Board Games that Inspire Writing

The murmur of countless alien tongues subsided as the chairman of the interstellar council called for order. The delegates to Mecatol Rex were unusually nervous tonight, and with good reason. By the end of the week, congress might put forth a motion to ban bio-technology, a move that would devastate the inhabitants of New Moscow. The young ambassador from the Federation of Sol held his breath as the insectoid chancellor of Sardakk N’orr took to the stage, violently shaking a proposal in his foreclaw. The political games had begun. 

When you think of storyworld ideas, your typical sources are probably other books, movies, and TV shows. But have you considered board games? No, I’m not talking about Monopoly, Risk, or Sorry. Modern games provide a wealth of imaginative fodder for the aspiring novelist.

The example in my opening paragraph comes from a truly epic game called Twilight Imperium. In it, various alien races compete for galactic supremacy through military force, shrewd diplomacy, and delicate trade arrangements. While there are similarities to any conquest-type game, from a writing perspective the real gem is the character development of the individual races and the manner in which they interact in the galaxy. In addition to battles and alliances, the actual rules of the game get voted on regularly at the council event. It’s an intriguing concept for a game, and any sc-fi writer is sure to enjoy the political debates between each of the six players. Trade deals and a variety of starships round the game out and should provide an abundance of ideas for anyone hoping to write a space opera.

Smaller in scope but not in story, the game Love Letter is a simple game where each player has only a single-card hand. Easy to learn, but sophisticated enough to keep gamers coming back, Love Letter serves as a wonderful gateway for those unfamiliar with modern games. But even the included back story is captivating. Basically, the queen of the kingdom has died and various suitors are trying to win the hand of the princess. The king won’t just let anyone speak with his daughter, so he carefully guards the young woman. Her only hope – that some handsome prince might find a way to deliver a message through the castle staff. Filled with intrigue and amusing characters, you might be surprised at the writing inspiration you can draw from this simple game.

I recently had the opportunity to play the game Imperial Assault, a cooperative strategy game of heroes set in the Star Wars universe. While you might think you already know that Galaxy Far, Far Away pretty well, you should think again as you play this. Set in the period of the rebellion, each character possesses a deep history and exciting side quests. My character, a force-sensitive operative dressed somewhat like Mortal Kombat’s Sub Zero, is on the hunt for his former employer who might be selling secrets to the Empire. The set-up is similar to a Jason Bourne movie, but with enough interesting twists to keep me engaged. But the story isn’t just about my character, as each of the main characters has his own story that further fleshes out the universe. The elements of the world (blasters, walkers, etc.) may feel familiar, but the scenarios are unique enough that they may inspire you in ways that George Lucas’ films haven’t.

Set in the Wild West, Shadows of Brimstone puts you in the role of a sheriff, preacher, rancher, or any number of assorted other professions of the period, and pits you against a wide array of Cthulu-inspired critters. The blending of monsters with a gold-rush era landscape is a great and fresh setting. The individual missions are all twists on old west concepts, whether exploring an abandoned (and now demonically reoccupied) mine, rescuing a child who fell down a well (and is now surrounded by evil critters), or finding the source of a town’s disturbances (which happen to be in another dimension). The amount of storyworld built here is stunning. Many of the ideas could inspire a hopeful steampunk or fantasy writer.

This is just a small sampling of various games I’ve played, but the wealth of ideas that have gone cardboard is legion, and many host quirky and fun stories to boot. If you get a chance, stop by your local boardgame store and scope out the market. From the 16^th century piracy of Merchants and Marauders to the superhero battles of Sentinels of the Multiverse, you’re sure to find something that captures your imagination. Granted, you can’t lift their storyworlds directly without a copyright lawsuit, but if you’re searching for inspiration, this might be the ticket. Ooh, did I mention Ticket-to-Ride?

Twilight Imperium image from http://www.swordsandspace.com/2013/08/twilight-imperium-after-action-report_31.html

 Love Letter image from https://lordoftheboard.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/love-letters/

 Imperial Assault image from https://deathwatchstudios.com/2016/07/11/imperial-assault-heroes-of-the-bespin-gambit/

 Shadows of Brimstone image from https://wediealotblog.wordpress.com/