Kris Hall: Endgame Mechanisms

In my last column, I wrote a little about story arcs and endgames, and this week I’d like to continue the discussion.  If my list of endgame mechanisms is incomplete, I’m sure readers can fill in the gaps:

Set number of turns: The easiest way to limit the length of a game is to give the game a set number of turns.  Mission: Red Planet and Struggle of Empires are two games with a pre-set number of turns.  This mechanism alone can generate some suspense if only because players can see when they are running out of time.

Timing mechanism: A lot of games use a timing mechanism to determine when the game ends.  Ticket to Ride ends when one player has only two train pieces (or fewer) left to play.  Railroad Tycoon ends when a certain number of cities (which varies according to the number of players) no longer contain cargo cubes.  The advantage of this mechanism is the game length can vary according to how fast the players are progressing toward their goals.

Goal completion: With this mechanism, the game ends when a player has accomplished a certain pre-set goal.  Race games use this mechanism; the first one across the finish line wins.  Another common goal is a certain number of victory points; Twilight Imperium, for example, uses a goal of ten VP.

A variation of this mechanism uses the completion of a non-player goal as a timer.  In Imperial, the game ends when one nation has accumulated enough power points.  Nations in Imperial aren’t identified with one sole player, and there may be several players trying to push a given nation up the point track.  If France gets enough points, the game ends—but the winner may or may not be the player who controls France.

Another variation is used in co-operative games when players fight a non-player entity.  In Arkham Horror, the players work together to defeat a Big Meanie.  When the B.M. is destroyed, the game is over.

Defeating Opponents: Wargames and their ilk often require players to defeat all opponents to end the game.  Risk may be the most famous example of this game.

Now let’s look at mechanisms that can make the endgame more interesting…

Accumulating abilities: In many games, players accrue abilities and resources that work together to generating increasing numbers of victory points.  These games are usually a competition to see which player can build his point-generating engine the fastest.  Puerto Rico, Caylus, and Cuba are well-known examples of this type of game.  I consider this kind of mechanism relevant to the endgame because once one player really gets his engine roaring, he speeds quickly to victory.

Specialized Victory Points: Some games make special point-generating mechanisms available only at the end of the game in order to ratchet up the opportunities and competition.  In Age of Empires III, special ability tiles become available only in the last two turns.  Players can buy tiles which generate victory points for the buyer based on specialized conditions (number of merchant ships, or number of colonies where your nation has a presence).

Sudden Death: Some games have endgame mechanisms that kick in if certain rare conditions occur.  In Liberté and King of Siam, the game can end if certain political factions are in a position to claim victory.  Players can take advantage of these rules by carefully watching the game situation and exploiting the sudden end if the opportunity presents itself.  In Twilight Struggle, the game can end if a player accidentally triggers a nuclear war.  The opposing player may win a moral victory, but this seems like a dubious triumph to me.

Dual Victory Conditions: In War of the Ring, the Free Peoples player wins by destroying the evil Ring.  The Shadow wins by conquering a certain number of Free People cities and strongholds.  These dual conditions can create suspense because both players can be approaching victory simultaneously. 

So, dear readers, which mechanisms have I missed?

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