Friday, August 31, 2018

Quick Review - For the Love of Board Games (Book) - Kickstarter Preview

For the Love of Board Games
By: Erin Dean
Publisher: Bookbaby
Quick Review - For the Love of Board Games (Book) - Kickstarter Preview
Disclaimer Support me on Patreon!

Overview:
One of the most popular series on the GJJ Games blog is my People Behind the Meeples series.  In this series I pose a set of interview questions to game designers with a wide variety of experience.  I've included designers that have a bunch of published games, designers just starting out on their first game designs, designers who self-publish games, and designers who work with other publishers.  It's been exciting to learn about over 150 designers over the last two years.  I have had some more well-known names included in my series (including Keith Matejka, Scott Almes, Eduardo Baraf, Sen-Foong Lim, and others), but I have yet to interview any of the greats, like Richard Garfield, Matt Leacock, Wolfgang Kramer, Jamey Stegmaier, Martin Wallace, Bruno Cathala, or many of the other names that I'm sure grace your shelves.  That's where Erin Dean comes in.

Bruno Cathala
 Erin has spent a lot of time interviewing some of the biggest names in board games to find out more about them, the games they've designed, and their history in board games.  These interviews are much more in depth than the ones I feature, although there is some crossover.  Erin's interviews provide a ton of insight into each designer's processes, thoughts, and the evolution of some of their most well-known games.  Some of these are stories that you may already be somewhat familiar with, like how Robo Rally was actually the first game Richard Garfield tried to pitch to publishers, but you don't know the details that Erin includes in this book.

Each chapter is filled with insightful details into the life of a game designer.  In the Richard Garfield chapter, for example, we learn about how Robo Rally, Bunny Kingdom, Android: Netrunner, and King of Tokyo developed from early concepts to the classic games we enjoy today.  King of Tokyo originally started out with a fantasy theme, but as the game developed it became the monster fighting, city smashing classic.  As the theme evolved, so did the mechanics.  The new theme meant that new cards with cool new powers could be added to the game.  Bunny Kingdom was originally designed over ten years ago and was about dwarven clans, Android: Netrunner was a multiplayer game about competing hackers breaking into corporations before it became a game about one hacker vs one corporation, and Robo Rally has always been about battling robots.  Each game has a story about how it came about, the changes that were made, and the thought processes behind the development.  Even the very early days of Magic: the Gathering is covered in detail.

This isn't a book just about the history of modern classic games, however.  We also learn about the designers as people.  What makes them tick?  What were they before they were game designers?  What are their inspirations?  Who do they look up to?  What games do they play?  All this, and more, is discussed in each chapter.

So, who is included in the book?  There are a whole bunch!  You can see a full list of over 50 designers on the Kickstarter page, but some highlights include:

Richard Garfield
  • Matt Leacock: Pandemic
  • Bruno Cathala: Five Tribes, Kingdomino
  • Antoine Bauza: Hanabi, 7 Wonders, Takenoko
  • Jonathan Gilmour: Dead of Winter, Dinosaur Island
  • Jamey Stegmaier: Scythe, Viticulture
  • Richard Garfield: Magic: The Gathering, King of Tokyo, Android: Netrunner, RoboRally, Bunny Kingdom
  • Tim Fowers: Burgle Bros., Paperback, Fugitive, Wok Star, Now Boarding
  • Martin Wallace: Brass: Lancashire
  • Ryan Laukat: Above and Below, Near and Far
  • Reiner Knizia: Tigris & Euphrates, Lost Cities
  • Keith Matejka: Roll Player
  • Kane Klenko: FUSE, Flatline, Covert, Dead Men Tell No Tales
  • Isaac Childres: Gloomhaven
  • Carla Kopp: Stellar Leap
  • Sen-Foong Lim: Junk Art
Each designer also has a portrait included, completed by character artist and illustrator, Robert Felton Schilling III.  These portraits provide a whimsical image of each designer, often in settings, poses, or costumes related to their games.


Final Thoughts:
Jonathan Gilmour
A few months ago I reviewed Wizards of the Tabletop, a coffee table (or better yet, game table) book with wonderful photographs and quick interviews with a whole bunch of designers, publishers, and other people in the tabletop industry.  That book was just what you'd expect out of a coffee table style book - each page or two started a new profile, the pictures were big and bold, and the hard cover layout is inviting to pick up and read for a few minutes at a time.  For the Love of Board Games approaches the subject at a much deeper level.  This is a book that you'll actually invest time into.  The chapters aren't short summaries, they're in-depth interviews and essays with each designer.  Each chapter is many pages long.  I don't have a final page count, but this will be on par with a paperback novel, not a coffee table novelty.

One of my observations of Wizards of the Tabletop was that it was full of "easy-to-read, brief articles" that "don't go into a lot of depth".  That was perfect for that style book, but if you're looking for more, For the Love of Board Games will provide that depth.

The chapter I was given to review is the same as the chapter that's available on the Kickstarter page, so you can see for yourself the kind of content you'll be getting.  I found the information about Richard Garfield fascinating.  I loved learning about his whole design processes, his inspirations, and the history of some of his games.  The chapter is 14 pages and covers a whole lot.

Matt Leacock
That said though, the chapter is still just a draft.  The writing was very rough and at times cumbersome.  The text was filled with grammatical issues and ideas often felt disconnected or scattered about.  The good news is that part of the Kickstarter funding is going towards hiring a copy editor to make sure that all the wonderful information is presented as professionally as possible.

I also can't fully comment on the content of other chapters since I haven't seen them.  I've made some assumptions based on what I've been told and what I've seen of Erin Dean's work.  If she put the same time and effort into finding out the stories behind the other games and designers as she did with Richard Garfield, then we're in for quite a treat.

This book isn't for everyone though.  It's even more of a niche than Wizards of the Tabletop due to the depth and breadth of the coverage.  It also helps to have some familiarity with the games discussed since there's discussion of how the final theme and mechanics compare to earlier versions.  If you're all about tabletop games though, especially if you're a designer yourself, this should be an invaluable read.  Personally, I look forward to learning more about some of my favorite designers.

Dominic CrapuchettesReiner Knizia

For the Love of Boardgames is available on Kickstarter through September 27 (early in the morning, so don't procrastinate too long).  You can grab a copy of the book for $25 ($10 for just the digital version), plus shipping.

This review is of a draft of one book chapter.  Content is not final and is subject to change.


Did you like this review?  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.

GJJG Game Reviews are independent, unpaid reviews of games I, George Jaros, have played with my family and friends. Some of these games I own, some are owned by friends, some are borrowed, and some are print and play versions of games. Where applicable I will indicate if games have been played with kids or adults or a mix (Family Play). I won't go into extensive detail about how to play the game (there are plenty of other sources for that information and I'll occasionally link to those other sources), but I will give my impressions of the game and how my friends and family reacted to the game. Quick Reviews will only get a single rating of 1-10 (low-high) based on my first impressions of the game during my first few times playing. Hopefully I'll get more chances to play the game and will be able to give it a full review soon.

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

People Behind the Meeples - Episode 135: Raymond Northcott

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:Raymond Northcott
Email:gamesbyray@gmail.com
Location:Ashern, MB Canada
Day Job:stay at home dad
Designing:Two to five years.
Webpage:thehackersguildboardgame.com
Blog:thehackersguildboardgame.com
BGG:MrGeekabyte (wasn't thinking about branding back then.....)
Facebook:The Hackers Guild Boardgame/
Twitter:@gamesbyrray
YouTube:
Instagram:@gamesbyray
Other:I'm part of the Indie Game Alliance
Find my games at:They can reach out to me and I can send them the link to either the PnP or the digital versions on Tabletopia or Tabletop Simulator
Today's Interview is with:

Raymond Northcott
Interviewed on: 6/15/2018

Raymond Northcott started his game design with a goal in mind; to design a board game about computer hacking. Over two years later his vision is about to become a reality. Look for The Hackers Guild on Kickstarter soon! Read on to learn more about this stay-at-home dad turned game designer (and hopefully publisher, too).

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?
Back in January 2015 I quit my full time job and decided to stay at home with the kids. Spent the rest of the year trying to find something I could do from home to replace the lost income, but didn't ever find anything. Then one day in December 2015 I woke up and just had the thought "I should design a board game and it should have to do with computer hackers." Shortly after the first iteration of what has become The Hackers Guild was born. It was "supposed" to be a super quick endeavor but then reality hit and more than two years later still working on the same game.

What game or games are you currently working on?
The Hackers Guild is the main game I'm working on, but I also have a kids card game tentatively called The Great Lunch Swap percolating in the background.

Have you designed any games that have been published?
no

What is your day job?
stay at home dad

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

Where do you prefer to play games?
around the kitchen table with family and friends

Who do you normally game with?
wife and two kids

If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
hmm hard to say. The Game, Little Drop of Poison, and Dino Dude Ranch (with or without the Hatchlings expansion) are current favourites.

And what snacks would you eat?
Popcorn and/or potato chips if anything at all

Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
usually don't

What’s your favorite FLGS?
probably a toss up between A Muse N Games and GameKnight Games

What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Does The Hackers Guild count? Seriously there are really so many good games. I think if I had to pick one it would be Dino Dude Ranch. I'm not a huge fan of Catan. As for worst game - there haven't been many I haven't enjoyed but Cirkus didn't really do it for me.

What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
I don't really pay all that much attention to mechanics, but worker placement, set collection, and area control can be fun. Not a huge fan of traditional role and move games.

What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
Probably Dirigible Disaster

What styles of games do you play?
I like to play Board Games, Card Games, Miniatures Games, Video 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?
No

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?
So far I think I would have to say that I am a theme first designer, but that may change.

Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
no

Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
Hmm haven't really thought much about it but I really enjoy Matt Leacock's games and Jamey Stegmaier is an awesome example of how to give back to this wonderful community.

Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
I pull a lot of inspiration from other games, listening to podcasts while driving, while talking to other designers and gamers, really anywhere.

How do you go about playtesting your games?
I'm a big fan of digital playtesting and do the majority of my testing over Tabletopia and/or Tabletop Simulator. I also attend as many local cons as I can, attend a regular protospiel event, and family and friends when I get the chance.

Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
I have very little graphic design and art talents, so I work with a great person with those talents. I currently don't have a co-designer, but would be open to trying it out.

What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
While I can mitigate this with the digital play testing, I would have to say lack of access to gamers and gaming events.

If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
hmm haven't even thought about it really - I think a Calvin and Hobbes game could be fun

What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
That there is a definite order to design, and to not bother with spending money on prototypes and other things like art until absolutely necessary.

What advice would you like to share about designing games?
That there is a definite order to design, and to not bother with spending money on prototypes and other things like art until absolutely necessary.

Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
I'm planning to crowdfund: The Hackers Guild
Games I feel are in the final development and tweaking stage are: The Hackers Guild
And games that are still in the very early idea phase are: The Great Lunch Swap

Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker’s Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
A number including Canadian Analog Game Designers and Industry, Digital Tabletop Game Playtests, Tabletop Game Kickstarter Advice, Tabletop Game Publisher's Guild, Kickstarter Best Practices, Art and Graphic Design for Tabletop Games, Card and Board Game Designers Guild

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?
hmm Star Trek, Coke, and VHS

What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
I'm a big baseball fan, enjoy listening and playing music, and while not strictly a hobby, I love being a dad.

What is something you learned in the last week?
Hmm that's an interesting question, but I'm not sure I can think of anything

Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
Like games, I will watch/read/or listen to pretty much anything once. If I had to pick I think it would be Jazz, anything by John Grisham, and romantic comedies

What was the last book you read?
probably Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Do you play any musical instruments?
piano, tuba (been forever) and most other brass instruments with the exception of the french horn (but not very well)

Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I was born at home and my son was born on the side of the road in a back of an ambulance

Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
won a banana eating contest

Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
attending the wrong church for the area I was living in which meant I got back in touch with the woman who became my current wife

Who is your idol?
I don't really have one

What would you do if you had a time machine?
married my current wife first

Are you an extrovert or introvert?
probably introvert

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
hmm don't really follow the superhero stuff, but Iron Man is pretty cool

Have any pets?
a cat named Jazz

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?
all board/card/other games for sure - and the internet I guess. Not sure about the last part - politicians maybe?

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):
just hi and I love you to my wonderful wife Sharon and awesome kids Abbey and Jack

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

No I think that is everything




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, August 21, 2018

People Behind the Meeples - Episode 134: Omari Akil

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:Omari Akil
Email:omari@boardgamebrothas.com
Location:Durham, NC, USA
Day Job:I'm a Higher Education IT Specialist
Designing:One to two years.
Webpage:www.boardgamebrothas.com
BGG:BoardGameBrotha2
Facebook:Board Game Brothas
Twitter:@BGBGameCo
Instagram:@boardgamebrothas
Find my games at:www.rapgodzboardgame.com
Today's Interview is with:

Omari Akil
Interviewed on: 6/20/2018

Omari Akil is a long-time board game fan who recently started designing games with his brother, who is relatively new to board games. Together they've designed Rap Godz, which hits Kickstarter tomorrow! They have a few other projects in the works, and since Rap Godz has already won an award, I'm we can look forward to more great things from this team.

Some Basics
Tell me a bit about yourself.

How long have you been designing tabletop games?
One to two years.

Why did you start designing tabletop games?
My brother approached me with a board game idea in March 2017, and we've been working on that concept non-stop since then.

What game or games are you currently working on?
Rap Godz (which is coming to Kickstarter this year), and two untitled projects

Have you designed any games that have been published?
Not yet!

What is your day job?
I'm a Higher Education IT Specialist

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

Where do you prefer to play games?
I prefer playing games at home, but I'm happy to go out to a bar or my local game store to play.

Who do you normally game with?
We've built up a pretty amazing tabletop community in Durham, NC. I usually attend one of the three (sometimes more) game nights that happen each week.

If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
If I'm inviting friends over to play, I like to play the more involved games that take longer to play (2-5 hours).

And what snacks would you eat?
Pizza is always a good option

Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
Only if the game thematically calls for it.

What’s your favorite FLGS?
Atomic Empire is really the only FLGS in town. Also really liked Guardian Games in Portland, OR.

What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Eclipse is still my favorite I think. Secret Hitler is by far the worst game that I still enjoy (I would rather play Resistance). I recently played the latest version of Mouse Trap...don't ask...but it was terrible.

What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
I'm a big dice rolling fan. Extra points if you can use those dice in a creative way, such as in Hero's Crossing. My least favorite is worker placement (mostly because I'm terrible at it).

What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
Arcadia Quest

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 Board Games

OK, here's a pretty polarizing game. Do you like and play Cards Against Humanity?
No

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?
So far my favorite method has been to come up with the theme and then try to design mechanics that fit well with that.

Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
We won the Best Unpublished Tabletop award at the 2018 Southern-Fried Gaming Expo in Atlanta, GA.

Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
So far I'm a big fan of every game designer that I've met. It's too hard to choose.

Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
I usually get my best ideas when I'm doing something completely unrelated to games, and just pulling something out of the world around me.

How do you go about playtesting your games?
I try to do some play testing on my own. I often build spreadsheets to simulate gameplay for balancing. I also have local game nights where gamers are happy to try out new prototypes.

Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
My brother (the artist) and I work together on games. I do like doing some of the design work on my own, but I also have a pool of designers to bounce ideas off of when I need to.

What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
The biggest challenge for me is knowing that the process is a long one and that taking my time will ultimately produce a better game.

If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
I would love to design a Black Panther game. Seriously that's my dream.

What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
Any game you design will never be "finished", and you just have to call it at some point and put it out there for the world to see.

What advice would you like to share about designing games?
Focus on the fun. Figure out what's fun about your game and don't compromise that for anything else.

Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
I'm planning to crowdfund: Rap Godz
And games that are still in the very early idea phase are: Two Untitled Games

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

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 write music lyrics and poetry and also do a lot of social dancing.

What is something you learned in the last week?
I learned about dimensional data modeling!!!

Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
ALL Music. Books that make me laugh (probably sci-fi/fantasy)

What was the last book you read?
The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett

Do you play any musical instruments?
Ukulele and Drums (both poorly)

Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I was a 8th Grade Science teacher for a year...

Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
I just signed up to write on-demand poetry on a typewriter in the lobby of a hotel for 2 hours...

Who is your idol?
Donald Glover - Seriously, this dude is dope at everything he does.

What would you do if you had a time machine?
Go far enough in the future so where self-driving cars are the norm and stay there. I get so annoyed with driving these days.

Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Introvert - but I love being around people, lol

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
The Flash

Have any pets?
Nah, I'm terrible at being a pet parent

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?
Hahahahahahahaha

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):
Shout out to Snoop Dogg for being the inspiration for a lot of the world we created in Rap Godz.

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

I love board games and I really want more people playing them. So tell all your friends and get them to play games with their friends...you know...kind of like a pyramid scheme but without the promises of quick wealth and prosperity.




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, August 14, 2018

People Behind the Meeples Episode 133: Adam Payn

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:Adam Payn
Email:adam.payn76@gmail.com
Location:Milton Keynes, UK
Day Job: Funding and Development Manager
Designing:Less than six months.
Blog:https://www.board-game.co.uk/first-time-designer-issue-one/
Facebook:Adam Payn
Today's Interview is with:

Adam Payn
Interviewed on: 6/15/2018

Adam Payn is a new game designer from the UK. He's currently working on his first design and he's blogging about the entire process over on Zatu Games. Be sure to follow his journey for some great insight into the process of learning how to design a game.

Some Basics
Tell me a bit about yourself.

How long have you been designing tabletop games?
Less than six months.

Why did you start designing tabletop games?
The idea popped into my head and I ran with it

What game or games are you currently working on?
LAST Stand - a semi co-op game where you build giant robots to defend the world against monsters.

Have you designed any games that have been published?
No

What is your day job?
Funding and Development Manager

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

Where do you prefer to play games?
At a bi-monthly Meetup group in a pub

Who do you normally game with?
Friends.

If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
Hero Realms campaign or Viticulture

And what snacks would you eat?
None. Keto diet but others will go for crisps and Doritos

Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
Something thematic. Usually just put on Melodice

What’s your favorite FLGS?
The CCG and Board Game Social

What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
The Pursuit of Happiness, Celestia and Archipelago

What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
Deck building, area control, and take that.

What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
This War of Mine

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

OK, here's a pretty polarizing game. Do you like and play Cards Against Humanity?
No

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?
Mechanics first

Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
No

Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
No

Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
Other games and shaping my design into a system based on what was lacking

How do you go about playtesting your games?
Friends, events, Meetup

Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
Co-design 100%

What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Time. Maintaining momentum while not letting it dominate my life as I have a lot going on

If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
UFC (Mixed Martial Arts promotion)

What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
Not to worry about someone nicking your idea

What advice would you like to share about designing games?
Take every opportunity. Don't get disheartened when it sounds like someone is coming out with a similar game. Chances are it'll be very different. Work with someone rather than solo.

Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
Games that I'm playtesting are: LAST Stand

Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker’s Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
Yes. The Card one. A designer one and the previously mentioned one.

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?
Wars, neither (sugary drinks are evil), VHS

What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Ultimate Frisbee, watching MMA, movies, podcasts.

What is something you learned in the last week?
It's possible to write a tender bid in a week

Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
London Grammar, Elbow, rarely read but enjoyed fantasy and horror in my youth, Marvel movies.

What was the last book you read?
12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B Peterson.

Do you play any musical instruments?
No

Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I built a company from nothing to a million pound turnover in 5 years.

Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
Did a solo parachute jump

Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
Building the company (long story)

Who is your idol?
Jordan B Peterson. Derren Brown a close second.

What would you do if you had a time machine?
Use it to go forward at 10 year intervals to see how things are.

Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Introvert mainly

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Wolverine (schnikt!)

Have any pets?
No

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?
Anything that aids survival like archery. Social deduction games

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):
My co-designer and admin of the Board Game Trading and Chat UK Facebook group, Martin Cubberley.

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

Go for it! Turn your ideas into a reality! (I love Cornwall)




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, August 7, 2018

People Behind The Meeples - Gen Con 2018 Quick Interviews

Welcome to the People Behind the Meeples Gen Con 2018 Quick Interviews. These are just like my regular interviews, only quicker. As I run into other designers I ask them a few quick questions about game design, plus one slightly off the wall question decided by the roll of a d12. I hope you enjoy these!

Unfortunately I didn't get as many interviews as I anticipated at Gen Con. Most of my days were spent demoing games for Thunderworks Games, and then my afternoons and evenings were spent meeting with publishers. This left very little time for conducting interviews, but I did get a few. I even did one video interview! I really liked these quick interviews, so I plan to keep doing them at other events I attend, like Protospiels, meetups, and other conventions.


Daniel Rocchi


Contact: danielrocchi67@hotmail.com

Current Games: Artemis Project with Grand Gamers Guild - hitting Kickstarter on September 12.
Scoundrels with Keymaster Games.

How did you get into game design?
Daniel grew up in a family of five kids, so they were given board games to keep them busy.  They were mostly classic games, like Monopoly until his older brother got him into Dungeons & Dragons and Avalon Hill strategy games.  He then got into Magic the Gathering and started building decks.  That grew into tweaking other games and eventually into designing his own games.

The Die - #7 - If you could be a car, what car would you be?
A VW wagon, but not one of the older ones, one of the new electric ones.  Classic look, modern sensibility.

Patrick Rauland

Contact:  @bftrick on Twitter or at the Indie Board Game Designers podcast.

Current Games: Fry Thief

How did you get into game design?
When Patrick was in college he loved the game Bang and had a great time playing it with friends.  He wanted to be able to recreate that experience for others.

The Die - #8 - If you could choose a theme song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The Final Countdown

Ryan Laukat of Red Raven Games

Contact: @ryanlaukat on Twitter or www.redravengames.com

Current Games: Several unannounced.  Also Sleeping Gods, an open world persistent game with an atlas, like Near & Far.

How did you get into game design?
At around age 12 Ryan started playing CCGs and Rifts.  He then started making his own CCG games and RPG systems.  He's been in the hobby ever since.

The Die - #3 - If there was a machine that produced $100 a day for life, what would you pay for it today?
How much would I be willing to pay or able to pay?  Hmmm...  $50,000.  Wait, is that too much?  No, it's fine.  $50,000.

Dave Harvey of Et Games

Contact: playetgames.com

Current Games: Not his own designs, but Raft and Scupper and he's currently in talks with a designer about publishing his yard game about kingdoms.

How did you get into game design?
Dave had the idea for Pucket and then built a company around it.  Then he decided that he needed to expand the line of games and designed Roller and other games.  He's always loved how games can break the ice and help introduce you to new people.

The Die - #5 - If Hollywood were to make a movie about your life, who would you like to see play the lead role as you?
Charlie Chaplin.  But he's dead.  But I love Charlie Chaplin.

I forgot to get a picture of Breeze
but here's an older one from PAX East 2017.

Breeze Grigas of Zephyr Workshop

Contact: zephyrworkshop@gmail.com

Current Games: AEGIS Combining Robots and Uproot, a new game about tree spaceships.

How did you get into game design?
Breeze went to school for game design and worked in video game studios for a while. He likes medium weight thematic games and decided to do that in a board game medium instead of video games because he could design a board game on his own in months rather than taking years and a big team, like the video games he had been working on.

The Die - #7 - If you could be a car, what car would you be?
A 2001 Hyundai Tiburon - it's the poor man's Porsche!

Chuck Pint of SFR, Inc.


Current Games: Dragon Dice (currently on Kickstarter for a Swamp Stalkers reprint) and Daemon Dice

How did you get into game design?
Chuck was part of the original development team for Dragon Dice and over the years eventually became president of the company. When they originally acquired Dragon Dice there were a number of issues with the ruleset, so he and his team worked to redo a lot of the rules. The battle dice system is currently on it's 4th major revision and is now very solid.

The Die - #1 - Would you rather fight 1 horse-sized duck, or 100 duck sized horses?
I think I'd rather fight 1 horse-sized duck!

Did you like these interviews?  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.


People Behind the Meeples - Episode 132: Mark W. Miller

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:Mark W. Miller
(not the one who invented the hex sheet).
Email:webform@dwarfwar.com
Location:Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Day Job:Software Engineer
Designing:Two to five years.
Webpage:http://www.dwarfwar.com
BGG:Dwarf War
Facebook:Dwarf War
Twitter:@DwarfWar
YouTube:Dwarf War
Instagram:@dwarfwar_moondance
Find my games at:Before the KS Campaign we can make some boards for the intrepid few… If you have a serious game club, send me a note and make your case, I might send you a board.
Today's Interview is with:

Mark W. Miller (not the one who invented the hex sheet).
Interviewed on: 6/14/2018

This week we hear from Mark Miller, a published author and designer of the incredibly eye catching Dwarf War game. Mark is originally from the Chicagoland area, but now hails from Amsterdam. Read on to learn more about Mark and his projects, plus read a bit of his poetry!

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 played a lot of D&D right from the beginning. I have the original three small manuals somewhere and I met Gary Gygax at a GenCon back when it was still in Geneva, WI. I loved the game, and I was usually the DM and crafting the adventures was the best part! I moved to Ireland to go to school and found a new crew and kept going. Eventually my nomadic European lifestyle meant I lost track of a good group of players and stopped. To fill the creative gap I took to writing Fantasy, not really to get it published, but just for the joy of it. There was a chapter in my book, Winter: The Vracken’s Gate, called Dwarf War, wherein two bands of dwarves have a bloody underground war, and I thought myself when I wrote it: "that would make a cool game." I was thinking computer game at the time, and I pondered the idea off and on for twenty years. One night I was playing around with some balsa wood, and I thought why not do a 3D Board Game…underground…and Dwarf War was born. We are now on Mark X of the board and its almost ready for prime time.

What game or games are you currently working on?
Dwarf War! I have a another game, Slice, in the works, but one thing at a time.

Have you designed any games that have been published?
Nope!

What is your day job?
Software Engineer

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

Where do you prefer to play games?
Home

Who do you normally game with?
Friends and Family

If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
I let other people make that decision for me. They are really competent.

And what snacks would you eat?
Raw vegetables. Nachos. Beer, you know, stuff like that.

Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
Yea, but no one else does...

What’s your favorite FLGS?
Friends & Foes

What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
I've never been good with rating. Fun or not fun is the best I can manage.

What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
Roll them bones!

What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
30 Pieces. Problem is, I have not written it yet.

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

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

OK, here's a pretty polarizing game. Do you like and play Cards Against Humanity?
No

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?
They come to me independently.

Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
Nope.

Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
It will always be Gary Gygax, but I’m pretty old.

Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
When I am writing fantasy fiction.

How do you go about playtesting your games?
I try hard to get other people to do it =) But I am still really learning.

Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
A good co-designer is essential. Two heads are better than one, but I do the majority of the details of the design myself. And I outsource that stuff other people do better than me.

What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Ummm. Wait, I know this one… Oh Right! Making fun games.

If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
My own universe, there is no place I love better.

What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
Get busy and stay that way.

What advice would you like to share about designing games?
See above.

Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
I'm planning to crowdfund: Dwarf War
Games I feel are in the final development and tweaking stage are: Dwarf War

Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker’s Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
Not really, still looking for a home.

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?
BetaTrek Adds Life!

What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
Designing 3D TableTop Games, Writing and poetry.

What is something you learned in the last week?
That one can spend any continuous block of time social mediaing.

Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
Stuff I can sing to.

What was the last book you read?
The Futurological Congress.

Do you play any musical instruments?
No, well Garage Band, does that count?

Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I'm 1/4 Angel.

Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
Skied the Sur de Glace in Chamonix, France, on really heavy skis which nearly killed me up in the powder and saved my life down in the ice caverns.

Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
My struggle to find the most amusing answer to this question has failed...

Who is your idol?
Bruce Springsteen. Have you ever noticed just how much fun that guy has on stage?

What would you do if you had a time machine?
It all over again =)

Are you an extrovert or introvert?
An extrovert in my own mind.

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Vertebrate Man

Have any pets?
Two cats, Sonja and Hogan.

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?
The first part is easy, this was already addressed in an episode of Futurama, and if it’s good enough for Al Gore, Gary Gygax, Stephen Hawking and Nichelle Nichols, D&D is good enough for me.

And I wouldn’t change a thing. Mankind is awesome and most of what we do is beautiful. The thing is our brains are really difference engines and once you get that, you realize we will always be halfway between Heaven and Hell. It’s not about what’s happening in the world, it’s about how you choose to cope with it.

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):
37 years ago a friend of mine, Tim Townley, hung himself in a jail cell. He was 19 years old, high on acid and locked away down in the basement of a cop shop in Oak Park, Illinois. He hadn’t done anything really wrong. He was a keen D&D player and his main character was Hogan Ironshield the king of a Dwarven Country. I used Hogan in my book and much of the inspiration for Dwarf War came from that character. Anyway, my shout out is to Tim, wherever you are.

I like to write poetry as well, and a few years back I wrote this about the whole non-stop gaming thing and that ugly pointless incident:

Stallions in the Quasar

Streams of light,
Filled our nights,
Some mother’s house a ghost,
We saw a path,
We did the math,
We rolled a mighty host.
We sought to believe,
To pound the weave,
Heavin' heavy,
We sundered the stars,
A bloom of youth,
In need of proof,
Fresh stallions in the quasar.

A crystal of rage,
We wrote on the page,
A thundering cannonade,
We slipped,
We slayed,
We were at play,
A barley-hopped charade.
When lightning struck,
No need for luck,
As the minstrel strummed his song.
Forgin' annealed tempered steel,
Bringin' it down hard,
A rumblin’ tumblin' cavalcade,
Spillin' out across the yard.

A smoke,
A toke,
A mushroom cloak,
Dreams from the local bazaar.
Shruggin' off real,
Just tryin’ to feel,
Always goin' too far.
Fine paranoia,
Swinging sequoia,
Pull the shades,
Turn up the guitar,
Keep firin' out words,
Ignore the damn birds,
We were
The Stallions in the Quasar.

A brace of blades,
A hand of Spades,
Just stabbin' in the dark,
We left no sign,
Blew past the line,
And did not miss the mark.
When we clicked,
We sure were quick,
With an agile turn of phrase.
We shouldn’t,
We couldn’t,
But no way we wouldn’t,
Unwind in an epic haze.
The dogs they won’t find us,
The cats they don’t mind us,
Cool how they fight in a pile.
We stressed up the big view,
Us guys with the new clue,
Certain we did it with style.

...

But somehow we lost one,
The kid had his shoes on!
His hell was all he could see.
Down in that cell block,
He punched out his own clock,
The things we do to get free.
His axe it had failed,
His mates they had bailed,
His darling screwed loose,
and off-center.
The dice said: Two zeros,
Scratch out: One hero,
And what’s left is:
“Speak Friend and Enter.”

Down on respect,
And down on the deck,
As Nero fiddled with zeal,
Sack laden grease jacks
Led you down wrong tracks,
Bad news, when your ship has no keel.
Someone was missing,
We all just went fishing,
Played pinball in a Chicago-town bar,
The numbers are in,
We learned nothing of sin,
Following bread crumbs through the bizarre.
A magnificent wreck,
But whaddya expect?
From some stallions in the quasar.

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

Designing table-top games is the funnest thing I do alone.




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.