What is the point of hidden chips?

[Wickedestjr]

Anyone that really wants to know how chips are distributed can still check the log or keep track themselves of how many chips their opponents have. What’s the point of hiding this information? There’s no skill in counting, it just creates more work for the players that want to know without really hiding anything.

[Strode]

The real game has hidden chips. The defense of hidden information is a combination of (a) adding drama and (b) discouraging players from spending extra time to calculate everything out.

Other people feel like anything that is trackable should be open. This is argued for tons of games.

Online is different because you have a game log, as you say. Still, I like it in person with hidden chips and don't scroll through the game logs here. I feel it would make the game less interesting. I don't care if counting would help my chances of winning slightly, I prefer the drama of the unknown.

So you can play No Thanks! either way.

[Wickedestjr]

Thank you for your response.

I’ve actually only played No Thanks with visible chips in real life, so interesting to hear a different perspective. I personally feel like it wouldn’t be as fun if I were having to hide my chips the whole time, but to each their own.

I would push back on your point b. I.e. I don’t think hidden chips discourage players from spending extra time calculating; it creates the need for players to do so. If chips were visible, then we wouldn’t have to count at all.

I know that there is a visible option, but I’m competing in the arena mode where the game’s gurus have agreed to make it ‘hidden chips’ so we are forced to play that way if we’re competing. To me, the fun of the game is in the competitive aspect and trying to make good informed decisions rather than be at the (partial) mercy of blind luck.

Happy gaming to you.

[Suoivax]

Thank you for your response.

I’ve actually only played No Thanks with visible chips in real life, so interesting to hear a different perspective. I personally feel like it wouldn’t be as fun if I were having to hide my chips the whole time, but to each their own.

I would push back on your point b. I.e. I don’t think hidden chips discourage players from spending extra time calculating; it creates the need for players to do so. If chips were visible, then we wouldn’t have to count at all.

I know that there is a visible option, but I’m competing in the arena mode where the game’s gurus have agreed to make it ‘hidden chips’ so we are forced to play that way if we’re competing. To me, the fun of the game is in the competitive aspect and trying to make good informed decisions rather than be at the (partial) mercy of blind luck.

Happy gaming to you.

Hidden chips in RL prevents you from knowing if the other players HAVE to pick up that card you want--but passed on because you wanted more chips.

[Strode]

I would push back on your point b. I.e. I don’t think hidden chips discourage players from spending extra time calculating; it creates the need for players to do so. If chips were visible, then we wouldn’t have to count at all.

If players are going to count everything, then open chips makes it quicker. A lot of us just accept the unknown, the press-your-luck tension which is often lost with open chips.

The risk of open information (perhaps in other games more than in NT) is that people can calculate everything out. "You have x points so far, so for me to beat you I need XYZ to happen..."

[MikeCR23]

Hidden chips is what makes this game fun. I would never play with public chips. And I would feel bad going through the logs here to count chips.