Politics is Not a Game of Chance
Classically, games comprise of three components; Luck, Strategy, and Dexterity.
Dexterity is the physical deftness and skill that employs speed, strength, and accuracy in meeting the objectives of the game.
Strategy in games is the preparation of foresight. It is us simulating possibilities where we will need to crunch tons of variables and account for contingencies and trade-offs.
Chess is the most famous example of a pure 100% strategy game, where you can theoretically prepare for every single move and outcome.
Luck is the use of RNGs that create variation in the gameplay that cannot be sufficiently accounted for. Monopoly, Risk and other casual games are rooted in luck. Luck in games often leads to unpredictability and swings of fortune.
With SHASN, we actively tried to build a high-strategy game that downplays luck as politics, IMHO, is not a game of chance. The players have to carefully make all their decisions and plan for the long game. There is no hard luck in SHASN - you can negotiate your way out of most tough spots.
Allow me to explain how I define hard luck. Does SHASN have RNGs? Yes. Do the RNGs (card draws) completely dictate how the game progresses and what moves a player can do in a single turn? No. In Shasn, there is always a way out, an option, ability, or alliance that can completely change the way the game is shaping, no matter how terrible the card draws are!
All unpredictable elements are real-world concerns of a political campaign. From the allies you make to the foes you punish, being an effective politician is about making deliberate choices every step of the way. Peer into the future, consider all permutations and align the odds in your favor.
Dexterity is the physical deftness and skill that employs speed, strength, and accuracy in meeting the objectives of the game.
Strategy in games is the preparation of foresight. It is us simulating possibilities where we will need to crunch tons of variables and account for contingencies and trade-offs.
Chess is the most famous example of a pure 100% strategy game, where you can theoretically prepare for every single move and outcome.
Luck is the use of RNGs that create variation in the gameplay that cannot be sufficiently accounted for. Monopoly, Risk and other casual games are rooted in luck. Luck in games often leads to unpredictability and swings of fortune.
With SHASN, we actively tried to build a high-strategy game that downplays luck as politics, IMHO, is not a game of chance. The players have to carefully make all their decisions and plan for the long game. There is no hard luck in SHASN - you can negotiate your way out of most tough spots.
Allow me to explain how I define hard luck. Does SHASN have RNGs? Yes. Do the RNGs (card draws) completely dictate how the game progresses and what moves a player can do in a single turn? No. In Shasn, there is always a way out, an option, ability, or alliance that can completely change the way the game is shaping, no matter how terrible the card draws are!
All unpredictable elements are real-world concerns of a political campaign. From the allies you make to the foes you punish, being an effective politician is about making deliberate choices every step of the way. Peer into the future, consider all permutations and align the odds in your favor.
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