Thursday, March 24, 2005

Analysis of board games - Monopoly vs Business.

It all began when I started arranging a set of Business that a friend had got (A activity that I enjoy). Started thinking as to why monopoly is more fun than Business. I don't ever remember playing Business once we had a set of Monopoly in our society. Cricket, board games and computer games were the standard in holidays, with gaming sessions lasting until dinner time under a tube light on the terrace (I miss those days...)

Anyways, Monopoly is more fun because some thought has been given over the game play in general. Business seems to be a very poor copy in contrast. The fundamental problem is that the cost of a house and a hotel is same. A ticket reads

"Cost of House - 7500"
"Cost of Hotel - 7500"

which basically does not make any sense with the rent on a hotel being much higher than that on a hotel.
While Monopoly explicitly states that Cost of a hotel is cost of four houses plus 1 house.

Also, there needs to be rent rationalization. It doesn't make sense to invest Rs.7500 in a house and earn paltry 1500. The salary of 1500 in Business in negligible. On other hand, 200 pounds is a healthy salary in Monopoly(half of the costliest site ie Mayfair).

All this leads to complicated and fuzzy rules in Business to make the game playable.

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