Mastering Game Mechanics: Worker Placement

Presented by GeekNights at PAX Unplugged 2023 in the Crab God Theatre.
#pax #paxunplugged #gamedesign #tabletop
Tabletop games are usually defined by the combination of mechanics they incorporate and usually have one "core" mechanic. We'll say something is a "worker placement game with card drafting" or a "deckbuilder" or an "engine building victory point salad" game. This is part of our gaming lexicon. More importantly the mechanics of a game are fundamental to how it plays. To master games and game design one must master game MECHANICS at a fundamental level. Join the GeekNights crew for a deep dive lecture into the world of "worker placement." From Bus to Caylus to Agricola to Everdell worker placement games are a vibrant space in tabletop.
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[@GoOKuSj33]

This is why I'm here, I love you guys's panels.

[@mknkt54321]

I'm diving deep into worker placement and this has been valuable.

[@TheIronicRaven]

Another FANTASTIC video guys! Always love your work on the panels you do! Been watching your panels for years and yet you guys still have the ability to ask thought provoking questions, and give useful insights. Looking forward to the next one!

[@Tetsuito]

Thanks for the panel. ❤

[@StefanLopuszanski]

I was in the audience and talked to Scott about it after the show. Great work! It went a little long and dragged on a bit on strategy and stuff. Wish there was more room for Q&A (despite how much you apparently despite that), but besides that it was very good! Also, my game academia self cried a little when you said it isn't useful for playing or making games... 😛

[@dontnormally]

24:54 they wrap up the "it's hard to define" bit and dive into the first case study

[@scrub_jay]

The Return of the Kings

[@NerfThisBoardGames]

Gotta bring back and update the panel 100 games you should really play

[@nickvandam1214]

Interesting thoughts on Carcassonne, until this video I hadn't thought it was a worker placement game, now because of their explanations I do.

[@dago6410]

Please do one on Area Control or simulteaneous action selection/rolę selection etc

[@maciejwawrzyn4674]

Please do one on area control/majority whatever

[@GeekNightsRym]

Colonel Blotto, eh?
We're currently working on "Auctions and BIdding" as the next one. But Area Control and Trick Taking are both on the list!

[@maciejwawrzyn4674]

@@GeekNightsRym more likie Colonel Toledo hehe. Oh, well, auctions are amazing too.

[@revimfadli4666]

Is Mayonnaise a worker placement game?

[@Andy-Mesa]

If you ask someone what the first worker placement is, they'll say either Keydom or Bus and they might be right, or literally anything else and they'll certainly be wrong.

[@ifnyou]

*Aladdin's Dragons also an acceptable answer

[@Andy-Mesa]

@@ifnyou Aladdin's Dragons is a remake of Keydom.

[@StefanLopuszanski]

What would you say is the first then? 😛

[@Andy-Mesa]

@@StefanLopuszanski Keydom

[@StefanLopuszanski]

@@Andy-Mesa : I dunno. That is "worker placement as hidden bids" which might not be true worker placement then! =P
Either way, fun fact, the Key series (starting with Keywood), was named after one of my cousins named Keywood.

[@LimeyLassen]

Are auctions a worker placement game?

[@revimfadli4666]

Well you're drafting the auctioned items by blocking other players using a higher price so... Adjacent enough?

[@andrewnewell1142]

Spicy question: is John Company a worker placement game?

[@NerfThisBoardGames]

My spicy was is tiny epic galaxies close enough for worker placement
Felt like it was right on the line

[@revimfadli4666]

Alright so what's the next mechanic to thoroughly dissect?

[@GeekNightsRym]

Auctions and Bidding, then Rondels ;)

[@revimfadli4666]

@@GeekNightsRym Frick yeah!
Would that include VCG mechanisms, Vickrey auction, and Vinci/Century market?
And would action retrieval be mentioned as "rondel-adjacent"?

[@eastlynburkholder3559]

I never liked the worker placement mechanism. Doing this in a game just feels not fun to my mind. I now understand worker placement mechanism better after hearimg this.

[@revimfadli4666]

Are Village and Ark Nova worker placement games?

[@svai303]

At 38:33 : Technically, you get 38 actions, not 39, with 4 workers, because you spent one action... to get a worker, thus did not collect or produce anything with it. So 2 actions (out of 3) on the first turn, then 4 actions for the 9 following turns. ;)

[@GoOKuSj33]

Only “issue” for me was that you didn't explain the concept, but I guess you wanted to try a different approach. Otherwise 👍, I would like to see more about video games.

[@scrub_jay]

What didn't they explain? Not sure if you haven't seen a panel from these guys before but they almost exclusively deal in board games. That being said many game design concepts are applicable to both tabletop and video. I highly recommend checking out some of their other panels.

[@revimfadli4666]

Tbf they're descriptivists, rather than defining what worker placement is, they'd rather look at worker placement games and see what common traits they usually have