From here on out, the remaining principles should require fewer posts to cover. As the overarching principle, Unity had a lot of ground to cover. On the other hand, today's topic is arguably optional depending on the style of design. I'm not saying it is optional, but you could argue that if you want.
Emphasis is giving particular stress or importance to an element. You give a design emphasis by using focal points. A focal point is a central, singular component or idea. It may be an innovative element or experience. In order to have effective focal points you need to choose only one or two within a design. The rest of the elements should support your focal point and not distract from it. In other words, unity still needs to apply. In essence, a focal point is a type of variety employed to convey the big idea of the game. In board game design, the focal point could be an innovative mechanism, unique theme, engrossing narrative, engaging experience, or impressive central component. Remember however, that a focal point is not just something that stands out; it still needs to be an integral part of the design.
Emphasis in a design can be created thru a number of methods. Deploy one or more of these methods to help draw attention to the element you want to showcase in your design.
Contrast allows focal points to stand out by virtue of their differences. A great way to use contrast is to set expectations then change the script just once in a noticeable way. The biggest mini is almost always the boss. Flipping over the only card in the deck outlined in red means you're probably in trouble. It's ok if the contrasting element follows certain meta-tropes. We want the audience/players to know something is happening just before it happens. The noticeable contrast draws attention to your pivot in the game. The dramatic moment is set up, pulling the players deeper into the experience. Poorly timed drama falls as flat as poorly timed comedy. Putting emphasis in the right places adds drama to your game.
Isolation declutters what you are trying to emphasize. Similar to contrast, you are trying focus the attention of your players. Too many focal points or just too many elements will compete for attention, resulting in a feeling of chaos. Everyone always knows who to attack on a given turn in King of Tokyo. The spatial isolation of one player avatar from the rest is always abundantly clear. Players, regardless of what side of the board they are facing, should always know where to look in a given phase of a game and what they are looking at should easily convey the intended information.
Placement uses the arrangement of elements to draw attention to a focal point. Our eyes are drawn around a track or to the center of a rondel, so we may as well use those spaces accordingly. Pillars of the Earth is a good example of clean flow of information around a board and also isolation of the visual thematic center piece. There is simply no reason for a board to be more visually confusing than a card laying game. After all, on a board, the designer/developer team has full control over how the information is presented. Each area of the board can have its own minor focal point and still flow one to the other smoothly.
Of course, every gamer today knows the (overly relied on) Great Big Element. A design with one striking centerpiece is an easy way to achieve visual impact. It adds to table presence and is usually cool in its own right. Please just remember to integrate your great big focal point into your design. If you can't, perhaps consider the other methods of creating emphasis.
In this series, I'm outlining the principles of design from a perspective of how they relate to board game design. If you want to read more on your own, the main reference I use is Design Basics by David A. Lauer and Stephen Pentak. Available here.
Emphasis is giving particular stress or importance to an element. You give a design emphasis by using focal points. A focal point is a central, singular component or idea. It may be an innovative element or experience. In order to have effective focal points you need to choose only one or two within a design. The rest of the elements should support your focal point and not distract from it. In other words, unity still needs to apply. In essence, a focal point is a type of variety employed to convey the big idea of the game. In board game design, the focal point could be an innovative mechanism, unique theme, engrossing narrative, engaging experience, or impressive central component. Remember however, that a focal point is not just something that stands out; it still needs to be an integral part of the design.
Emphasis in a design can be created thru a number of methods. Deploy one or more of these methods to help draw attention to the element you want to showcase in your design.
Contrast allows focal points to stand out by virtue of their differences. A great way to use contrast is to set expectations then change the script just once in a noticeable way. The biggest mini is almost always the boss. Flipping over the only card in the deck outlined in red means you're probably in trouble. It's ok if the contrasting element follows certain meta-tropes. We want the audience/players to know something is happening just before it happens. The noticeable contrast draws attention to your pivot in the game. The dramatic moment is set up, pulling the players deeper into the experience. Poorly timed drama falls as flat as poorly timed comedy. Putting emphasis in the right places adds drama to your game.
Isolation declutters what you are trying to emphasize. Similar to contrast, you are trying focus the attention of your players. Too many focal points or just too many elements will compete for attention, resulting in a feeling of chaos. Everyone always knows who to attack on a given turn in King of Tokyo. The spatial isolation of one player avatar from the rest is always abundantly clear. Players, regardless of what side of the board they are facing, should always know where to look in a given phase of a game and what they are looking at should easily convey the intended information.
Placement uses the arrangement of elements to draw attention to a focal point. Our eyes are drawn around a track or to the center of a rondel, so we may as well use those spaces accordingly. Pillars of the Earth is a good example of clean flow of information around a board and also isolation of the visual thematic center piece. There is simply no reason for a board to be more visually confusing than a card laying game. After all, on a board, the designer/developer team has full control over how the information is presented. Each area of the board can have its own minor focal point and still flow one to the other smoothly.
Of course, every gamer today knows the (overly relied on) Great Big Element. A design with one striking centerpiece is an easy way to achieve visual impact. It adds to table presence and is usually cool in its own right. Please just remember to integrate your great big focal point into your design. If you can't, perhaps consider the other methods of creating emphasis.
In this series, I'm outlining the principles of design from a perspective of how they relate to board game design. If you want to read more on your own, the main reference I use is Design Basics by David A. Lauer and Stephen Pentak. Available here.
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