[OT] Games for Programmers

Hi everyone,

Here's a list of board or card games that are based, more or less, on 
computer programming, along with a description. The games range from 
obscure to humorous.

Note that I have not played any of these myself, but some of them look 
like they might be interesting as teaching tools. A few look like they 
might actually be fun. ;)

I'm still waiting for "Ruby: The Board Game". Hey, if Fortran can have 
its own game... (see below).

Enjoy!

1. c-jump - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/18731

Discover the fundamentals of computer programming by playing a board 
game! c-jump helps children to learn basics of programming languages, 
such as C, C++ and Java.

The game teaches basic commands of a programming language, such as "if", 
"else", "switch", and introduces variable "x" concept.

Skiers and snowboarders line up at the start location and race along the 
ski trails. Spaces on the board show statements of programming language. 
First player to move all skiers past the finish line is the winner.

Players calculate number of steps in the move, including addition, 
subtraction, division, and multiplication of small numbers. The game 
helps to develop understanding of a complete computer program, formed by 
logical sequences of commands.

2. Extreme Programming Playing Cards - 
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/39054

The game contains a deck of 100 cards. There are Problem, Solution, and 
Value cards. Oh, and a Joker card, of course. The intention of these 
cards is to help people to understand the methodology behind Extreme 
Programming and improve the way they practice XP.

3. Programmer's Nightmare - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3564

In this game, players take turns laying out program instructions with 
"ownership bits" on the cards they play, creating a long line of 
interrelating program instructions that become more complicated as the 
program builds. Finally, a player will play a RUN card and set the 
program running. Who will survive the convolutions of the program? 
That's anyone's guess; each player decides if and how their own program 
instructions will function!

4. Problems and Programmers - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/21999

Problems and Programmers is an educational software engineering card 
game. Featuring over 120 unique cards, it is intended to simulate the 
software development process from conception to completion. The game's 
players compete to finish their projects while avoiding the potential 
pitfalls of software engineering. These players will quickly learn that 
the strategies that will let them win the game are the same that will 
help them in the real world.

5. WFF 'N Proof - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/5663

As well as building WFFs (Well Formed Formulas), players must also try 
to reach a goal by using rules of inference.

For example: If the goal is 'p', a player could use the 'Ko' (or 
Conjunction Out) rule and use 'Kpq' as a premise. In other terms, if the 
following sentence is true: "The first games of WFF 'N PROOF are easy 
and the last games of WFF 'n PROOF are hard." Then it can be inferred 
that the following sentence is true: "The first games of WFF 'N PROOF 
are easy."

6. Boolean Rithmomachia - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/37003

This game was inspired by the medieval game Rithmomachy. But whereas in 
traditional Rithmomachy the pieces are labeled with natural numbers and 
captures are based on arithmetic progressions and geometric ratios, in 
Boolean Rithmomachy the pieces have binary nybbles 0000, 0001, ..., 1111 
and captures are based on the logical operations AND, OR, XOR, NOT.

For good measure, the board has also been updated from two dimensions to 
three.

7. bOOleO - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40943

bOOleO is a card game which combines strategy card play with the 
concepts of Boolean logic. Players must race to resolve an initial 
binary number to a single specific bit. This is accomplished through the 
use of logical gates.

8. Virus Fight - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/33838

This is a perfect information abstract game with a light theme of 
computer programming. Each player builds a small program that then 
modifies itself and the other programs on the board, trying to isolate 
the instruction marker of the other players so that it's the only 
running program in the memory.

9. Management Material IT Edition - 
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/7259

Management Material is a card game with a corporate theme where the 
players try to win by avoiding being promoted to management. This is 
done by playing Excuse cards to avoid the Project cards and passing the 
Project to the next player. Other players may also play Recognition 
cards on you, which make it more difficult to get out of the project 
with an Excuse. Ultimately, some player will end up completing the 
Project, and that player adds the card to their completed projects, 
pushing them closer to the 30 points necessary to be identified as 
Management Material and losing the game. The last player that avoids 
being promoted to management wins the game. Event cards provide an 
additional randomizing element.

10. Fortran - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/17948

The elements of how a computer program works are learned as players move 
through the program, entering values on three different "counters," and 
transferring results to their own "printers".

11. Hacker - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1250

This is the computer crime card game inspired by the 1990 Secret Service 
raid on Steve Jackson Games. Play is similar to Illuminati except 
players play cards as part of the ever-expanding "Net" in the center of 
the table instead of having individual card stacks. Players use indials 
to break into systems and gain root access. Upgrade your hacking tools, 
deal with other hackers for access, phreak others onto your system, etc. 
is all part of the game. Avoid ICE and law enforcement raids to gain the 
greatest number of root access sites and win the game.

12. Bugs & Looops - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/27706

Players program a simple Turing Machine, also known as a State Machine. 
One cube, called the pointer is positioned opposite a line of 7 other 
cubes, called the tape. For each state that the pointer/tape is in, a 
player writes an instruction changing the state, and moving the pointer. 
Points are scored for the number of times the pointer moves, unless the 
pointer moves past the end of the tape (a bug) or gets trapped in an 
endless cycle of instructions (a loop).

13. Processing - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/41725

You just finished your program, right on time. Now you only need to 
process it through the computer and print your report; it痴 going to be 
a major breakthrough for mankind.
As you go by the hall, you see that strange fellow that works at the 
other end of the laboratory, and, of course, you never liked him. As you 
walk you realise he is going to the same computer room as you. He also 
realises this and, running, you both enter the computer room.
You argue, the lab rat responses, "I was here first!" Just as the 
dispute was going backwards in evolution, the technician says the 
stupidest thing: "Why don稚 we share the computer?"
You agree, but you know that the computer only has 4 slots for 8 
computing boards; you intend to be smarter than him and have your 
program processed as soon as possible.

Regards,

Dan