Post originally by Skywalker at 2005-01-25 18:50:37
Converted from Phorums BB System

Several people have already attested to finding the game manages to create great drama. So people do find it both playable and the haunt's climatic.

I personally think that this game is misunderstood. This game is designed to work as any other board game. However, it provides an extra cherry for those who like to use their imagination beyond the tactical elements of the game. Its theme, its components and its drama are all fun.

To distinguish this approach and to show why this game is a success for a large group of people, I often find myself caring more about my character than the victory condition. The very fact that the "opponent" in the game is chosen randomly shows quite a different design philosophy for this game, moving away from being tactical with all the pressure that introduces to being just fun on a dramatic and thematic level.

So as for Steve D's final comment, many board gamers equate a good tactical game being a good game. However, there are elements of this game designed to go beyond this as there is a market for it. The very fact that we on a roleplaying site should show what that market is. The game designers and the playtesters are all RPGers too.

Where BatHotH excels is that it does work as a board game first but excels even more through drama, story and character.