

Boardgames: a healthy snack for developers & designers - Painbird
http://blog.rainbird.me/post/5419756951/boardgames-a-healthy-snack-for-developers-designers

======
andrewhoyer
I am also a software developer and an avid board gamer with a special interest
in strategy games. From what I've seen, there is no connection between being a
developer and enjoying strategy games. Like you, most of the people we game
with are in completely unrelated fields, and amongst developers I know, the
number who are really into board games is probably 1 in 50. Whatever the
actual number is, I'd bet that a poll of the general public would result in
the same numbers.

The key to good gaming is finding the right game, the right group, and the
right location. Everyone will play for their own reasons and are unlikely to
be the same as others.

Besides the casual game of Chess at lunch though, I wouldn't call it a break
-- it's just something we love to do! Possibly another way to look at it is
that the skills in logic and planning gained in a software development career
translate easily to boardgames where there's a lot of if/then/else situations
as well as cases where making decisions where more than one are good come in
handy.

------
wccrawford
I really hoped for a better reason than (paraphrased) 'I really like both of
this, so they go well together for other developers.'

I happen to like both, also, but I don't see them as a good break from
programming. When I step back from programming, I need some non-thinking time
instead. I actually find that if I play too many thought-provoking games in my
free time, it can impact my development time negatively. (That doesn't usually
stop me, though... And it's usually got to be for weeks, not days. Certain
video game releases are murder on my productivity and I actually take
vacations to enjoy them better.)

~~~
Painbird
Thanks, the article was intended to be more of a "I don't understand why
developers don't appear to be as interested as me". I was really just
explaining my reasons why I like boardgames, not trying to say that it would
work for everyone.

You have helped have answered my question though - since I'm not a full-time
developer I usually have the brainspace ready to tackle a boardgame. I could
see how you guys would rack your brains all day and prefer to take your mind
off things - such as watching a movie etc.

