck: Game mechanic where players must make a choice between their current resources or testing chance to get a better outcome (Blackjack is a good example).

Resource Allocation (also known as Worker Placement): A mechanic of a game whereby players strategically choose where to put a limited amount of resources to take actions or collect more resources.

Set Collection: A game mechanic whereby players score points by collecting sets of cards or tiles.

Social Deduction: A game in which players are trying to understand the hidden/secret identities, roles, and objectives of the other players.

Tactile: A game mechanic that relies on a physical action to score points or objectives.

Tile Placement: A game mechanic that has players strategically placing tiles in terms of location and orientation to gain competitive advantage or to achieve objectives.

Trick Taking: A game mechanic that has players play cards (or another component) whereby the values are compared and one player “wins” based upon their choice and choices of others.

In-Game Vernacular & Components

Art: Today, many games can be lauded for their art design, which includes game/card design and sculpted miniatures. High-end game designers often employ incredibly skilled artists to draw, paint, and sculpt their components (see more below).

d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20: A dice where the number corresponds to the number of sides it has. Note: the six aforementioned types are the standard set in many role-playing games, like Dungeons & Dragons

Meeple: Colloquially term for the little wooden “people” that are used in a game

Minis/Miniatures: Sculpted figures that accompany a game. They are typically plastic and unpainted (some game enthusiasts enjoy painting them ). High-end games typically have incredibly detailed minis or miniatures included in their games.

Theme: The overall setting, environment, or culture a game is trying to evoke. This could be a period of time, a place, or even a specific existing franchise (i.e. Star Wars, Game of Thrones).

VP (Victory Point): Standard nomenclature designating the points needed to win a game.

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