Pandemic wasn't the first cooperative game to come along, but it was one of the first to gain broad recognition. At the 2020 Life, The Universe and Everything Symposium (LTUE Website), a group of us were asked to discuss cooperative games.
Each panelist had their own favorite cooperative game and some least favorites. To provide a common ground for discussion, we talked over concepts of what makes a cooperative game. With the framework provided, we then dug into this style of game and what problems can arise. We finished up by answering any questions from guests in the audience on what we would like to see in the future for cooperative games.
What are Cooperative Games?
Gamers agree on a basic definition of a cooperative game—the players are working together to defeat the challenge presented by the game. There are different styles of cooperative gaming that can change how the game is played.
There are games that introduce a traitor aspect from the beginning of the game. This style of play means there is someone is secretively working against the goals of all the other players. Cooperative games with a traitor have fans and detractors. Whichever you like playing is great, as long as everyone else sitting around the table is on the same page. Tales of consequences to players and gaming groups are told of when a traitor has been played particularly well, to the annoyance of the rest of the group.
A variant for some of these games is that a traitor may or may not be part of the game. Some of these are set up to provide a random element while others are a choice by the players. Some also require a player to take on the role of the traitor when a particular point of the game is reached.
There are more cooperative games coming out that allow for individual competition between the players along with the need to work together to defeat the game. In these cooperative/competitive games, the players have different goals they are working for in addition to achieving the group's victory. Most of the games I've seen that follow this pattern still require the group to work together to accomplish the goal, but there are multiple paths to be used and players are working to get the party to follow the one that would give them an advantage in the end. What I've seen in many of these is that it gives the players a way to see who "won" the game if the group succeeds. But if the board wins, the individual accomplishments don't count.
What Makes a Good Cooperative Game (and What Doesn't)?
Quarterbacking was an aspect not liked in most cases. Quarterbacking is when one player can take control of the game and dictate to everyone else what their actions should be. Cooperative games are designed to be more social in nature by having everyone discuss the actions. We had all been in games where one person either took control of the game, or control of another player's actions. This usually doesn't lead to a pleasant experience for the player that has been sidelined. One time when it was brought up as an advantage, is when the game is being played with younger players, or when teaching how a game is played. But even then, there was caution given that each player needs to be able to play their role in the game.
Definitive roles can be played by each player. It was agreed that one aspect of cooperative games that sets them apart is the character roles the players take. Each player having a distinct action that no other player is capable of. This requires the players to work together to accomplish the task. When all of the players are capable of taking the same action, there is nothing unique for the individual player and the action is just an aspect of creating a stronger party than the board. This uniqueness can be achieved by other means, but character personalities and individual roles are the most common.
What We Would Like to See ?
Everyone agreed they would like to see more cooperative games that give additional variants of play for the size of the gaming group. It is easy to say there is a solitaire version by having one player play all of the characters. That would just be quarterbacking the game without any other players. However, that wouldn't work very well for games that have a traitor built in or individual goals for the players to work toward.
Along with making more variants for existing cooperative games there are some competitive games that provide rules for cooperative play. It would be nice to have more games provide an experience for players who don't like to work against other players at the table.
Another aspect brought up would be a stronger cross with other tabletop games, like role playing games (RPGs). The strong narrative in most RPGs lends it to cooperative gaming. There are many genres and settings that would lend themselves easily to a cooperative gaming platform. On the flip side, it would be interesting to see a cooperative board game that allowed the players to develop individualized characters as in an RPG instead of choosing one of the pre-generated characters.
Final Thoughts
Cooperative games are a diverse group of games growing in size. There are players who really enjoy these games and others who don't like them at all. Every game is going to have people who are for and against them.
The complexity of the games range as much as other board games. Many of them are designed to scale so as you get better at playing the game you can make the game harder.
All of these give cooperative games a place. With gamers who are used to working together, and want to work together, a cooperative game can be a fulfilling event when you are able to overcome the obstacles of a hard fought challenge.
Cooperative Games 10+ Years After Pandemic (from the program)
Pandemic created a new type of board game with cooperative elements. How this has changed the world of board games and what does this mean today?
Other Panelists
Cavan Helps
He is the GM on Dice Buddies, has appeared on Enter the Hex, has written a course on game mastering, and is one of the writers of Guardinas of Umbra, a Savage Worlds setting. Dicebuddies.com.
Megan Hutchins
She regularly draws on her background in archeology when writing fiction. She's the author of YA fantasy novels The Redwood Palace and Drift. Her short fiction appears in Analog, Daily Science Fiction, Podcastle, Strange Horizons, and elsewhere. A long-time Idahoan, she now lives in Utah with her husband and four children. Mkhutchins.com.
Christopher Baxter
An author, editor, podcaster, and (why not) yes, a game designer. He shares stories and writing tips at writerinthehat.com and is host of A More Civilized Podcast.
Mike Holyoak
A lifelong geek obsessed with table-top RPGs, board games, and board game design. He is a three-time finalist of the SaltCon Ion Board Game Design Contest and one-time winner. Anubisnine.wordpress.com.
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