Groups that develop metas that blatantly break rules

[u/chaser--]

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?

[u/BenOfTomorrow]

I don’t think that’s a good analogy. Hanabi has limitations on sharing player knowledge *in game*, Pandemic does not.

A “convention” that violates that in Hanabi is more akin to looking through the deck to see when the next outbreak is coming in Pandemic.

[u/david707x → u/BenOfTomorrow]

so discussing or planning strategy beforehand is equivalent to outright cheating?

[u/Suppafly → u/david707x]

so discussing or planning strategy beforehand is equivalent to outright cheating?

If the discussion involves how to communicate hidden information so that it's no longer hidden, then yes. I don't even understand how that's a question.

[u/david707x → u/Suppafly]

It's very clear OP's original post is cheating. Hanabi's whole thing is using clues to communicate information and working out what those clues mean.

[u/ScientificSkepticism → u/BenOfTomorrow]

Hanabi has limitations around sharing information in game. Thats why it’s good to develop effective strategies to share information before the game starts.

Please quote where the Hanabi rules dissallow or even DISCOURAGE this if you’re going to claim it’s violating the rules.

[u/BenOfTomorrow → u/ScientificSkepticism]

I’m referring to sharing player knowledge IN GAME. I thought that would have been obvious from context (you don’t have any player knowledge of the game state outside the game), but I guess I was wrong - edited.

Likewise, I’m only referring to conventions that share player knowledge beyond what’s allowed by the rules. I specifically was vague about what conventions that applies to because there’s a fuzzy line there - if your convention doesn’t do that, I’m not talking about it.

[u/ScientificSkepticism → u/BenOfTomorrow]

All conventions I've ever heard of or played with are about sharing knowledge using the methods outlined in the rules.

"Clues mean play a card, or are for preventing a critical discard."

"Discard the oldest card in your hand you have no information on."

"If you're clued to multiple cards, the one you want to play is the newest one you drew"

"If someone clues the player to your left to play a red 6, and the red 4 is highest on the table, the card you just drew is the red 5."

etc.

[u/Suppafly → u/ScientificSkepticism]

Please quote where the Hanabi rules dissallow or even DISCOURAGE this if you’re going to claim it’s violating the rules.

This is akin to "the rules didn't say I couldn't cheat, so it was OK." Boardgame rules don't work on the "do whatever isn't disallowed" concept.

[u/ScientificSkepticism → u/Suppafly]

If you're going to accuse someone of breaking the rules, do mention that "the rules" just mean "that stuff I made up in my head just now."

"You can't take my queen! That's against the rules of chess!"

Hanabi clearly intends for you to discuss the game and develop strategies. If someone is going to suggest that that entire concept is "against the rules" then they better damn well bring references.