What games do Wizards designers play?

[jmucchiello]

There are also things like knowing what spaces are typically landed on most frequently

Other than places that you can be directed to by card, I fail to see how important this is.

when it is more beneficial to stay in jail

More tactical than strategic but I suppose one could at least discuss this.

what the ROI is for properties at various levels of development

This may be strategic but since you cannot know what properties you will get a chance to buy, it's not very valuable. You should buy just about everything you land on if you can.

when it is better to pay 200 or 10% (because once you start calculating (and people can tell) you HAVE to pay the 10%)

This just means you should always know your net worth when passing Go To Jail. And the rule that you can't look it up is just stupid but we won't get into that.

I have found that in monopoly as in D&D very few people play by or know all the RAW and they all hate rules lawyers.

The worst thing about monopoly (and D&D) is folks who add house rules that make the game worse. Putting money on free parking turns a 2 hour game into a 6 hour game. All the things that pull money out of players hands are there to bring the end of the game closer. Don't put that money back in.

 

[CharlesRyan]

A German-style game (also known as an Eurogame) is generally a fairly simple game (ruleswise) that admits quite a bit of strategy. Often theme-light, and interested more in the game play than the simulation.

Also characterized by a lack of combat; pieces never fight each other on the board.

 

[MerricB]

Also characterized by a lack of combat; pieces never fight each other on the board.

Yeah, although it gets close in Cities & Knights of Catan.

Of course, we have a lot of hybrid designs now, that take elements from classical Eurogame design and marry them with American designs. Twilight Imperium 3e is probably the best example of that, but you also get games like Dirk Henn's Shogun, which is basically an Eurogame, but has a few elements of the wargame...

Cheers!

 

[Zimri]

Other than places that you can be directed to by card, I fail to see how important this is.

Based on the most common die roll (7) and where doubles can land you etcetera the most commonly landed on squares are the orange and red sets. Owning these will over the long run earn you more than say a park place and boardwalk and most novices would jump at the chance to set you up with an orange or red set to get the dark blues, they then over invest building them up land on you and have to sell back the houses and hotels at a 50% loss.

More tactical than strategic but I suppose one could at least discuss this.

you still collect rent, develop, and can perform trades etcetera in jail. If you are cash poor and people are coming up to properties you own stay in jail, only pay to get out if throwing doubles could land you someplace you would rather not be etcetera

This may be strategic but since you cannot know what properties you will get a chance to buy, it's not very valuable. You should buy just about everything you land on if you can.

True but mostly to use as trading fodder for those that don't know what the better properties to own are or how to gauge a particular advantage. All property is useful as such .. some are more useful (like the afore mentioned park place and boardwalk which generally speaking cost too much to upgrade and put you in a bad position until someone lands on them which is rare. Winning most frequently is not about what property you buy when you land on it but what properties you acquire through trading and people going bankrupt to you.

This just means you should always know your net worth when passing Go To Jail. And the rule that you can't look it up is just stupid but we won't get into that.

It maybe stupid but it is a "rule as written"

The worst thing about monopoly (and D&D) is folks who add house rules that make the game worse. Putting money on free parking turns a 2 hour game into a 6 hour game. All the things that pull money out of players hands are there to bring the end of the game closer. Don't put that money back in.

Very true so many house rules or RAW not being applied (like not paying interest on mortgages)

 

[jmucchiello]

Also characterized by a lack of combat; pieces never fight each other on the board.

That isn't a necessary condition of Eurogames. Of course the term Eurogame or German game was created to differentiate those strategy games from the so-called Ameritrash games where theme is (or can be) more important than gameplay.

you still collect rent, develop, and can perform trades etcetera in jail. If you are cash poor and people are coming up to properties you own stay in jail, only pay to get out if throwing doubles could land you someplace you would rather not be etcetera

Yes, and if there was something you could do to better your chances of landing in jail, Jail would be a strategic element of Monopoly. But, you can't force yourself into jail, you can only take advantage of jail through happenstance. Thus Jail is a tactical element, not a strategic element. And my point above was that there's little strategic to discuss in Monopoly.

True but mostly to use as trading fodder for those that don't know what the better properties to own are or how to gauge a particular advantage. All property is useful as such .. some are more useful (like the afore mentioned park place and boardwalk which generally speaking cost too much to upgrade and put you in a bad position until someone lands on them which is rare. Winning most frequently is not about what property you buy when you land on it but what properties you acquire through trading and people going bankrupt to you.

Again, properties are tactical elements. You can't plan to gain the red properties and work toward that goal. That is a self-defeating strategy.

 

[Ry]

Ugh. I can't eat and look at Gleemax.