People Behind the Meeples - Episode 40: Andrew Ulysses Baker

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:	Andrew Ulysses Baker
Email:	Andrew@gamesforbryan.com
Location:	California
Day Job:	Software developer and programmer
Designing:	One to two years.
Webpage:	Gamesforbryan.com
BGG:	Gamesforbryan
Find my games at:	Game Crafter and Drive Thru Cards

Today's Interview is with:

Andrew Ulysses Baker
Interviewed on: 8/26/2016

Andrew Ulysses Baker has been designing games with his son for the past year or so. They come up with an idea that sounds fun, make a prototype, and then test it before deciding if they should continue or not. So far they've designed three games this way, all available on The Game Crafter. Read on to learn more about Andrew and what games he's working on!

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?
Technically, when I was a little kid. Then I worked professionally in video games for a decade. Now, I work on both as a hobbyist/self-publisher.

What game or games are you currently working on?
I am working on the Lucky 13 design challenge. 13 games based on a 13 card component limitation (although I cheat and allow components that the players should already have on hand).

Have you designed any games that have been published?
Only self-published.

What is your day job?
Software developer and programmer

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

Where do you prefer to play games?
At home or friend's houses.

Who do you normally game with?
Friends and my son.

If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
Medium weight euros, social games.

And what snacks would you eat?
When it is at my house, I tend to go a little overboard with food prep. I'll generally make a full meal for everyone like roast chicken breasts or ribs. When I go to my friends', I'll buy some fancy cheese, sausages, and chocolate.

Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
Depends on the game. We played Pallbearer's Sorrow & Extinction during TI3, and that worked pretty well.

What’s your favorite FLGS?
Target. Kidding but not kidding. Every time I've tried going to a real flgs, it has either been a mtg release day, I've been ignored by the staff, or they just didn't have what I was looking for.

What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Favorite right now is Codenames. Least favorite that I still enjoy is Agricola. Worst game I've ever played? I sincerely can't remember.

What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
Favorite game mechanic is auctions. Least is the rondel.

What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
Jack the Ripper Mystery Rummy

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, RPG Games, Video 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?
I come up with the name first about 10% of the time. The rest is an even distribution between the different avenues you outlined.

Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
Yes, I won the BGDF monthly prize fo my game Magic Trick.

Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
No.

Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
Usually when I am very bored.

How do you go about playtesting your games?
I first play test solo. Then I rope in my son. Then I ask my friends to take a look. Then I put PnP files on BGG.

Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
I like working on small teams, but I usually work alone.

What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Asking people to play test my game. Pure social anxiety.

If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
Farscape

What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
Just get them out there. The perfect design will never magically form in your brain. It only comes about through iteration and feedback.

What advice would you like to share about designing games?
Go ahead and share. Ideas are cheap. Only implementation is valuable.

Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
Published games, I have: Text Hold'Em, Retro Rocket Rally, monorail
Games that will soon be published are: Nothing in the pipeline right now.
Games that I'm playtesting are: Lucky 13
Games that are in the early stages of development and beta testing are: Too many to count
And games that are still in the very early idea phase are: Too many to count

Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker’s Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
Yes, both

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?
Farscape. Coffee. Netflix.

What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
Programming. Weightlifting. Hiking.

What is something you learned in the last week?
Bunnahabhan is a pretty good scotch.

Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
Heavy metal. Cyberpunk. Comedy.

What was the last book you read?
Ready Player One.

Do you play any musical instruments?
Guitar and bass.

Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I was a wrestler in a small regional outfit for a short period of time. I was Scrub-E the Hardcore Janitor.

Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
I learned the hammering a nail into your head carnie trick AKA "The Human Blockhead".

Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
Can't think about of a good example.

Who is your idol?
None.

What would you do if you had a time machine?
Destroy it and all evidence of its existence. Time machines are too dangerous to be tampered with by humans.

Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Introvert, but I pretend to be an extrovert most of the time for work.

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Iron Man

Have any pets?
No.

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?
Poker, Spades, Euchre, Liars Dice, Cho-Han, RPS. I hope extremist politics are wiped out.

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):
Hey, everybody.

Thanks for answering all my crazy questions!

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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?  Show your support by clicking the heart at Board Game Links , liking GJJ Games on Facebook , or following on Twitter .  And be sure to check out my games on  Tabletop Generation.

People Behind the Meeples - Episode 39: DJ Remark

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:	DJ Remark
Email:	BloodScribeCreations@gmail.com
Location:	Cleveland, OH
Day Job:	I am a software tech and my partner Jason works for a title insurance company.
Designing:	Less than six months.
Webpage:	Bloodscribecreations.com
Blog:	Bloodscribecreations.com
BGG:	BloodScribe_DJ
Facebook:	BSCreationspage
Twitter:	@Dremark1787 / @Undertome
Find my games at:	The Game Crafter right now but it's expensive as hell lol

Today's Interview is with:

DJ Remark
Interviewed on: 8/25/2016

DJ Remark is part of the team over at BloodScribe Creations and is looking to publish his first game, Undertome, soon. He and the rest of his team have a number of other games that they're working on developing as well. This should be an exciting year for DJ and BloodScribe Creations. Read on to learn more about DJ and the games he's working on.

Some Basics
Tell me a bit about yourself.

How long have you been designing tabletop games?
Less than six months.

Why did you start designing tabletop games?
It was kind of a weird start in the sense that my design partner Jason and I didn't just decide one day to start designing games. We were sitting in my apartment at the time talking about games we liked to play and what it would be like if we made our own. We started thinking about games we liked and what we liked about them and used those ideas to design our first game, Undertome. After we wrote out all of the cards on index cards and did sort of an "alpha" play test with all of our friends, everybody liked it so we did what we could to refine the game some and get a little better quality to it. This second round of the game exploded and had friends of friends talking about it. Once news got back to us that people were asking if we were going to release the game for sale we thought "Wow, we might have something here!"

And that's how it all began.

What game or games are you currently working on?
We're currently looking to get out initial game "Undertome" published. We're also in the "alpha" phase of our second game Tank7 and prototype phase of our third game "Slamurai" (Yes I realize those seem out of sync lol)

Have you designed any games that have been published?
Not yet...

What is your day job?
I am a software tech and my partner Jason works for a title insurance company.

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

Where do you prefer to play games?
Anywhere. I always have my crate of games in the car in case an opportunity arises.

Who do you normally game with?
I have a small group of friends who are way more into games than I am, two of which have joined Jason and I to become BloodScribe Creations.

If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
Undertome (for obvious reasons), Battle Wizards, Skulls, Sheriff of Nottingham, Betrayal at House on the Hill, Exploding Kittens, Fluxx (I'm really into card games)

And what snacks would you eat?
Jason will always have his Sourpatch Kids and I'm more of a chips and salsa guy.

Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
We actually have a party/games spotify playlist that always starts with "What if" by Creed (Hold judgements please, that song is awesome)

What’s your favorite FLGS?
The only one that I'm aware of around me which is actually a comic shop called Kenmore Komics.

What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Current favorite is Betrayal at House on the Hill, least favorite is Resistance (because I'm a terrible liar). Worst game I ever played was every train game ever made. Please stop making these. They're terrible.

What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
I don't have a favorite mechanic yet but I really like games that have a story or a point to it other than it's something to kill a half hour.

What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
Thankfully with my group of friends I don't have that problem! Everybody is willing to play pretty much anything but I guess it's hard to get a game of Eldritch Horror because we don't always have four hours to play it.

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, RPG 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?
Story first and always. BloodScribe Creations was formed to develop games based on story and theme. We want players to feel like they're being immersed in a universe while playing our game; be it in a dark basement filled with a terrible ambition to be the sole master of an ancient and evil Tome to a young robot mechanic trying to win prize money by building and fighting interstellar robots to a simple samurai enjoying a drink in a tavern. Everything about our games is based on story and theme, the mechanics follow.

Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
Have not entered but very interested.

Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
Anybody who makes the games we love to play.

Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
Our inspiration comes from everywhere from playing other games and liking certain parts of it to watching a favorite movie or taken from an inspiring life event. Life is our muse.

How do you go about playtesting your games?
We always have them available and suggest it to people who might want to play. We also organize play testing events and show up to events that others organize. Pretty much just being places where games are played and asking people if they'd like to try a new one.

Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
The design team is led by Jason Orr, co-designer of Undertome and we all contribute to the design process.

What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Being a perfectionist. No matter how refined we get our games we always feel like we could do better or make something else work properly or any other nit-picky things that annoy other people about artists.

If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
For me personally, it would be a Lord of the Rings type game. I'm a super Tolkien fan-girl to the extreme of reading a Tolkien Companion book before bed and knowing the genealogy of the Elves. For Jason, and I'm confident I can speak for him when I say he would enjoy designing a game within the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe.

What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
Nope, I think we got into it at exactly the time we were supposed it.

What advice would you like to share about designing games?
It's hard work and requires passion. It's in no way an easy process and there have been many opportunity to just give up but you have to press on. If you're passionate about a game you should definitely see it through. You never know what you really have until you have 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: Undertome
Currently looking for a publisher I have: Undertome
I'm planning to crowdfund: Tank7, Slamurai
Games I feel are in the final development and tweaking stage are: Undertome
Games that are in the early stages of development and beta testing are: Slamurai
And games that are still in the very early idea phase are: Tank7

Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker’s Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
Card and Board Game Developers Guild, BOGA DAP

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?
I'll just answer with I was a Star Wars fan first but once Star Trek hit Netflix I gave it a shot and loved it. I'm just about to finish the 7th season of Next Gen and will be moving on to DS9 and the movies. Coke because I find Pepsi to be too sweet and I'm 29 so Blu-Ray.

What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
I ride a motorcycle, play guitar in a band, World of Warcraft, read boring books on philosophy and economics, build computers.

Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
I'm a huge metal head. Some favorites are Metallica, Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage, Acacia Strain, August Burns Red, Parkway Drive, Shadows Fall and so on... Books I enjoy are everything Tolkien, Banewreaker, Phantoms, H.P. Lovecraft stories, Jurassic Park, Stranger in a Strange Land, Methusela's Children. Movies, again, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Dark Knight, A Nightmare on Elm st (1 and 3 are favorites) The Crow, Zack and Miri, Straight Outta Compton, Quills, Gladiator, Nacho Libre, Snatch... There's so many.

What was the last book you read?
The Road to Serfdom by F. A. Hayek

Do you play any musical instruments?
I play the drums, guitar and piano.

Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I'm an anarchist (Bow tie kind, not Molotov cocktail kind).

Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
I don't know if it's "crazy" but I played pool with Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and didn't even know it was him.

Who is your idol?
Three way tie between my dad, Murray Rothbard and James Hetfield.

Are you an extrovert or introvert?
ENTP if that means anything to anybody.

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
I've always wanted the power of telekinesis but if I could be any superhero I would be Batman.

Have any pets?
I have a cat named Quz'kin. He keeps me in line.

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?
The games I hope to survive are the games that will survive because they're based in story telling and that's how knowledge is passed. The Federal Reserve would be a nice ground zero for the asteroid.

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):
Emily Jean Stone, if there is any chance you're reading this, I would love to take you out to dinner and play you an embarrassing song I've composed in your name. You've been my celebrity crush since I saw you in Superbad and I've been a fan ever since. You are hilarious, beautiful and you make my hands sweaty.

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

Taxation is theft.

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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?  Show your support by clicking the heart at Board Game Links , liking GJJ Games on Facebook , or following on Twitter .  And be sure to check out my games on  Tabletop Generation.

People Behind the Meeples - Episode 38: Sen-Foong Lim

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:	Sen-Foong Lim
Email:	sen@bamboozlebrothers.com
Location:	London, ON, Canada
Day Job:	College Professor (Developmental Psychology)
Designing:	Over ten years!
Webpage:	www.bamboozlebrothers.com
Blog:	www.bamboozlebrothers.com
BGG:	senfoonglim
Facebook:	Sen-Foong Lim
Twitter:	@senfoonglim
YouTube:	Meeple Syrup Show
Find my games at:	Stores are a great place :D cafés to try before you buy

Today's Interview is with:

Sen-Foong Lim
Interviewed on: 8/25/2016

If you've been involved in board game design, or even playing board games any time in recent years you've probably heard of Sen-Foong Lim. Sen and his design partner, Jay Cormier, have a slew of published games, including several that have made a number of top ten lists recently. In addition to designing a ton of awesome games Sen also co-hosts the Meeple Syrup Show, a design-centric webcast that anyone interested in designing games or in learning about how games are designed should listen to. Read on to learn more about Sen and what creations he has on the horizon!

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?
To keep in touch with my design partner, Jay Cormier / to stay sane

What game or games are you currently working on?
Godzilla, Powers, Pan Galactic Super Rumble, Barricades, Party of Adventurers, Outlander, Top Rope, Mind MGMT, Oracle, Chronicles, Crossed Blades, Shattered Skies, numerous RPGs, etc., and a few that can not be mentioned without you all signing NDAs.

Have you designed any games that have been published?
Yes - Belfort, Orphan Black, The Godfather: A New Don, Akrotiri, Junk Art, But Wait There's More, Rock Paper Wizard, etc.

What is your day job?
College Professor (Developmental Psychology)

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

Where do you prefer to play games?
Home or café

Who do you normally game with?
Friends, family, and other designers

If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
A mix of a good social starter, a heavier strategy game, and then a lighter strategy game to finish

And what snacks would you eat?
Whatever didn't leave a mess on the games.

Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
Not typically, unless it's thematic

What’s your favorite FLGS?
L.A. Mood and The Cardboard Café

What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Current fave: Powers, our upcoming release through IDW games - a one vs. many hidden movement game based on a comic book; Least Fave but will still play? I dunno. Werewolf? Worst ever? Prototypes that never made it past alpha stage.

What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
Negotiation; Lose a turn / Player Elimination

What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
Belfort

What styles of games do you play?
I like to play Board Games, Card Games, Miniatures Games, RPG Games, Video Games, Other Games

Do you design different styles of games than what you play?
I like to design Board Games, Card Games, Miniatures Games, RPG Games, Other 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?
Mechanics typically first, but theme shortly after to better inform development of mechanics.

Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
Yup (Canadian Design of the Year Award)

Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
Yup. dead - Sid Saxon / Alex Randolph; alive - Leo Colovini / Roberto Fraga / Vlaada Chvatil / Matt Leacock

Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
In the shower.

How do you go about playtesting your games?
I play with other members of our local chapter of the Game Artisans of Canada; these games can then go to another chapter across the nation for blind testing.

Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
Team up almost always. Many hands make light work!

What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Not enough time in the day!

If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
Usagi Yojimbo (Comic by Stan Sakai, published by Dark Horse Comics) would be at or near the top of my list. I get to work with tons of great ones, so I'm lucky.

What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
That one of the easiest ways to tell if a rule is necessary or not is to try to explain it in writing. If you can't, cut it.

What advice would you like to share about designing games?
Watch or listen to the Meeple Syrup Show! It's a game-design specific webcast that I co-host with Daryl Andrews. We have weekly guests from the industry (designers, artists, publishers, etc.).

Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
Published games, I have: Belfort + Expansion, Train of Thought, Junk Art, Orphan Black, The Godfather: A New Don, This Town Ain't Big Enough for the 2-4 of Us, But Wait There's More!, Akrotiri, Rock Paper Wizard
Games that will soon be published are: Powers, Pig Goes Moo, Outlander Story Telling Game, Mythos, Aladdin, Zombie Slam, Choice Words (needs to be renamed), Herdables (to be renamed), and a few that can't be discussed… Also, reprints: Belfort, But Wait There's More, and Akrotiri
This is what I have currently crowdfunding: I don't run my own Kickstarters; I solely license to publishers.
Currently looking for a publisher I have: Burning Rubber, Word Bird, Lost For Words, SimpliCity, Lawn Wars, Top Rope, Knock Out
Games I feel are in the final development and tweaking stage are: Chronicles of the Relic Hunters, Crossed Blades, Party of Adventurers, Barricades, Various RPG systems
Games that I'm playtesting are: Oracle, Pan Galactic Super Rumble
Games that are in the early stages of development and beta testing are: Too many to mention
And games that are still in the very early idea phase are: Too many to mention

Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker’s Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
Game Maker's Lab, Game Artisans of Canada, Card & Boardgame Designers Guild, The Secret Society of Boardgame Designers

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?
Brazilian JIu Jitsu / Music

What is something you learned in the last week?
How to make a game in Tabletop Simulator.

Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
Electronic, dance, hip hop, funk, soul, RnB, 80s; Scifi & Fantasy, Graphic Novels; Scifi, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Thriller, Horror

What was the last book you read?
Head Lopper, Papergirls

Do you play any musical instruments?
Yes, Piano, Violin, Vocals, and I write music for various projects (Pronobozo, Phantohm Soundsystem, etc.)

Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I was hit head on by a transport truck at highway speeds and survived.

Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
I'll have to think about this one... what I think is normal, others might think is crazy...

Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
I told a girl I was in love with her and was rejected. That same night, I met my future wife.

Who is your idol?
My wife. She's awesome.

What would you do if you had a time machine?
Other than going back to meet cool historical figures, probably learn how to speak my native tongue better.

Are you an extrovert or introvert?
I'm a fake extrovert; I'm an introvert who always has to be "on" because of work - it's very tiring.

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Wonder Woman is my favourite superheroine.

Have any pets?
1 dog - a really really old Australian Shepherd named Matilda.

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 boardgames in all of their incarnations survive. I could totally do without pop idols, however.

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):
Stan! Please let me make a Usagi Yojimbo game!!!

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

My favourite colour is yellow. If you're playing with me and you insist on playing yellow, you can...but I *will* move your pieces, guaranteed..

If you're a game designer in Canada, check out www.gameartisans.ca

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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?  Show your support by clicking the heart at Board Game Links , liking GJJ Games on Facebook , or following on Twitter .  And be sure to check out my games on  Tabletop Generation.

People Behind the Meeples - Episode 37: Daniel Dulek

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:	Daniel Dulek
Email:	ddulek@playefg.com
Location:	New Lenox, IL
Day Job:	High School Chemistry Teacher
Designing:	Two to five years.
Webpage:	www.playefg.com
Blog:	http://flippinchem.blogspot.com
Twitter:	@ddulek
Find my games at:	https://www.amep.com & Amazon

Today's Interview is with:

Daniel Dulek
Interviewed on: 8/25/2016

Daniel Dulek is another local Chicagoland game designer. He designs science based games that he can use in his high school Chemistry classroom. Fun fact, my wife used to be a high school Chemistry teacher, too! If you love games and love science, be sure to check out some of Daniel's games. And read on to learn more about Daniel.

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?
A started because I wanted to see if I could create board/card games I could use in my classroom. I teach high school chemistry and I love to play games. I thought I would try to create something that was educational and fun at the same time.

What game or games are you currently working on?
I'm currently working on Atom Dice. It's a dice version of Molecules a card game I funded on Kickstarter last year.

Have you designed any games that have been published?
Yes, Chemistry: An Atom Building Game, Meltdown: A Cooperative Chemistry Game and Molecules.

What is your day job?
High School Chemistry Teacher

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

Where do you prefer to play games?
At home, at schools or at the local game shop

Who do you normally game with?
Family, friends, students

If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
Just about anything! Currently, Dominion, X-wing, Blood Rage, Pandemic, Legendary, and many others!

And what snacks would you eat?
Depends on who I play with. Family/Students: chips and pop. Friends: beers and chips

Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
Not really

What’s your favorite FLGS?
Wandering Dragon, Grapple Games, Amazing Fantasy

What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Favorites: X-wing or Blood Rage Least: Sorry or any traditional game my kids want to play. Worst: Exploding Kittens

What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
Deck building

What’s your favorite game that you just can’t ever seem to get to the table?
War of the Rings

What styles of games do you play?
I like to play Board Games, Card Games, Miniatures 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?
Depends on the group!

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?
Mechanic and the theme!

Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
No

Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
Eric Lang, Donald Vaccarino, Matt Leacock

Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
While playing or teaching

How do you go about playtesting your games?
Family and friends first and then students

Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
Alone. I design and create all aspects of my games, including the artwork.

What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Time. I never have enough time to work on my game designs.

If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
Indiana Jones has much potential!

What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
Give it a try. I remember as a little kid coming up with games with components from my uncle’s games that were beyond my abilities at the time. I wish someone would have encouraged me to give it a try when I was younger.

What advice would you like to share about designing games?
Don't set out to create the next big game! Just create something that is interesting and fun to you.

Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
Published games, I have: Chemistry: An Atom Building Game, Meltdown: A Cooperative Chemistry Game and Molecules
Games I feel are in the final development and tweaking stage are: Atom Dice
Games that I'm playtesting are: Ion Dice, Chemistry Slam
And games that are still in the very early idea phase are: Western Game, Chemistry Smasher

Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker’s Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
No

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?
Woodworking, Miniature Painting,

What is something you learned in the last week?
Saltwater pools generate chlorine just like regular pools.

Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
Music: Classic Rock, Punk, Alternative, Classical Books: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller Movies: All types except musicals and romantic comedies.

What was the last book you read?
American Gods-Neil Gaiman

Do you play any musical instruments?
Guitar

Who is your idol?
Bono

What would you do if you had a time machine?
Go back and live during the 1930 or 1940s.

Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Introvert

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Spider-man

Have any pets?
A dog and two 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?
Dominion and X-wing. Musicals!

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):
Hey President Obama!

Thanks for answering all my crazy questions!

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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?  Show your support by clicking the heart at Board Game Links , liking GJJ Games on Facebook , or following on Twitter .  And be sure to check out my games on  Tabletop Generation.

GJJ Games Reviews - Race for the Treasure - by Peaceable Kingdom

Race to the Treasure
Designer: Gina Manola
Publisher: Peaceable Kingdom
1-4p | 20m | 5+

GJJ Games Reviews - Race to the Treasure - by Peaceable Kingdom
Disclaimer

Game Overview:
I was contacted by Peaceable Kingdom to review several of their children's games, and since I have two kids who really enjoy games, I said sure.  Peaceable Kingdom is known for producing casual, family friendly cooperative games designed to introduce even the youngest gamers to some common board game mechanics.  Race to the Treasure is the first game that I've played.

Race to the Treasure is aimed at ages five and up and only takes a few minutes to play, perfect for those short attention spans.  Since it's cooperative, it can be played with any number of players, even solo.

I do have to preface this review with a disclaimer though.  My youngest son, who I played this with, is 7.5 years old, so he's likely at the extreme upper end of the appropriate age range.  I also have to say that he was playing Caverns at age 5, won the first round of a Splendor tournament at 6, and regularly beats me at all sorts of games now.  I know that's not typical for a 7 year old (and yes, I'm very proud), but we agreed to keep an open mind and consider how Race to the Treasure would play with younger kids who aren't experienced gamers already.  Also, I'm adding in the Educational category for this since it is aimed at introducing cooperative mechanics to younger kids.

Components & Packaging:
One thing that Peaceable Kingdom prides itself on is that all of the games published are eco-friendly.  Cardboard components are from ecologically responsible material, inks are all soy based, wooden components are all from sustainable sources, and even the plastics used in their games are corn based.  The games don't even come shrink wrapped.  What this means is that you can buy Peaceable Kingdom games confident that they are not damaging the world for your kids.  Isn't that all warm and fuzzy feeling?

Eco-friendly games are an important part of the Peaceable Kingdom business model.

Despite the environmentally friendly production methods, the components and packaging are generally top notch.  You'd never notice the difference.  This is great and I hope more companies follow their example.

In Race to the Treasure the components are pretty basic.  The game contains a game board, 37 tiles (27 paths and 10 Ogres), two dice, three key tokens, one Ogre Snacks token, and a small envelope to hold the components.  There is also a cardboard insert to keep the envelope of components under so they don't get squashed by the board.  Overall, the quality is great, but I do wish the tiles were a bit thicker.  They're only a bit thicker than standard playing cards.  It would be great if they were a few millimeters thick, like Carcassonne tiles.

The only thing I wish is that the path and Ogre tiles were a bit thicker.

Score: 8/10 x1

Rules & Setup:
Since this is a game geared at young kids, the rules and setup are super simple.  To set up the game simply lay out the board, mix all the tiles up, face down, and place the Key and Ogre Snack tokens on the board.  This is the most complicated part of setup.  It requires rolling the two dice, one with letters and one with numbers, and then placing the tiles on the corresponding space in the forest grid.  This is repeated for each of the five tiles.  

All set up and ready to play.

Gameplay is even simpler.  Players take turns drawing and playing one tile.  If it is an Ogre it goes on the Ogre track.  If it is a Path it gets placed in the forest grid so that it connects to an existing path (except for the first one, which starts the path in the top left corner of the board).

The object of the game is to acquire three of the four keys and get to the treasure (in the bottom right corner of the board) before the Ogre reaches the treasure.  If you get to the treasure first you win, but if the Ogre makes it to the treasure first you lose.  Along the way there is one Ogre Snack token.  When you get this it'll let you remove one Ogre tile from the Ogre track.  It's as simple as that.

There are a few scenarios that aren't covered in the rules (which are printed inside the lid).  There's no ruling on what happens if you get the Ogre Snacks before there are any Ogres. I assume you hold on to the snack until you need it.  The rules also don't tell what happens if your path leads you off the game board, or what happens if your path doubles back on itself.  Ideally you'll be able to plan to avoid these situations, but since it's all just random tile draws there's a real possibility that your only options will lead you into a dead end.  That's something adults can easily house rule, but this is a kid's game and I can easily see a younger kid getting frustrated.

All the rules are printed on the box lid, so they can't be lost easily.

Score: 9/10 x2

Gameplay:
I honestly wasn't very thrilled with the gameplay, and neither was my son.  Like I said though, he's both at the upper age range and he's already an experienced gamer, o he's not necessarily the intended audience.  But even for younger players and non-gamers, I don't feel that the game would be super engaging.

Race to the Treasure does offer a bit more than games like Candyland or Snakes and Ladders (both of which are completely devoid of choices), but only marginally so.  Race to the Treasure is almost completely determined by random tile draws.  The only real decision comes from deciding which tokens to attempt to acquire first, and if you should take the time to go for the Ogre Snacks or not.  But regardless of what you choose to try, you're still at the mercy of the tiles you draw, and if you don't draw the tile you need, there's nothing you can do.  You just have to watch the path lead you away and hope you can get back where you need to go before you draw too many Ogre tiles.

Draw a tile, place a tile is all you need to do, but where you place the tile isn't much of a choice usually.

I'd love to see some simple choices for the kids to make, even if it's just something as simple as choosing to not play the path tile that was just drawn.  Too often it felt like the game was playing itself.  I believe that good games offer players choices at many different points.  Granted, in a kid's game you don't want too many or too difficult choices, but there should always be a choice between two options.  In Race to the Treasure, if you draw a straight path, you have no choice.  If you draw a path that doesn't go where you need of to go, you have no choice.  The game plays you, and only gives you a choice occasionally.  Even for younger players I feel there should be a bit more.

Score: 5/10 x2

Educational:
Race to the Treasure doesn't teach math or history, science or geography, or even reading.  You don't need to know any words to be able to play and only need to recognize a few letters and numbers to set up the game.  But that doesn't mean the game is not educational.

Race to the Treasure teaches a few very important concepts though.  Chief among them is cooperation.  This is a concept that is important in not only many more grownup games, but in life in general.  Players are working together toward a common goal.  

Race to the Treasure also teaches how to take turns as well as how to be a good winner and accept loss.  These are common in many kids games, but the cooperative nature of Race to the Treasure means that all players experience the joy of winning or the frustration of defeat together.  Since there is not a separate winner and loser it is a good opportunity for older players to teach younger players about how to appropriately handle these emotions.  I suppose the random chance in the game helps with this though, since you really have very little control of whether you win or lose, so even the most experienced gamers are going to win some and lose some.

Here we lost because we drew an Ogre before we drew the tiles we needed.
Looking back at this picture, I think we actually could have won, but just weren't paying attention...

One thing that Race to the Treasure does not teach, which many other cooperative games do, is teamwork.  This may seem odd in a cooperative game, but it boils down to the simplicity of Race to the Treasure.  To have teamwork you need to have multiple players all working on separate parts of a whole.  In Race to the Treasure there is only one thing to do: build the path.  This cuts out the team aspect that is prevalent in other cooperative games.  This game plays identically with one player or twenty.  Teamwork may be something to introduce to a slightly older audience, but it is obviously lacking here.

Score: 6/10 x1

Replayability:
I honestly don't see Race to the Treasure having much staying power.  It'll likely be fun the first time you play, and as an adult you may enjoy playing with your kid the next time or two as well, but you'll likely grow tired of the lack of control and choice very quickly.  It won't be long before you look forward to this game as much as Candyland or Cooties.

The good news is that Race to the Treasure is simple enough that even young kids can pull it out and play on their own, or with their friends.  But if you are looking for something that will be engaging for the whole family, even after multiple plays, Race to the Treasure isn't your game.  

I introduced my son to Forbidden Island when he was four.  Some of the options and choices were a bit much for him at the time, but he loved the theme and excitement.  So we took our time and talked through the pros and cons of each choice.  Gradually he learned how the actions worked and the ramifications of his choices.  Now he plays and makes his own decisions, usually good ones.  And all the while he was getting beat by better players because we all won or lost together.  What's more, after three years, I still enjoy and even look forward to a game of Forbidden Island.  I even play it with just adults at times.  But Forbidden Island isn't really a game that a five year old can play without older players helping out.

So for Race to the Treasure it won't have much replayability, at least not enthusiastically.  For kids it'll really depend on the kid.  I can see this being a game that some really enjoy and pull out every chance they get.  But some will likely get bored with the lack of real choices, too.  You'll probably know your own kids better.  If they like games, but also like watching the same cartoon over and over, then they may like Race to the Treasure.  However, if your kids like trying all sorts of new experiences, Race to the Treasure likely won't hold their interest for very long.

Score: 5/10 x1

General Fun:
So, did I have fun playing Race to the Treasure?  A bit.  The game itself wasn't very engaging, but I did enjoy the time spent with my son.  I can see this being an enjoyable way for parents to spend time playing something super simple and fast with their kids.  However, I think I'd recommend a much younger age.  I think a large number of three year olds could play and most four year olds should have no problem, especially if they're interested in games.  As the kids grow older the fun will wear off quickly.  And unlike games like Forbidden Island, there's no way the game will entertain just adults or even slightly older kids.

He did have fun, but then wanted to move on to a more complex game.

Score: 6/10 x2

Overall Value:
Fortunately Race to the Treasure is inexpensive.  It is readily available for only $16, so even if it only gets played a few times you aren't out a whole lot.  Race to the Treasure would make a great gift since it promotes family togetherness looks great, has very nice components, and has a nice, earth friendly production method.

Score: 7/10 x1

Final Thoughts:
I think for the right audience, Race to the Treasure is a great option. But it's not a game for gamer families.  If your kids are showing a huge interest in your massive game collection, then there are likely more engaging titles to introduce them to.  But if you are a family just looking for some alternatives to the typical big box store Hasbro titles that everyone is conditioned to believe are the only games for kids, then Race to the Treasure is a great alternative.

This is a gorgeous game for kids!

I do think there is room for improvement though.  A tad bit more choice here, some clarification in the rules there, and thicker tiles all around would really make the game soar.  However, if you go in knowing what to expect, you won't be disappointed.  You're getting a high quality, eco-friendly, simple cooperative game for the youngest of players to enjoy with their older family members, or to play on their own.  This won't become your next family game night staple, but it will provide several hours of entertainment while fostering some very important basic skills.  All for the price of a single DVD.

Overall Score: 65/100

Rating Scale

Want another opinion?  Race for the Treasure was also reviewed by Dane on the Everything Board Games Network!  Check out his review here!

Did you like this review?  Show your support by clicking the heart at Board Game Links , liking GJJ Games on Facebook , or following on Twitter .  And be sure to check out my games on  Tabletop Generation.

GJJG Game Reviews are independent, unpaid reviews of games I, George Jaros, have played with my family and friends.  Some of these games I own, some are owned by friends, some are borrowed, and some are print and play versions of games.  Where applicable I will indicate if games have been played with kids or adults or a mix (Family Play).  I won't go into extensive detail about how to play the game (there are plenty of other sources for that information and I'll occasionally link to those other sources), but I will give my impressions of the game and how my friends and family reacted to the game.  A score of 1-10 (low-high) is given to each game in six categories: Components & Packaging, Rules & Setup, Gameplay, Replayability, Overall Value, and General Fun.  Rules & Setup and General Fun are weighted double and Gameplay is weighted triple.  Educational games have an extra category and Gameplay is only weighted double. Then the game is given a total score of x/100.