Reaction when you see "Abstract strategy boardgame"

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by baris, May 23, 2011.

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When I see "Abstract strategy board game" in a description of a game, my reaction is.

  1. Just the way I like it.

    3 vote(s)
    10.3%
  2. I might be intrigued, go on...

    12 vote(s)
    41.4%
  3. Probably boring.

    7 vote(s)
    24.1%
  4. Yawning already.

    7 vote(s)
    24.1%
  1. baris

    baris Well-Known Member

    Jul 30, 2010
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    #1 baris, May 23, 2011
    Last edited: May 23, 2011
    (My secret evil motivation for asking:
    I'm trying to decide whether to put that in a visible place in my app description text)
     
  2. dayna

    dayna Member

    Apr 26, 2009
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    It makes me think of "Go" or "Chess". Not very exciting.
     
  3. SkyMuffin

    SkyMuffin Well-Known Member

    May 24, 2010
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    college student, ENG/WGS major
    Lexington, KY
    sounds pretty amorphous. about as bad as devs who put "an unique and interesting experience" in their descriptions. It doesn't give me anything useful and it actually turns me off from the game.
     
  4. TheDukester

    TheDukester Well-Known Member

    I think, "Eurogame." Which can be either good, bad, or indifferent.

    The language in the example is pretty wishy-washy; it could mean just about anything. Something more specific certainly couldn't hurt.
     
  5. drelbs

    drelbs Well-Known Member

    Jun 25, 2009
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  6. Mivo

    Mivo Well-Known Member

    May 10, 2011
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    Germany
    I'm a Go player, so of course I'd be interested. :) But nothing really can ever come close to Go, so it's a double-edged blade. But yes, I'll be intrigued enough to click on "More..." when I see "abstract board game" in the first few lines of an iTunes description.
     
  7. MidianGTX

    MidianGTX Well-Known Member

    Jun 16, 2009
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    I think you'd have to be interested in board games already for this phrase to really catch your eye, I'm not sure how popular they are on the App Store. Personally, I'd be more tempted by a description that started with "Undoubtedly badass board game!" :p
     
  8. drelbs

    drelbs Well-Known Member

    Jun 25, 2009
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    Yup. Time to fluff it up with "Warning: Amazingly Addicting Farting Zombies and Angry Pirates Utterly Addicted to an Addicting Abstract Strategy Boardgame. Impossible Boobs!"
     
  9. baris

    baris Well-Known Member

    Jul 30, 2010
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    Thanks for all the feedback!

    It is indeed like those games, so there's no escaping that :eek:

    As expected not many people would be interested, but I now feel better that "abstract strategy game" would at least not push away even the minority of people who might be interested in a game like "go" or "chess".

    Do you mind if I use that? Now if you would just help figure out where to put the boobs in the attached image :D
     

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  10. baris

    baris Well-Known Member

    Jul 30, 2010
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    I use "Eurogame" interchangeably with "abstract strategy boardgame", but the designer of this board game corrects me every time, saying Eurogames are usually not abstract.

    Do you mean something more specific than "abstract strategy boardgame", like "a 2-player tile-based abstract strategy boardgame", or did I misunderstand that completely? There will be lengthier details about the rules, etc. in the description, but that only matters after someone is interested enough to read.
     
  11. Mivo

    Mivo Well-Known Member

    May 10, 2011
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    Germany
    There is no reason you can't use the surface of the tiles for pictures!
     
  12. Gravity Jim

    Gravity Jim Well-Known Member

    Nov 19, 2009
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    Commercial music producer
    Santa Rosa, CA
    Why turn off potential players with the word "abstract?" That sound like code for "not completely thought out."

    "Endlessly fascinating 2-player strategy game. Quick to learn, tough to master."
     
  13. baris

    baris Well-Known Member

    Jul 30, 2010
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    My thought was to attract the (small number of) people -such as myself- who would be instantly interested in a game in the "abstract strategy game" category. But it should indeed be balanced with not turning off people who might be tangentially interested in such a game.
     
  14. drelbs

    drelbs Well-Known Member

    Jun 25, 2009
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    You are more than welcome to use that (or any variation thereof. ;))

    No need to include boobs - they're impossible, after all! :D

    Oh, wait, I know - IAP gameboard:

    [​IMG]
     
  15. TheDukester

    TheDukester Well-Known Member

    I'm not sure what I meant, exactly ... I was more just typing off the top of my head.

    Upon reflection, I think it's "abstract" that brings me up short. Honestly, that's a BoardgameGeek term, and is probably best left over there. I'm not sure it translates well to the iOS arena. Using it as the first word of your description seems likely to cause a lot of potential customers to shrug, say "whatever," and move on to something else.
     
  16. funambulist

    funambulist Well-Known Member

    Dec 21, 2008
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    Upon reflection there is definitely a distinction which can be made and making such distinctions contributes to our literacy, understanding and, imo, appreciation of the medium. Remember, most if not all of Knizia's games are "abstracts" with a thin veneer of flavor on top.
     
  17. funambulist

    funambulist Well-Known Member

    Dec 21, 2008
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    @Baris

    Reading some of the reactions to your question I can't help but think of that statement (mistakenly) attributed to Hermann Göring:

    "Wenn ich Kultur höre ... entsichere ich meinen Browning!"

    :)
     

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