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: | Pablo Guevara |
|---|---|
| Email: | clasharmies@gmail.com |
| Location: | Argentina |
| Day Job: | Pipe Technitian And Creator's assitant from a Chinese board game manufacturer call Hero Time |
| Designing: | Five to ten years. |
| Webpage: | www.clashofarmies.com |
| BGG: | Clash of Armies: Medieval |
| Facebook: | Clash of Armies |
| Twitter: | @clasharmies |
| YouTube: | https://www.youtube.com/clashofarmies |
| Instagram: | @clasharmies |
| Other: | IGA I'm there, but not paying. |
| Find my games at: | Soon on The game crafter, You can find some PNP on the BGG, and on Both Tabletopia and Tabletop Simulator |
Pablo Guevara
Interviewed on: 11/20/2021
This week's People Behind the Meeples Interview is with Argentinian designer, Pablo Guevara. Pablo has designed Clash of Armies: Medieval, one of the most popular Argentinian games, and has a Kickstarter planned soon to bring the game to a wider audience. With expansions planned as well as other games that he's working on, Pablo is an up-and-coming designer you should keep your eyes on. Read on to learn more about Pablo and his projects!
Some Basics
Tell me a bit about yourself.
How long have you been designing tabletop games?
Five to ten years.
Why did you start designing tabletop games?
Because I'm really into designing stuff. Huge fan of BG's Always finding the "but.." on each game, so I decide to make my owns, for other people to feel the "But.." of my games
What game or games are you currently working on?
I release my first commercial game about 6 months ago, call Clash of Armies: Medieval. The game was a hit in my country, with almost 1500 copies sold, exported to other countries and soon to be released in Germany. The game remains steady in the TOP10 sales games from my country since I released it. I think I have a lot to work on to expand this game, so right now, even though I have other projects, this one is here to stay.
Have you designed any games that have been published?
Clash of Armies: Medieval a medieval deckbuilder that is running pretty smooth, people are loving it, they are showing that love on every review place that you may find (specially BGG https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/295195/clash-armies-medieval) and some locals. I have fandom and I have haters.. I'm in heaven
What is your day job?
Pipe Technitian And Creator's assitant from a Chinese board game manufacturer call Hero Time
Your Gaming Tastes
My readers would like to know more about you as a gamer.
Where do you prefer to play games?
Home mostly
Who do you normally game with?
The best pals: My kids
If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
any game that suits the people I'm playing with
And what snacks would you eat?
We have different manners here, eat a lot, then play. Maybe just a coffe
Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
No matter
What’s your favorite FLGS?
Was the TBGC here in Argentina until pandemic turn that into ashes
What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Now and then the one and only Dominion. I don't find "Worst" games, I found some of them Broken or worst, OverHype.... But like I always say: You have to adapt yourself to the game, not viceversa. Don´t like a game means that is not for you, that's it.
What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
Deckbuilder of course, I don't like hidden roles
What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
Catan. There is a witch hunt against Catan right now
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?
Why not? depends on the people that you are with
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'm a mechanic builder, I prefer to consider that the game has to work in the most abstract way. Then you can add a theme, sometimes it fits, sometimes it doesn't
Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
My game was nominated on the anual board game conference here in Argentina in two categories: Best adult game and silver game (something like Game of the year) I didn't win in both. But First time designer being nominated, that's it for me
Do you have a current favorite game designer?
all time: Vaccarino - Actual: Ryan Laukat The Burton of the BG's
Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
I don't know, It just pops when I'm reading or watching the TV or just doing nothing.
How do you go about playtesting your games?
Right now I consider TTS as the greatest tool, and later on Clubs
Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
I'm a loner (There isn't to many designer here :D)
What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Avoid at all cost that you game can get broken in anyway
If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
Clash of Armies: Star Wars
What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
Learn every possible tools that is around. TTS, Adobe suites, Discord, Everything. What do you do with all those tools it's up to you.
What advice would you like to share about designing games?
The same, Be open to 2 things: New development tools like TTS & Discord and show your game since day 1, even if still it's just a few lines on a paper. Show what do you want to create, don't be afraid of all that IP crap. Just show it and hear people, hear their recommendations.
Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
Published games, I have:
Clash of Armies: Medieval - On March will be on Kickstarter worldwide
Games that will soon be published are:
All Clash of Armies expansions (over 6)
This is what I have currently crowdfunding:
Not right now but March 2022... (Subscribe :D) https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/clasharmies/clash-of-armies-medieval-deckbuilder-by-poncho-games
Currently looking for a publisher I have:
Clash of armies
I'm planning to crowdfund:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/clasharmies/clash-of-armies-medieval-deckbuilder-by-poncho-games
Games I feel are in the final development and tweaking stage are:
A party crappy game about movies
Games that I'm playtesting are:
Marché Beauvau - Euro style game current develop
Games that are in the early stages of development and beta testing are:
15 Days to Survive and Olympic Dice . Both Roll and Write games
And games that are still in the very early idea phase are:
UFFF... 35 and Counting :D Somehow advance: Revenge, Monomyth
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 community among 1000 more
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 AND Star Wars, Pepsi, And no VHS or Betamax... 8K Stream
What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
Soccer Mostly
What is something you learned in the last week?
Pressure Washer are soooo cool
Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
Music From Classic to Rock, from Pop to metal. Books: The hero with a thousand faces from Campbell, All Hornblower Serie from Forester, A lot of Star wars books and comic. Movies: LOTR, SW, Star Trek, All SW Sorrounded (even Ryan jonhson crappy one). Al Nolan's work. A lot of argentinian movies
What was the last book you read?
Structures Layers in Illustrator
Do you play any musical instruments?
nope
Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
My BG's collection excluding Kid's game is 14 games
Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
Traveling 13000 Km to show my prototype on Essen19
Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
Getting into that Bar in 1998 in Germany, get drunk and trying to steal some woods (maybe sheeps) and almost hit a big german guy, who was teaching me catan :D Now one of my best friends (and the greatest Warhammer painter ever)
Who is your idol or hero?
All I can think of are Soccer players and Historical figures (I'm a sucker for history)
What would you do if you had a time machine?
Without saying traveling to kill those who destroy my country (I have them on a list) I would say going to meet the 20 years boy with a copy of the game and tell him to Stay in BG's design. this is what are you going to love.
Are you an extrovert or introvert?
according to my wife Intro, according to the rest of the world extro. I can speak in from of a thousand people in another language than mine and I don't care.
If you could be any superhero, which one would you be and why?
I don't believe in superheroes, I like Marvel movies, but I don't believe in them .I believe in the people in those who help others in anyway. I mean EVERY single human that loves to share their knowledge, even if the knowlede is how to build a paper boat.
Have any pets?
Had the best, now it's gone. I miss that crappy dog.
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 a catan copy will still remain, So we just reset and start all over again. I will not get into politics :D
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):
To George Lucas: Thank you. I know that I am who I am, mostly because of people like you
Just a Bit More
Thanks for answering all my crazy questions!
Is there anything else you'd like to tell my readers?
Design BG, eat, sleep, love your closest ones, repeat.
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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