Tisch digital tools supporting board games

This paper introduces Tisch, an application running on the Microsoft Surface that provides computer support for board- and role-playing games. Based on the ideas of tangible and tabletop interfaces, Tisch was developed to explore how technology can support and enhance tabletop gaming activities without becoming a hindrance or removing the players' agency over the rules. Through doing so, Tisch allows players to behave in their accustomed manner, including having unrestricted social interactions and using whatever rules they wish to whatever degree they wish. This is proposed as a solution to harnessing the advantages that computers offer analog games through both offloading unwanted tasks and enhancing immersion.