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5/12/01
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Dan
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» Game Design Dictionary |
New leagues are being formed all around us. People are getting itchy
for training camps to open. Mini camp video reports of the hot new
rookie prospects flashing their talents entices the blood of even
the most cynical fantasy football generals. Where will those pesky
free agents land? Cheat sheets are being cribbed even now in readiness
for the future draft.
Here is a point to ponder: We spend so much effort in preparing
to play a game and so little in designing the instrument. In the
flurry to get signed up, the seeds of failure are planted. Why?
Because making rules seems so limiting, I guess. Too many leagues
start with only a skeleton of a rules set and little guidance in
dispute settlement. Also I will give you two very good reasons why
you should consider an overall game design approach:
- It is fun to design games.
- There is nothing more detrimental to a newbie than to join
a league that is flawed by poor game design.
Admit it. We have all been there, somewhere in the early rounds
of the draft and someone raises a question about a rule. Arguments
ensue with the aggrieved parties claiming their decisions would
have been different if they had known the new twist. This is a sure
sign of poor or incomplete game design.
This is in no way a definitive documentation of the world of fantasy
game design. It is merely a starting point for a dialogue, a reference
to compare, build from, or discard to your taste. It is biased to
mine and I will provide some rational as I go. Disagreements, suggestions,
comments and the endless conversations await us on the
boards.
I will be working this project in four series of articles.
- The first series will concentrate on what I consider to be
the heart of the game. It approaches draft, free agent and trade
rules as one unified concept to shape the environment of the
league.
- The second series will focus on the scoring system, league
conference and scheduling notes. This is enough to get most
redraft leagues up and running.
- The third series will focus on group management and conflict
resolution issues. This is the most ignored but ultimately could
be the most important area to insure league survival.
- The fourth series will concentrate on exotics, the unusual
twist and quirky rules that make leagues unique and special.
Think of exotics as the spice of design. I have some interesting
flavors for you to sample. These series will be posted now through
the end of June and end with the full rules sets of the three
leagues for your use, abuse and amusement on the 4th of July.
Happy Birthday, America!
What are we designing? The first set will be for a local group who
want to play a pencil and paper game you can run out of the local
newspaper. The second set will incorporate a Keeper's Rules Set
with a point system you spend to keep players each year. Finally,
we will launch the money league with a corresponding salary auction
system in a dynasty format.
However, before we begin putting hard rules down, let us take some
time examining the parts and potentials of fantasy football, the
game. Sure, you can just copy a rules set and jump into the game.
We have all done that. I think you miss a lot of the true potential
of fantasy sports if you don't at least consider the world of possibilities
in rules variation and integration.
To cover the blank canvas of our unwritten rules sets, we need to
come to understanding on some terms. The first step is to craft
a common language, a lexicon of terms we will toss about on these
pages and on the boards. Read through this appendix
and at the bottom is another description of the three leagues in
"league-al-ese." By creating a dictionary, just look at
how much can be described in just a few words.
There is a lot more ground to cover than just how many points should
a quarterback score. We need to talk about an organic approach to
craft a game that will give you years of fun. We have to craft the
league to meet the goals and limitations of the Assembly. There
is much to do before Draft Day. Like draft preparation, work done
now will help you avoid trouble in November.
» The
Big Picture
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