Firstly: On Theory and Practice
Before we dive into any specific aspect of making tabletop games, I want to hit some points about theory and game design.
First, the purpose of theory is to inform practice. If I can't apply theory to my work, it's dead weight. Dead words.
Second, games have different play experiences they aim for. The design of a game is in service of that play experience.
Third, the usefulness of any theory of design is independently and subjectively dependent on the disposition and goals of the designer. Maybe on a project-by-project basis.
This is just a long way of saying: I'm not here to make pronouncements about the right way to make a game. Just to talk about my own design goals and practice, and sometimes theory I find useful to that end.
Zeit gezunt!