Dekonstruer 2...

Pass GO, lose friends

Monopoly was originally created by the Parker Brothers in 1933 but was based off the ideas of many people that came before including the designs of Elizabeth Magie and Charles Darrow. It was fun an entertaining, but also played with the idea of running an economy and what every day people would do with this power in their hands. The result was a game that brings people together and makes them resent individuals for their skills in business management and their ability to trade and barter in their favor. For those mature enough to play Monopoly without feeling the need to flip the entire board at any point in time, the game is a great way to meet people and understand how financially smart your friends are when it comes to budgeting and investment. 

This blog is going to focus on the game atoms present in Monopoly and will cover how the game functions from its rules to its game states and the information it makes available to the player. For those of you who have never played Monopoly, good on you. You've probably managed to maintain healthy relationships with all your friends with minimal resentment. If you'd like an overview of the game, take a look at the video below. 

Choose the little metal hat like I know you're going to, and let's roll to see who goes first.

Players

Monopoly can be played with 2 to 6 or upto 12 player depending on the version. Each player chooses a token that represents them on the board (hat, ship, boot, dog, car, etc.) and moves this piece around as the dice counts down the position they are currently supposed to occupy on any given turn. The number of players varies but usually if the game is going on in the middle of a party, there's a good chance the maximum number of players is reached. Each player is given $1,500 to begin with (U.S. rules) and then gain or loses money as they progress through gameplay. A player will have to forfeit if at any point they are bankrupt, unless they are successfully able to strike a deal with another player or are given a loan or pity cash. If a player wishes to leave at any point during gameplay, they may do so but must surrender their cash and properties to the bank. At this stage, any development on their properties will be eliminated as they go back on the market.

A common way to play Monopoly is in teams where players and their partner(s) represent one person and manage their resources according to a division of labor based on personal preference. There also has to be an assigned banker. This position may be given to a responsible player or a third-party who is not invested in the game. This person will keep track of the money not owned by players and will make exchanges when players need more money. They are also responsible for issuing the money at the very beginning of the game. Various interaction modes exist between players including player vs. player, multiple individual players vs. game, multilateral competition, unilateral competition and team competition. The game might only be played by two players or might be played by several individual players focused on advancing and not necessarily on facing up against other players. Of course many players may be involved in competition amongst each other (this is usually how the game is played) or players can gang up on one person to force out the weak in unilateral competition (trust me, I've been a victim of such fowlplay). Team competition is the most fun interaction mode as better decisions are made when a second-party is present for the simple purpose of consultation and better judgement. 

Objectives

The main objective in Monopoly is to become the wealthiest player through buying, renting and selling property on the game board. Various secondary objectives that lead to the primary one include, purchasing color-coded properties in sequence, buying out all the utilities for bonus profit, raising the rent of your properties, building houses and hotels, landing on free parking, avoiding jail and taxes, and passing GO. While some of these objectives seem quite arbitrary, they are essential to safe or risky gameplay and are simply the way some players choose to play the game. Territorial control is one of the most important objectives and is judged by the number of properties you own as well as the number of monopolies you hold. Capturing all the properties possible or a certain sequence of these is also an objective for many players. When things get heated up and a player ends up in jail, another objective comes into play - 'escaping' with a double-roll. 

Construction is seen as players cautiously and intelligently build up their properties with houses and hotels, strategically planning out which locations hold the most value by judging the probability of players landing in certain spots. Being on the verge of bankruptcy leads players to explore 'solutions' to getting back in the game, whether this means trading their properties in or selling their soul for extra cash. When put in this position, objectives and priorities change depending on how determined the player is to turn their luck around and get back on the horse. A crucial objective in Monopoly is, of course, outwitting the other players and finding a way to exploit their trust or their minimal knowledge of the game or finances. Being the shrewdest person on the game board has its merits and usually leads to clever maneuvers that either get you out of trouble or cause players to go bankrupt early in the game. Some players enjoy this profile and stick to it religiously as soon as the game begins.

Rules

The game is setup by issuing the appropriate amount of money to every player ($1,500 in the US version), having each player pick a token to represent them on the board, laying out the "Chance" and "Community Chest" cards and rolling to see who goes first (or pre-determining the order of play according to age, height, etc.). Players take turns rolling two dice the resulting number of which determine the spaces on the board that the player progresses through. If a player lands on Chance or Community Chest, they draw the top card from the respective pile and follow the instructions outlined. If the player lands on an unowned property (street, railroad or utility), they may buy the property for its listed price. If they refuse to purchase the property, it is auctioned off by the bank to the highest bidder, including the player who initially declined. If the property is already owned the player must pay the owner the given rent which is dependent on the development of the property (whether or not houses and hotels have been built) and, in some cases, on the number of properties owned in the sequence. The current rent price is given on the property card. Whenever a player passes GO on their turn, they have successfully navigated the entire board once and will collect $200 as a reward. If the player rolls doubles, they roll again after completing their turn. Rolling these three times however, land the player in jail.

The other ways a player can end up in jail is by landing on the "Go to Jail" space or picking up a Community Chest or Chance card that sends them there. When the player is sent to jail they will not pass GO and will not collect $200. If the player is not sent to jail but lands on the space, they are considered to be "just visiting" and will not be restricted or have to pay any fines. When a player is in jail, they are not allowed to continue their turn as normal and have to either pay bail (at $50), make use of "Get Out of Jail Free card, or attempt to roll doubles on the dice. If the player isn't able to roll doubles on three rotations of their turn, they must pay the $50 bail to be released. Players are not allowed to buy properties when in jail but may mortgage properties, sell or trade with other players, participate in auctions and collect rent. Many players consider going to jail a 'safe haven' when the board is populated with their opponents' properties or when they are close to bankruptcy. 

Additional rules of Monopoly can very easily be found online and can be examined thoroughly over here. I will no focus on defining the rules in terms of classifications. The basic gameplay progresses as normal and each turn merits the procurement of property, the paying of rent or taxes and the gaining of community chest or chance cards with many variations of gameplay possibilities. The game is resolved when a player manages to bankrupt all other players and is left with the majority of property and money. It may also be resolved when all players simultaneously forfeit which is a common resolution considering the length of playtime. The rules that restrict actions include the player's limited possibilities when in jail and not being able to escape rent when landing on an owned property. Further restrictive rules include not being able to purchase properties with insufficient funds and mortgaging properties when you can't afford to pay rent. The player is also restricted on the number of houses or hotels they are allowed to build on their properties as they may not keep building until there is a uniform number on each owned property of the same color. Rules that determine effects include going to jail when the player land on a specific space or picking up a Community Chest or Chance card. Getting a second roll is the result of rolling doubles and going to jail is the result of rolling doubles three times in a row. Collecting $200 is a result of passing GO.

Resources

Money is the greatest and the most important resource in Monopoly. The amount of money a player has at any given time has a huge effect on their actions - properties they own, what they have to mortgage, buying their way out of jail, etc. Territory in the form of properties is the second most crucial resource and only falls behind for the simple reason that money buys properties. Properties are even more of a valuable resource when purchased in sequence but also vary in value based on their placement on the board (if players land on them often) and their rent. Houses and hotels are considered by some to be resources but since money buys them, it falls into the same category as properties. However, it is important to appreciate the value of houses and hotels are they are quite scarce in the game and boost a properties worth tenfold. They help a player achieve their goal a lot faster and help the player with the procurement of money, the most important resource. This resource also changes the way in which the game is played as owning a monopoly of color-coded properties often means that a player will take their attention off buying new properties and focus on developing the ones they already have. Of course the time it takes to acquire houses and hotels is what make them scarce. 

Game State

At any point during gameplay, Monopoly is divided into several game states: rolling the dice, navigating the board, purchasing property, auctioning off property, being in jail, picking up a card, paying rent and taxes, trading with other players, mortgaging properties, developing properties and going bankrupt. Some of these are mandatory game states, while other can be initiated by the player. Passing play from one player to the next changes the state of the game. Rolling the dice decides where the player lands and determines the next state of the game (purchasing property, paying rent, going to jail, etc.). The player may initiate a trade on their turn and may choose to buy property or auction it off, giving them the freedom to choose the game state. Going to jail, paying taxes and picking up a card from either of the two piles are not choices and are game states that must be engaged. Going bankrupt is also not a choice and initiates game states such as selling or mortgaging properties and trading. Game states in jail are restricted to rolling the dice, paying the bail and using a "Get Out of Jail Free" card. 

Information

Most of the information in Monopoly is visible right away. All the game states are known right from the get-go and as soon as the rules are explained the game is set underway. Information such as the Community Chest and Chance cards are hidden during gameplay introducing a random element to the game. However, playing the game often enough gives players a good idea of what the information behind most of the cards is. Property information such as the price of properties and which ones must be owned for a monopoly are depicted on the game board at the start of play. Information about the rent, mortgage price and cost of development are all on the property cards that are traditionally hidden from view until the property is purchased. At this point, the player that has made the purchase is given access to their property's information and may choose to share it (public information) or keep it to themselves (private information). Again, experience will quickly determine the amount of information available to any player. The amount of money in a player's possession is usually laid out when playing, although some players choose to hide this information from everyone else. 

Sequencing

The order of player actions determined in Monopoly is determined by the turn structure as the game is turn-based and goes as follows:

1. Roll the dice
2. Navigate the board based on the number on your dice roll
3. If you land on a spot with an unowned property, you may
1. Purchase the property
2. Put it up for auction
4. If you land on a spot with an owned property, you may
1. Pay the owner
2. Negotiate a trade
5. If you land on a spot with taxes, you must pay the required amount
6. If you land on a spot with "Chance" or "Community Chest" you must pick up the appropriate card and follow the instructions. You may have to
1. Collect money from the bank
2. Collect money from players
3. Pay the bank
4. Pay players
5. Go to Jail
7. If you land on "Go To Jail" you must proceed to jail
8. If you pass GO, you must collect $200
9. Before your turn is over, you may
1. Trade with another player
2. Collect an entitled sum of money from the bank (based on an obtained card)
3. Mortgage a property
4. Develop a property (must build evenly)
10. If you are in jail, you may
1. Roll for doubles to escape
2. Pay $50 in bail
3. Use a "Get Out of Jail Free" card
11. If you roll doubles, you may roll again
12. If you roll doubles three times in a row, you must go to jail
13. If a player lands on your property, you must collect rent
14. If you run out of money, you will go bankrupt and lose automatically.

Player Interaction

Players in Monopoly are responsible for their owned properties and money. Player interaction takes place through trades, rent collection and money exchange with the banker. Conflict arises when players can't agree on a fair trade or when a player forgets to collect rent (this rule changes depending on who you play with - some people make collection mandatory despite leaving their space while others let it go if they have forgotten to collect). A lot of the time, tensions are raised when players force other players into bankruptcy. Trading needs to be mutually beneficial although this is relative as many a time players will be unaware of the traders strategy or tactics in conducting business with them. Information may be shared if the player chooses to do so, this includes describing tactics that are common with a specific player or revealing personal strategies such as "I plan on obtaining all railroads". Negotiation is very common and sometimes the game will be paused for a prolonged time till an agreement can be reached. Although Monopoly is built to encourage player interaction, it can be played with minimal amounts of it. It is also not uncommon for individual players to form alliances and focus on taking down opponents occupying the majority of a board.

Theme and Setting

The theme surrounding Monopoly is one of finance management and economy control. There isn't much of a setting except for the places on the board which change based on the version being played (UK, US, Spongebob, etc.). Players tend to harbor deep resent towards those that bankrupt them portraying the deep emotional connection the game supports. A lot of people believe that Monopoly has the power to end relationships and that this is the objective of the game. This is not true, although I will admit that the game requires mature individuals and doesn't work as well when played with a younger audience despite the notice on the box that states "For ages 7 and up". The rules are straight forward and closely reflect similarities in theme to situations in real-life. The game's system is well thought out and functions as an economy in any country would. 

How it all comes together

The elements in Monopoly closely reflect a well-oiled functional economy. The objective is clear from the get go and represents motives that many people in life may have, doing a good job of representing the game's theme. Player interaction is well defined by the game's various interaction modes and fits in well with the secondary goals of the game (trading, auctioning, etc.). The value of resources are defined by the rule set and aren't made too powerful or too weak. Chance-based gameplay (rolling the dice) evens out the game states and allows for them to change drastically based on pure luck. No player is absolutely doomed if setup with a disadvantage. However, experience and good money management has its advantages and most definitely assists players in progressing faster through the game. Game states change frequently enough to keep things interesting demonstrating that sequencing was well thought out and isn't meant to be too repetitive. 

The game is given a wacky twist based on the Chance or Community Chest cards which are well installed mechanics that do a good job of avoiding stagnation. The theme of Monopoly remains consistent throughout and the rules set in place make sure that no player is given too much power from the get-go and that everyone has an equal chance to win the game. The most interesting thing about the theme in Monopoly is that it works hand-in-hand with player interaction as good negotiators often benefit more from trades and experienced players usually make smarter decisions. Both of these are true of real life. All in all, Monopoly is a fantastic game that really has its formula perfected. It is a great example of how economies work in the real world and how beneficial money management is for a individual or a business. It also demonstrates how teamwork can assist in stabilizing an economy or taking power away from those with too much. Monopoly epitomizes the human need for resources that control the market and the natural tendency towards obtaining power by working with like-minded individuals to take it away from a tyrant and then making a decision as to whether or not to stab your partner in the back or to forfeit power in an attempt to avoid conflict. 

Let's play Jenga instead!