Tag: Game Development

Posted on

Crafting Your First D&D Adventure: A Guide for New Dungeon Masters

Embarking on the journey of writing your first Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) adventure can be a little daunting. As a new Dungeon Master (DM), it’s important to remember that your adventure doesn’t need to be epic in scale. Running a hugely complicated world spanning odyssey can be incredibly taxing, especially for the inexperienced. Instead, I recommend creating a small, manageable, and fun experience for you and your players. Here’s how to get started:

Start Small

When designing your first adventure, it’s tempting to create a sprawling epic filled with intricate plots and vast landscapes. often, these try to emulate favorite books, movies and tv shows. Can you imagine the amount of work to recreate the intricacies of Game of Thrones or the epicness of Lord of the Rings. It’s exhausting just thinking about it! However, starting small can be more manageable and equally enjoyable. A single town, a mysterious forest, or a haunted mansion can provide ample opportunities for adventure without overwhelming you or your players.

Benefits of Starting Small:

  1. Manageable Preparation: A smaller scope means less prep work, allowing you to focus on quality over quantity.
  2. Player Engagement: It’s easier for players to get invested in a smaller, more intimate setting.
  3. Flexibility: Small adventures can adapt and expand based on player actions and interests. As such, they may turn into that huge sprawling epic that you’ve always imagined, over time.

Have a Clear Task

A clear, simple objective is key to a successful adventure. Your players should know what they need to accomplish and why. This doesn’t mean the adventure lacks depth, but rather that the core goal is straightforward.

Make sure the purpose or goal of your first adventure is really obvious.

Examples of Clear Tasks:

  • Retrieve a stolen artifact.
  • Rescue a kidnapped villager.
  • Investigate strange happenings in the local graveyard.

This lack of ambiguity helps keep the adventure focused and gives players a clear sense of purpose. It also makes it easier for you to guide the narrative and keep the story on track.

Introduce a Memorable Villain

A compelling villain can elevate your adventure and give your players a clear antagonist to rally against. Your villain doesn’t need to be a world-ending threat; a cunning bandit leader, corrupt town official, or rival adventuring party can be just as engaging.

Tips for Creating a Memorable Villain:

  • Distinct Personality: Give your villain unique traits and quirks that make them stand out. Perhaps they are overly polite even when doing the most terrible acts, or they are obsessed with cleanliness.
  • Clear Motivation: Understanding why your villain is doing what they do helps create a more believable and engaging antagonist. Perhaps the villain wants revenge, is power hungry, or following a misguided obsession.
  • Presence: Ensure your villain has a noticeable impact on the story, whether through direct confrontation or the consequences of their actions. A good way to do this is to present rumors to the players at the beginning of the game. Some true, some not, all alluding to the villainous nature of the enemy.

Professor Dungeon master has some great tips on making villains in this video. Definitely worth a quick watch.

Encourage Teamwork

D&D is a collaborative game, and encouraging teamwork among your players is crucial. Design encounters and challenges that require players to work together, leveraging each character’s strengths.

Ways to Encourage Teamwork:

  • Diverse Challenges: Include a variety of obstacles that cater to different skills (combat, puzzle-solving, diplomacy). To really ramp up the challenge why not combine two of these. Solving a puzzle during a combat creates time pressure that can really enhance the excitement of the session.
  • Shared Objectives: Ensure the task requires collective effort, making it difficult for any one player to succeed alone. Perhaps the fighters need to hold off the magical golem while the mage and rogue negotiate with the gnarled hermit to open the door to safety.
  • Reward Cooperation: Recognize and reward instances where players work together effectively. This can be as simple as calling out the group when they work well together, or rewarding them with in-game advantages as the gods smile at their cooperation.

Keep Your First Adventure Manageable

Remember, your adventure doesn’t need to be a grand epic to be enjoyable. A small, self-contained story can be incredibly satisfying and leave players eager for more.

Keeping Scope Manageable:

  • Limited Locations: Focus on a handful of key locations rather than an entire world.
  • Concise Story: Aim for a story that can be completed in one or two sessions.
  • Avoid Overcomplication: Keep plots and subplots simple and easy to follow. While you may think this is too simple, remember, players add their own layer of complication.

Final Thoughts on Writing your First Adventure

Writing your first D&D adventure is about creating a fun and engaging experience for you and your players. By starting small, introducing a memorable villain and giving the adventure a clear objective, you can craft an adventure that is both enjoyable and memorable!

Posted on

Echoes of Xenos: Did it Work?

Now that the dust has settled on the Echoes of Xenos event that I ran last month, I want to take some time to think about whether it worked or not. Was it a success and what lessons did I learn. Importantly did the format support or encourage emergent play. To understand the event setup and planning visit my previous post on the subject here.

So, what’s the verdict?

Did the Players have Fun?

The primary objective of any event should be the enjoyment of the players. Did they have a good time? Discussions with everyone afterwards indicated that they did. The 1 vs 1 battles and leaderboard added a sense of competition and the secret objectives added a level of uncertainty that kept players on their toes. Additionally we made sure that everyone played different opponents each round giving variety throughout. The group was very tolerant and there wasn’t much in the way of overly competitive behavior.

The only time in the event that fun may have reduced was during the last multiplayer battle, where the set up favored some players over others. The ensuing chaos saw some players have less to do than others which was an unforeseen planning error. I will talk about the last part of the event later.

Having a small break between sessions where players could discuss outcomes was a good way to create space and a bit of banter in the group. This is definitely something to keep in mind when planning for the next one.

A power cut towards the end had us all playing by candlelight which really added to the atmosphere. But of course this was a happy coincidence!

A couple of location boards with clues, objectives and secret objectives ready for play

Was Emergent Play A Factor?

Unfortunately there was minimal emergent play occurring during the event. Interaction between the players was kept at the table and the storyline did not really feature very strongly. One player was attempting to make alliances and forge the narrative, however the others did not really engage in that aspect of the event.

The most emergent play occurred in the final scenario when one player (my son) went on the rampage. The other players figured he had been corrupted by chaos and teamed up to take him out. This was never a part of the original storyline, but worked really well as part of the finale.

Looking back, the faction set up and motivations of each group did not encourage as much of an emerging story as I hoped. There are a few things I would do differently next time, which I will discuss below.

A 1v1 battle in full swing

The Grande Finale – Not as Planned

I had meant to set up the finale to be a multiplayer scramble for survival. All were competing for one macguffin (held by the leading faction) whilst being hunted by Xenos (alien) abominations. This was meant to facilitate a tense rush to escape, not knowing who to trust. Unfortunately, the xenos threat was never as threatening as I’d hoped. Resulting in players hanging back. NOt the energetic frenzy I’d hoped for. In an effort to add some action my sons faction went on the rampage effectively knocking two players out early in the game resulting in a less engaging experience for them both.

With the xenos threat neutralized and most players down to one agent we called the last battle. Not the epic finale I had hope for.

So, what could be changed to make this finale more grande? Firstly, have more of an external threat that impacts the players from the get go. This would have forced factions to work together. It would have created tension as factions helped each other, not quite knowing if they were going to be betrayed. It would also have prevented the chaotic infighting that started right from the get go. This could have taken the form of a swarm of low level aliens encroaching on the players in numbers that could not be defeated alone. In turn this would drive the agents towards the greater threats of the abominations.

Secondly, all the factions deployed in the same area creating the immediate potential for infighting. Deploying factions further apart would have removed this consequence letting players position tactically before the action commenced. Additionally, this would give players a greater sense of agency that I feel the original setup perhaps removed.

Player briefings and warbands ready to go

Increasing Emergent Play

Now that the game is over I think there are some clear ways that I could improve emergent play next time round.

Firstly, grouping players into factions will encourage interaction and cooperation immediately. By its very nature the increased interaction will allow emergent play to appear. Additionally, grouping players in teams or alliances creates a safer space to be creative. It’s always more fun doing this together, rather than trying to figure it out on your own.

Secondly, the scenario needs clearer factions. This is particularly true when you have players whop are not versed in the lore of your world. In this instance I love the murky world of the 40K Inquisitorial agents. But the lack of clarity makes it difficult for players to engage form a position of strength. Instead, having factions with clear goals and archetypes make them easier to engage with.

In this event all the players were gunning for the same objective making alliances difficult to form. Next time I would give every faction a different objective, but make sure they cross over. That way negotiations and alliances would become more important and emergent play more likely to appear.

Lastly, the players need a clearer reason to interact and ally with each other. A powerful external threat would neatly enhance this. In this event having a powerful alien species threatening everyone equally would force players to work together despite being enemies. Giving players the choice of allying with their enemy or facing annihilation can create some interesting negotiations and outcomes.

Final Thoughts on Echoes of Xenos

Despite not quite working as planned Echoes of Xenos was a fun event. While emergent play didn’t form as much as I’d hoped there were some very clear takeaways for the next event. I cant wait!

Posted on

Echoes of Xenos: An Event Focused on Emergent Play

Following on from my last experience running a multiplayer game I’ve been exploring emergent play. In parallel to this I have developed a mini event for six participants that I hope will create an emergent narrative experience for all involved. I’ve included mechanics to ensure that no two games are alike and every decision can lead to unexpected outcomes. Welcome to Echoes of Xenos!!

While this is a campaign of sorts with players playing multiple games, it is going to take place over the afternoon/evening of a single Saturday. Keeping it short and sweet will foster maximum engagement. Resulting, I hope, in lots of player interaction with the narrative and each other.

Setting the Stage: Embrace the Unknown

I’ve always had a soft spot for the INQ28 movement. This is based loosely on an old Games Workshop game that was more roleplaying game than wargame. It pits bands of Inquisitors, secret agents of the Imperium, against one another. Different ideologies, agendas and objectives make for a murky espionage fueled setting that truly fosters creativity in scenarios, art and model making. As such I’ve set this event squarely within this milieu.

The campaign is based in the western reaches of the Ultima Segmentum, specifically in the enigmatic Lupin System. As commanders of various factions, players are on a mission to retrieve the lost research of the radical Inquisitor Tiberius Glaze. While they all have the same core objective, secret objectives, emergent narrative and sworn enemies will make this anything but straight forward.

Player packs and warbands ready to go

Factions in Pursuit

As mentioned, multiple factions are on the hunt for Glaze’s elusive research. Each with its unique motivations and secret agendas:

  1. Puritan Inquisitor of the Ordo Hereticus: Determined to destroy the heretical research.
  2. Rogue Trader: Sees profit in capturing and selling the research.
  3. Tech Priest of the Adeptus Mechanicus: Aims to harness the research for their own mysterious purposes.
  4. Two Radical Inquisitors of the Ordo Xenos: Both seek glory through the continuation of Glaze’s work. However, the glory can only go to one!
  5. Rogue Inquisitor of the Ordo Malleus: Believes the research is linked to a prophecy foretelling the downfall of the Imperium.

As you can see, there is already a lot of scope for conflict. But for emergent play to flower we need additional complications.

The Mechanics: Fueling Emergent Narrative

This campaign is structured to encourage emergent play, where the unfolding story and strategic interactions create a unique and engaging experience for every participant. As such the details of each battle will be randomly determined. Firstly, there will be three rounds of 1v1 battles . At the start of each round, factions will randomly draw opponents and battle locations. Each location has a shared primary objective and a set of secret objectives. After objectives are revealed, faction leaders select their roster for the engagement. The final round will involve all the players competing against one another in a large multiplayer scenario.

Like the last game I ran we’ll be using the Space Weirdos ruleset. This is simple enough for players to pick up the concepts easily. However, it has enough complexity to allow for strategic play. A great balance. It also plays fast. Letting us complete multiple games over the course of the event.

Roster Management

Each faction begins with a 125-point Space Weirdos list, but for each scenario, players can only field three agents from their roster. This limitation means roster management is crucial, as losing agents can significantly impact your strategy and the outcome of future battles. It also means that agents need to be carefully chosen for each game, as each have different advantages. I’m interested to see how this plays out. Will players be more cautious in their tactics? When will they commit their more valuable agents?

Locations and Objectives:

To keep things uncertain battles will be fought over 4 different locations. Each is rich with potential for emergent play, featuring primary objectives and a variety of special secret objectives specific to each. Here’s a glimpse of what to expect:

  1. Abandoned Orbital Station: Retrieve data from the lone servitor.
  2. Research Station on the Moon: Get a copy of the research papers.
  3. Ag Settlement: Identify and interrogate Glaze’s old companions for the location of the genetics research base.
  4. Space Port Relay Station: Hack the last communication from the Research Station.

Winning a game at each location gives the victorious player a secret clue that details some of the back story and the villainy that Inquisitor Glaze was up to.

Combining roster management, narrative clues, secret objectives and a range of game boards will keep the players on their toes. Decisions will have to be made with imperfect information. Stories will emerge. I cant wait to see how the game evolves.

Ag settlement
Spaceport
Research station
Orbital

Points and Clues

An emergent narrative may not be enough for some players so I have introduced a competitive element in the Campaign Points (CP) which are awarded based on performance

  • Win Primary Objective: 2 CP
  • Win Secret Objective: 1 CP
  • Beat sworn enemy in battle: 1 CP

The warband with the most CP will start the final scenario with a crucial advantage – the research genetic material. A tally of points on a whiteboard near game control will keep everyone on their toes. Announcing changes in the leaderboard at the end of every round should enhance the competitive element.

It’s my hope that this element spurs players to strive for a win and push their secret objectives for each round to get that valuable additional CP.

The Grand Finale

The final showdown takes place at a secret location (no spoilers), the fifth moon of Lupin III. Here, factions must secure the genetic material – the ultimate prize. With dangerous abominations lurking, this climactic battle will push the players strategic skills to the limit and create unforgettable moments of emergent play. Will they work together to get run the gauntlet or fall into mad competitive scrambling to get the prize. Only time will tell.

Preparation

In an effort to make the game as immersive as possible I’ve prepared individual player briefings, faction rosters, thematic clues and ideological clashes. Additionally, I’ll be using my collection of miniatures and terrain to its fullest. I’m hoping that this will give the players enough to really lean into the setting and make the most of the game. This has take a lot of work, but I’m hoping it’s worth it.

Once we’ve played I’ll write about the experience and my learnings from it. Will emergent narrative occur? I’ll also see whether this format may be utilized in a different form to teach/enhance leadership skills.

Wish me luck!!

Posted on

Using Emergent Play for Better Leadership Training

I find one of the joys of playing Dungeons and Dragons is the emergent play. No-one around the table quite knows what is coming next. Even when you’re the one running the adventure. The games direction shifts and changes as the players make decisions. When looking at leadership development, traditional training methods rarely give students loived experiences to put their new found knowledge to the test. Emergent play, a concept drawn from the world of gaming, offers a fresh and effective approach to leadership training. By creating scenarios where players must adapt, innovate, and collaborate in real-time, emergent play provides a rich ground for developing critical leadership skills. This article explores how emergent play experiences can be leveraged to enhance leadership training.

Understanding Emergent Play

How do we define what emergent play actually is? As a concept it occurs when players engage with a game in ways that go beyond the designers’ intentions. It arises from the interactions within a complex system, where simple rules can lead to unpredictable and sophisticated behaviors. This type of play emphasizes creativity, problem-solving, and adaptability, as players navigate a world where their decisions have significant and often unforeseen consequences.

Roleplaying games are often considered the ultimate expression of emergent play. Players have an inordinate amount of flexibility to do almost anything. Each scenario can be approached from a hundred different angles. Obviously, as a designer, or dungeon master it is often a fruitless exercise trying to second guess what the players are going to do. I’ve learned this the hard way.

Another great example is the megagame. These complex games involve tens of players on multiple teams, with competing objectives. Information is often imperfect and players must interact, cooperate or compete (often all at the same time) to achieve their goals. This is ripe for emergent play, as narratives and directions of play spin directly from these player interactions.

A megagame in action

Interestingly, games companies are beginning to pick up on this. I recently started playing Warhammer 40000, a sci-fi grimdark wargame, with my son. Flipping through the rulebook I was pleased to see a heavy emphasis on narrative play. A story emerges from the actions of the players. Perhaps not as complex as the other two examples, but a step in the right direction.

Why Emergent Play is Effective for Leadership Training

Now we understand a bit about what emergent play is, I hope you can see the why they might be good tools for enhancing leadership training.

  1. Realistic Complexity: Emergent play mirrors the complexities of real-world scenarios, where leaders must often deal with ambiguous and rapidly changing situations. This realistic complexity prepares leaders to think on their feet and adapt to unexpected challenges.
  2. Enhanced Engagement: Games designed for emergent play are inherently engaging. Consequently the unpredictable nature of these games keeps participants invested and motivated, leading to deeper learning experiences.
  3. Active Learning: Emergent play requires active participation, where learners must make decisions, interact with others, and see the outcomes of their actions. Using an active learning approach helps reinforce key leadership concepts and skills.
  4. Safe Environment for Experimentation: In an emergent play setting, participants can experiment with different strategies and approaches without the fear of real-world repercussions. Of course, this safe environment encourages risk-taking and innovation, essential traits for effective leadership.

Key Elements in Leadership Training

To create effective emergent play experiences for leadership training, I believe the follwing elements should be incorporated.

1. Open-Ended Scenarios

Design scenarios that are not constrained by a single solution or path. Open-ended scenarios allow participants to explore multiple strategies and outcomes, fostering creativity and critical thinking. For example, a leadership training game might simulate a company facing a market disruption, where participants can choose various ways to respond, such as innovating new products, pivoting their business model, or forming strategic partnerships. Or, if they are particularly ambitious, all three!

2. Dynamic Environments

Create environments that change based on participants’ actions and decisions. Dynamic environments mimic real-life situations where leaders must continuously adapt to new information and shifting conditions. Some ways to achieve this include, real-time updates, random events, and evolving challenges keeping participants on their toes. It can also help if the game rivals are controlled by players rather than game control.

3. Collaboration and Competition

Incorporate both collaborative and competitive elements to simulate the complexities of organizational dynamics. Encouraging teamwork helps develop collaboration and communication skills, while competitive aspects can drive strategic thinking and resilience. For instance, a game could involve teams working together to solve a crisis, but also competing for limited resources or recognition. This would create interesting friction and force thoughtful leadership decisions to be made.

4. Meaningful Consequences

Ensure that participants’ actions have meaningful and visible consequences. This helps reinforce the importance of decision-making and accountability. For example, if a team chooses to cut corners on a project, they might achieve short-term gains but face long-term setbacks such as reputational damage or reduced morale. This can be made tougher by including moral dilemmas into the fabric of the game. From games I’ve played these touch decisions with big consequences are often the most memorable. Ultimately, making them incredible learning opportunities.

Applications for leadership training are significant

Implementing Emergent Play in Leadership Training Programs

If you wanted to include emergent play into your leadership training there are a few things to consider.

1. Develop Customized Games

Design custom games tailored to your organization’s specific leadership challenges and goals. Simply re-skinning existing games to align with a new setting is a relatively straight forward exercise. Working with game designers from outside your organization can help you to create and modify game scenarios to fit your training objectives while removing some of your organizational assumptions.

2. Facilitate Reflective Debriefings

After gameplay, conduct debriefing sessions where participants can reflect on their experiences, discuss what they learned, and draw parallels to real-world leadership situations. Of course, this reflection helps solidify learning and translate game insights into practical skills. A good tip here would be to include a facilitator who observes the game and can take notes on what’s happening enabling even deeper reflection by the participants.

3. Encourage Continuous Learning

Use emergent play as part of an ongoing leadership development program rather than a one-time event. Regularly incorporating such experiences helps reinforce learning and allows leaders to practice and refine their skills over time.

4. Leverage Technology

Consider utilizing digital platforms and virtual environments to create scalable and accessible emergent play experiences. Technology can facilitate complex simulations and enable remote participation, making it easier to integrate emergent play into diverse training programs. This could allow games to be played across time zones adding further complexity to team interactions.

Some Ideas for Emergent Play in Leadership Training

Here are a couple of quick examples of the types of game you could include in your next training cohort.

“The Infinite Loop”

This collaborative game involves teams working together to escape a virtual time loop by solving puzzles and making strategic decisions. The game’s open-ended nature and evolving challenges make it an excellent tool for developing problem-solving, collaboration, and adaptability. Actions would have significant consequences every time the time loop resets. To pile on the pressure there are only a limited number of time loop iterations before the game finishes.

“Evolve”

A simulation game where participants lead a virtual organization through various crises and opportunities. Players are split into different departments, all with competing objectives. The team must make strategic decisions, manage resources, and navigate complex interpersonal dynamics. Of course, the game’s dynamic environment and meaningful consequences would provide a realistic and engaging leadership training experience. To add to the pressure and complexity, a second group of players could be set up as a rival organization. Will the disparate teams come together under a common cause?

Final Thoughts

Emergent play offers a powerful and innovative approach to leadership training, by providing engaging, and impactful learning experiences. By incorporating open-ended scenarios, dynamic environments, collaboration, competition, and meaningful consequences, emergent play prepares leaders to navigate the complexities of the modern world. As organizations continue to seek effective ways to develop their leaders, emergent play stands out as a promising method for fostering the skills and mindsets needed for success.

Posted on

Harnessing the Power of the High Engagement Game

Tabletop gaming is extremely varied. Within this genre exists a diverse array of experiences that deeply engage players, fostering cognitive growth, stress reduction, skill development, and community building. In this article I explore the benefits of a high engagement game. Before we delve into how they’re utilized in military training and the implications for leadership development.

What is a High Engagement Game

First off, what is this concept that we’re discussing? A high engagement game is a type of game that deeply immerses and captivates players, fostering intense involvement and interaction throughout the gaming experience. Unlike more casual or passive forms of entertainment, high engagement games demand significant mental and emotional investment from players. They do so by drawing them into richly detailed worlds, complex challenges, and compelling narratives.

Key Characteristics

  1. Complexity: High engagement games often feature intricate gameplay mechanics, multifaceted storylines, and expansive game worlds. Players are presented with a wide array of choices, challenges, and opportunities for exploration. Consequently, requiring them to employ strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
  2. Emotional Resonance: These games evoke strong emotional responses from players, ranging from excitement and anticipation to empathy and sorrow. Therefore, through immersive storytelling, well-developed characters, and impactful gameplay moments, high engagement games resonate on a deep emotional level. Helping forge powerful connections between players and the game world.
  3. Interactivity: Interactivity is a hallmark of high engagement games. Pushing players to actively shape the course of the game through their decisions, actions, and interactions with the game environment and other players. Whether navigating branching storylines in a roleplaying game or engaging in strategic battles in a board game, players play a central role in driving the game forward.
  4. Longevity: High engagement games often offer extensive gameplay experiences that unfold over hours, days, or even weeks. Whether through ongoing campaigns, or multiplayer matches, these games provide players with sustained engagement and long-term enjoyment.

Ultimately, high engagement games provide players with deeply rewarding and immersive experiences that go beyond mere entertainment. Playing encourages fostering personal growth, social connection, and a sense of accomplishment. Whether exploring fantastical realms in a roleplaying adventure, strategizing in a board game showdown, or commanding armies in a wargame, players are drawn into a world of endless possibilities and unforgettable experiences.

Examples You Can Play Now

The definition of a high engagement game makes them sound pretty intense. And they can be. But there are some great examples that are being played all over the world right now. Three games to consider include the following, based on the criteria above.

Dungeons and Dragons the King of the High Engagement Game

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D)

Of course, this game needs no introduction as the worlds most popular roleplaying game.

  • Complexity: D&D is renowned for its intricate ruleset, expansive world-building, and limitless storytelling potential. Players create characters with unique abilities, embark on epic quests, and navigate a dynamic fantasy universe filled with danger and intrigue.
  • Emotional Resonance: Through immersive storytelling and roleplaying, D&D elicits a wide range of emotions. From exhilaration during epic battles to empathy for well-developed characters. Players become deeply invested in their characters’ journeys and forge strong emotional connections with their fellow adventurers.
  • Interactivity: D&D is highly interactive, with players collaboratively shaping the narrative through their decisions and actions. The Dungeon Master (DM) serves as both storyteller and referee, adapting the game world in response to player choices and creating memorable experiences tailored to each group.
  • Longevity: With its modular ruleset, endless customization options, and vast library of official and user-generated content, D&D offers virtually limitless replay value. Players can embark on epic campaigns that span months or even years. Exploring new realms, facing formidable foes, and forging lasting friendships along the way.
Twilight Imperium Set Up

Twilight Imperium (Fourth Edition)

This board game has been in production for over twenty years and for good reason. Complex with elements of grand strategy, wargaming, diplomacy and negotiation, Twilight Imperium is a truly intricate game with multiple win conditions.

  • Complexity: Twilight Imperium is a grand strategy board game set in a sprawling sci-fi universe. Players vie for control of the galaxy through diplomacy, warfare, and resource management. With its intricate ruleset, diverse factions, and dynamic gameplay, Twilight Imperium offers a deeply strategic and immersive experience.
  • Emotional Resonance: The epic scope and high-stakes gameplay of Twilight Imperium evoke a sense of grandeur and excitement. Players must navigate shifting alliances, engage in epic space battles, and vie for dominance over the galaxy. Moments of triumph and betrayal are common, fostering strong emotional connections between players and the game.
  • Interactivity: Twilight Imperium encourages diplomacy, negotiation, and strategic planning, as players seek to outmaneuver their rivals and achieve their objectives. The game’s political system allows players to influence the course of the game through voting and alliances, adding layers of depth and complexity.
  • Longevity: With its epic gameplay sessions lasting anywhere from six to twelve hours or more, Twilight Imperium offers a substantial and immersive gaming experience. Each playthrough is unique, thanks to the game’s variable setup, modular board, and diverse range of player strategies and interactions.
Game of Kill Team in full swing

Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team

While played at a smaller scale Kill Team is still full of high engagement.

  • Complexity: Kill Team is a skirmish-level wargame set in the dystopian universe of Warhammer 40,000. Players command small squads of elite warriors in fast-paced tactical battles. With its detailed ruleset, customizable squads, and dynamic battlefield environments, Kill Team offers a richly strategic and immersive gameplay experience.
  • Emotional Resonance: The intense, high-stakes nature of Kill Team elicits a range of emotions. Ranging from adrenaline-pumping excitement during combat to tension and anticipation as players vie for victory. Players become deeply invested in the fate of their squads and forge strong narratives around their battles and characters.
  • Interactivity: Kill Team emphasizes tactical maneuvering, positioning, and decision-making, as players strive to outwit and outmaneuver their opponents. The game’s dynamic scenarios and mission objectives create opportunities for varied and engaging gameplay experiences, keeping players on their toes and fostering strategic thinking.
  • Longevity: With its modular ruleset, diverse factions, and ever-expanding range of miniatures and supplements, Kill Team offers endless possibilities for customization and replayability. Players can experiment with different squad compositions, strategies, and tactics, ensuring that no two battles are ever the same.

These three tabletop games offer deeply engaging and immersive experiences that cater to a wide range of interests and playstyles. We are only scratching the surface. Mega Games take this to a whole new level and will be the subject of a separate article.

You can read about my attempt at creating a high engagement skirmish game (similar to Warhammer 40,000 Kill Team) in my past article on the subject.

A Military Context for the High Engagement Game

High engagement wargaming refers to a form of tabletop gaming that deeply immerses players in strategic military simulations. Once again, fostering intense involvement and interaction throughout the gaming experience. Unlike more casual or traditional wargames, high engagement wargaming emphasizes complex scenarios, realistic tactics, and immersive storytelling. Drawing players into dynamic and challenging conflicts that require strategic thinking, decision-making, and teamwork to overcome.

Key Characteristics

The main facets of high engagement wargaming include:

  1. Realism and Authenticity: High engagement wargames strive to accurately simulate real-world military scenarios. Often incorporating detailed rulesets, historical accuracy, and realistic mechanics. Players are presented with complex tactical challenges that mirror the complexities of actual warfare. Requiring them to devise strategies, coordinate maneuvers, and adapt to changing circumstances on the battlefield.
  2. Immersion and Narrative Depth: Through immersive storytelling and dynamic gameplay, high engagement wargames create richly detailed narratives that draw players into the heat of battle. Consequently, whether commanding armies in historic conflicts or leading futuristic campaigns, players become deeply invested in the unfolding story of the game. Leading to forging emotional connections with their forces and adversaries.
  3. Strategic Depth and Complexity: High engagement wargames offer deep strategic gameplay. Players are challenged to think critically, plan strategically, and anticipate their opponent’s moves. From managing logistics and coordinating troop movements to conducting reconnaissance and exploiting terrain features, players must master a wide range of tactical skills to achieve victory on the battlefield.
  4. Player Agency and Interaction: Wargames of this type prioritize player agency and interaction. As such, participants shape the course of the game through their decisions, actions, and interactions with the game environment and other players. Whether negotiating alliances, coordinating joint operations, or engaging in fierce battles, players play an active role in determining the outcome.
  5. Long-Term Engagement and Replayability: With their deep strategic gameplay, rich narrative depth, and endless customization options, high engagement wargames offer substantial replay value and long-term engagement. Players can embark on epic campaigns that span multiple sessions, exploring new strategies, encountering new challenges, and forging new narratives with each playthrough.
US Marines playing a wargame during training

Why Use Games in the Military

Overall, high engagement wargaming provides players with immersive and rewarding experiences that go beyond mere entertainment, fostering strategic thinking, historical understanding, and camaraderie among participants. Whether recreating historic battles, or exploring hypothetical conflicts, players are drawn into a world of endless possibilities and unforgettable experiences.

Gaming of this style is used in military academies in Australia, USA, UK and other countries to test their junior officers in the chaos and strategies of conflict. For more information on this type of game check out the paper “Why Wargaming Works” by Peter Perla and ED McGrady. If it works for military officers why cant it be applied to civilian leaders too?

The Benefits of Playing a High Engagement Game

Putting the military context to one side, there are significant benefits to be gained from playing a high engagement game. These include:

  1. Enhanced Cognitive Abilities: Tabletop games demand strategic thinking, problem-solving, and quick decision-making. Players immerse themselves in complex scenarios, honing cognitive skills like memory, attention, and spatial reasoning.
  2. Stress Reduction: Engaging in tabletop games provides a therapeutic escape from daily pressures. Whether embarking on a grand adventure in a roleplaying game or strategizing in a board game, players find solace and relaxation in these immersive experiences.
  3. Skill Development: From negotiation and resource management in board games to improvisation and teamwork in roleplaying games, tabletop experiences offer diverse avenues for skill development. Players refine a range of abilities, from communication to critical thinking.
  4. Community Building: Tabletop gaming fosters connections and camaraderie among players. Whether gathered around a table for a board game night or collaborating in a roleplaying campaign, participants form lasting bonds and build supportive communities.

These benefits apply to playing these games in any context. However, imagine harnessing this experience to teach leadership or other soft skills needed in the workplace.

Using High Engagement Games for Leadership Development

I hope you can see that these games have a huge amount of potential that extends beyond the enjoyment of playing. High engagement games provide a fertile ground for cultivating leadership qualities in diverse settings. Players can assume leadership roles, making crucial decisions, managing resources, and inspiring their comrades. Other development opportunities include negotiating alliances, formulating strategies, and leading their factions to victory. By navigating complex challenges and collaborating with teammates, players hone their decision-making abilities and learn to inspire trust and cooperation.

Creating or using games of this nature can be a valuable tool when training and inspiring new leaders. Why not take inspiration from the military and run a high engagement game for your future leaders cohort giving them a taste of the different facets that make a successful leader.