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Tag: board games

Eleusis: A card game for testers

This game was originally invented in 1956 and improved in the 70s by Robert Abbott, but I came across it this week through the game review site Shut Up and Sit Down. When I watched that video, I immediately recognized it as a cousin to both The Dice Game and Zendo, because of its use… Read more

Emergent complexity from simple specs with Hive

Even the simplest specifications, when combined, can give rise to complex behavior and unexpected edge cases. This is the mechanic that both makes testers’ work challenging and board games fun. The game Hive is a great example of this (I recommend the pocket edition). It seemed like a fun exercise to look at each piece,… Read more

Zendo and the art of testing

Controversial opinion: I don’t like The Dice Game. The good news: I have a much better alternative that brings a very similar challenge in a less adversarial package. The basic game The concept of the game is basically the same as The Dice Game. One person has a rule known only to them and the… Read more