Friday, June 28, 2019

Eye on Kickstarter #68


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 related reviews or interviews 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 2019 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 June, 2019:



HIGHLIGHTED CAMPAIGN
Roll Player: Fiends and Familiars
  • GJJ Games Backed
  • People Behind the Meeples Interview
  • I first encountered Roll Player at Protospiel Madison in 2015 and immediately fell in love with the game. Since then I've excitedly followed along with the development of the first expansion, Monsters and Minions, this Fiends and Familiars expansion, and several other games set in the Roll Player universe (Lockup, Cartographers, and Adventures). The world that Keith is creating is incredibly rich and immersive and the games set in the world are amazing. I loved Roll Player as a stand-alone game. Monsters and Minions added so much more to the game, without bogging it down or adding too much complexity. Fiends and Familiars does the same thing - adds new layers without bogging the game down. It's rare that I feel the need to get expansions for games, but with Roll Player I can't imagine playing without them, even though without them I felt the game was awesome and didn't need anything more. That's a rare target to hit and Roll Player succeeds incredibly!


Roll Player: Fiends & Familiars is the exciting second expansion to the critically acclaimed Roll Player -- the dice game that builds character!

In Roll Player: Fiends & Familiars, players compete to construct the greatest fantasy characters, now with the help of Familiars and the hindrance of Fiends.

Familiars lend unique powers to their keepers, and along with new goods in the market, offer hope. But all the while, malicious Fiends torment the players with new obstacles.

Prepare for a showdown against an all new onslaught of Monsters and earn Reputation Stars by banishing their minions while developing your hero. Prove that your character with your familiar is the greatest champion of Nalos!





Empty Space Explorers
  • People Behind the Meeples Interview
  • Check out this fun looking game about exploring space! Explore planets, moons, stars, nebulas, galaxies, and more, all while avoiding the black holes. I love the theme here and the gameplay looks simple, yet intriguing. Plus the game is chock full of gorgeous, real space imagery.


Endeavor: Age of Expansion
  • This is the first expansion for the very well received Endeavor that was a huge success on Kickstarter last year. Just like the base game, this is gorgeously produced and looks to add some new interesting features to the base game.


Darwinauts
  • I'm used to seeing tiny 18-card games from Green Couch Games, so I was a little surprised when I saw Darwinauts, which has a lot more than 18 cards. This looks like a fun tile laying, resource game with a cool theme and beautiful artwork, so check it out!


The Damsel's Tale
  • People Behind the Meeples Interview
  • The Damsel's Tale was on Kickstarter last year as part of a set of games called the Tinderbox Tales. That didn't work out, so now the three games will be separate campaigns. The Damsel's Tale is a two-player hand management game that only uses 18 cards, a small game board, and a few components. It's a head-to-head battle of wits between the knight and dragon players.


Outburst Game Tables
  • GJJ Games Review - Coming Soon
  • It's not often I get a chance to review a game table, but I have a review of the Outburst tables coming soon. They're probably the only game tables I'll ever get a chance to review, and they're small enough to fit on my game shelf. These are novelty tables laser cut from premium plywood that are a silly little accessory that you can bring to game night so people have a table to flip to let out their frustrations without upsetting the whole game.

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Enter to Win Lucidity: Six-Sided Nightmares! GJJ Games Celebrates 5 Years!

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Five years ago I started GJJ Games in order to both keep track of my own game designs and to review games I've played.  Over the last five years I've enjoyed an incredible journey through the board gaming community, met a bunch of wonderful people, and have grown tremendously.  I've continued to document my own game designs and review games, and I've added in People Behind the Meeples interviews with other designers, press releases, my Eye on Kickstarter series, annual top new-to-me games lists, annual top prototypes & Kickstarter previews lists, unboxings, and more!  July 2019 marks my 5 year anniversary running GJJ Games and I look forward to many more awesome years!

To celebrate 5 Years of GJJ Games, I invite you to enter this giveaway for a copy of Lucidity: Six-Sided Elements (or a $20 Gift Card to an online game retailer of your choice).  This is a great press-your-luck dice game with incredible artwork and fast, fun gameplay.  If you'd like to see more giveaways of great games, please consider supporting me on Patreon.  I'll share another giveaway every time I earn $100!

5 Years of GJJ Games! Win Lucidity: Six-Sided Elements!




Did you like this giveaway?  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.



Press Release: Roll Player: Fiends & Familiars Launches on Kickstarter

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Roll Player: Fiends & Familiars
Launches on 
Kickstarter

 

Fiends & Familiars is the exciting second expansion to the critically acclaimed Roll Player -- the dice game that builds character!


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2019

Madison, WI – This morning, Thunderworks Games launched Roll Player: Fiends & Familars on Kickstarter. Fiends & Familiars is the 2nd expansion to the critically acclaimed Roll Player game of fantasy character creation and will be Thunderworks Games' seventh published title.

In Roll Player: Fiends & Familiars, players draft dice and compete to construct the greatest fantasy characters with the help of Familiars and the hindrance of Fiends. The addition of 15 Split Dice -- dice that feature two colors instead of one -- creates even more interesting choices during the Dice Phase.

Familiars lend unique powers to their keepers, and 32 new Market Cards help adventurers on their journey. Meanwhile, 20 malicious Fiends torment players with new obstacles, and a host of 6 new Monsters and 20 Minions provide even more challenges!

This Kickstarter even features a Big Box Option, which is large enough to store the base game and both expansions, including the previously-released wooden insert and a future insert for Fiends & Familiars.

Roll Player: Fiends & Familiars will be Thunderworks Games’ seventh published title behind other titles, including Cartographers: A Roll Player Tale; Lockup: A Roll Player Tale; Dual Powers: Revolution 1917; Roll Player: Monsters & Minions; Roll Player, and Bullfrogs.

Designer: Keith Matejka
Development: John Brieger, Dale Rowe, Matthew Bown
Graphic Design: Luis Francisco
Illustrations: Lucas Ribeiro, John Ariosa
Editor: Dustin Schwartz
 
What People are Saying
 
"If Roll Player was a college degree, Fiends & Familiars is a doctorate! This expansion really changes the path to victory in a big way without losing the core of what makes the game so fun! Plus, PETS!" 
- Vaughn Reynolds, I'm A Social Gamer 


"Fiends & Familiars is the perfect expansion. The decisions the split dice provide, along with your familiar, allow players to manipulate their characters to an even greater degree."
- Derek Funkhouser, Board Game Spotlight

Additional Images and Information Available on our Website

If you would like to learn more about Roll Player: Fiends & Familiars, visit our Thunderworks Games page dedicated to the game!


Did you like this press release?  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 177: The Collins Family

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:Collins Family (but Dad is answering)
Email:emptyspaceexplorers@outlook.com
Location:UK
Day Job:Students and Healthcare employees
Designing:One to two years.
Webpage:www.emptyspaceexplorers.com
Blog:www.emptyspaceexplorers.com/blog
Facebook:Empty Space Explorers Game
Twitter:@da_enyo
Instagram:@emptyspaceexplorers
Find my games at:www.emptyspaceexplorers.com
Today's Interview is with:

Collins Family (but Dad is answering)
Interviewed on: 1/11/2019

This week I'm happy to introduce you to the Collins Family! Together they've been playing and designing games for the past few years. Over the last two years Peter and his 12 and 14 year old daughters have designed Empty Space Explorers. This is their first game available, so look for it on Kickstarter now!

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?
We started in 2016.
What game or games are you currently working on?
A game called Jungoals and a game called Empty Space Explorers
Have you designed any games that have been published?
Empty Space Explorers will be on Kickstarter on June 26th!
What is your day job?
Students and Healthcare employees

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

Where do you prefer to play games?
On a tropical beach at sunset with cocktails (and mocktails for the kids with little umbrellas and strawberries on top) but usually it ends up being the kitchen in England
Who do you normally game with?
Extended family
If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
A mix of dexterity, quiz and strategy games to keep everybody engaged
And what snacks would you eat?
Chips, olives, chocolate, candy, sausages, pizza, nachos, burgers, carrot sticks, celery, cucumber with dips and a large bucket of caramel popcorn
Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
Yes to try to drown out the tapping, whistling, humming, mouth popping and another annoying habits we have when waiting for our turn
What’s your favorite FLGS?
We don't have any near where we live but I do love that one near Camden Lock in London, you know the one I mean, next to the canal and opposite the Hot Dog shack, that looks like it wouldn't be out of place in a Charles Dickens novel or should be on a quaint picture postcard - I'll have to google it.
What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Played Perudo at Christmas with 10 people and had a lot of fun. I always pull a face at Guillotine but once we get going I still kinda enjoy it. Worst game was Chrononauts -we just didn't get it!
What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
Love worker placement. Don't have a least favourite as enjoy a mix of mechanics.
What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
Civilisation - the board game. The thought of a 12 hour marathon game sends my wife running...
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
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?
We love Space so games always start with this but sometimes they morph
Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
We are going to enter Cardboard Edison hopefully this year
Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
We like to mix things up so we don't get drawn to the same type of games/branding/mechanics
Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
Strolling in the beautiful English countryside
How do you go about playtesting your games?
Start small then expand out to blind testing
Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
As a family making decisions (and yes that is probably harder to come up with a consensus than working with a whole team of designers and artists)
What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Getting the word out amongst all the other designers
If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
It would have to be about the Football World Cup
What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
Just do it. Stop reading and procrastinating, just do it!
What advice would you like to share about designing games?
Just do it. Stop reading and procrastinating, just do it!
Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
Games that will soon be published are: Empty Space Explorers
This is what I have currently crowdfunding: Empty Space Explorers
Games I feel are in the final development and tweaking stage are: Jungoals

Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker’s Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
Loads of gaming and astronomy groups. Also, Peter is the admin for 'Kickstarter Collaborators Club'

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?
Trek Wars. Diet either. Had both Betamax and VHS but you know what was the funniest thing we had with our first VHS recorder? It was a remote control (which we thought was amazing) but it was a wired remote control! It wouldn't actually reach from the TV to the armchair - but we still thought it was the coolest Star Trek like technology back then!
What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
Astronomy, Dancing, Diving, Scuba, Tennis, Football (that's not just me by the way, that's the whole family otherwise I wouldn't have time for game design)
What is something you learned in the last week?
A day on Venus is longer than a year
Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
Vinyl, Paper and in the Cinema
What was the last book you read?
Wonders of the Solar System and Universe by Professor Brian Cox
Do you play any musical instruments?
Pee-an-oh
Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
We have visited more countries than there are years in this century
Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
We tracked Orangutans alone in the rain forests of Borneo using the state of disarray of the nests they built in the treetops as a guide (they build a new one each night and abandon it) and eventually came across a mother and baby, so cute but crazy as we nearly got lost.
Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
Daughter number 1 (only joking!)
Who is your idol?
Brian Cox
What would you do if you had a time machine?
Go forward in time as far as I could
Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Some of us are in and some of us are ex
If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Oooh, good question, let me think about that one
Have any pets?
Yep, Flower the cat (and the various creatures she brings in)
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?
Would love Civilization the board game to survive. Would love mental health issues to be wiped out of our brains.
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):
Nah!


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.

Monday, June 24, 2019

Less than 48 hours to back Company of Heroes

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If you haven't backed it yet, you have under 48 hours left to get in on Company of Heroes the Board Game on Kickstarter

This World War II board game captures the drama and excitement of the beloved Company of Heroes video games. The video games, originally inspired by the memoirs of veterans as well as the Band of Brothers HBO series were developed by Relic Entertainment and published by SEGA.

The project is a dream come true for Bad Crow Games, who developed the board game. Spearheaded by Colonel Bryan Green (retired, 2018) the team is comprised entirely of US Army veterans. As long-time fans of the Company of Heroes series and World War 2 strategy games, they have faithfully adapted their favorite mechanics and experiences into this beautifully crafted board game.




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.



Tuesday, June 18, 2019

People Behind the Meeples - Episode 176: Danielle Marie Reynolds

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:Danielle Marie Reynolds
Email:danielle.reynolds@dmrcreativegroup.com
Location:Chicago Area, IL, USA
Day Job:I work as a Marketing Coordinator at Williams Architects full-time and as a Graphic Design/Social Media Coordinator for the Neurofibromatosis Network.
Designing:Six months to a year.
Webpage:https://www.dmrcreativegroup.com/games
Blog:https://www.dmrcreativegroup.com/blog-1
BGG:Danielle Reynolds
Facebook:www.facebook.com/NutStashGame
Instagram:@daniellebatgirl
Other:https://tabletopia.com/games/curbside
Find my games at:https://tabletopia.com/games/curbside
Today's Interview is with:

Danielle Marie Reynolds
Interviewed on: 1/13/2019

Danielle Reynolds is another designer that's fairly local to me. She's from the Chicago area and is currently running a Kickstarter for her first game, Nut Stash. Danielle has a number of other games in the works, too, including Curbside, which she recently playtested at her first Protospiel event in Indianapolis last month. I look forward to meeting Danielle at a local designer meetup someday. Read on to learn more about Danielle and the variety of projects she's working on!

Some Basics
Tell me a bit about yourself.

How long have you been designing tabletop games?
Six months to a year.

Why did you start designing tabletop games?
I've been making games since I was a little kid. It wasn't until I graduated college and started doing freelance graphic design jobs for game companies that I realized I could make games for more people than just myself, friends and family. Over the past year I have designed my first game and am working towards my first Kickstarter. Thanks to many supportive friends in the industry I am researching and preparing to launch in 2019!

What game or games are you currently working on?
Currently, I am finishing up a Kickstarter for a card and dice game called "Nut Stash" that I designed. I am in the pitching and tweaking stage of my game "Curbside" that I hope to release through another publisher in the next year or so. Beyond that I have two games submitted to design competitions and a few others in the works.

Have you designed any games that have been published?
Nut Stash will be my first published game. It is currently on Kickstarter until July 4th and can be found at www.kickstarter.com/projects/nutstash/nut-stash.

What is your day job?
I work as a Marketing Coordinator at Williams Architects full-time and as a Graphic Design/Social Media Coordinator for the Neurofibromatosis Network.

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

Where do you prefer to play games?
I have a weekly game night Friday nights at my house. I prefer my home but love gaming conventions as well. If I'm playtesting games I go to one of my two local meet-up groups.

Who do you normally game with?
Typically, I game with my fiancé, friends, local game designers and board game meet-up groups.

If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
Depending on the number of people over is what we play. Recently, I've had larger game nights so we've been playing a lot of social deduction games and party games. With smaller groups we have been playing a lot of strategy games with tile placement and deck builders recently.

And what snacks would you eat?
This past game night featured cheesy bread and popcorn chicken. Normally we have some sort of chip and dip. Also, pizza or some other heavier appetizer. Everyone brings their own drinks.

Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
My friends are too easily distracted so we don't play music while gaming.

What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
I don't have a current favorite game but every holiday my family plays Loaded Questions so that game holds a special place in my heart. I have recently been playing a lot of Dominion, Flamme Rouge and Gaia. My least favorite game I played recently was Fox in the Forest which was unfortunate because the illustrations were great. I can't remember the worst game but for years I avoided every spelling game since I always lost.

What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
I love any game with tiles in it. They pull my attention in. I'm not a fan of trading card games anymore. I use to love Pokemon but Magic never interested me.

What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
I love playing Settlers of Catan and I just got Catan Game of Thrones Edition but I never have the right amount of players to play it. I've only been able to play it twice.

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

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?
Typically it's the theme then mechanics. Creative themes come easily but finding unique mechanics takes longer for me.

Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
I entered my first design competition for Genius Games to design a game about Caffeine with my co-designer Ryan Costello. I am also working on a roll and write for another competition.

Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
My friend Ryan Costello of Blind Ferret Entertainment is my favorite designer but that's because he's my best friend and idol. He took a passion and made it a full-time job.

Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
My best ideas come at completely random times. I like having people to bounce them off of to fine tune them.

How do you go about playtesting your games?
I start with anyone in my house then grab friends. After getting their opinions I go to conventions, meet-ups, local game designer groups, and game shop events to playtest.

Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
Depending on the project I may work alone or bring in an artist if my skills don't fit the look I want for the game. I enjoyed my first experience co-designing.

What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Figuring out how to market the game to the right backers as well as shipping/production.

If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
I have some good ideas for a twister spin off I'd love to explore. As far as television/movies I'd love to work with DC or Marvel Comics on a game. My game Nut Stash would work great with a Marvel's Squirrel edition.

What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
Write down any half way decent idea and work on a small project first to test the waters.

What advice would you like to share about designing games?
Sometimes you need to take a break from designing your game, especially during the art phase. That way you get a fresh pair of eyes on it.

Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
Games that will soon be published are: Nut Stash 2019, Curbside 2020
This is what I have currently crowdfunding: Nut Stash at www.kickstarter.com/projects/nutstash/nut-stash/
Currently looking for a publisher I have: Curbside at https://www.dmrcreativegroup.com/curbside
I'm planning to crowdfund: Nut Stash 2019
Games I feel are in the final development and tweaking stage are: Nut Stash
Games that I'm playtesting are: Curbside, Caffeine
Games that are in the early stages of development and beta testing are: Excursions, Forecast
And games that are still in the very early idea phase are: A Heist Game, a Christmas Themed Game, a Daycare Game (No Titles yet)

Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker’s Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
Tabletop Game Kickstarter Advice, Board Game Reviewers & Media, Game Retailers Who Back Kickstarters

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 if I have to choose, VHS

What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
I travel, volunteer, play whirlyball, read and stream shows/movies.

What is something you learned in the last week?
Origins is an amazing Convention!

Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
My favorite is probably Pop or Rock. My favorite book is the Count of Monte Cristo but I love most Fiction books.Right now I mainly read Marvel's Runaway comics because I have no free time. I don't have a favorite movie. That would be like choosing a favorite child.

What was the last book you read?
The first Game of Thrones book.

Do you play any musical instruments?
I use to play clarinet when I was younger.

Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I can speak like Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
I once made snow angels in shorts and a tank top.

Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
The best accident was coming back to my apartment early because my friend was running late to go to the mall. Since I went home to wait I was able to meet my roommates new friend Jessa. Now she's my fiancé.

Who is your idol?
For the longest time Lois Lane (fictional character from Superman) was my idol. She was a human with no super powers that I felt was an equal to Superman. She was always sure of herself, adventurous and always willing to do the right thing.

What would you do if you had a time machine?
Nothing. As much as I'd love to view the past. I'm too afraid of the butterfly effect.

Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Extrovert

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Supergirl! She has the best powers and our earth doesn't have Kryptonite, the red sun or magic to stop her.

Have any pets?
I have three cats: Nova, Sansa and Banshee.

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?
My guess is any game that doesn't use paper may survive. I hope snakes don't survive, they are my least favorite thing in the world.

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):
Ryan Costello

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

I am currently submitting Curbside to publishers and will be at GenCon if anyone is interested. I will be in the First Exposure Hall.




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, June 15, 2019

Eye on Kickstarter #67


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 related reviews or interviews 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 2019 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 June, 2019:

Live Campaigns from Past Eyes:
Mammoth


HIGHLIGHTED CAMPAIGN
Afternova
  • I was fortunate enough to play Afternova at Protospiel Milwaukee in April with Andrew Nerger, one of the designers. They were trying a variant that didn't quite work out they way they'd have liked, but the game was still pretty interesting. The main way to play (which is described in the Kickstarter) looks much better than the variant I played at Protospiel. It still has all the good parts, but streamlines the rough parts. The last game by Andrew Nerger and Jeffrey Chin was Crypt, which has quickly become my favorite game of 2019 so far, so I'm very interested to see where Afternova goes.


In the aftermath of a supernova, form uneasy truces with your competitors to extract resources from unstable planets.

Afternova is a negotiation game for 3 to 6 players with easy-to-learn rules and highly interactive gameplay. Plus, its compact size makes it easy to put in your bag and take it anywhere!





Company of Heroes Board Game
  • Company of Heroes was a great WWII strategy video game and now it's a board game with all the strategy of the original. It features a streamlined combat system that's (mostly) diceless (dice are used for status, upgrade, and effect indicators), interesting tactical and strategic decisions, and a whole ton of awesome components, including great looking WWII miniatures from US, German, British, and Soviet forces. If you're looking for a WWII game, this one looks awesome.


Stockpile: Illicit Investments
  • Stockpile is known as one of the best stock market games available and this campaign brings the base game, Continuing Corruption expansion, and the new Illicit Investments expansion to Kickstarter for a great price! Illicit Investments adds new investment strategies to the game without adding a lot of game rules overhead.


Exploration
  • This is Exploration's second time on Kickstarter. Last time it made the top spot in my Eye on Kickstarter, but the campaign just didn't take off. Now it's back with some updates and has taken off. It's already funded and knocking out stretch goals. Check this one out if you're interested in space themed 4x game. The artwork is great and the gameplay looks interesting.


Dwarven Miner - Reforged
  • I've been very happy with all the games I have from Rather Dashing Games and Dwarven Miner is one of their classics. It's back now, with some updates, including artwork from Larry Elmore, an amazing fantasy artist. Years ago I used to collect artist trading cards (like baseball cards, but nerdier), and Larry Elmore was one of the artists I collected. His artwork really stands out in this game.


Sovereign Skies
  • Another space themed resource management and area control game, Sovereign Skies has some interesting mechanics and a cool modular board that should keep the game interesting and different for quite a few plays.


Dungeon Drop
  • Dungeon Drop is a light dungeon crawler that's different every time you play! At the beginning of the game, and throughout the game, cubes are dropped into the playing area. These cubes represent treasure, mosters, and more that you can collect by creating rooms formed by black pillar cubes in the playing area.