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: | Carl Dean Cox |
|---|---|
| Email: | carl.dean.cox@gmail.com |
| Location: | Mexico City |
| Day Job: | Game designer |
| Designing: | Two to five years. |
| Webpage: | seeforevergames.com |
| Blog: | seeforevergames.com/blog |
| BGG: | Carl Dean Cox |
| Facebook: | Carl Dean Cox |
| Twitter: | @seeforevergames |
| YouTube: | Carl Cox |
| Instagram: | @seeforevergames |
| Other: | https://open.spotify.com/artist/093vSL01pxClwuqBDkb9u0 |
Carl Dean Cox
Interviewed on: 7/15/2020
This week's interview is with Carl Dean Cox, game designer and musician from Mexico. Together with his brother, Carl is designing a game called Cybermancy, which he plans to fund on Kickstarter through his company, See Forever Games. Read on to learn more about Carl and how he designs games.
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?
To create the games that I want to play but that don't exist yet.
What game or games are you currently working on?
Alchemy (a deck-building game)
What is your day job?
Game designer
Your Gaming Tastes
My readers would like to know more about you as a gamer.
Where do you prefer to play games?
At home
Who do you normally game with?
Family and friends.
If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
Scythe.
And what snacks would you eat?
Tacos al pastor.
Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
Progressive rock.
What’s your favorite FLGS?
I don't have one.
What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Favorite: Scythe; Least Favorite that still enjoy: Don't have one; Worst: Crocodile Pool Party
What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
Favorite: Engine building; Least Favorite: Area control
What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
Dungeon Petz
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, 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?
The theme drives the mechanics.
Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
No.
Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
Emerson Matsuuchi.
Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
Taking walks.
How do you go about playtesting your games?
Computer simulation, then live testing with humans.
Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
With a team.
What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Being as creative as possible.
If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
The Reckoners.
What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
Be yourself; don't try to imitate others.
What advice would you like to share about designing games?
Just do it!
Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
I'm planning to crowdfund:
Cybermancy.
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?
Songwriting, singing, fiction writing
What is something you learned in the last week?
That H.P. Lovecraft was married.
Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
Progressive rock, fantasy, horror.
What was the last book you read?
If It Bleeds, Stephen King
Do you play any musical instruments?
guitar, piano, bassoon, flute, saxophone
Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I'm six foot six and suck at basketball.
Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
Moved to Mexico 32 years ago and never left.
Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
Found out that my best friend was in love with me, married her.
Who is your idol?
Ian Anderson.
What would you do if you had a time machine?
Go back to investigate unsolved crimes.
Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Introvert (INFP)
If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Dr. Strange
Have any pets?
2 dogs: Olivia and Coco.
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?
Survive: Board games; Wiped out: racism
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):
Stephen King: thanks for all the books!
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
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