Most designers focus on the theme, mechanics, and components when designing their games. I agree with this method, but what interests me most is the player’s experience and what emotions the game makes the players feel.
Quotes on Experience
I like to think about my board game purchases in terms of more than “how much plastic, wood, and cardboard did I get for X dollars?” I’m paying for the passion, talent, and experience that informed every aspect of the design. I’m paying for the idea. I’m paying for the experience.
[…] most of the time people who like this kind of experience simply love the theme so much that they will sacrifice cleanliness, elegance, and game length to privilege the simulation of reality.
By designing (or curating) experiences with care, we can move the study of difficult subjects from merely the passive realm of reading and watching videos and bring it into the interactive world that encourages shared exploration and discourse.