Title:
Backgammon: Board game vs. Digital game
General information
In a nutshell, Backgammon is a two-player board game where the players take turns moving their checkers around the board according to a roll of the dice. The objective is to move all of your checkers around the board and then remove them from play (or bear them off). The first player to bear off all of their checkers wins (http://www.games.com/play/masque-publishing/backgammon/single).
To briefly explain the name of the game itself, a “gammon” can be had if one “bears” all their checkers from the board before their opponent gets any of their checkers off the board. A “backgammon” can be obtained if one “bears” all their checkers from the board and their opponent still has checkers on the “bar” or on your side of play (the “bar” is basically a penalty box that, once in, you have to get out of again before being able to continue play with any of your other checkers).
Comparison of two formats: digital vs. non-digital
In review, my definition of a game included the components of having a goal, challenging conflict in obtaining that goal, rules that structure obtaining the goal and dealing with the conflict, and being intensively absolving from real world responsibility. Different formats (digital and non-digital) for playing Backgammon do not bring significant differences within these game components. For each format, the goal is the same, the rules remain the same, and both formats are intensely absolving from real world responsibility. The same challenging conflict is there (in that you have an opponent to beat), however, playing the board game you have a real person sitting across from you. In the digital version, you do seem to have more choices for your opponent. You can choose to play against another person (random or found through a chat room) or you can choose to play against the computer. I did not actually play against another person online so I’m not sure if the option exists, but when playing online against the computer, you could choose your level of difficulty (I’m not sure if this just means the computer is more aggressive in moves or they make your dice rolls particularly troubling while ensuring the computer rolls exactly what it needs every time-I’m going to have to play more to figure this out).
2. Comparison 2: Interaction
a. Communication: The difference in play format does affect communication between the two players in that the digital version can pretty much dismiss any comms if you’re playing against the computer, or, limit that communication through what is written (and again, I wasn’t able to play against an actual person online – I waited for one!!- so I’m not entirely sure if one is able to “chat” with the person they’re playing against during the actual time of play).
b. Cooperation: The digital version of this game makes people abide by the rules (no sneaking in an extra move when someone isn’t looking that might be possible during a board game….not that I’ve ever seen this done or done it myself). I think this attribute of cooperation (the level demonstrated by both players) can be closely tied though to the level of engagement of the players in the game at the moment.
c. Engagement: I found I could be easily distracted from the game I was playing when engaging in the digital format of this game. I didn’t need to be sitting down across the table from another person, that person wasn’t “there” to remind that it was my move (although when playing the computer, it did put up a reminder on the screen, however, if I wasn’t looking directly at it, I wouldn’t see it). I feel the level of engagement one puts forth to the digital version of the game when playing the computer, doesn’t really matter one way of the other. The computer isn’t going to get mad at me for not paying attention and try to cheat OR become less engaged itself and take longer amounts of times when making moves. Playing another person online though would be a different story. While they couldn’t cheat (less cooperation due to my lower level of engagement to the game), they could affect the length of time I waited for them to make their moves.
d. Motivation: Motivation to play the board game could be deterred by having to 1) find someone else to play with and 2) set up the board game itself (although Backgammon is fairly painless compared to setup of a board game like Monopoly). The digital version, however, just required me to open my laptop and click a few links and away I went!
a. Communication: The difference in play format does affect communication between the two players in that the digital version can pretty much dismiss any comms if you’re playing against the computer, or, limit that communication through what is written (and again, I wasn’t able to play against an actual person online – I waited for one!!- so I’m not entirely sure if one is able to “chat” with the person they’re playing against during the actual time of play).
b. Cooperation: The digital version of this game makes people abide by the rules (no sneaking in an extra move when someone isn’t looking that might be possible during a board game….not that I’ve ever seen this done or done it myself). I think this attribute of cooperation (the level demonstrated by both players) can be closely tied though to the level of engagement of the players in the game at the moment.
c. Engagement: I found I could be easily distracted from the game I was playing when engaging in the digital format of this game. I didn’t need to be sitting down across the table from another person, that person wasn’t “there” to remind that it was my move (although when playing the computer, it did put up a reminder on the screen, however, if I wasn’t looking directly at it, I wouldn’t see it). I feel the level of engagement one puts forth to the digital version of the game when playing the computer, doesn’t really matter one way of the other. The computer isn’t going to get mad at me for not paying attention and try to cheat OR become less engaged itself and take longer amounts of times when making moves. Playing another person online though would be a different story. While they couldn’t cheat (less cooperation due to my lower level of engagement to the game), they could affect the length of time I waited for them to make their moves.
d. Motivation: Motivation to play the board game could be deterred by having to 1) find someone else to play with and 2) set up the board game itself (although Backgammon is fairly painless compared to setup of a board game like Monopoly). The digital version, however, just required me to open my laptop and click a few links and away I went!
I had the same experience as you when I played Monopoloy online: The element of engagement with the game just wasn't there. The only thing that would remind me that it was my turn was the sound the computer made to tell me to do my clicking and end my turn. If I didn't have speakers or if they were not turned on, it would have been very easy to forget that it was my turn. It's funny how the electronic medium just isn't condusive to engagement the way that the traditional format is.
ReplyDeleteAll of these comments make me wonder: Is it really possible to bring traditional games to the electronic format, or will they always lose their charm and engagement factor when we port them to computers?
I could see if I was actually playing against a human instead of the computer online, I would probably not be chosen as an opponent again due to my lack of engagement at times (even trying to just eat dinner while I played made me give quite a few delays when it was my turn). The different formats do matter somewhat - I think it really just depends if the different format makes you lose something you can't live without. I also think traditional board games will stick around for awhile....although I can NOT find a good backgammon set like my dad has. The ones I've found are cheasy and cheaply made. I'm just hoping dad wants to part with his someday:)
ReplyDeleteHow did you feel about the automaticity of the dice rolls and the movement of the pieces? Did you like or not like how the game had you roll the dice or move the pieces? I felt the mouse clicking was slightly awkward, but I don't know if I would prefer a click-and-drag movement any more.
ReplyDeleteAlso, perhaps I am misremembering rules on moves (or my family had our own set of rules on how pieces could be moved), but it seemed some moves I wanted to make were not allowed.