Game vs Simulation

Hi,

While browsing the Paper Wars cd (a compendium of boardgame reviews)
there's one thing that triggered my attention : the amount of
boardgames that are either totally or partially card-based. Now,
there's a good reason for this : boardgames are primarily designed for
FTF play and with the limited FOW inherent in most boardgames these
cards become the prime suspense factor. And the prime surprise/luck
factor. This makes for great entertainment between opposing players as
even the totally unskilled player can win dramatically just by being a
lucky bastard. These are the games that get remembered and retold.
That's entertainment. That's what I call a game.

PC wargames otoh are almost devoid of "luck" - I'm not talking about
the operational surprise of a Panzer battalion appearing early in your
flank here, or the 20% chance that a certain event might trigger if
such and such condition are met. No, I'm talking about things you can't
guard against, the cold shower surprises. PC wargames are more evenly
balanced, even so that the unskilled player gets clobbered heavily
every time. PC wargames have predictable outcomes, they are not games,
they are simulations.

I've been thinking about why pc wargame developers haven't developed a
kind of card-drawing mechanism in their games in order to emulate the
success of card-driven boardgames.

Maybe it's because pc wargamers don't like luck playing such an
important part - if the AI would pull such a stunt the boards would be
overflowing with "the AI is cheating" messages, if it happens in an
online game they would feel cheated out of a deserved victory.

Maybe it's because you don't mind losing against a buddy across the
table who had more luck than he'd ever deserve than against some dumb
AI or a faceless opponent on the 'net.

Maybe it's because AI's can't cope with such swings of fortune - or
can't develop a strategy of holding on to a certain card in the hope
you'll draw it's companion in the next turn for a double whammy.

Maybe it's a combination of things, but sometimes I wish my pc wargames
were a little bit more entertainment and a bit less simulation.

All ideas on this and/or totally unrelated subjects - as always -
appreciated

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

I don't think I agree with your statement "PC wargames are more evenly
balanced, even so that the unskilled player gets clobbered heavily
every time. PC wargames have predictable outcomes, they are not games,
they are simulations. "

By this logic, Go and Chess are simulations and not games, because I
consistently get clobbered by more skilled players.