Tuesday, July 31, 2018

People Behind the Meeples - Episode 131: Jeff Wilcox

Welcome to People Behind the Meeples, a series of interviews with indie game designers.  Here you'll find out more than you ever wanted to know about the people who make the best games that you may or may not have heard of before.  If you'd like to be featured, head over to http://gjjgames.blogspot.com/p/game-designer-interview-questionnaire.html and fill out the questionnaire! You can find all the interviews here: People Behind the Meeples. Support me on Patreon!


Name:Jeff Wilcox
Email: jeff@knowbodyknows.com
Location:Suburbs of Chicago
Day Job:Software Consultant
Designing:Over ten years!
Webpage:www.knowbodyknows.com
BGG:Knowbody Knows
Facebook:Knowbody Knows app
Find my games at:Amazon is the solid one. But, you'll find it at other places.
Today's Interview is with:

Jeff Wilcox
Interviewed on: 6/14/2018

Jeff Wilcox is a Chicago area designer that self-published Knowbody Knows, a silly party game, about 13 years ago. Since then he's worked on other designs, including a follow-up to Knowbody Knows called Who Knows. Read on to learn more about Jeff and his projects!

Some Basics
Tell me a bit about yourself.

How long have you been designing tabletop games?
Over ten years!

Why did you start designing tabletop games?
I've been making various games since I was a kid, so just always been part of me.

What game or games are you currently working on?
I'm working on resurrecting the "email version" of my main produced game called Knowbody Knows.

Have you designed any games that have been published?
I self published Knowbody Knows, years ago.

What is your day job?
Software Consultant

Your Gaming Tastes
My readers would like to know more about you as a gamer.

Where do you prefer to play games?
around a kitchen table with a beer or two.

Who do you normally game with?
Neighborhood friends

If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
Anything social. Party games mainly.

And what snacks would you eat?
Pretzels and cream cheese.

Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
Definitely. I'm a Phish guy, but the group is more of a classic rock group.

What’s your favorite FLGS?
Sad, but I don't have one

What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Bubble Talk is a family favorite.

What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
I'm not sure what you mean. But, why I love my game, Knowbody Knows is that there is a winner, but it's so secondary to the actual fun. So, having a winner, but not being super competitive is when I like party games the most.

What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
Balderdash. I love when you can be creative in a game, and that is definitely one. But, some of our friends feel pressure to be creative and don't like that. That's my take anyways!

What styles of games do you play?
I like to play Board Games, Card Games

Do you design different styles of games than what you play?
I like to design Board Games, Card Games

OK, here's a pretty polarizing game. Do you like and play Cards Against Humanity?
Yes

You as a Designer
OK, now the bit that sets you apart from the typical gamer. Let's find out about you as a game designer.

When you design games, do you come up with a theme first and build the mechanics around that? Or do you come up with mechanics and then add a theme? Or something else?
The best ones kind of just happen. I like to notice fun conversation, why did everyone love talking about that? how did that come up? And, then kind of back in to that, force that fun conversation. With Knowbody Knows, it all started, thinking about my brother's statement about his unborn son, 14 years ago. He said he'd tell him to save every single bottle cap from every beer he drank, so he'd know how many he had. Then, discussing just how many that'd be. Our answers were wildly different, and it sparked some fun conversation. I took that and ran with it.

Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
Yes. Knowbody Knows received the "Major Fun Award".

Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
Not really. I'm way more in to developing games, and barely care who came up with the games I like. For better or worse.

Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
As mentioned before, I like watching people and what makes them tick, so I will make mental notes when people are laughing or enjoying themselves, and find ways to channel back to that.

How do you go about playtesting your games?
Nowadays, Just asking friends. When I was developing Knowbody Knows, I ran a game night at a local bar. Kind of testing various rules and all, not necessarily Knowbody Knows related, but definitely used those nights and friends I met through there, to help test that and other games I just never "finished".

Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
"I'm a loner, Dotty!" - Pee Wee Herman.

What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Getting it noticed (in the sea of fun games out there) in a side job capacity. I would call some places, send them a Sample game, then get busy with my main job. Six months later, I'm calling them to see if they liked it, they're like, "what game?!" It's hard to sell part time, but I like my main gig and have a mortgage and family and all, so just don't want to go "all in" either.

If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
I'd love to come up with games for that Celebrity Party Game show with Jane Lynch. I forget the name.

What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
Tough question. I could say I wish someone told me how hard self-publishing a game would be. On the other hand, while it hasn't made me millions, I can't believe my life without trying to run with Knowbody Knows. We've had so many good times playing and talking about it. My wife's a teacher, and her whole staff plays during their off hours on Fridays. That's the stuff I just love hearing about. And, so while it's been a financial loser, it's been a huge spiritual winner, so ...

What advice would you like to share about designing games?
Playtest a ton.

Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
Published games, I have: Knowbody Knows and Uncle Rez Pets (much smaller run)
Games that I'm playtesting are: Who Knows. It's a follow up to Knowbody Knows.
Games that are in the early stages of development and beta testing are: A lot, just busy coaching little league and all these days.
And games that are still in the very early idea phase are: Tons.

Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker’s Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
Yes, facebook, Board Game Developers

And the oddly personal, but harmless stuff…
OK, enough of the game stuff, let's find out what really makes you tick! These are the questions that I’m sure are on everyone’s minds!

Star Trek or Star Wars? Coke or Pepsi? VHS or Betamax?
Star Wars, Coke, and VHS.

What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
Sports and live music

What is something you learned in the last week?
That soup is bad for you! At my age, I have to watch my salt, and recently someone said, "Soup has a ton of salt." I said, what kind of soup? They said ALL Soup!! That's ridiculous. So, Chicken Noodle Soup is bad for me now?!? Geez.

Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
I'm a jam band guy. Phish is my favorite band of all time. Books, I like that Malcom Gladwell guy, Tipping Point and more. Movies, it's stupid funny movies for me.

What was the last book you read?
The Hunger Game series. The whole family read it.

Do you play any musical instruments?
No. Someday.

Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I'm 49 and I can still dive. I dove in college, and try to keep doing some of those dives as long as I can. So, people see this gray haired guy on the diving board, and think ... whu-huh?!?

Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
I did one of those tandem skydiving jumps

Who is your idol?
My Mom and Dad

What would you do if you had a time machine?
Sell it for billions.

Are you an extrovert or introvert?
extrovert

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Aqua man.

Have any pets?
Yes, Mooch, our 100 pound mutt.

When the next asteroid hits Earth, causing the Yellowstone caldera to explode, California to fall into the ocean, the sea levels to rise, and the next ice age to set in, what current games or other pastimes do you think (or hope) will survive into the next era of human civilization? What do you hope is underneath that asteroid to be wiped out of the human consciousness forever?
A deck of cards. Amazing how many fun games there are with just those 52 cards.

Just a Bit More
Thanks for answering all my crazy questions! Is there anything else you'd like to tell my readers?

Try my Email Version! It's fun, simple, doesn't take much time, but makes the work day go by faster.




Thank you for reading this People Behind the Meeples indie game designer interview! You can find all the interviews here: People Behind the Meeples and if you'd like to be featured yourself, you can fill out the questionnaire here: http://gjjgames.blogspot.com/p/game-designer-interview-questionnaire.html

Did you like this interview?  Pleasse show your support: Support me on Patreon! Or click the heart at Board Game Links , like GJJ Games on Facebook , or follow on Twitter .  And be sure to check out my games on  Tabletop Generation.

Saturday, July 28, 2018

GJ Games at Gen Con!


Support me on Patreon!

You may have been asking yourself over the past few months, "what happened to reviews on GJJ Games?"  Well, a few things have caused my reviews to slow down.  Last year we added another player to the family (he's 13 months now and has been in full toddler mode for 4 months already, so that's pretty exhausting).  Because of this my free time to play review games was cut by quite a bit.  But I was still managing to get a review or two out every month.

Then in April I was offered the opportunity to attend Gen Con this year (a huge thanks to Keith at Thunderworks Games) in exchange for running demos for Roll Player and Skulk Hollow from 10am to 3pm each day.  This is a huge opportunity for me since I don't really have the money or time (another huge thanks to my wife for letting me leave her with three kids for almost a week) to attend big conventions.  This is actually the first non-Protospiel convention I've ever attended.  So I really wanted to make the most of the weekend.  I've been working hard to fine-tune a number of my game designs, update components, create sell sheets, and set up opportunities to pitch my games.  Unfortunately, this means that I haven't been spending the time writing up reviews that I usually do.  I have a few reviews started, and I plan on finishing them up after Gen Con, so I'm not out of the reviewing business, just taking a bit of a hiatus.

So, what will I be pitching at Gen Con?

I'll be bringing a bunch of games to Gen Con.  On Thursday I'll be pitching 8 Seconds at the Designer/Publisher Speed Dating event from 7pm to 9pm at the Slippery Noodle.  On Friday I'll have Pharmacology at the First Encounter Designer Showcase from 9:30pm to 11:30pm at the JW Marriot's White River Ballroom.  I'll also be pitching Les Petits Pirates and Tanuki in the Garden to publishers that specifically expressed interest in them.

In addition to the games that I have pitching sessions scheduled for, I also have sell sheets and postcards for Trick Builders, Race to the Moons and my MiniSkull Games (which includes MiniSkull Castle, MiniSkull Quests, MiniSkull Dungeon, MiniSkull Caverns, and MiniSkull Adventures).

I'll have copies of all these games with me (except for MiniSkull Caverns and MiniSkull Adventures), and several copies of a few of them.  If you are interested in playing or learning more about any of these games, let me know!  I'd be happy to meet up!

What else will GJJ Games be doing at Gen Con?

Outside of demoing and pitching, I'll also have a game or two at the Play the Best of Protospiel event on Thursday evening (6pm to 8pm).  Other than that I'm planning on wandering around and taking everything in.  I'll be doing some quick, 3 minute interviews for my People Behind the Meeples series, so if you're a designer and you see me wandering around, stop me for a quick chat.  I'll be asking for your name, contact info, what got you into game design, what game(s) you're currently working on, and then a random silly question.  I may do a few as video interviews, too!

Like I said, this is my first non-Protospiel convention, so I'm excited and a bit nervous.  I really just want to take it all in so that I know what to expect if I should ever make it back (hopefully I will).  So if you have any tips, ideas, or suggestions, let me have them!  If you'd like to meet up to play games, get interviewed, or just to hang out, let me know that, too!  I'm currently free all Saturday evening and part of Friday.












Did you like this article?  Show your support: Support me on Patreon! Also, click the heart at Board Game Links , like GJJ Games on Facebook , or follow on Twitter .  And be sure to check out my games on  Tabletop Generation.



Thursday, July 26, 2018

Eye on Kickstarter #48

Welcome to my Eye on Kickstarter series!  This series will highlight Kickstarter campaigns I am following that have recently launched (or I've recently discovered) because they have caught my interest.  Usually they'll catch my interest because they look like great games that I have either backed or would like to back (unfortunately budget doesn't allow me to back everything I'd like to).  But occasionally the campaigns caught my attention for other reasons.  Twice a month, on the 2nd and 4th Fridays, I'll make a new post in this series, highlighting the campaigns that have caught my attention since the last post.  In each post I'll highlight one campaign that has really grabbed my attention, followed by other campaigns I've backed or am interested in.  I'll also include links to any reviews I've done.  Comments are welcome, as are suggestions for new campaigns to check out!

You can also see my full Kickstarter Profile to see what I've backed or my old Eye on Kickstarter page that was too unwieldy to maintain.  Also, check out the 2018 Kickstarter Boardgame Projects geeklist over on Board Game Geek for a list of all the tabletop games of the year.
So, without further ado, here are the projects I'm currently watching as of the fourth Friday of July, 2018:

Live Campaigns from Past Eyes:
Rurik: Dawn of Kiev
Clustered


HIGHLIGHTED CAMPAIGN
Rurik: Dawn of Kiev
  • GJJ Games Backed
  • I usually don't feature a game two Eyes in a row, but occasionally a game I featured previously still has my full attention, even more than the newest launches. If it's a game I'm really excited about anod nothing else has usurped it, I'll feature it again. Such is the case with Rurik: Dawn of Kiev. There have been other interesting games launched on Kickstarter in the past two weeks, but none that have me quite as excited as Rurik. I playtested Rurik several times over the past 9 months and am thrilled with how it turned out. And you know what? It keeps getting better! The game has blown past funded and has been knocking out stretch goal after stretch goal. There are now 8 leaders and minis, a ton of component upgrades, and more! Plus, Piecekeeper Games listened to feedback and worked to find a more cost effective shipping solution for international backers. So if you live outside the US and were dissuaded from backing because of shipping, take another look. Or, if you're a fan of highly thematic blends of Euro and American style games, like Scythe, Blood Rage, Kemet, etc. then be sure to take a good look at this. I truly believe Rurik will be on a bunch of top 10 lists next year when it's released! Check out the last Eye on Kickstarter to see what I said about it then, too.


Rurik: Dawn of Kiev is a euro-style realm building game featuring area control, resource management, and a new mechanic - "auction programming."

Establish your legacy by constructing buildings and performing great deeds or pursue your own agenda by ruling large areas of land and collecting tribute. Will you win over the hearts of the people to become the next Grand Prince or Princess of Kiev?

Rurik brings to life the ancient culture of Kievan Rus - the precursor to both Russia and Ukraine - with game design by Russian game designer Stanislav Kordonskiy and illustrations by Ukrainian artist Yaroslav Radeckyi.

Auction Programming. The gameplay in Rurik revolves around a central strategy board. Openly bid for actions with your advisors in this novel “auction programming” mechanic. Higher numbered advisors earn greater benefits, but lower numbered advisors resolve their actions sooner.






Bilder
  • Do you like games like Pictionary, but can't draw? Well, in Bilder you use wooden blocks in all sorts of interesting shapes to build a scene, item, etc. for the other players to guess. It looks like an interesting twist on an otherwise fairly played out style of game. You don't see that very often.


Atlantis: Island of Gods
  • When I was in high school I did a research paper on the myth and legend of Atlantis. That sparked quite an interest in the fabled lost continent and even now, over 20 years later, I find myself fascinated by anything Atlantean. This game takes the mythology, twists it a bit, and creates a new story for the island, and packages it all into an interesting looking game.


Tiny Trees
  • Every so often a game comes along that's pretty simple, but looks incredible in three dimensions. Tiny Trees looks like a gorgeous, three dimensional cousin of Kodama.


Call to Adventure
  • I'll be honest, it's the box cover that caught my attention here. The split artwork is incredibly eye catching. In Call to Adventure you get to build your character based on experiences and decisions that you'll make throughout the game. Will your character become a hero? Or will you walt the patch of evil and treachery? The decision is yours in this intriguing game.


Era of Kingdoms
  • At first I was about to write this off as another deck-building Dominion clone, but then I looked closer. There's a lot more going on in this game than just deck-building. You have to build up your kingdom, upgrade locations, and manage resources. The game does quite a few interesting things in a fairly simple, quick playing package.


Knights of Glory
  • So often bluffing games are either too simple or just not interesting. I was about to pass by Knights of Glory when I decided to take a closer look and watch the preview video from Brody at Everything Board Games. I'm glad I did because I found a very interesting blend of bluffing and press-your-luck. In Knights of Glory each player is a knight trying to earn a place in the king's guard. To do so they must survive the dungeon. The mechanics blend hand management, press-your-luck, and bluffing into a quick playing, fun little game.


Aromat
  • Now this is an absolutely gorgeous game. The handmade wooden pieces are absolutely stunning. However, without a gameplay video, rulebook, reviews, or any other 'requirements' of a modern Kickstarter campaign, I can't recommend backing this. There are a few other red flags, too, like a promise of November delivery when there's only one person doing the manufacturing in his personal workshop. So oggle the beautiful pieces, but I say pass on backing this one for now.

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

People Behind the Meeples - Episode 130: Joriam Philipe

Welcome to People Behind the Meeples, a series of interviews with indie game designers.  Here you'll find out more than you ever wanted to know about the people who make the best games that you may or may not have heard of before.  If you'd like to be featured, head over to http://gjjgames.blogspot.com/p/game-designer-interview-questionnaire.html and fill out the questionnaire! You can find all the interviews here: People Behind the Meeples. Support me on Patreon!


Name:Joriam Philipe
Location:Berlin, Germany
Day Job:CEO of a game company - Hard Question Studio
Designing:Two to five years.
Webpage:www.jojojo.cards
Facebook:Jojojo Cards/
Twitter:@jojojo_cards
Instagram:@jojojocards
Other:www.hardquestionstudio.com
Today's Interview is with:

Joriam
Interviewed on: 6/14/2018

This week we get to learn about Joriam Philipe. Joriam is the designer of the social party game, Jojojo Cards. He also runs Hard Question Studios, a game publisher based out of Berlin. When Joriam moved from Rio de Janeiro to Berlin he was inspired to create Jojojo Cards to help foster communication. The game features a ton of wacky or profound questions, actually pretty similar to a lot of the questions in this interview. So read on to learn more about Joriam and see how he answered my questions!

Some Basics
Tell me a bit about yourself.

How long have you been designing tabletop games?
Two to five years.

Why did you start designing tabletop games?
A lifetime passion for Magic the Gathering and the need to stay out of the screens once in a while!

What game or games are you currently working on?
It's a secret =X but also my next release is a digital game (also make those)

Have you designed any games that have been published?
Yes! Jojojo (www.jojojo.cards)

What is your day job?
CEO of a game company - Hard Question Studio

Your Gaming Tastes
My readers would like to know more about you as a gamer.

Where do you prefer to play games?
Bar table at 1am

Who do you normally game with?
Of course with my friends, but my profession also pushes me to game with a lot of strangers and other game designers. It's pretty fun!

If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
My favourite game of all times is Go, the ancient boardgame. Not a lot of people play it, but it's my go-to option.

And what snacks would you eat?
Is wine a snack?

Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
Oh yeah! Hm not any specific genre, but I just left a vaporwave phase and now I'm deep into Simon & Garfunkel.

What’s your favorite FLGS?
Redbox back in Rio de Janeiro

What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Apart from Go, I recently tried Get Your Rocks On and thought it was hilarious. Least favourite, but alright is Bang. Worst is the Warcraft boardgame — good god who approved that?

What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
Storytelling mechanics are my weapon of choice. Dexterity mechanics are meh.

What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
Go — it's very complex, I admit

What styles of games do you play?
I like to play Board Games, Card Games, RPG Games, Video Games

Do you design different styles of games than what you play?
I like to design Card Games, RPG Games, Video Games

OK, here's a pretty polarizing game. Do you like and play Cards Against Humanity?
Yes

You as a Designer
OK, now the bit that sets you apart from the typical gamer. Let's find out about you as a game designer.

When you design games, do you come up with a theme first and build the mechanics around that? Or do you come up with mechanics and then add a theme? Or something else?
My gamemaking process can start anywhere really — from one idea I can generate 10 games. But my latest release was based on a problem. A real life problem. I guess that's a theme? Not sure.

Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
I... guess? My first-ever game (www.mairoj.com) got a sort of prize, but it was all very confusing. I got a medal though.

Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
Jenova Chen. He's in digital, but still my idol.

Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
Combining my ideas with other people's ideas. Aka: talking.

How do you go about playtesting your games?
I have a very meticulous playtesting process and philosophy. Jojojo went through more than 700 iterations 'till it was complete.

Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
I have one teammate, but he was only recently added to the studio.

What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Finding funding.

If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
Honestly I'd love to work with Invisibilia or Welcome to Nightvale. I'm sure those folks would be more enjoyable to work with than Lego or some shit.

What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
Here's 8000€, you have two months to deliver me a game.

What advice would you like to share about designing games?
When you playtest, write down everybody's facial expressions while interacting with different systems. Sometimes their tongues won't talk, but their frowns mostly won't lie.

Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
Published games, I have: Jojojo

Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker’s Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
Oh so many, at least 15

And the oddly personal, but harmless stuff…
OK, enough of the game stuff, let's find out what really makes you tick! These are the questions that I’m sure are on everyone’s minds!

Star Trek or Star Wars? Coke or Pepsi? VHS or Betamax?
Star Wars. Pepsi. VHS.

What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
I'm a huge youtube nerd, have a couple of channels.

What is something you learned in the last week?
German frozen peas are remarkably good! Oh my.

Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
I really dig all types of music, but if I had to choose one I'd say prog rock. I'm currently enchanted by Terry Pratchett, but I do have a Stephen King tattoo. I'm not sooo into movies, but Monty Python gets me every time.

What was the last book you read?
Terry Pratchett - Sourcery

Do you play any musical instruments?
I used to sing in a band! I'm a little rusty, but I can beat any karaoke amateur.

Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I've experienced several ayahuasca rituals. It's pretty amazing actually.

Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
I played a note (just a single note) in an ancient instrument that used to belong to Chopin.

Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
So I was working in Rock in Rio, a big music festival, and this beer truck got stuck in the mud. They gave everyone free beer to lighten the truck so it could move.

Who is your idol?
I'm gonna go for Hank and John Green.

What would you do if you had a time machine?
At first be extremely afraid. Then I'd just vanquish my enemies throwing them in the future.

Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Oh man, extrovert.

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Roland Deschain.

Have any pets?
A dog! His name is Matrix.

When the next asteroid hits Earth, causing the Yellowstone caldera to explode, California to fall into the ocean, the sea levels to rise, and the next ice age to set in, what current games or other pastimes do you think (or hope) will survive into the next era of human civilization? What do you hope is underneath that asteroid to be wiped out of the human consciousness forever?
I really hope go, tarot and poker survive. Pretty sure we can rebuild everything else.

If you’d like to send a shout out to anyone, anyone at all, here’s your chance (I can’t guarantee they’ll read this though):
Jacinda Ardern, you are such a legend.

Just a Bit More
Thanks for answering all my crazy questions! Is there anything else you'd like to tell my readers?

Be weird. Be very weird indeed.




Thank you for reading this People Behind the Meeples indie game designer interview! You can find all the interviews here: People Behind the Meeples and if you'd like to be featured yourself, you can fill out the questionnaire here: http://gjjgames.blogspot.com/p/game-designer-interview-questionnaire.html

Did you like this interview?  Pleasse show your support: Support me on Patreon! Or click the heart at Board Game Links , like GJJ Games on Facebook , or follow on Twitter .  And be sure to check out my games on  Tabletop Generation.

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

People Behind the Meeples - Episode 129: Daniel Chou

Welcome to People Behind the Meeples, a series of interviews with indie game designers.  Here you'll find out more than you ever wanted to know about the people who make the best games that you may or may not have heard of before.  If you'd like to be featured, head over to http://gjjgames.blogspot.com/p/game-designer-interview-questionnaire.html and fill out the questionnaire! You can find all the interviews here: People Behind the Meeples. Support me on Patreon!


Name:Daniel Chou
Email:dan@CHOUstore.com
Location:Iowa
Day Job:I work as an administrator at a higher education institution.
Designing:Two to five years.
Webpage:www.CHOU-games.com
Blog:chou-games.blogspot.com/
BGG:CHOU Games
Facebook:CHOU Games
Twitter:@chou_games
YouTube:Security Council Game
Instagram:@chou.games
Find my games at:www.CHOU-Games.com, The Game Crafter, and BGG.
Today's Interview is with:

Daniel Chou
Interviewed on: 6/14/2018

Daniel Chou is a multi-talented individual. Not only does he design games, he also does podcasts, designs t-shirts, and more! He's self-published a number of games through CHOU Games and will be running a Kickstarter for Scavenge next week. So be sure to keep your eye out for more of Dan's games in the future!

Some Basics
Tell me a bit about yourself.

How long have you been designing tabletop games?
Two to five years.

Why did you start designing tabletop games?
I began designing tabletop games back in 2013 with my first big-box game, Security Council. I began designing that game so that my friends could play an area control tactical nuclear sim on the tabletop instead of on our computers as there was a similar game we were playing at the time. That game was so well received by our community that I ended up Kickstarting it in 2015 and that has led to over 15 other designs.

What game or games are you currently working on?
I'm working on the second edition of Merchants of Medieval Europe, second edition of Scavenge for a Kickstarter on July 26 (both of which will be at GenCon18), am in late beta with a space exploring rogue called Mini Space Rogue, and in early alpha with a college campus building game called Campus in a Box.

Have you designed any games that have been published?
My studio, CHOU! Games only self publishes at this time so we can have complete control over all our designs. We Kickstarted Security Council in 2015 and have available for sale Merchants of Medieval Europe, Scavenge, Bureau of Time, Behind Closed Doors, and The Roommate Conflict Card Game. I wouldn't be opposed to working with a big publisher. I just have questions as to what we'd give up in the process.

What is your day job?
I work as an administrator at a higher education institution.

Your Gaming Tastes
My readers would like to know more about you as a gamer.

Where do you prefer to play games?
I prefer hosting at home with my community. I invite people to come over and play every week!

Who do you normally game with?
I normally game with a number of my coworkers.

If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
We love Dominion! I have the Big Box so we play the core set, Prosperity, and Alchemy quite often.

And what snacks would you eat?
My wife is a baker so she'll usually have some sort of fresh sweet treat ready to go like chocolate covered pretzels, truffles with chocolate ganache, or cheesecake.

Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
On a rare occasion we do turn on tunes. At our last session, we had the Hamilton Soundtrack playing in the background. It's a huge crowd pleaser.

What’s your favorite FLGS?
Sadly, our local FLGS is going out of business so that will have to change in the coming year. I guess I alone can't keep them afloat in this town.

What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
My favorite game that I haven't designed is Dominion. My least favorite game that I still enjoy is Citadel of Time, and the worst game I ever played was a game of Uno a few months ago where there were a high number of custom rules and 12 people playing. It. Never. Ended.

What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
My favorite game mechanic is hidden objectives and my least favorite is forced bluffing.

What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
Pandemic's expansions! I have the core game and 3 expansions (On the Brink, In the Lab, and State of Emergency) but I have never gotten my group together to play any of the expansions. I recently introduced my group to the core game and that alone was a lot for them so I don't know when we'll be ready for any of the others tacked on.

What styles of games do you play?
I like to play Board Games, Card Games, Video Games

Do you design different styles of games than what you play?
I like to design Board Games, Card Games, Video Games

OK, here's a pretty polarizing game. Do you like and play Cards Against Humanity?
In my line of work, Cards Against Humanity causes more harm than fun. With a close group of friends, CAH can generate a few laughs almost entirely and exclusively caused by pushing limits of decency. In almost any other setting, it's either off-putting, insulting, or harmful.

You as a Designer
OK, now the bit that sets you apart from the typical gamer. Let's find out about you as a game designer.

When you design games, do you come up with a theme first and build the mechanics around that? Or do you come up with mechanics and then add a theme? Or something else?
I have done both. My latest prototype, Campus in a Box, was a theme of running a college campus with dual mechanic goals to be both cooperative but also competitive. I started with the theme and wanted to explore those mechanics second. Theme is almost always first for me.

Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
My studio has entered before but the best we've achieved so far was as a Finalist in a GameCrafter.com contest for a cooperative game. We tried Cardboard Edison one year and received valuable feedback. Contests are great!

Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
I'm following Gerald King III on social media, everyone loves Jamey Stegmaier because he's such a nice guy, and I like what Ben Moy is doing.

Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
My best ideas often come out of nowhere. The best advice I can give is jot down every idea you ever have. Put them on a shelf if you don't have time right now because several years later it may be time. That's what happened with Campus in a Box. It took 3 years for it to begin.

How do you go about playtesting your games?
I work at a higher education institution so I have ready access to hundreds of eager playtesters at anytime. I also am a part of a local gaming group. I also use Tabletopia.com to prototype across the country. I have on occasion created Print and Plays and mailed them to friends.

Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
I enjoy brainstorming with a co-designer but ultimately like plowing through the work alone. I do many aspects of a board game including art, design, copy editing, advertising and marketing, playtesting, quality control, contracts, etc.

What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
My biggest challenge is knowing when a game is ready for publishing. Every play test will present itself with useful feedback (if you know how to ask questions and how to analyze feedback, no small feat). At some point you must decide this is great and it is enough.

If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
I would love to design a Fallout universe card game about collecting loot, exploring vaults, and blasting irradiated ghouls! There's still time to do one in that genre and just not use the Fallout IP. Who knows?

What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
Contracts suck to write. Get a lawyer early.

What advice would you like to share about designing games?
Learn to accept criticism. Playtesting is the most valuable thing you can do for your game. Playtest with as many different people as possible. Thank every playtester for every suggestion and write every single suggestion down. You can throw those away later but at the time of the playtest, every player is a gift. Treat them with respect and reverence. This is how you cultivate a community of playtesters who want to play your games, and you're going to need it.

Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
Published games, I have: Security Council: 2-6 player zone-control modular board resource management accessible war game, creates great post-apocalyptic campaigns for 2-3 hours each. Scavenger v1.0: 2-5 player family-friendly press your luck travel sized card game with cute raccoons, takes 15 mins to play. Merchants of Medieval Europe v1.0: 2-6 players become poor merchants and pick up and trade resources across Europe to play the market or fulfill contracts for nobles to earn extra coin, takes 1-2 hours. Bureau of Time: a cooperative 2-4 player card game where you keep the timeline from deteriorating into oblivion while you gather resources to fix anomalies in the time-space continuum, takes about 1/2 hour to play. Behind Closed Doors: a training card game for higher education, our most successful game currently being used in over 100 colleges and universities in the US and Canada. The Roommate Conflict Card Game: A mini conversational game to help college employees to teach mediation techniques.
Games that will soon be published are: Campus in a Box. Mini Space Rogue. Little Pigs. All hopefully ready for publishing within the next year.
This is what I have currently crowdfunding: Scavenge: the family friendly raccoon card game of pressing your luck, will launch on Kickstarter.com on July 26! Join our event to find out as soon as we go live here: https://www.facebook.com/events/440789699701871/
Currently looking for a publisher I have: If someone wants to take Security Council, Merchants of Medieval Europe, or Bureau of Time and we can work out a publishing agreement, then maybe. Otherwise, we are perfectly happy promoting it the way we are.
I'm planning to crowdfund: Merchants of Medieval Europe v2.0 may crowdfund in the next year or two.
Games I feel are in the final development and tweaking stage are: Mini Space Rogue.
Games that I'm playtesting are: Campus in a Box.
Games that are in the early stages of development and beta testing are: Little Pigs.
And games that are still in the very early idea phase are: American Merchants. Martian Tourism. Apocalypse Trail. Praise Zorban. Free Cities. Set the Curve.

Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker’s Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
Tabletop Game Publisher's Guild, Board Game Reviewers & Media, Tabletop Game Kickstarter Advice, Card & Board Game Designers Guild, Art & Graphic Design for Tabletop Games, The Boardgame Group, Tapletop Promotions - Crowdfunding, Protospiel, Tabletop Game Design Competitions, Board game reviewers.

And the oddly personal, but harmless stuff…
OK, enough of the game stuff, let's find out what really makes you tick! These are the questions that I’m sure are on everyone’s minds!

Star Trek or Star Wars? Coke or Pepsi? VHS or Betamax?
Gosh, Star Trek and Star Wars should stop being compared, they're both great! I don't like coke or pepsi, Dr. Pepper all the way! VHS! Or laser disc if that's an option.

What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
I program video games, produce podcasts, manage a parody University online (www.chouuniversity.com), I'm writing a novel (2nd one), I love playing Heroes of the Storm on PC, and jamming on my Nintendo Switch.

What is something you learned in the last week?
Apparently the new Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has a new option that will propel your cart forward without a button press. It also has a lane-assist option. I'm pretty sure both of these modifications are sponsored by Tesla Motors.

Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
Video Game Soundtracks. 1960-1980 Science Fiction novels. Dystopian movies.

What was the last book you read?
The Robots of Dawn by Isaac Asimov.

Do you play any musical instruments?
Ukulele.

Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I wrote a book for my wife's birthday in 3 months. It stars her and several of our friends. I think I spent over 300 hours on it. Spouses, it's time to up your game.

Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
I once threw a bunch of industrial chemicals down an elevator chute in an abandoned factory and almost died from fumes. Ah, to be young again.

Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
My profession.

Who is your idol?
Can't think of anyone.

What would you do if you had a time machine?
I'd like to ask Alexander Hamilton some questions.

Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Depends on which Myers Briggs your referencing. I have several.

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Dr. Xavier (Professor X) is the coolest!

Have any pets?
A cat!

When the next asteroid hits Earth, causing the Yellowstone caldera to explode, California to fall into the ocean, the sea levels to rise, and the next ice age to set in, what current games or other pastimes do you think (or hope) will survive into the next era of human civilization? What do you hope is underneath that asteroid to be wiped out of the human consciousness forever?
I hope critical thinking survives although I fear it'll be gone before the asteroid hits. Video games would be nice too. I hope the asteroid wipes out black licorice.

Thanks for answering all my crazy questions!




Thank you for reading this People Behind the Meeples indie game designer interview! You can find all the interviews here: People Behind the Meeples and if you'd like to be featured yourself, you can fill out the questionnaire here: http://gjjgames.blogspot.com/p/game-designer-interview-questionnaire.html

Did you like this interview?  Pleasse show your support: Support me on Patreon! Or click the heart at Board Game Links , like GJJ Games on Facebook , or follow on Twitter .  And be sure to check out my games on  Tabletop Generation.

Friday, July 13, 2018

Eye on Kickstarter #47

Welcome to my Eye on Kickstarter series!  This series will highlight Kickstarter campaigns I am following that have recently launched (or I've recently discovered) because they have caught my interest.  Usually they'll catch my interest because they look like great games that I have either backed or would like to back (unfortunately budget doesn't allow me to back everything I'd like to).  But occasionally the campaigns caught my attention for other reasons.  Twice a month, on the 2nd and 4th Fridays, I'll make a new post in this series, highlighting the campaigns that have caught my attention since the last post.  In each post I'll highlight one campaign that has really grabbed my attention, followed by other campaigns I've backed or am interested in.  I'll also include links to any reviews I've done.  Comments are welcome, as are suggestions for new campaigns to check out!

You can also see my full Kickstarter Profile to see what I've backed or my old Eye on Kickstarter page that was too unwieldy to maintain.  Also, check out the 2018 Kickstarter Boardgame Projects geeklist over on Board Game Geek for a list of all the tabletop games of the year.
So, without further ado, here are the projects I'm currently watching as of the second Friday of July, 2018:

Live Campaigns from Past Eyes:
Solarius Mission
When Cutie Met Patootie


HIGHLIGHTED CAMPAIGN
Rurik: Dawn of Kiev
  • GJJ Games Backed
  • I had the pleasure of being part of the playtesting team of Rurik, so I've been watching the game develop for quite a while. When I first played it back in October I was quite impressed with the game and loved the new Auction Programming mechanic (I'm not sure if they were calling it that yet though). The game still had a lot of rough edges and some areas that didn't quite feel right, but that core mechanic was solid and very interesting. Over the next six months I watched the game get more refined, smoothed out, tweaked, and polished. By April the game was very solid, but still had a few small areas that didn't quite feel as elegant as the rest of the game. I'm happy to say that, by July, all of those last wrinkles have been ironed out and the game now plays smooth as silk! The core Auction Programming mechanic is still what drives the game, but all the little bits around it are now just as amazing. This is truly a great game that you'll be thrilled to have in your collection, especially if you like historic themes (it's all based on real history), deep euro-style decisions, and great player interaction. To top it all off, the artwork is absolutely amazing! From the cool miniatures to the gorgeous map and boards, everything looks great. Then there's the box cover and character artwork, which are stunning! They'd look incredible framed and on your wall! Rurik: Dawn of Kiev will be hailed as one of the top games of 2019, mark my words. You definitely want this in your collection.


Rurik: Dawn of Kiev is a euro-style realm building game featuring area control, resource management, and a new mechanic - "auction programming."

Establish your legacy by constructing buildings and performing great deeds or pursue your own agenda by ruling large areas of land and collecting tribute. Will you win over the hearts of the people to become the next Grand Prince or Princess of Kiev?

Rurik brings to life the ancient culture of Kievan Rus - the precursor to both Russia and Ukraine - with game design by Russian game designer Stanislav Kordonskiy and illustrations by Ukrainian artist Yaroslav Radeckyi.

Auction Programming. The gameplay in Rurik revolves around a central strategy board. Openly bid for actions with your advisors in this novel “auction programming” mechanic. Higher numbered advisors earn greater benefits, but lower numbered advisors resolve their actions sooner.






Dominations - Road to Civilization
  • I love civilization games. I love tile laying games. Dominations combines those, along with pattern matching, resource management, and more in a fantastic looking game. I'm just itching to try this one out someday.


Dungeon Degenerates - Hand of Doom
  • I've heard a few good things about this dungeon crawler. This is for the second edition, so it cleans up some minor issues with the first edition (mainly in rules clarifications, etc.), but what really caught my attention here is the artwork. Reminiscent of some 1970s black light artwork, it's unique, vibrant, and really grabs your attention.


Wreck Raiders
  • In Wreck Raiders you use dice drafting and worker placement to collect treasures from sunken ships. It looks like a fun theme with accessible mechanics and rules. Perfect for a fun game night!


Startropolis
  • Startropolis appears to be a very simple game mechanically. The depth comes in through the interaction between the pieces in the game. It uses 3D pieces to create a large, three dimensional space station that will definitely catch some attention when it's pulled out at game night.


Theosis
  • Here's another unique looking worker placement game, this time merged with tactical combat. The minis look incredible, even though I'm a bit disappointed that all the female figures look pretty much identical except for the outfits, which have about the same amount of material combined as a single male character. The gaming industry is working it's way out of the misogynistic stereotype, but it's a slow road when artwork like this continue to be included in games, even if the gameplay looks great.


Black Orchestra: Conspirator Packs
  • Just this week a friend brought Black Orchestra to game night. Unfortunately I didn't get to play (I was in the middle of another game when Black Orchestra was started), but they had a great time and have been raving about it ever since. This campaign includes two conspirator packs for just $9, or you can get them and the base game for only $55.


Clustered
  • The game here looks very similar to SET, but that's not what caught my attention. Rather, it's the campaign itself, or more specifically one pledge tier of the campaign. This is a second edition of this game, with the first one being successful on Kickstarter in 2017, rasing $4500 with about 200 backers. That's not too bad, but not outstanding either. However with this second edition they're pretty much giving the game away. The first 500 backers (and they're past that now, sorry) could back for a basic copy of the game for just $1, plus $4 shipping. This seems like quite the marketing gimmick for a game that only had 198 backers in its first campaign. But it seems to be working, since the tier is sold out and the game is funded at over $5000. I hope having to produce 500 copies of the basic game, essentially for free, doesn't backfire on them though.