Listen "Episode 018 - How Arbitrary Are Board Game Rules?"
Episode Synopsis
Board game rules are all made up! It’s true! I read about that in a rule book once.
But how arbitrary are those made up rules? Are some rules more inherently intuitive and less arbitrarily than others? What makes those other rules feel arbitrary?
This is certainly sounds like a weird philosophical question the CP boys would tackle… and would you believe it? This week they do!
Join Robert, Steve and Evan as we get into the nitty gritty of what feel arbitrary in rules!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up by email or join our BGG guild!
Cites and Sources
Botswana - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/398/wildlife-safari
Byzantium - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/19348/byzantium
Darkest dungeon - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/317321/darkest-dungeon-board-game
Dark souls - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/197831/dark-souls-board-game
Dead Reckoning - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/276182/dead-reckoning
Food Chain Magnate - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/175914/food-chain-magnate
GoldenEye BOOK –
The Great Zimbabwe - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/111341/great-zimbabwe
Horizon zero dawn - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/260410/horizon-zero-dawn-board-game
Joraku - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/180901/joraku
Kanban - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/284378/kanban-ev
Long Shot - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40237/long-shot
Long Shot: The Dice Game - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/295374/long-shot-dice-game
On Mars - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/184267/mars
Pax Pamir - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256960/pax-pamir-second-edition
Rheinlander - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/111/rheinlander
Samurai - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3/samurai
Sea Salt & Paper - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/367220/sea-salt-paper
Taj Mahal - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/475/taj-mahal
Taverns of Tiefenthal - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/269207/taverns-tiefenthal
Terraforming mars - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/167791/terraforming-mars
Through the Desert - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/503/through-desert
Tigres & Euphrates - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/42/tigris-euphrates
Yellow & Yangtze - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/244114/yellow-yangtze
But how arbitrary are those made up rules? Are some rules more inherently intuitive and less arbitrarily than others? What makes those other rules feel arbitrary?
This is certainly sounds like a weird philosophical question the CP boys would tackle… and would you believe it? This week they do!
Join Robert, Steve and Evan as we get into the nitty gritty of what feel arbitrary in rules!
Want to ask a question or give us your two cents? Hit us up by email or join our BGG guild!
Cites and Sources
Botswana - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/398/wildlife-safari
Byzantium - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/19348/byzantium
Darkest dungeon - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/317321/darkest-dungeon-board-game
Dark souls - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/197831/dark-souls-board-game
Dead Reckoning - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/276182/dead-reckoning
Food Chain Magnate - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/175914/food-chain-magnate
GoldenEye BOOK –
The Great Zimbabwe - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/111341/great-zimbabwe
Horizon zero dawn - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/260410/horizon-zero-dawn-board-game
Joraku - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/180901/joraku
Kanban - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/284378/kanban-ev
Long Shot - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40237/long-shot
Long Shot: The Dice Game - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/295374/long-shot-dice-game
On Mars - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/184267/mars
Pax Pamir - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256960/pax-pamir-second-edition
Rheinlander - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/111/rheinlander
Samurai - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3/samurai
Sea Salt & Paper - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/367220/sea-salt-paper
Taj Mahal - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/475/taj-mahal
Taverns of Tiefenthal - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/269207/taverns-tiefenthal
Terraforming mars - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/167791/terraforming-mars
Through the Desert - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/503/through-desert
Tigres & Euphrates - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/42/tigris-euphrates
Yellow & Yangtze - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/244114/yellow-yangtze
More episodes of the podcast Cardboard Philosophy
Episode 050 - Game Vs Activity
02/07/2025
Episode 049 - Making Games More Accessible
04/06/2025
Episode 048 - Why VS How
07/05/2025
Episode 047 - Genre VS Mechanism
02/04/2025
Episode 045 - Buying Hope
05/02/2025
Episode 044 - End Game Points
01/01/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.