Using Game Theory to Help With Board Game Design

During our workshop, one of the concepts we liked was the theme of “high risk high reward”. We wanted players to take chances and be rewarded for it. This became the basis of our game.

The concept of Chicken Heist is the game of chicken. In short, it is a game theory where a player’s optimal decision depends on the other player’s. This theory originated from a game where 2 drivers drive toward each other. Both cars will collide and kill both players if no one swerves. However, if one swerves, that person will lose and be called a chicken.

In Chicken Heist, you are competing with other players to get more loot than them. Our mechanics revolves around what players choose to do each round. There are events that happens at the end of each round. These events will decide who will be caught by the cops. To play more conservatively, players can choose to look at what’s coming up next so they can prepare for it. On the other hand, players who decide to play more risky can rob the bank (taking loot) which will give them more money.

If we compare the payoff matrix from the game of chicken with Chicken Heist. Playing conservatively would be like swerving, you are not taking the chance and want to be safe. The player who decides to take loot instead will come out on top because he has more money.

However, Chicken Heist adds another layer to the payoff. You have not won even if you decide to rob (going straight) and other players decide to look at what’s coming next (swerve). Even though you have more money, you are now unaware of what is going to happen next and that could end up getting you caught and costing you the game.

In addition, there is a pot of loot that will be on the getaway truck. Players who leave with the truck will get to split all the loot and keep the money they have robbed personally. Players who do not leave with the truck will be left behind and will be caught by the cops.

During our play test, we were noticing that there was another game theory with Chicken Heist. People who started working together were faced with the prisoner’s dilemma. The prisoner’s dilemma is a theory that analyzes the decisions between 2 criminals who are arrested. The police does not have enough evidence to charge them with the principal crime. They only have enough to charge them on a lesser crime. With this, the police offers both a deal. If they testify to the crimes the other has committed, they can walk free and the other will face a sentence of 10 years. If no one testifies against each other, the cops will only be able to sentence both for 2 years. However, if both testifies against each other, they will both serve a sentence of 5 years. According to the Nash Equilibrium of this theory, betrayal is always going to give a better payout than cooperation regardless of what the other player’s decision is. Even though cooperation gives the better outcome, cooperation is irrational from a self interest perspective. This is what we see in our play test too.

In Chicken Heist, players who work together will usually help each other by looking at what is coming up next and letting the other players know. However, because there is only one winner at the end, there will be betrayals and blindsides. It is in your best interest if the other players get caught so you have more money.

We think these two game theories makes for very interesting player interactions. There is always a dilemma on if you should be cautious or if you should play your odds. If you decide to team up with other players, there is also an uncertainty if your teammate is tricking you and throwing you under the bus!

Learn more about Chicken Heist here: www.chickenheist.com

Article published on www.fourtato.com