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: | Francesca Terranova |
|---|---|
| Email: | francesca.terranova@tabletopsystems.it |
| Location: | Italy |
| Day Job: | I text the game(s) I'm working on to improve them, playtest, paint game components, collaborate with artists to improve the design of game components and related graphics, write posts on national and international groups to inform people of the games we are preparing and news related to them, contact journalists and reviewers, ... |
| Designing: | Over ten years! |
| Webpage: | www.thedruidmaster.com www.mechatop.com |
| Find my games at: | People can find Mechatop on Backerkit, the link here is in www.mechatop.com While The Druid Master will be available on Kickstarter (at a super discounted price) in the summer and finished the campaign on the site www.thedruidmaster.com |
Francesca Terranova
Interviewed on: 5/18/2021
Francesca Terranova is a designer from Italy who has worked on the Mechatop project that lets you use your very own mech models in a tactical battle format. She's also working on The Druid Master, which should be on Kickstarter soon. She's also a painter and life coach. Read on to learn more about Francesca and what she's working on now!
Some Basics
Tell me a bit about yourself.
How long have you been designing tabletop games?
Over ten years!
Why did you start designing tabletop games?
Because to me, role-playing games are a set of tools and permission for anyone to create their own stories, their own level of knowledge...and there aren't many forms of media out there that are such an invitation. Those who buy a role-playing game must and can, through it, create overwhelming stories, and they are for everyone...role-playing, after all, is what you make of it.
What game or games are you currently working on?
Continuation of the Saga of Mechatop and The Druid Master.
Have you designed any games that have been published?
Yes, Mechatop, was founded on Kickstarter last year.
What is your day job?
I text the game(s) I'm working on to improve them, playtest, paint game components, collaborate with artists to improve the design of game components and related graphics, write posts on national and international groups to inform people of the games we are preparing and news related to them, contact journalists and reviewers ...
Your Gaming Tastes
My readers would like to know more about you as a gamer.
Where do you prefer to play games?
I prefer to play at home
Who do you normally game with?
With my friends and playtest partners
If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
To the games we have created Mechatop and The Druid Master
And what snacks would you eat?
Spicy Potatoes
Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
No, no music
What’s your favorite FLGS?
Imola the shop "The Toy"
What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Favorite is The Druid Master, least favorite is Monopoly, worst is Warhammer
What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
Deck building, least favorite is King of the Hill
What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
Batman
What styles of games do you play?
I like to play
Board Games, Card Games, Miniatures Games
Do you design different styles of games than what you play?
I like to design
Board Games, Card Games, Miniatures 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?
When we design a game it's like magic, a story comes to mind, like in a dream where anything is possible...hard to explain...or we start with the purpose we want the game to have and build on that.
Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
Never participated, we did the Kickstarter last year for the first time.
Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
Paolo Parente as a push to create, to try ...
Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
The best ideas happen during the night while we are sleeping, or when we are doing something else, like shopping or driving the car... it happens for no apparent reason, it comes like an energy that has to be listened to...
How do you go about playtesting your games?
We test games with experienced players, we do endless playtests.
Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
I like to work with artists, and close colleagues to improve and create new game content,...
What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
The biggest challenge is to create board games where people can liberate themselves, learn about new aspects of themselves, discover what their life mission is and act on it, play new roles of themselves to bring them into everyday life, create relationships between people, make the miracle happen that happens when people physically join together, that is when they discover that together we are stronger,...gaming for me improves life, so playing is vital...
If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
A game only about Gundams
What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
I wish someone would have told me that advertising on your own created game is really difficult as well as onerous.
What advice would you like to share about designing games?
My advice is to consider that everything is possible when creating a game, that is, don't put limits on yourself, you'll have to think about them in the future...
Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
Published games, I have:
Mechatop
I'm planning to crowdfund:
The Druid Master on Kickstarter this summer
Games I feel are in the final development and tweaking stage are:
We did the Kickstarter for Mechatop last year that was funded, we are continuing to create new content for it so that in January 2022 (or even earlier) we can get back on Kickstarter for Mechatop news.
Games that I'm playtesting are:
The continuation of both Mechatop and The Druid Master.
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?
Studying new methods of helping people (I am a Coach, graduated in Psychology,...), painting surrealist style, playing anything, sleeping, eating things never eaten before, visiting old houses, walking in the woods,...
What is something you learned in the last week?
In the last week I finally learned not to talk back when I'm nervous, wait (so I've been working on this forever but it's in the last week that I've been able to make the leap!).
Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
Classical, club and modern music. Personal growth books. Introspective movies.
What was the last book you read?
I re-read a book by Louise "Hay Heal your life", of which I am a Teacher.
Do you play any musical instruments?
Strumming the piano.
Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
Love to spend hours in silence.
Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
The craziest thing I've done was to change cities, without being ready, so I spent many years in a city without living it because my mind lived in the city I left...
Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
Every time I paint I get "wrong" and that's how things that are "beautiful" to me are born.
Who is your idol?
I have no idols.
What would you do if you had a time machine?
I wouldn't use a time machine because everything goes exactly as it should, everything is perfect.
Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Both, introverted but also extroverted.
If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Maybe Harley Quinn, or maybe Batman, or maybe a Witch, but in the end what I really want is to be the best version of myself!
Have any pets?
I don't have any pets, but I have had a wonderful black cat and hope to have another cat soon....
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 wish our created games Mechatop, The Druid Master, but also Monopoly would survive. I wish that asteroid would erase in our collective minds and hearts the fear of being wrong, the punishment for mistakes made, the difficulty in forgiving and forgiving each other!
Just a Bit More
Thanks for answering all my crazy questions!
Is there anything else you'd like to tell my readers?
My message is err, celebrate your mistakes, forgive and forgive!
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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