On the importance of theme, and the power of suggestion

The importance of theme is something that causes a modicum of disagreement within the gamer community.  Some consider the theme of the game to be mostly superfluous, a nice to have feature.  Many consider a solid, integrated, interesting theme to be essential to all but the most abstract of games.

I fall somewhere in between the two.  While I can appreciate strategy and mechanics on their own, having a solid theme can greatly enhance the enjoyment of the other excellent features of a game.  In addition, a week, pasted on theme can detract from what would otherwise be an interesting game.

I also find game themes useful in the more social aspect of gaming.  When constructing a gaming event, it can be helpful to group games together with similar theme.  This can allow you to create something that binds the overall event together, potentially creating more interest and attracting more players to your endeavor.

In smaller groups, carefully chosen themes or or constructed groups of themes can be used to send (not so) subtle messages to the other player.

Game report - day 15: Munchkin Booty

I could have been less subtle with the suggestion here, but most of those games are in storage.

Munchkin is an oft derided game in the gamer community.  While most own one or more copies of the series, few will admit to playing it anymore.  The reason behind this is in my opinion, twofold.  First, it has been around awhile, and like many familiar names in hobby gaming, is considered passé. Secondly, some serious hobby gamers like to ignore Munchkin (and a lot of Steve Jackson Games in general) as being too silly and random.  Serious gamers sometimes like to flaunt their skill, knowledge, or strategic prowess and try to avoid games that come down to random chance.

For those not in the know, Munchkin is a parody card game from Steve Jackson Games that makes fun of pretty much every other adventuring game in history.  The tagline of the game is "Kill the monster, take the treasure, stab your buddy", and that pretty much explains all of it.  There is a lot of "take that" mechanisms in the game (which is another thing serious gamers don't particularly care for).  Munchkin Booty is the pirate themed edition of the franchise.  Where as in the base game you have different races (human, elf, dwarf) and classes (cleric, fighter, wizard), in Munchkin Booty you have accents (French, Dutch, Brit) and classes (pirate, navy, merchant).

Personally I think the whole series is quite fun.  That said, I do have to be careful with whom I play this game.  This is not a game to play with angry people who take deception and changes in loyalty seriously.  Serious gamers can be put off as well if you try to pass it off as something it is not.  However, if you use the available themes wisely and present the game as the fun filler that it is, then fun will be had by all.

That is the point after all.