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.
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| 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 |
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
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