Artwork and artistry in Digital boardgames

 

Computer technology has had a major impact on our lives and how we grow as individuals in society. In the past, human thoughts and ideas were expressed through physical media such as stone, clay, wood, printed paper, and music. However, this is no longer the case. Computer displays are now everywhere, and we also interact with embedded computers in many of our daily tasks.

If we consider the first two means of conveying art to the masses to be impression on diverse physical media and music, and the third to be television and films, then computers and the internet have become the fourth means of conveying art.

For a while in the early 1980s and 1990s, as computers became more pervasive and omnipresent in our lives, art remained aloof, doing its own thing while the world around it changed.

Computers, and particularly the internet, have also transformed the way we consume information, both for academic and leisure purposes. As an example, I would like to direct your attention to something seemingly trivial, like choosing a new book. In the past, I would be excited to choose a new book to read. I would regularly visit my favourite bookstore in the capital city, browsing through many titles before choosing one that would keep me company for the ensuing weeks. It was a slow and analogue process of sifting, comparing, and choosing, which has since been replaced by cold, rapid digital searches offered by online bookstores.

The older, analogue process of bookselling was limited by the booksellers' personal preferences and the tastes of their customers. Booksellers were influenced by what they saw at book fairs and other events, as well as by what their customers typically bought. In other words, the selection of books in a bookstore was largely up to the bookseller, who was limited by their knowledge and experience. This could lead to a more diverse and eclectic selection of books, but it also meant that customers might not always be able to find what they were looking for.

The digital transformation of traditional media has, in the meantime, reached a critical mass, and art has had to adapt and transform. This is most evident in digital games. Digital game designers have expanded their field of operations from one that was built around the limitations of early computers, to one that embraces 3D visual arts, user interface design, and witty logic puzzles. They have also shifted their focus from marketing input in terms of box and packaging art to more direct in-game design and aesthetics.

This has all been possible thanks to the exponential growth in computing power. With more power available, computers can now render realistic 3D worlds at mind-boggling speeds. 3D rendering engines like Unreal 5 can even convince sceptics that virtual spaces will undoubtedly impact our future consumption of art.

...because this is art.

We may have grown to accept the inclusion of digital creations as part of what we may think of as the art panorama but often, art still hangs on to its roots using the tools and media which have been the mainstay of its trade for millennia. Artists and painters will continue to wrestle with inks and paints on physical canvases, and they will still model familiar media into intriguing expressions of thought and perception. Yet now, these same artists will not shy away from adopting digital canvases and witty interfaces that mimic the old medium of pen, pigment, and ink. They will also create 3-dimensional models of such rich complexity as was impossible in the past.

What modelling used to happen exclusively in the mind or transposed into an “abozzo” for the consumption of a patron of the arts, can now be developed as detailed 3D models and subjected to various virtual ambient settings to assess properties and appearance within a realistic setting. 

As we witness the evolution of digital art, particularly in the arena of computer games, it is intriguing to see where designers choose to focus their efforts. One notable area is the rich ecosystem that has developed around the online, digital distribution of video games. This has led market leaders in the digital gaming sector to rethink how games can generate revenue, while also simplifying distribution and streamlining the dissemination of software patches and upgrades to end users.

 

Similarly, independent developers and game designers, often small outfits, have gained equal access to a vast market through well-established distribution channels such as Steam, GOG, and the Microsoft App Store. This has given them the freedom to publish even the most outlandish games, often at modest prices, making them accessible to any gamer willing to try them out.

While large companies working on "AAA games" still tend to hire a large team of developers, designers, musicians, and marketers, this does not prevent smaller teams from trying their luck with fewer resources and more modest games. This increased competition has led to a surge in the number of game titles available.

There are a lot of digital games out there. As of June 2023, Steam had nearly 30,000 titles available for download, and the number is only increasing. You can find everything from AAA games to indie games to retro games. Most of these games are there because someone felt inspired to make them. They are all, to some degree, the artistic expression of individuals who spent hours working on them. If you don't like a particular game, that's subjective, just like how some people don't like certain modern art styles.

Some of these indie games are strange and exploitative, rehashing successful ideas without adding anything new. The lack of refinement is often noticeable, and the games may contain political messages from fringe or minority groups. In a way, these games become a form of artistic expression for these groups.

Powerful gaming hardware and reliable internet connectivity have made it possible to create digital board games that were unimaginable just twenty years ago. The recent pandemic, which forced people to interact remotely more often, also contributed to the popularity of multiplayer digital board games.

At the same time, the COVID lockdown also led to an increase in the sales of physical board games, as families and groups looked for ways to entertain themselves during lockdowns and quarantines. Those who found it difficult to play physical board games turned to digital board game adaptations.

The pandemic increased demand for both physical and digital board games, which meant more work for manufacturers and artists. This increased competition also made quality art more important, as games with average or poor artwork are less likely to succeed.

Digital adaptations of board and card games have been around for a long time, but the recent growth of the internet has led to more elaborate and immersive digital board games.

One of the first digital adaptations of a modern board game that I played was Star Realms, a card game about two players trying to reduce each other's score from 50 to 0. The graphics, sound effects, and musical score all play a strong part in the game's success.

Another digital board game that I have played extensively is Ascension, a deck-building card game with a fantasy theme. It is less aggressive than Star Realms and some players may not appreciate its low-key approach. However, the digital version of Ascension reduces downtime because the computer AI acts instantly.

Not all digital board games are created equal. Some games, like Lords of Waterdeep and Raiders of the North Sea, have excellent user interfaces and player engagement. Others, like Root and Fox in the Forest, fall short.

Root is a difficult game because it is highly asymmetric, meaning that each faction has different goals and plays differently. The digital adaptation of Root assumes that players will have access to the rulebook before playing, which is a bad assumption. Even if players know the rules, the digital adaptation is still difficult because of the game's asymmetry.

Fox in the Forest is a simple card game with beautiful artwork. The digital adaptation of Fox in the Forest has a user interface that hides the card-based nature of the original game. This makes the game feel less like a card game and more like an abstract game.

Everdell is a whimsical board game where players build villages inhabited by anthropomorphic animals. The digital adaptation of Everdell is excellent, adding to the experience by making the tree come alive and rendering the space where the cards are tabled in a thematic and visually appealing way. Players still get to see cards where they are meant to be and manipulate the various game components, but everything is streamlined, and in-between-turn upkeep is facilitated by the game's AI. Animations add to the quaintness of the experience, and the music and sound effects are excellent.

Digital adaptations of board games can be a mixed bag. Some, like Everdell, offer a good blend of artistry, interface design, and ingenious AI implementations. Others are bland, badly put together, or even misleading.

Digital board games, and video games in general, benefit from strong artistic input. There is still room for artistic expression in this modern context, which in many cases expands the reach and venues of art. Modern artists use 3D modelling, traditional media, motion capture, and other skills to bring their ideas to life. However, artists in this context cannot work in isolation; they must be able to collaborate with programmers and developers to tweak and refine their creations to fit the game's narrative.

When it comes to digital adaptations of board games, the details matter. Great artwork is not enough on its own. The artistic expression must be balanced with good music, programming, and intuitive design decisions. When all these things come together, the game can be considered a success.

The importance of artwork and artistry cannot be overstated in the development of any game, including board game adaptations. While a bad game will not be improved by simply adding great art, great art can turn an average game into something special.