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: | Chuck White |
|---|---|
| Email: | T3chxplorer@gmail.com |
| Location: | United States |
| Day Job: | Software Analyst |
| Designing: | Six months to a year. |
| Facebook: | Robot Boxing League |
| Instagram: | @T3chxplorer |
| Other: | Discord: http://www.discord.com/invite/mQMPdDSrtZ |
| Find my games at: | Tabletop Simulator - it is not open to the public yet so just message me and I will run a game! |
Chuck White
Interviewed on: 7/7/2021
Today I'd like to introduce you to a newer designer. Chuck White is working on his game, Robot Boxing League; an arena fighting deck-builder where robots battle it out and upgrade between battles. Be sure to follow along to see how the game develops!
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?
Bucket list and something to show my future children
What game or games are you currently working on?
Robot Boxing League
Have you designed any games that have been published?
no
What is your day job?
Software Analyst
Your Gaming Tastes
My readers would like to know more about you as a gamer.
Where do you prefer to play games?
Cons and my house
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?
Wingspan, Moonrakers, endogenesis
And what snacks would you eat?
usually chips and pizza
Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
yes usually party style music or hip hop
What’s your favorite FLGS?
Top Deck
What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Endogenesis is my current favorite,
Least favorite is scrabble,
I do not have a worst at the moment.
What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
I love deck building and do not like bluffing games
What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
Hexploreit
What styles of games do you play?
I like to play
Board Games, Card Games, Miniatures Games, RPG Games, Video 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?
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 prefer coming up with a theme first build lore around the theme then make the mechanics to fit this theme
Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
I have not entered a competition yet
Do you have a current favorite game designer?
I do not have a favorite designer as I am still faily new to all of this.
Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
My ideas usually come randomly. Sometimes while im driving, at work, or even while im out doing things.
How do you go about playtesting your games?
I use tabletop Simulator to test my game
Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
I am currently working alone
What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Limited Money for my ideas and market. Marketing and getting people to test or even take a look at the game is a hard thing to learn.
If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
Mass Effect or Spore. Both have huge possibilities and directions you can take them.
What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
Dont stress it just throw stuff down and start testing. After each test fix or change one thing and repeat.
What advice would you like to share about designing games?
Do not be afraid to reach out and talk to other designers. Everyone is so helpful no need to worry about someone stealing your idea.
Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
Games that are in the early stages of development and beta testing are:
Robot Boxing League
Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker’s Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
Board Game Design Lab
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 Trek,
Coke,
Neither?
What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
Reading, video games, Model painting, writing
What is something you learned in the last week?
How to remove and update assets in Affinity Designer. Helped with changing icons for my game!
Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
I used to love metal but have been in a funk mood lately.
Fantasy and sci fi books are the best.
Action, sci fi, fantasy movies
What was the last book you read?
Rhythm of War (Book 4 of stormlight archive)
Do you play any musical instruments?
no
Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I am in my late 20s but people think I am older
Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
I once had to run from a possible gun shootout in the woods
Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
I played the wrong card in one of my board games and it ended up winning me the game!
Who is your idol or hero?
Patrick Stewart
What would you do if you had a time machine?
Try to bring a mass book of knowledge back in time to hopefully push humanity further much sooner
Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Introvert
If you could be any superhero, which one would you be and why?
Doctor Strange or any magician. I am just lazy and will use magic for anything I can.
Have any pets?
2 cats!
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 hope games like mass effect and civilization survive to show what we have and what we can become.
I would prefer if money just disappeared forever. I want a world where everyone can live instead of surviving. We have the technology and resources.
Just a Bit More
Thanks for answering all my crazy questions!
Is there anything else you'd like to tell my readers?
My game Robot Boxing League is an arena fighting deck builder. It will have 6 core characters each with a unique theme and starting deck. Earn titles giving you credits during the fight then use those credits to buy upgrades and new power cards to add to your deck. No worries if you go down each robot can reboot to continue the fight. If you like this check out the links and join the conversation. Maybe you will be the new RBL champ!
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? Please 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment