BoardGameGeek

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Screenshot of the BoardGameGeek entry for Settlers of Catan.

BoardGameGeek is a website that was founded in January 2000 by Scott Alden and Derk Solko as a resource for the board gaming hobby.^[1]^[2] The database holds reviews, articles, and session reports for over 25,000 different games, expansions, and designers. BoardGameGeek includes card games and other tabletop games, as well as wargames and German-style board games. The site also features bulletin boards, a marketplace, several online boardgames, and a gamer database to help gamers find each other the same location.

1 Game rankings
2 Community
3 GeekGold
4 See also
5 References
6 External link

[edit] Game rankings

In addition to the game database, one of the key features of BoardGameGeek is the statistical information obtained from player ratings. The site allows users to rate games on a 1–10 scale. The average and Bayesian average rating is presented for each game. The latter is used to generate a ranked list of games. Only games with at least 30 users rating them are included in the ranked list.

Puerto Rico currently occupies the number one ranked position on the list. Tic-tac-toe is at the bottom of the rankings.[1]

In 2006, an additional list of top-ranked wargames was created, due to the generally smaller number of ratings these games receive, causing them to be lost in the overall rating list.

[edit] Community

BoardGameGeek is a large, international community with over 110,000 users, as of December, 2006.^[3] One major activity is the creation of GeekLists, which are lists of games based on a particular theme, or games that people want to trade. There are forums in which members discuss such issues as the merits of theme versus mechanics, European versus American design, and how to best calculate game rating statistics. Gamers can also get to know each other online by using the chat room and asking and answering "GeekQuestions." There is a large community of Werewolf players, and online games are frequently arranged on the forums. A rotating, game-related cartoon is featured on the front page.

Along with the growing membership at BoardGameGeek, a controversy has developed regarding how much individual users should be able to post controversial or potentially offensive content, and moderators have become more vigilant regarding what is and is not appropriate. This has led to the locking or deletion of various GeekLists and Forum posts which were perceived as excessively hostile to members of the community. Critics have argued that the posts were not intended to be taken seriously and that these acts constitute censorship.^[3] In March of 2007, BGG founder, Scott Alden banned a user for the first time in its history on the grounds of violating the code of conduct.[2] Whether or not the behavior in question was "personal attacks" or simply satire and banter, and the issues surrounding a ban on members were a source of heated debate during subsequent weeks.

[edit] GeekGold

The site uses a virtual currency, GeekGold, to reward users who provide site content, including entries for new games, pictures of games, game reviews, game sessions, rule translations, and play aids. GeekGold is awarded by administrators and can be used to purchase an avatar as well as various types of badges. It can also be transferred from one use to another in the form of "tips". GeekGold has been traded for actual games or money at times, and there are even special auctions in which members can purchase games and accessories with GeekGold.[3]

Generally, GeekGold is not available for direct purchase from the website, however in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, it was briefly made available for sale, with all of the proceeds being donated to the Red Cross.[4] A total of $36,403 was raised between September 1, 2005 and September 9, 2005.