twitch
chance
balancing
why
randomness
mechanics
strategy
tactics
decisions
frequency
mechanics
challenge
mechanics
decisions
tuning
playtesting
target
audience
exchange
combine
prevent or delay
solvability
level competitive 
playing field
drama
enhance 
decision making
variety
chance and skill
dice
cards
other
hidden info
completely
semi-random
strategic
luck <--> skill
luck + skill
 Brenda Braithwaite and Ian Schreiber (2009) Challenges for Game Designers
bad types
obvious
meaningless
blind
good types
tradeoffs
dilemmas
risk vs reward tradeoffs
frequency and quality
anticipation
not often = boring
too much = brain freeze
RTS = tactics
big picture
over the length of the game
short term
turn to turn
fast decisions
slow decisions
completely skill based games
tradeoff mechanics
Auctions
open auctions
sequential auction
silent auction
dutch auction
reverse auction
Limited-use special abilitities
Dynamic limited-use special abilities
Explicit choices
Limited actions
Trading and Negotiation
strategic evaluation
Do players care when other players are taking their turn?
Are players making long-term plans?
Are there multiple strategies for winning?
Would you leave your friends alone with a game of risk or monopoly?
Ask players how they think they will win the game.
The richer the strategy the more diverse the answers will be.
Chess
Go
Noughts and Crosses
Text adventure games
Difficulty Levels
Difficulty Curves
Dynamic Difficulty
Playtesting
Easy, Medium, Hard, Nightmare
Space Invaders, Tetris
Oblivion, Left 4 Dead
Yes. You have to do it.
Twitch Decision making
Simple decisions
Obvious right answer
Pressure, pressure, pressure
Pure Speed
Timing
Precision
Avoidance
Time Pressure
Track and Field
Snap
Some Game Shows
Dance Dance Revolution
Guitar Hero
Jenga
Operation
Twister
First Person Shooters
Tag
Dodgeball
Old skool side scrollers
Speed Chess
Bejewelled
Puzzle games

Any task becomes more difficult with time pressure
too little twitch  = boring
too much twitch = frustrating
The game has to keep up with the player(s)

The players must feel like they are achieving
Most games have a mix of strategy and twitch skill

Many games rely on both to be successful

How do we achieve the right mix?
Who is the player?

Children
Competitive Gamers
Social Gamers
Professional Players
Families
Players are bored
Players are bored when not their turn
Players are confused
Players don't become engaged
One player beats everyone else
Maybe too much luck
Frequency of interesting decisions is low

Convert random elements to decisions
Shorten length of game
Find a way for players to interact when not their turn
Make turns shorter
If you have varying levels of player skill 
then maybe introduce more randomness

Add in negative feedback loop so behind players
can catch up
Game is too complicated, remove rules
Maybe too many decisions, reduce the number of decisions
automate decisions
choose number of spaces to move
decide on actions
actions compulsary
choose cards
more dice rolls
more cards
Based on Chance
Based on Strategy
Based on Twitch
Children's Games
Gambling
Tactics can be common
Adrenaline rush
Twitch and chance common
sub components
Strategy in Twitch unsettling
poker
backgammon
snakes and ladders
Interesting Choices - Sid Meier