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Hey all!

I'm James Eisert from Powercell Games. I wanted to run something by all of you and idea I had. It is an honor code for gaming. I am placing it in my game coming out on Kickstarter next month;

http://alphamecha.com/board-gaming-honor-code/

I think most kids play pretty fair, but I hate seeing the bad apples ruin it for everyone. Tournaments get smaller, gaming groups disband...etc. I think we've all seen it happen.

Although this honor code idea will not stop people from being jerks entirely, it will work just as honor codes do at universities such as Brigham Young University - Idaho (where I am currently a student). A set of written standards does wonders to let everyone know without question, what is expected.

I look forward to hearing what you think about the writing, length, even about the idea itself. I am sure with the help of the gaming community, this can be a good thing for gaming.

Thanks,

James Eisert

A few FLGSs I've been in usually have a code/rules on a sign or board on the wall. Quite a few try to be slightly comical(Good Hygiene is usually number 1). I think it's always a good idea to post it somewhere, but it's only going to be as binding as the people want it to be. Some will ignore it, and others already play that way. I doubt it will really catch on- plenty of clubs have their own code, and people who play at friend's homes don't really need one in their small groups.

Children Lie and cheat. It is human nature. If you watch young kids play board games, they will cheat. Older kids can often be kept in check, often because everyone cheats and everyone is checking for cheating and calls it out.

I think an Honor Code is a great thing if you are doing Organized play with kids. I think it is an important point to teach sportsmanship, identify gamesmanship and teaching social skills like 'shaking hands'.

As for an Adult club with an Honor code... Such a concept is lost on them. Either they have matured to a point where all of this stuff is 'second nature' and lying over a board game simply doesn't happen, or they are already a TFG and this type of thing will do nothing but antagonize them.

nkelsch wrote:

Children Lie and cheat. It is human nature. If you watch young kids play board games, they will cheat.

Monopoly was banned in my parents house when I was about 8 years old, because of my underhand banking tactics. The fact I ended up in the finance sector for a few years after I left school is probably coincidental.

Only kid in my LGS here. I don't do anything risky or cheaty because I don't want to confirm stereotypes.

Codes of honour can be quite fun if written into the game rules in an entertaining way, or as part of the fluff surrounding the game rules.

Similarly, encouraging cheating can also be just as fun (in fact, the card game cheat! is based entirely around cheating, providing the game is written for it.

While it's a good idea, and encourages good sportsmanship, I find that most 'rules/codes' tend to boil down to the universal rule:

Don't be a d##k (or whatever succinct insulting noun your local meta prefers)

Spending a page talking about codes of honour and stuff (unless obviously aimed at small children in their formative years when they need a little more instruction on 'playing fair') is largely going to be ignored by the people it is designed to counteract.

 Leigen_Zero wrote:


Don't be a d##k (or whatever succinct insulting noun your local meta prefers)

But the issue is many people see 'gamesmanship' or 'playing super hard' as normal and to do things like 'handicap' is seen as being a dick. And then Tribalism kicks in to human nature and people start fighting.

Hence why laying out expectations can be good, if only to let someone know they are not welcome and not to waste their time raging against the machine on 'the right way to play' if a club has chosen another way.

But I think it is great for kids. It is one of the good things board game clubs and chess clubs teach kids.

I do enjoy the Space Hulk rule wherein if you use a command point more than you pulled, you just lose.

Thanks for the help all!

The idea of the handicap is going to go away. As was mentioned, keeping track of who handicaps who can turn into it's own form of jerkiness.

Also, although I do believe most any game can be handicapped, it would be hard to write a concise way to do it. The code is supposed to be quick and dirty (or should I say clean?)

Speaking of quick; Should I keep the code to just a list of concise statements, or go in length after the bullet points as I have done?

Thanks to all

Short and sweet would be the way to go I think. Just be clear, and to the point. No reason to ramble on and on.

As many players often do, it can be argued that any abuses in a system are there intentionally and are fair game.

All you can do is encourage good sportsmanship so your gaming tables don't get flipped.

The board gaming honor code gets closer to the final draft!

Thanks to all that have participated so far!

Always looking for more feedback!

Next Draft of the Board Gaming Honor Code

Have an update that includes a look at the honor code....and a few other things.

http://alphamecha.com/2014/11/updated-battle-boards/

I want to thank all of you for all your help. It has been a humbling experience finding out through google analytics that so many people from around the world wanted to see what this was all about.

The final copy is available for you to download.

Also, there will be a nice copy of it in each copy of Alpha Mecha, which is now live on Kickstarter.