ABSTRACT
When watching a movie, or seeing a play, the story progresses independent of the viewer. Games, however, require action by the player to move things forward. The selection and integration of Actions into the game can give play a specific feel. These Action systems control the complexity of the game, in terms of the number of Actions a player may perform consecutively and how they interrelate, the interaction between players, and other features. Many gamers’ first exposure to events comes through Monopoly, in the form of Chance and Community Chest cards. These may immediately affect one or more players. This type of event is also found in Empire Builder, a railroad building game where cards may cause derailments, or floods wipe out tracks crossing rivers. Other events in Empire Builder may cause blizzards, which affect train movement near mountains, or storms that affect certain regions.
