Description
Each player is represented by a numeric “strength,” and the higher strength wins the conflict.
Discussion
This is a basic and common way of resolving conflicts. The base strength can be represented by a fixed value for the piece, as in Magic: The Gathering, or by the position on the board, as in Cosmic Encounter, where each defending token adds 1 to the total defender strength. Sometimes, strengths may be determined randomly. In War, players flip cards to compare strengths. Many games include a “roll-off” mechanism, where each player rolls a die and the high roll wins the contest. Frequently, base strength can be modified by some factor. In Magic: The Gathering, there are a variety of cards that impact the Power and Toughness of creatures (comparable to an Attack and Defense strength). In Cosmic Encounter, each player secretly plays a number card which is added to the number of tokens on their side, including allies. Modifiers need to be carefully considered by the designer. Teir inclusion increases the complexity of the resolution, particularly if they come from multiple sources. For example, a game may grant the defenders a +2 modifier because they are defending in the mountains and a −1 modifier because they are infantry defending against artillery. While the math seems simple, having a long list of modifiers for the players to apply can be burdensome. It is better to have these factored into intrinsic strengths, or through card play or dice pools whose outcomes model the probabilities desired. The dungeon-crawler Descent: Journeys in the Dark uses a High Number mechanism combined with a Dice Pool. The characters, weapons, and
situation add or remove dice from the attacker’s and defender’s pools. Tey then each roll their dice and count hits (for the attacker) or shields (for the defender). The higher number prevails. If the hits exceed the shields, the defender takes damage based on the difference. This attrition-style mechanism, where damage is based on the delta between the final strengths, is common. A less common alternative is Winner Takes All, where the losing side is completely eliminated at no cost to the winner. The game 4000 AD implements this mechanism, which can lead to tension and wide swings, as a 10-strength fleet will completely eliminate both a 1- and a 9-strength fleet at no loss to itself. The lack of realism can impact theme and immersion. An Ordered High Number system is used in the Risk series of games. In these games, Attacker and Defender typically roll multiple dice. The highest roll of the Attacker is compared to the highest of the Defender, secondhighest Attacker roll to second-highest Defender roll, etc. Because of the simultaneous ordering of the rolls from highest to lowest, this system has lower variance than just making N independent rolls. It also offers a much simpler way to give an advantage to the player with greater numbers without resorting to modifiers. If a player has a 3:1 numerical advantage, they simply roll three dice versus the opponent’s one, which is much simpler than gaining modifiers to the die roll. An interesting twist on this system is to switch whether the high or low number is the winner within the same game. For example, in Battleball, a simulation of futuristic football, players are represented by dice of different sides—six-sided, eight-sided, twelve-sided, or twenty-sided. When moving, rolling higher is better. High rolls allow a player to move farther. The D20 wide receivers are great at dashing down the field. The D6 linesmen are much less mobile. But when trying to tackle, both players roll their die against each other, but now, the low number wins. So, linesmen will usually tackle wide receivers. However, this system leaves open the possibility for surprises in both running and tackling. In numeric comparison systems, some means to deal with ties need to be included. In combat simulations, these ties typically are awarded to the defender; however, any tie-breaking mechanism can be used. High Number and Stat Check mechanisms can be combined for a more nuanced mechanism. See the Stat Check section for more details.
Sample Games
4000 AD (Doherty, 1972) Battleball (Baker, 2003) Cosmic Encounter (Eberle, Kittredge, Norton, and Olatka, 1977) Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Wilson, 2005) Magic: The Gathering (Garfield, 1993) Risk (Lamorisse and Levin, 1959) War (Unknown)
描述
每个玩家都由一个数字“力量”代表，力量较高的一方赢得冲突。
讨论
这是解决冲突的一种基本且常见的方法（High Number）。基本力量可以用棋子的固定值表示，如在《万智牌》中，或者用版图上的位置表示，如在《Cosmic Encounter》中，每个防御代币使总防御力量增加1。有时，力量可能是随机确定的。在《War》中，玩家翻牌比较力量。许多游戏包含“掷骰”机制，即每个玩家掷一个骰子，掷出高点数的一方赢得比赛。通常，基本力量可以通过某些因素进行修正。在《万智牌》中，有各种各样的卡牌会影响生物的力量和防御力（类似于攻击和防御力量）。在《Cosmic Encounter》中，每个玩家秘密打出一张数字卡，并将其加到己方的代币数量上，包括盟友。设计师需要仔细考虑修正值。它们的加入增加了解决的复杂性，特别是如果它们来自多个来源。例如，一款游戏可能会因为防御者在山中防御而给予+2修正值，又因为他们是步兵防御大炮而给予-1修正值。虽然数学看起来很简单，但让玩家应用一长串修正值可能是负担。最好将这些考虑到内在力量中，或者通过其结果模拟所需概率的卡牌打出或骰子池。地下城爬行游戏《深入绝地：暗黑之旅》使用了结合骰子池的高数值机制。角色、武器和
情况增加或移除攻击者和防御者池中的骰子。然后他们每人掷骰子并计算命中（攻击者）或盾牌（防御者）。较高的数字占优。如果命中超过盾牌，防御者将根据差值受到伤害。这种消耗式机制，即伤害基于最终力量之间的差值，是很常见的。一种不太常见的替代方案是赢者通吃，输方被完全淘汰，而赢方没有代价。游戏《4000 AD》实现了这一机制，这可能会导致紧张和大幅波动，因为10力量的舰队将完全消灭1力量和9力量的舰队，而自身没有损失。缺乏现实感会影响主题和沉浸感。《Risk》系列游戏中使用了一种有序高数值系统。在这些游戏中，攻击者和防御者通常掷多个骰子。攻击者的最高掷骰与防御者的最高掷骰进行比较，攻击者的第二高掷骰与防御者的第二高掷骰进行比较，依此类推。由于掷骰从最高到最低的同时排序，该系统的方差低于进行N次独立掷骰。它还提供了一种更简单的方法，无需借助修正值即可赋予拥有更多数量的玩家优势。如果玩家拥有3:1的数量优势，他们只需掷三个骰子对抗对手的一个，这比获得骰子掷骰的修正值要简单得多。这个系统的一个有趣的转折是在同一游戏中切换高数字还是低数字是赢家。例如，在模拟未来足球的游戏《Battleball》中，玩家由不同面数的骰子代表——六面、八面、十二面或二十面。移动时，掷出较高的点数更好。高点数允许玩家移动得更远。D20外接手擅长在场上冲刺。D6线人机动性差得多。但是当试图拦截时，两名玩家互相对掷骰子，但现在，低数字获胜。所以，线人通常会拦截外接手。然而，该系统为奔跑和拦截中的意外留下了可能性。在数值比较系统中，需要包括一些处理平局的方法。在战斗模拟中，这些平局通常判给防御者；然而，可以使用任何决胜局机制。高数值和属性检定机制可以结合起来，形成更微妙的机制。有关更多详细信息，请参阅属性检定部分。
游戏范例
4000 AD (Doherty, 1972) - 《4000 AD》 Battleball (Baker, 2003) - 《Battleball》 Cosmic Encounter (Eberle, Kittredge, Norton, and Olatka, 1977) - 《星际遭遇战》 Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Wilson, 2005) - 《深入绝地：暗黑之旅》 Magic: The Gathering (Garfield, 1993) - 《万智牌》 Risk (Lamorisse and Levin, 1959) - 《Risk/风险/战国风云》 War (Unknown) - 《战争》