Bluff

In this session we played a game called Bluff, in order to explore the idea of creating dramatic tension.

Bluff is a game which involves rolling 5 dice and then hiding them from the other players. By hiding the dice it offers the uncertainty of what each player has rolled and this helps create drama. Each round a player will lose a dice and as more dice are lost to the middle of the table the inevitability of the game is revealed as less and less dice are in play, revealing how close to the end it is. The hiding of the dice can be related to the idea of having a fog of war, the information shown to the player is limited in the beginning but can increase as more dice are lost from other players, whilst getting smaller when the player loses their own dice.

By retaining more dice than your opponents it offers a more tactical advantage, a form of positive feedback. This feedback can help a player retain their advantage.

The main dramatic idea behind this game is from the secrecy and deception that is revealed when a player places their bid. The idea of challenging a bid also contributes towards the drama because the player may not want to risk their own dice, however the player must raise the bid and this can also increase the risk.

We decided to iterate the game without changing the rules. To begin with we decided to completely hide the hidden information, such as how many dice are in play. These caused the players who were not keeping count to be at a loss as to how many dice are in play, compared to the players who chose to keep track.

This was the only iteration made because it enabled the game to play out with a larger amount of uncertainty, and also hid the inevitability to an extent because the players were unable to see how many pieces were left in the middle.

In regards to dramatic tension, I believe that I understand how dynamics can be manipulated in order to show off the aesthetic notion of inevitability and uncertainty.