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> A well-designed game has rules simple enough for everyone to follow without arguments, keeps everyone engaged to the end, and encourages positive rather than negative social interaction. Such games exist.

Could anyone name a few?

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Pandemic - co-operative yet challenging board game about trying to cure disease on a Risk-like board

Scribblish - it's like pictionary but it doesn't matter how badly you draw and everyone is always involved

Carcassonne (if the 'farmers' rule confuses anyone, don't use it) - slight chance of negative interaction.

As an aside, if negative interactions concern you, it's probably a good idea to keep away from Diplomacy. There have been fist fights in my group of friends over that game.

We all love farmers in our group - fighting to join up those fields to try and swing the game in the final few tile placements is really fun. :-)

Werewolf is my favorite party game. Arguably it doesn't keep everybody fully engaged because one person drops out each turn, but usually everybody keeps watching the action until the game is over.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafia_%28party_game%29

I found that after a few games the group works out who is good at lying and just lynches them first no matter what - it's too risky having a good liar alive. Otherwise it's a great game.

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