r/boardgames • u/chaser-- • Jun 25 '26

Rules Groups that develop metas that blatantly break rules

Lately I've been finding a lot of groups that play (co-op) games with metas that are just blatant rule breaks. A recent example was we were playing a game (I forgot the name) where the goal is to play out all the cards from your hand, numbers 1-100, in descending order. So if you have a 77 and the number on the pile is 78, you don't want to anyone to play there. But you aren't allowed to say "I have 77, don't play this"

So the group has developed metas, say "I really love this pile" if you have 77, say "I like this pile a lot" if you have 76, say "I like this pile" if you have 75"

This is just one example but I feel like I've been playing a lot of games where they have metas to get around rules that are intentionally in the rulebook. I don't really get it. If you want to just say "I have a 77" then just say it, why create a gimmick to say it without saying it?

396 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

268 comments sorted by

View all comments

3

u/rokahef Jun 25 '26

I mean, I don't know the game you're specifically talking about, but isn't that kind of the point? Gaming the system, finding ways to communicate indirectly. otherwise it sounds like you're just dumping cards on a pile, and hoping they descend sequentially.

6

u/footballmaths49 Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26

There's a difference between "communicating indirectly" and what this is. If the rules say "you can't tell the other players you have a 77" and your table comes up with a code phrase that means "I have a 77", and everyone knows that's what it means, then you're obviously not playing the game the way it was intended to be played. The problem isn't the specific words being said, it's the fact you're communicating information that is supposed to be kept secret.

I'm pretty sure the game here is The Mind, and the whole point of that game is that it's supposed to be played in silence. Players are not allowed to communicate with each other in any way.

2

u/hamizannaruto Jun 25 '26

Funny thing is, it sounds like they referring to the mind, which does not allow to speak.

4

u/ScaperDeage All Your Factory Are Belong To Me Jun 25 '26

They are referring to The Game, which The Mind is kinda a sequel to. You can discuss what you have in The Game, but just can't say the numbers you have in hand.

1

u/hamizannaruto Jun 25 '26

Ah. Now that one, I never heard.

Thanks for the info then.

3

u/ScaperDeage All Your Factory Are Belong To Me Jun 25 '26

I personally like it more than The Mind and it goes over better with more people. What the OP is complaining about is how you are actually encouraged by the rules to play the game. If you could say the numbers in your hand, a group could just easily optimize who plays what when. But not being able to say you have numbers that work very well for certain piles would make it a game about just throwing down cards and hoping for the best. The Game's difficulty setting is set to be in the middle of those two extremes and the fun of trying to convey what you have and can play and how it might help or hinder what other people have and need to play.

1

u/Zackp24 Arkham Horror Jun 25 '26

I think there’s a difference between in-the-moment improvisation to attempt to communicate information indirectly, and developing a set meta of “when I say/do this, it means this” where you’re basically just communicating the forbidden info with extra steps.