The Board Game Design Lab Finding the Right Mixture of Luck and Skill with Richard Garfield
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Jan 21, 2024 
Richard Garfield, game designer, discusses the balance between luck and skill in game design. Topics include the false dichotomy between luck and skill, the impact of luck in creating drama in games, finding the right balance in game design, and the evolution of collectible card games and their rules.
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Defining Luck vs Skill
- Luck is the variance in game outcomes among equal skill players. - Skill is how consistently better players win over less skilled ones.
Toy Game Demonstrates Luck in Chess
- "Guess a digit of pi" illustrates luck in seemingly deterministic games like chess. - Players face complexity they can't fully see, introducing luck into decision-making.
Top-Deck Luck Misunderstood
- In Magic the Gathering, top-decking the winning card late is called luck by observers. - The skill is in creating decks that maintain win chances across many turns.