- Required Criteria: Target audience, name of the game, game’s creator, platform of the game.
- Target Audience: Adults (Young ones preferably)
- Game’s Creator: Created by a group of eight high school friends from Highland Park, Illinois
- Platform: Team setting
For this assignment, I chose the “Judging Game” Category: Cards Against Humanity. Judging games are very interesting because they create a competitive dynamic among players. We don’t necessarily need the “best” answer, just one that is better than the others to win.
I played this card game with a group of friends I had just met on campus. As a result, this game was a great opportunity for me to observe and learn about each person’s interests and tendencies. As a somewhat shy and introverted person, my role within a group is typically that of the observer and advisor. I like to mitigate intense situations and make everyone happy. So at the start of the game, I just observed for two or three rounds to see how people typically reacted to a prompt. Then my decision-making process came into play. I needed to determine if my answer could be outweighed by the others, since I don’t always get good cards to play. My thought process includes: Under a given prompt, will my teammates choose a safer or more conservative answer, or will they give a more radical one? What are their personal preferences and backgrounds?” All this information came into play when I made a decision. Some players leaned into more radical answers, while others played safer, more conservative cards. Once I felt more comfortable, I shifted into active participation.
The game’s core mechanics, according to MDA, include drawing a prompt, submitting answers anonymously, and one player judging. And this process naturally creates clear rules for competition. These dynamics allow players to read each other, form temporary alliances, and navigate small rejections each round. The resulting aesthetics include surprise and a sense of playful social risk.
Ethical questions:
- Consider who holds responsibility for harm in judging games: who is responsible, if anyone, for preventing hurt feelings?
For me, everyone involved in the game has a responsibility to prevent their own hurt feelings. Getting involved in the game means agreeing that there is a chance my cards won’t be picked. And because this game stays anonymous, it is hard for the judge to know which player chose which card, as the answers are only revealed after a judgment is made. Some people might challenge the judge if they think their card is good or has a fair chance of being the best “answer.” At that time, the judge needs to stand up and maintain order for the game. It is also possible, at that time, to tailor the game to the group dynamics, such as giving every player the right to “appeal” for the “best answer.”
Should the game designers design their game differently?
No. I think this game is designed appropriately for the goals that it want to achieve.
Should players be responsible for being supportive and kind to each other?
As a game played for leisure, I think all participants should be supportive and kind. However, the interpretations of “supportive” or “kind” can vary from person to person. For example, some people prefer to play with intensity and focus, as they feel that playing as a very focused, competitive player shows respect for the game because they take it seriously. Other participants might think that being supportive and kind represents inclusivity, as everyone should be noticed or recognized in the game. As their answers are being chosen by the judge, they will potentially say something to mitigate the situation. Overall, I think that a supportive and kind environment in the game includes non-hostile, non-personal-attack behaviors. However, all ways of playing the game should be accepted.
Are players responsible for not playing games if they know their feelings are likely to be hurt?
I agree with this part because players automatically give “consent” when they enter the game, as their answers will not always be picked or recognized by the judge. As a result, if they think that they will get emotional during the game, it is best that they don’t play it.
