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: | Angel Arias |
|---|---|
| Email: | angelgamedesign@gmail.com |
| Location: | Mexico |
| Day Job: | Wake up, Breakfast, Work on design, Work on web page, Play, Eat, and almost repeat and repeat :D |
| Designing: | One to two years. |
| Webpage: | www.mementomelody.com |
| BGG: | angelgamedesign |
| Facebook: | Memento Melody Studios |
| Twitter: | @mementomelody |
| Instagram: | @mementomelody |
| Find my games at: | In Mexico ;) |
Angel Arias
Interviewed on: 7/12/2018
Today we get to meet Angel Arias, a designer from Mexico with a bunch of projects in the works. Read on to learn more about Angel and be sure to check out Memento Melody to follow along with all his projects.
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?
I love how boardgames make people connect and communicate
What game or games are you currently working on?
It's still secret ;)
Have you designed any games that have been published?
Not yet
What is your day job?
Wake up, Breakfast, Work on design, Work on web page, Play, Eat, and almost repeat and repeat :D
Your Gaming Tastes
My readers would like to know more about you as a gamer.
Where do you prefer to play games?
In home or silent places
Who do you normally game with?
My best friend and people I just met
If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
We would like to play party games (PC or Boardgames) or play outside in the garden, like tag or something like that.
And what snacks would you eat?
Chips and some fruit
Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
Always, something according the mood of the game
What’s your favorite FLGS?
Quantum Shop
What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
My favorite game is Pandemic, I don't have a least favorite yet and the worst it would be Mr. Game hahaha
What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
My favorite is the Pandemic one of the form of shuffling cards and the least the one "Do your own rules" of poor designed games
What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
Tokaido and Pandemic, also Flash Point
What styles of games do you play?
I like to play
Board Games, Card Games, Video Games, Other Games?
Do you design different styles of games than what you play?
I like to design
Board Games, Card Games, Other 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?
I came first with the idea of "What it would be interesting as an scenario or a problem?", then I see the theme or mechanics; but I always explore "How to make the life more interesting by adding a challenging problem?"
Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
Not yet, but I will
Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
I think it would be Antoine Bauza and Matt Leacock
Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
Sometimes when I bored and I ask to myself "How to make the life more interesting by adding a challenging problem?" and also when I see something interesting in the dairy life or in internet, that would be something entertaining for me.
How do you go about playtesting your games?
I do them on cardboard the more fastest I can and play it with my best friend or by myself, and I do simple designs so if I want to change something it's very easy. Also I do use a lots of colors and shapes to skip the writing.
Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
I prefer work alone in the designing mechanisms part and the other parts that involves the boardgame are better in team; at least for me
What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
To design a game without flaws, and reach a lot of audience/gamers
If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
I think it would be Narnia, maybe
What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
That you can make a living from it
What advice would you like to share about designing games?
Think about the experience you want your gamers to feel and live, that is the central point of all of this.
Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
Currently looking for a publisher I have:
Secret ;)
I'm planning to crowdfund:
Secret ;)
Games I feel are in the final development and tweaking stage are:
Secret ;)
Games that I'm playtesting are:
Secret ;)
Games that are in the early stages of development and beta testing are:
Secret ;)
And games that are still in the very early idea phase are:
Secret ;)
Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker’s Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
Boardgame Design Lab Community, Boardgame Geek
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, VHS
What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
I sing
Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
New Age, K-pop; Fantasy Genre; Art Movies
What was the last book you read?
The name of the wind
Do you play any musical instruments?
No
Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I'm an actor and an opera singer
Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
I'm very calm person, I don't do crazy stuff haha
Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
I can't think about one
Who is your idol?
Ben Barnes
What would you do if you had a time machine?
I would tell to myself to work on boardgames sooner
Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Introvert
If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Maybe Thor
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?
I think Pandemic should survive and Mr. Game and all that nasty games should be vanished.
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):
Hey visit www.mementomelody.com for more information about or boardgames and music projects.
Just a Bit More
Thanks for answering all my crazy questions! Is there anything else you'd like to tell my readers?
Follow us and share our social media :D It would help us a lot; also give to us your opinions and comments about our projects and web site.
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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