If you want to know more about game designers - read 1. Have you ever designed a game? - read 2. _______________________________________________________________________________ 1
I've noticed that many geeks are proudly wearing "GAME DESIGNER" badge but (with some exceptions for those, who made it to TOP 100) I usually have no clue what did they design. Being curious kind of person, I usually try to find out more about them. But my curiosity is not satisfied with short descriptions plus one or two pictures, which I can often find in their profiles. I want to know more! I would like hear their stories and maybe find some gems, which would otherwise stay hidden.
If you are as curious as I am, then thumb this list, so more people will notice it. We need to lure those designers here, so they will create the lovely geeklist for us. I sure hope they will!
PS. If there is any other question, you would like to ask, don't hesitate and write it. I will add it to the list.
_______________________________________________________________________________ 2 HA! We've caught you! Only YOU can help us to satisfy our curiosity! If you have designed a game, please add it (or them) to the list, present it and answer the following questions.
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)?
How long have you been working on this game?
How old were you in that time?
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea?
What do you like most about the game?
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game?
Did the game live up to your expectation?
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project?
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game.
The meaning of life is the river... And the river bifurcates...
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)?
It was Knizia's En Guarde, with the fencers that noved me to think: Why can't I do a similar 2 player sports theme game? Boxing theme came unintentionally after the initial thought on the mechanism, then once I had boxing, the theme dictated the final design.
How long have you been working on this game?
I thought about it for a couple of days, brainstormed a bit, took the cards from Danger to play around and took some notes. All in all within a week I had it playtested rigorously with my wife and a couple of friends as it came to it's final form.
How old were you in that time?
38 years old for my first and only design so far.
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea?
Very similar. Changed only the number of cards and added some variants.
What do you like most about the game?
That it's simple to make, explain and play, that it doesn't toll your brain in analysis, that it's fast in play and that it actually feels a bit like the bluffing part of a boxing match.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game?
Every one that needs to punch off a little time can enjoy, younger kids may like it, couples may have a lough. If you don't take it too seriously, you will get some fun out of it.
Did the game live up to your expectation?
It certainly did! I had no expectations in design. It just came to be without much effort and I am satisfied with that.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project?
I start on many ideas on and off but lack the focus and determination to pursue them. Maybe one of them will catch on and stick to become a prototype. Nothing concrete though...
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game.
I enjoy playing games, I like reading game manuals, I like teaching them. There is great pleasure in the first time playing a game I am fond of with new people to this game. I like to "hook and catch" them into the hobby.
Oh and one more thing about Punch! It's free to print and play. If you do give it a shot, then rate it when you are comfortable doing so. Thanks.
The meaning of life is the river... And the river bifurcates...
Quote:
It sounds like nice filler game Thank you for info! What is the biggest difference between Punch! and En Guarde?
Both sports are very similar in terms of the psychological aspect of the duel, in fencing it is a bit more indirect since the faces are hidden by masks and the distance between the players is longer. Also contact is by use of swords. In boxing it is more personal and direct using fists, eye contact can be a factor in psyching out your opponent.
So Knizia has a more tactical mechanic where each player will play in turn and initiate an attack or try to defend. In Punch! both players select their card simultaneously and reveal at the same time in order to judge what's happened. It is faster, no time to think, take your gut feeling and try to outguess your opponent. I think both games approach a different aspect of the sport (tactics vs. bluffing) and address it accordingly.
In my book they both scratch the same itch of feeling like being there, taking part in the competition. I am happy to have my inspiration come from a game by the good doctor.
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)? In other games - board and computer games - and in my long desire to make a space empire board game that worked.
How long have you been working on this game? From November 2006 to the middle of 2008.
How old were you in that time? 3 years younger than I am now!
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea? Similar to, but significant changes happened along the way.
What do you like most about the game? I like the fact other people like it. Honestly, it's the joy of seeing others play and have fun with something you've built. I love that the most.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game? Those who sit between Euro and American style games - who like a bit of a conflict, enjoy strategic elements and of course, love space epic games.
Did the game live up to your expectation? Beyond expectations. The game turned out better than intended and that's due to the numerous play testers that helped make the game what it is.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project? Yes. CrossCut Games has several new designs in the works - some of which are in active play testing right now. I hope to announce our next game very soon - it's coming down to our ninja game, detective game or card game. It depends on how fast we get the kinks worked out and how well our play testers react to them. I just hope our next game is received as well as our first!
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game. I'm an avid game player and a game designer. I don't do either full time, but wish I could! I really appreciate the hard work that goes into a good design and love to investigate and understand mechanics and game systems. It's my hobby that I really enjoy sharing.
"The next best thing to playing and winning is playing and losing." --A. Alvarez
“My opinion is that a game has its own life when published, and is really alive when players want to add their own house rules!” --Bruno Cathala
Congratulations on creating such a fantastic game! All your hard work has certainly paid off both in terms of the final production of the game and in the enjoyment that myself and my game group has received from it.
And you've got to be kidding me - a ninja game and a detective game ?!? That's super-exciting! I'm looking forward to some more details...
Those who sit between Euro and American style games...
I think I would fit into this category easily I hope I will come across your game soon! The rank 410 means that a lot of people like it and if it is your first published game than it is huge success. Congratulation! I'm looking forward to your new projects (ninja game? - now you think you have satisfied out curiosity? You must tell us more! )
I must say that I am really enjoying this game, and it is a hit with my gaming group, too. It is definitely one of the top games in my small collection.
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)? We have been playing 18xx games for almost 20 years. We have tried with varying degrees of success to get others as addicted to the system as we are, but it's a hard sell. These are complex games, which are difficult to learn. Often one needs to play through several sessions without really knowing what's going on before it "clicks." That's alot to ask of someone considering that they're also long games. Most people are not willing to devote 2 or 3 sessions of 6+ hours to blindly stumbling through without a clue. So we devised a game where the rules would be added incrementally. There are 3 levels, and each one adds a new element. The Level 1 can be played in about 30 minutes, and Level 3 in about 90. With this game, people can discover the keys to an entire genre with dozens of titles, and a devoted following. Each game in the series is functionally similar, but each has it's own character that makes players want to own them all... I'm warning you, it's an addiction!
How long have you been working on this game? We began working on this game in November of '08. We expect it to be available in the next couple months... So just under a year.
How old were you in that time? 33ish. Clay, a bit older.
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea? Similar in concept... But all of the details have changed. Rarely does a game survive the development process without huge changes.
What do you like most about the game? The short playing time, and the balance between all of the various railroads. We have gone to great lengths to let the players determine the winner, rather than the designers.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game? Casual gamers who are looking to move up to the next level. Veteran 18xx players who want to rope new people into the hobby.
Did the game live up to your expectation? It has exceeded my expectations!
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project? We have 5 projects in various stages of development. We're focused on 18EZ, as it will be our first release, but we're looking forward to getting back to some of our other projects.
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game. Thanks for the opportunity to plug the game!
Hamlet: A Game in Five Acts, was my best selling boardgame and may have been the only game of the Interactivities Ink line to turn a profit.
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)? I was watching a particularly horrible production of Hamlet and I designed this game in my mind as I was watching to force myself to pay attention. I was somewhat inspired by Chrononauts, but I wanted a game where people could affect the events of the play and come up with their own story along the way.
How long have you been working on this game? I'd say it went a year or two before publication. How old were you in that time? In my late 30s.
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea? It was very close, perhaps a bit more complex than I originally envisioned.
What do you like most about the game? I like the mechanics. They are fresh and interesting. I like that it tells a story. But I'm most proud of the rules, actually. They contain a retelling/synopsis of Hamlet that I think is hilarious if I do say so myself. What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game? People who are familiar with Hamlet. People who like games that tell stories along the way. Did the game live up to your expectation? More or less. It was the first card/board game I self-published and it did so well that I think I had inflated expectations about the other two when they came out. It is also my only award winning card/board game.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project? I have a wonderful real time/non-turn based/ cooperative/resource management card game called Meteor! that I was going to publish before II went out of business. It has now survived two other potential publishers going out of business and I'm still looking around for a third potential publisher that will hopefully break the streak.
I also try to post new content to my website every month. This often includes new print and play card/board games or print and play expansions to existing games.
But most of my games have been live action roleplaying games. I'm running a 75+ player game this October called Lullaby of Broadway. It's the second of a series of three and the first one went incredibly amazingly well.
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game. I'll be happy to post a pdf of the rules of Hamlet! if people are interested (the rules in the files section of the BGG page are from a print and play version I had up for a short time before I published it to sell).
Hamlet! is great fun and an elegant model for creating a game around a branching storyline. Also, I was greatly impressed that somebody could create a game in which the players are all voices in William Shakespeare's head!
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)?
I worked on this game with Dave Long and many parts of the game are the fruits of both of our ideas together. The mechanic of having a board that is composed of tiles which are explored as you play comes from playing computer games with a fog-of-war mechanism. Whenever I played such games I always liked to explore and reveal all of the map so Dave and I wanted to see that same mechanism in a board game.
The space theme was placed on the game when I came up with the idea of "folding space" to allow the players to manipulate the tiles and change the board layout. This took the game from one that was overly dependent on the initial random tile layout to one where the players were in control and that is when the game concept really got interesting.
How long have you been working on this game?
Dave and I worked on this game off and on for many years. We pitched it to a few companies over the years but were told that "space games don't sell" and never really got anyone to take a detailed look. After having the game sit on the shelf we decided to start our own company to bring the game to market. We started up the playtest process all over again and put in the money ourselves. We playtested for almost another year before we launched this year.
How old were you in that time?
44 at launch (Dave will have to speak for himself)
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea?
The basic mechanism is the same but the game evolved a lot based on playtester feedback and our observations of the playtesters. I am very happy with the tile graphics and how they evolved and I think they really look great in the final product.
What do you like most about the game?
The rules are on one sheet of paper (double-sided) yet the game can get very deep. There are a lot of combinations of tiles and multiple options available every turn. Evey decision is a balancing act as you seek to accomplish your own goals while thwarting your opponents from doing the same.
With the multiple variants available the game can be enjoyed by a wide range of player types.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game?
Players who like to find complex moves or patterns within a sea of possibilities. It takes a few games to get familiar with all the different tiles, but once you do you start to see a lot more options every turn.
The lite variant can be played by young kids as well.
Did the game live up to your expectation?
We started a company to publish this game and that has been a real learning experience. We visit local game stores and conventions and demo as often as we can and people usually like the game when they play it; however, we have found it very difficult to get any of these happy customers we meet to let others know what they like about the game.
Being a new company it is very hard to get attention and we keep plugging away at it. So the game has lived up to our expectations but "being" a new game publisher has been a lot more work than we thought. That being said if we ever were fortunate enough to do a second printing we would still tweaks things.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project?
I have been working a lot on my next game, Race for the Summit, which will be published later this year. It is a rock climbing card game where 2-6 players (best with 4-6) are climbing up a vertical spire to be the first to reach the summit. The game is rich in rock climbing theme and uses a lot of rock climbing terms and concepts. So far it has been well received by the playtesters, both rock climbers and gamers alike.
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game.
Being a new company we are always looking for ways to get the word out and can always use some help. We need representatives who would be willing to run games at gaming conventions throughout the world so anyone interested should contact us either through BGG or the Scimitar Games website.
The game is available from multiple online retailers and I must tip my hat to those who carry the game as they were willing to give the new kids on the block a chance. Many retailers and distributors are not that open minded so it was great to get support from these retailers.
It could very well be that it was Twilight Imperium (2005) that started to slowly change the minds of some of the publishers. All of the games mentioned in the first reply are 2007 or later which is kind of when we started to consider investing the money to publish the game ourselves. So it seems the market is more open to Sci Fi now than it was just 5 years ago.
So far, I've designed two games: Haggis & Pond Hockey. The first was Haggis, a climbing game for 2-3 players. For the second game, Pond Hockey, I had some help with the design from my friend Mike Forbes. Rather than add two entries to the list, I'll answer each of your questions for both games here.
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)? Haggis - Haggis was inspired by my desire to be able to play an enjoyable version of a climbing game when there were fewer than 4 players around. In particular, I wanted to have a 2-player game that I could enjoy. Haggis has elements taken or inspired by features from several existing climbing games, including: Tichu, Big Two, Zheng Fen, and Larry Levy's Teech for Two.
Pond Hockey - Pond Hockey was inspired by my desire to be able to play an enjoyable hockey game, with a full team of players moving around the ice (not just the puck), that wasn't a statistical simulation, trivia, or dexterity game. Mike and I started off trying to adapt StreetSoccer's player and ball movement system until we were able to get a player experience that felt more like hockey than like soccer on ice.
How long have you been working on this game? Haggis - I've worked on Haggis, on and off, for the past 3.5 years. The scoring system has gone through some simplifications over the past year, thanks to feedback from people here at BGG, but the game play has been stable since November 2007.
Pond Hockey - I still consider Pond Hockey to be under development. I toyed with some hockey ideas about 2 years ago, but I didn't really start working on Pond Hockey until October 2008. Mike got on board in early November.
How old were you in that time? Haggis - 33 to 36
Pond Hockey - 36
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea? I would say both Haggis and Pond Hockey (so far) have turned out be fairly similar to my original idea. Haggis was the more challenging problem to solve, so it has gone through more changes than its younger sibling.
What do you like most about the game? Haggis - The thing I like most about the game is that it works. By that I mean that it's a climbing game that I enjoy playing when there are fewer than 4 players around. It has a good pace and challenging decisions. It has a tighter, more claustrophic feel to it than has my favorite climbing game, Tichu, but I'm okay with that. To my mind, Tichu is like Kung Fu: dazzling, high-flying, and acrobatic. Haggis is more like a grappling match with clutches, submission holds, and throws.
The thing I was most proud of about Haggis was the original scoring system, but that has been the part where I've received the most pressure to have it changed. And that's alright. Simplifying the scoring makes the game more approachable. Still, for me, the original system was a thing of beauty.
Pond Hockey - The thing I like most about Pond Hockey, so far, is probably shielding the puck. Good positional play, and proper shielding of the puck can cost your opponent several moves as they maneuver around to check the puck away from you without receiving a penalty. Done well, this can mean the difference between a goal being scored or an opportunity being lost.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game? Haggis - I think people who like Tichu, Gang of Four, The Great Dalmuti, and other climbing games will probably like Haggis. People who enjoy two player traditional card games, like Cribbage and Gin Rummy, may also find it appealing.
Pond Hockey - I think people who like StreetSoccer might like Pond Hockey as well. It's not a full simulation of hockey, but I think people who are into hockey may find things that they'll enjoy.
Did the game live up to your expectation? Haggis - Yes. For me, Haggis is a legitimate 10 on the BGG scale - I always want to play and I expect that will never change. Tichu, however, goes to 11.
Pond Hockey - Not entirely. There are at least two things that I feel still need improvement: I'd like there to be more player movement (the players can seem too static - standing around, contributing little - for a hockey game); and I'd also like to get more dump-and-chase type plays happening (where the puck runs up along the boards, behind the net, and players chase after it, rather than carrying it into the zone themselves). Ideally, I'd like to see some full team movement, up and down the rink, rather than just having a few players floating around in the attacking zone.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project? Yes. As I mentioned, Pond Hockey is still under development. But I'm also currently starting to work on a fairly different hockey design, based off of some discussions I had awhile back over in the BGDF forums. For the moment, I'm referring to this game as "Big Ice Hockey", since it's meant to model the IIHF game - where they play on the "big ice" (IIHF rinks are larger than NHL rinks). The game is in a pre-pre-alpha state - it doesn't have written rules or a physical prototype - I'm just thinking about what I want the player experience to be like at this point. To give you an idea of where it might be heading, you can check out this stop-motion animation I threw together using Inkscape as a virtual game table:
No need to adjust your volume, there is no sound in this video.
The little hockey players are a little difficult to see in the video. They look something like this:
They flip after being moved, like the pieces in Fearsome Floors. Anyway, it's very early days for that design. It's possible some of the ideas from that game may end up filtering back into the design of Pond Hockey. And vice-versa. We'll see how it goes....
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game. I originally discovered BGG while searching for any standard deck, two player, card games, already existing, that I would find enjoyable. I'd scoured pagat.com and came up unsatisfied with what I'd found on offer. Other than Cribbage and Gin Rummy, there really aren't many out there that appeal to me (Schnapsen is pretty good, and Casino can be okay). Anyway. While I did find some commercial games here on BGG that I liked (Schotten-Totten, for instance), I still hadn't found a standard deck card game that satisfied me. If I had, I probably would never have tried to design Haggis. Same thing goes for Pond Hockey and being unable to find a hockey game design that I liked (Although, NHL Ice Breaker: The Card Hockey Board Game can be fun, if played with the right frame of mind, i.e., not too seriously). It would be much easier, and far less work, if only the games I wanted to play already existed. Next time, maybe I'll commission some other designer to do all the hard work and I'll just come up with ideas...
"Necessity, who is the mother of invention." Plato, The Republic
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)? I was looking for an idea about recycling. I thought that now with all the "Earth getting destroyed by us" subject a game should reflect it. The tiles were selected because I wanted to make a series of games with tiles that will be cheaper to produce if they all used the same tile size.
How long have you been working on this game? I worked on the game for 6 months or so. How old were you in that time? I was 38 when I posted the game here
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea? The final product was very similar to the original concept.
What do you like most about the game? I like couple of things about it: 1: It is relative simple so it can be easily taught 2: I think it can be easily expended (no, I'm not working on any expansion but so many people suggested some) 3: It is not a deep game (and was not intended as one) but it deeper then what you first notice.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game? I think the casual gamer will enjoy it, and families with young boys who like the space ship theme where they can build their own space ship.
Did the game live up to your expectation? YES. 50 ratings on the geek, almost 100 owners and rank around ~2000 for a game that is only web published is very nice (well at least I think so)
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project? There are currently 3 games in different design stages 1: A game about area control. you can see a sample image done for me by Chris Jones
2: A semi co-op game about invaders from space. Semi means you all have to help each other to win the game. but at the end there is only one winner. You need to help to your friends, but not too much so you can win the game. 3: A Simple Civilization game. As time progress it is getting more complex and a bit longer then I wanted. It was supposed to be a 4 page rules game played in 2 hours. now it is a 12 page rules and expected game time of 4 hours.
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game. The game rights were bought by Alcatraz games. However they encountered some problems and were closed down. unfortunately for me I can't get in touch with them to get my rights back. I will get them automatically in Feb 2010. currently there is already a new company which want to buy the rights so wish me luck and you might even see the game in the market in a year.
All the games I designed so far are Free Print and Play posted here on the geek. You can see some additional comments about games I design. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/40311 For Island Trader I did a self published version (still have some copies left).
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)? From the LACK of its 'being' until I "designed" that.
How long have you been working on this game? That took a day or longer to work out the intricate and expanded upon portions.
How old were you in that time? About around a YEAR younger than now.
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea? Not entirely, as other 'materials' of which this could comprise were then thought upon and devised as well.
What do you like most about the game? That it were initially FREE, although if anyone wanted to BUY a 'pro' SET, that then it were commercially available.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game? ONLY the "smartest"!
Did the game live up to your expectation? It not only HAD but it STILL amazes & astounds the 'pundits'.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project? Yes, and that involves a 1943 "Order of Battle" for use with "Fortress Europa".
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game. OK! will 'do'!
I don't wish to DETRACT for the others on this here, so I shall OMIT my "entry" within the CONTEST 'portion' and wish the others "best of LUCK & regards".
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)?
Late at night on our way out to town during a role playing convention, we started talking about how attempts to score a girl could be "blocked" as one would block an attack in JYHAD which we played a lot. JYHAD (now Vampire: The Eternal Struggle) was also a major inspiration for os. How long have you been working on this game?
Several years. However since we weren't professionals I think we spend too much time designing and printing and a tad too little time playtesting How old were you in that time?
I believe around 19 or 20 when we first got the idea. Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea?
Very similar. We wanted a Jyhad-like game that could in it's essence tell a story about hitting on da ladies. And that is pretty much what it is.
What do you like most about the game?
The humour and the blatant stereotyping. But also the stories it generates. The game really isn't that good, but the experience can be.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game?
Beer and pretzels gamers. And women can certainly play as well. Did the game live up to your expectation?
Yes and no. Having the finished product in our hands was absolutely amazing. But should I remake it with what I know today I would most certainly make a more streamlined, less rules heavy and faster playing game. Also printing are much cheaper now than in 2003, so the card stock is not of the quality available quite cheap today.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project?
I have designed a game about being a god smiting your followers to make them more fervent believers. It's called Gods: A Game of Righteous Smiting, and the beta version can be downloaded in a (rather ugly) PnP version. Also I'm working on a PnP First Person Shooter solo game inspired by Doom: the board game and Zombie in My Pocket.
Other stuff The game is in Danish, and since both the babes one try to score and the places it's done (called "hunting grounds") are very "local" I can hardly imagining translating it. That being said I have shipped a copy to an american geek and the rules are available in English.
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)? Um Reifenbreite and cycling itself. Purposely I didn't play too many cycling games before as I didn't want to be influenced. Indeed I didn't play Um Reifenbreite before I designed Tour, just took inspiration from the fact that a cycling game was so well received.
How long have you been working on this game? It was months of design and jotting down then ages sorting out the graphics (really painstaking) in photoshop. Then adding some extra downloadable bits since and will sort out more stuff for it ready for the Tour this year.
How old were you in that time? 2006 means 25/26.
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea? Similar actually. I was originally going to make the corners curved but that was a nightmare. Very quickly I planned to make boards that could be set up in loads of ways to make plenty of different tracks (BEFORE Leader 1 I may add! )
What do you like most about the game? The different cyclist abilities and having to work them as a team. A race against my wife where she sent her team leader on a solo break early on and my team pulled together and caught him on the final mountain when he cracked and my leader and mountain guy swooped past gloriously.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game? Cycling fans will get SOMETHING out of it (various views from different guys on how much and what). It's quite long though so someone who's a bit statty like me and happy to give some time.
Did the game live up to your expectation? Mostly. Some of the different "abilty" ratings are a little off. Mostly the resilience one. Thankfully I'ev had a few guys offering some variants which is cool.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project? I've got a few games on BGG - mostly simpler ones of course. At the moment I'm working mostly on my solo player cycling card game, a game about space airlines shipping customers to and from different planets...And a couple more shushy ones....And going back over some old stuff.
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)? I designed a simple card game for my kids in 2003 called Radio Play and it was too simple for adults, and over the years, friends play tested it; including 2 game clubs in Michigan and one in Canada. Suggestions included ideas from Sid Sackson games (who I consider to be the greatest designer ever) and suggestions included ways of battling the other players and blocking them which developed into "influence chips" and "tracking a band's popularity". I took the suggestions and turned it into a board game. In the late 1980's I was in a band and was even a session drummer on a couple of christian rock albums... so music has always been big in my life. I like too many bands to list my influences musically but you will see influences from other games in this game and some absolutely unique design also.
How long have you been working on this game? Since 2001 in various forms and MY BAND was finished in it's final form in 2008.
How old were you in that time? I started designing games with my first in high school in 1984 which by 1998 was first printed and called "Braggadocio". I will eventually try to get that one listed on this site also. I designed a few games that were published by a very small publisher in the 1990's and after that have only self-published. By the time MY BAND was finished, I was 40.
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea? It had a very basic similar card design but was improved with play testing so much that when comparing both games, you could not recognize the game from where it started. AND I THINK that is a good thing. My goal was to pick a publisher and try to get it published at one spot. I tried a small company who replied that "the music theme would likely not sell"...I guess they had not heard of "Guitar Hero"... so my last effort was to chose ZMAN and I sent emails but had no reply, so I decided to give it away via Print-n-Play.
What do you like most about the game?
It's just a good time and can really be fun with a happy group of people. FNH1 did a PodCast review of it a while back and I was happy to hear his comments.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game? People who enjoy music or the music industry. I also think Ameri-gamers and Euro-gamers will find likable elements.
Did the game live up to your expectation? I can only say yes for me, but I have had one poor comment when somone rated it, so at least for that person, it did not.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project? Always I hope. I'm working with a person researching his doctorate in ancient history & philosophy who is constantly giving me ideas for historical type games... all of those are sketchy right now but I have some ideas for kids games that should be done within a year. (no details)
I'm actually thinking about designing a game similar to this, at least theme-wise Before I take on the idea I'll definately see what your idea was so I don't make a copy without even knowing about it
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)?
This is funny I was just talking to another game designer about it last night. When I decided to do Dead Man’s Island I wanted something that reminded me of the mini games we would play in the 80’s, hence a beer and pretzel war game at its core. I purposely made it a little kitschy and old school because of this.
How long have you been working on this game?
7 Months from first draft to putting up at RPGNOW
How old were you in that time?
41 when it was finished
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea?
I had a fairly solid concept of what I wanted the end result to be but we did add one mechanic, the Kraken, to keep players from just rowing around the island endlessly.
What do you like most about the game?
It scales well throughout the player range, 1-4. Not to say a solo game is like a playing live players but each has it’s own charm. Personally I like a full table for this one. More Pirates = More Conflict.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game?
There is a great deal of uncertainty in this game from the draw of what you find in the graves to the combat rolls. If you hate dice this is not for you. On the other hand if you like surprises and a little gotcha it might suit you just fine. This game has zombies & sword fighting pirates, what else could you want?
Did the game live up to your expectation?
Few people have it listed as owned yet it is one of the better PnP sellers so happy with it. I’m am surprised that most of the purchasers are obviously not BGG’ers
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project?
I have several in the works including another PnP title I hope to have ready by fall called The Circle. It’s a fantasy war game where armies struggle to take and hold a magic circle that will imbue miraculous strength upon their warriors.
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game.
There is never enough play testers around. If you want to help out and live in or near Ann Arbor, MI send me a GeekMail. Incase your wondering I don’t just do lt war games. So as a tester you might be playing a euro or even a children’s game.
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)?
I had found a zombie game I didn't like...
I had found a game which peeked my interest, yet the theme and mechanics both set me off the game. I began by simply beefing up the theme, thinking that would make the game playable. After several days of graphics work, I decided the mechanics could be a bit better, and the tokens were all wrong...
How long have you been working on this game?
Five months...
How old were you in that time?
29 years of age...
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea?
Incredibly different...
What do you like most about the game?
Honestly, there are far more innovative games to be played. The game is good for what it is, and for what I set out to achieve... A good looking game. I do take pride in the graphics of this game most of all...
What I liked about this game the most, however, is the process of creating it. The game going from creating custom cards to improve an already released game to its own entity was awesome!
The realization of this game triggered a switch in my mind which released a flood of new ideas for boardgames, as well.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game?
Zombie fans... Solo gamers...
I don't really know.... I look at games in terms of what I like... If I don't like it, I'm not going to work on it...
Did the game live up to your expectation?
It did. I had no expectations at the start... And now I am a bit confused on what to do with this game.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project?
It probably won't earn me many fans, but I am working on a Lovecraft-based game..... And NOT a mythos-themed game. I have always felt his non-mythos were better.... Now... is it "The Rats in the Wall"... "The Lurking Fear".... Or....
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)?
Believe it or not, the old Micromachines Military series- specifically WWII. You could buy a pack with tanks, aircraft, etc., and my friend and I thought- hey it'd be cool to make a game around our new toys.
How long have you been working on this game?
Elements of this design began in 2000, with the above inspiration. However, it evolved through 4 versions to its current published version, released in Aug 2008 at Gen Con, which is completely different from the initial design.
How old were you in that time?
I was 21 when I began the design, I think.
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea?
Totally different. Dropped the micromachines use early on (they quit making them anyway). Added the current "Unit Cards"- Cards that handle all of the important stats for units in the game in version 3 (I think), and made it a two-scale game in the final version, to incorporate the use of 3rd party miniatures to resolve important battles set up by the board game. Those were the major changes. Along with that, each version got a facelift of the art- the last adding Mark Mahaffey to redux the map and give us a proper box.
What do you like most about the game?
That it appeals to both board wargamers and to miniatures wargamers and is getting positive feedback from each 'camp' and from reviewers such as Mike Siggins at Battlegames Magazine, Richard Mataka, and others. So, what I like most is that the game is something other people enjoy.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game?
Casual and hardcore board and miniatures wargamers. There's something in it for everyone, as we've seen at the various shows we've exhibited it at (Gen Con, Fall In, Williamsburg Muster, etc.).
Did the game live up to your expectation?
I think it surpassed my expectations. I wanted to create something different and I did. Whether or not it would be well-received by the wargaming community was a big question for me, but it has been well-received, and I'm humbled by the response.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project?
Absolutely. I'm working on Frontline General: San Pietro Infine, which is now available for preorder. This game focuses on one level of the first game- tactical- and covers the historical battle of San Pietro in 1943.
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game.
I self-published this game. When I tackled the design of my first game over the years, I had no idea that would be the 'easy part'. Self-publishing is a huge challenge, and I couldn't find a lot of good information out there about doing so. So, I hang out in the Board Game Design forum on BGG and try and help others along if I feel I can offer some suggestions or if people have questions about it. A lot of people consider this route (including myself) without really knowing what's involved. I've been fortunate to learn a lot along the way from some great people, and I never mind passing that info on.
If you're heading to Historicon or WBC this year, stop by and say hey!
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)? I have designed games for many, many years, and had decided to finally try to get one published. Instead of taking my best work and searching for a publisher, I decided to make one specifically for a publisher I knew - Twilight Creations, Inc. They are awesome people that I knew I wanted to work with and this meant a horror theme (I always start with theme). At the time of initial inspiration, I was playing a bit of "Settlers of Catan" online, which lead me to make a design of similar weight, strategy, and quantity of luck. The end product plays nothing at all like "Settlers" (it was never intended to), but it does seem to hit the weights about the same. How long have you been working on this game? This is a difficult question to answer as I am always working on several projects at once. From inception to initial pitch was about 5 months. How old were you in that time? About 40 Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea? I pretty much over design my initial prototypes and then have to take a machete to them until they are playable by human beings. Once it was playable there were a lot of minor tweaks, but nothing too major - the publisher also had several good suggestions that were very valuable. Interestingly enough, I designed a very different version of this game using mostly the same components at the publisher’s request. This second version was playable, but determined to be not as good as the original both by me and the publisher and so gathers dust in my bone yard-bits box. It was an interesting experiment I have to say. What do you like most about the game? I enjoy how it scales well as the player’s experience increases. When players first learn the game it is all about learning the patterns, but as a group gains experience it becomes more and more about clever use of the monster’s special powers and using the hidden cards. What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game? As said above, the level of difficulty is pretty "Catan" like, even if game play is quite different. I am told that it plays a little bit like "Kill Doctor Lucky" (by the legendary James Ernest), but I have not played that one yet so I can’t say myself. Did the game live up to your expectation? I have to say that they quality of the components and the art design are well beyond my expectations and that the game play came out better but pretty much the same as my original design. The game looks wonderful when it is set up - I can’t say enough good things about the artists who made it look so good. Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project? I have several irons in the fire and I don’t want to jinx them by saying too much here. Let’s just say that GAMA was good to me this year and that I have a few projects currently under evaluation. Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game. The one thing that I would do differently is to spend more time in the rule writing. It is the most difficult part of the process for me and it is very difficult to evaluate a set of rules for the designer or for play testers who have been part of the design process. It takes a while for things to get going on a publishing project, so I always thought that I would have enough time to polish things up through blind play testers. The thing about publishing though is that once things start moving they move very quickly! The good news is that the vast majority of people get it; when people ask questions about game play, they usually are correct and are just looking for confirmation. I would just like it to be as easy as possible for people to learn and enjoy the game.
Thanks to all those people who came out and demoed "Bump in the Night" at Kublacon and voted it into a tie for best new game of the convention(it tied with "Small World" by Days of Wonder, which is amazing!). Next stop - Origins!
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)? The inspiration for Border Reivers was a 36-hour game of Mighty Empires, I figured it had to be able to make a game which played faster and was less random. The theme was pasted on later and was chosen because I lived in Newcastle when I designed it, and the Border Reivers were local history.
How long have you been working on this game? I spent about 4 years in total working on it before I self-published it.
How old were you in that time? I was 24 when I started, 29 when I self-published it.
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea? In essence it was the same, but a lot changed over time. Mostly it was stripping out things that just overly-complicated things.
What do you like most about the game? I like the brutal combat and the development of the terrain from Forests, through wild to cultivated lands.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game? Despite the aim to reduce the random-ness there's still a fair amount of die-rolling, so probably people who like the lighter war-themed games like Memoir '44 and Risk.
Did the game live up to your expectation? At the time I released it I was really proud of it, now on reflection there's a few things I'd change - reducing the die-rolling for reinforcements at the beginning of your turn and trying to avoid turns where there's nothing you can or want to do.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project? Yes! I co-designed Carpe Astra with Ted Cheatham and I'm working on another game with another published designer at the moment. It's a light, fun filler with lots of dice!
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game. Border Reivers is the only game I've published which features my own artwork (my Dad did the cover illustration, everything else is mine) - now I still do the graphic design but the art is all done by more capable artists
Spain Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Gran Canaria- Canary Islands
I like very much the theme and the general line and design of the game. With the few improvements you have pointed out, Jackson, I believe it will be still better. Any aim to publish it again? Maybe not yourself by through any publisher. best of luck!!
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)? I was taking Keith Meyer's class on board game design, and I needed a game for the finals. My girlfriend's roommate's boyfriend (wowzers) was on parole. He did 10 years in a Colorado prison. Actually he was a nice guy that hung out with the wrong crowd when he was a teenager. Anyhow one night we got to talking about what it was like on the 'inside.' And, well, everything he explained to me made it into the game.
How long have you been working on this game? I'm generally pretty slow. This took me about two years from beginning to finally selling them.
How old were you in that time? ages 29 to 31
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea? same as
What do you like most about the game? It's actually fun, but educational. It presents the environment, and lets the players develop the story.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game? Euro/American hybrid players, and 20+ years old crowd.
Did the game live up to your expectation? The scariest part of the process for me was finally presenting it to the gaming world. It was my first design that I built by myself. When I saw other people play it, and laugh, and be gripped with suspense, it lived up to my expectations.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project? Yes, but don't know about their future yet. A horse race game I designed with Keith, a Mayan game, an adventure game (a team design), and a sort of economic sequel to San Quentin Kings that I hope to have out in 2010.
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game. The production of the game was very inspired by the works of Dirk Henn's db spiele label, the Stratamax label, Hangman Games label, Viktory II, Phil Eklunds label. These games rule!!! To me these games have a magic gaming glow.
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)?
The general card-driven mechanism was an evolved form of Mark Herman's ground breaking We The People. In general we thought that CDG's handle the politics of warfare extraordinarily well. So, we designed a game about a war that was all politics.
How long have you been working on this game?
IT was five years from the time GMT said they would do it, until we had it in our hands. It took Ananda and I about a year to put the initial prototype together.
How old were you in that time?
35 years old when publish, about 30 when we started.
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea?
There were a lot of refinements. The final product was much cleaner and elegant that the initial prototype. But if you played both, you would recognize the game the came out the other end.
What do you like most about the game?
My favortie thing about TS, is the way it can occasionally capture the psychological dynamic of the Cold War. An area becomes important because your opponent thinks its important -- even if neither of you have the scoring card.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game?
Anyone who likes contemportary history. Euro gamers who are drawn to theme, and wargamers looking for a fulfilling experience that can be handled in an evening's sitting.
Did the game live up to your expectation?
Much, much better than my expectations. Ananda and I are both very pround of how the game has been received.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project?
Yes, a new game coming out on the Obama McCain race, hopefully this year. And a CDG on the US Constitutional Convention for 2010.
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game.
We will have a deluxe edition available this year -- hopefully for Essen. It will be in time for the 20th Anniversay of the Collapse of the Berlin Wall.
Also, that's the back of my fat head in the foreground of this picture.
Roger's Reviews: check out my reviews page, right here on BGG!
Who let this guy become wargame subdomain moderator anyways?
JasonMatthews wrote:
We will have a deluxe edition available this year -- hopefully for Essen. It will be in time for the 20th Anniversay of the Collapse of the Berlin Wall.
From GMT? When will it be available to (pre)order?
We will have a deluxe edition available this year -- hopefully for Essen. It will be in time for the 20th Anniversay of the Collapse of the Berlin Wall.
From GMT? When will it be available to (pre)order?
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)?
I was working in Thailand and I asked myself: Why was Siam never colonised? I worked form there. (Yes, it was developed from the theme, even if it doesnt feel that way, thats probably because it was designed from the bottom to the top, instead of the other way around)
How long have you been working on this game?
About a year (difficult to tell, beacuse I never work constantly at one game alone)
How old were you in that time?
30
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea?
The very first idea had a completly different basic mechanism. The only thing that was the same was the theme and that it was a kind of majority game. This prototype got shelfed for quite some time. When I had a new idea, I threw out most of the mechanisms and added all the elements that are included now. Only details were changed afterwards.
What do you like most about the game?
It really is short for such a heavy game. And I love partnership-games.I also like to think and this is definitly a thinker!
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game?
Everyone who likes to think a bit over the moves and people who prefer subtility over brute force.
Did the game live up to your expectation?
Gamewise? Yes. From the sales? Not so much, probably it didnt help that it came out the same time as Galaxy Trucker, Agricola and Race to the Galaxy (great games BTW)... But Im not complaining : The reception so far is great!
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project?
Yes, I have a out a dozen projects in various stages. The two I like most is "Erstkontakt" (first contact) and "Der eiserne Vorhang" (The iron curtain). Erstkontakt is a mixture between Sherlock Holmes and Betrayal at the Hoiuse of the Hill: Players searching a crashed Alien ship. During that cards are drawn and the third card determines the sceario played. Unlike Betrayal EVERY player has its own booklet and that gives him objective for the scenario. Even more: Most rooms have a personalized describtion, for example the doctor could heal himself in the sick bay or the mercenary can open blocked passways. The system is very flexible and some scenarios are full cooperative, others are 2 vs 2 or 3 vs. 1 or ervery man for himself... Its in the playtest phase now, mostly for clarification of the written parts and the scaling. And I need more scenarios. The problem is: I cant think of any German poublisher who would pick this up, and there is far to much text for me to translate into english to show it to an international one. Der eiserne Vorhang is a Non-War-Wargame ;-) I hope to get it published by next year, because the theme is the history of the GDR from the 50s to the 80s (and next year is the 10-Year-Anniversary of the German unification). It uses a new twist on the card-play used in games like Paths of glory. Im full of expectations for this game, I have worked on it for 4 years now (very slowly, I wanted to have original mechanisms for everything simulated in the game, so I didnt realy started putting things together, until the parts were finished) and I cant wait to see this thing finished...
Peer, if you need any help translating some of the scenarios to English, let me know. I love Betrayal At House On The Hill, and both my German and my English are above average.
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)? Maze games and turn movement, joining with a some digital boards of work and the rules of the contest.
How long have you been working on this game? Seven hours to first prototype (boards and manual), another day for redesign of the boards and several days improving manual with help from other people.
How old were you in that time? 33
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea? The same.
What do you like most about the game? To be honest, simplicity.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game? Don't have a clue.
Did the game live up to your expectation? Yes, ended in third place in the contest.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project? Yes, working in two, Trainzzz and Piranha Team.
Now called Omega Centauri (by Spiral Galaxy Games) release date tbc
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)?
Theme, it always starts with theme. I wanted a Space Empire game that was playable in an hour or two. One with an epic feel, where you were in charge of a race and controlled vast areas of space.
A boardgame version of a 4X PC game - like Masters of Orion.
How long have you been working on this game?
Since early 2005 - before my other game (Celtic Quest) was published.
How old were you in that time?
39
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea?
Well I haven't seen the final printed version (yet) - but based on the prototype I sent to JKLM the answer is YES. Some bits are the same, some similar and some totally different from my original idea.
For a start for the first couple of years the game had a mapboard - now it uses map tiles that are flipped during play.
What do you like most about the game?
The variability - given everyone has the same basic actions, each game turns out differently as players try different combinations of technology.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game?
Gamers who like the hybrid mix of euro/ameritrash. Ascendancy has conflict and possible elimination, but the combat system is totally deterministic, no dice or sneaky event cards to save you. It's strategic, you need to have a plan to win but also be flexible (or have a backup plan) to react to the major random game element ... the other players.
Did the game live up to your expectation?
Exceeded it - the long development time meant there was opportunity to try different things, input from the playtesters was vital. Oh, and a really good rulebook edit, thanks to
I've always wondered; did the old Dos 4X game of the same name, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascendancy_(game) , have any influence on this? I always thought it would have translated to an awesome boardgame, and deeply lament The Logic Factory's persistent vegetative state, what with their teasings of allegedly working on a sequel.
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)?
I was actually taking a video game design class at the time. Our instructor was very big into using board game design to teach concepts in video game design. For one early assignment, he asked the class to throw out random topics. We brainstormed a bunch of them on the whiteboard, and at the last second I added "monkeys". We voted on the best ideas and the top two topics chosen were "monkeys" and "escaping". Everyone in the class had to design a game with involving those themes...only I took it a bit further. How's that for a totally random origin story?
How long have you been working on this game?
The first prototype was made in 2005. I spent time playtesting and revising for another year before I felt it was ready to send out to publishers in 2006. It can sometimes take a long long time to hear back from publishers, so I spent the next two years waiting on various publishers, playtesting more, and improving the game based on their feedback. In early 2008, AEG reviewed the game and was very excited about the prospects of publishing it. A deal was made! Monkey Lab will be available in June 2009.
How old were you in that time?
I am currently 30.
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea?
I went through a lot of revisions on the game. I've designed many board games before, but this was the first game I've actually put through a development process. I tried a lot of different things with the game while refining it. It was sort of my test bed for game ideas. There were also a lot of kinks to be worked out – the game ending, the scoring, the chaos. Every aspect of the game has been revised at some point or another to make the game as good as it could possibly be. At its core, though, the game has remained fundamentally the same as the original version.
I kept a lot of notes and have all of my revisions. It is always nice to look back and see how far the game has come. It took a lot of different attempts to get the modular board work just right. At one time, all of the game components were cards and were on the board face down. There were “loose” monkeys in one version and formula beakers in another. At one point, the guard walked around the board and determined the game ending. The kernels from some of these ideas will most likely make it into an expansion at some point in the future.
What do you like most about the game?
I really enjoy playing Monkey Lab - There is no point in designing a game you don't like playing. I like that each turn is like a little puzzle: Can I unlock a cage this turn? Should I venture out on my own to hoard the points for myself or stay close with the pack to mooch off of others work? I like that you can team up with other players to cooperate toward a common goal. I enjoy creating card combos that move me ahead while putting a kink in other player's plans.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game?
I think players will be drawn in by the monkeys, but be pleasantly surprised that the game is much more than that. I've played the game with many different types of gamers and each one had something different they liked about the game. If you think you would enjoy the same things I mentioned in the previous answer, then I think you'll like this Monkey Lab.
Did the game live up to your expectation?
So far, yes, but the game hasn't been released yet.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project?
I have been designing games ever since I started on Monkey Lab. In fact, each Tuesday night I host a game design night at my house with local game designers where we brainstorm and playtest each others designs.
I am currently working on getting several games published:
Salvage – A post-apocalyptic game with card drafting and machine building. Venture Forth – An adventure game where your heroes seek out their ambitions. Stellar Underworld – A spaceport game of henchmen and smuggling.
I have several more than are in various stages of development.
The Resistance is a tense game of deduction, trust and betrayal. Over the course of up to five rounds, players have to decide who to trust with vital 'Plans.' If even one set goes to a Spy, The Resistance may lose one of its three bases, before it can annihilate three of the Empire's. And every time the Resistance succeeds, another set of Plans must be added, heightening the tension every round.
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)?
I can easily say the inspiration came from playing Werewolf. I'd long been intrigued by the game for its intense interpersonal play. To me, games are best when they pull in real peoples personalities' and put them into interesting interactive situations. Werewolf does that, but I felt that there were a number of design issues I could solve. I wanted to get rid of player elimination, increase the amounts of information available to the players in order to reduce 'hunch lynchings.' And in general create a game that was more stable, in terms of ratio and playing time, at all levels of play. And I wanted it to be very intense, which I believe I accomplished.
How long have you been working on this game?
The core mechanic of the game simply came to me in July of 08, as I was listening to a lecture as a counselor at a summer highschool camp. You can tell my brain was somewhere else!
How old were you in that time?
I was 24, same as now, having just turned it on the 19th of July.
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea?
The end product was actually pretty similar to the original design. It went through a number of large shifts mid-stage, and eventually was brought back to its original, purest concept, which is the current game.
What do you like most about the game?
Tough question. To me, the game represents what I want most in my game experience: real people dealing with each other in imaginary circumstances, and seeing what happens. When I'm playing, I totally enter the world of The Resistance, trying to figure out (or hide my identity from!) my enemies. To me, it's a great game, but each session is also a great story that we can talk and laugh about later.
Other than that, I love that it can be played with just a deck of cards, keeps everyone involved all the time, and never takes long to play.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game?
I think anyone who likes Werewolf will love this game. Also anyone who likes Family Business, Bang!, Covert Action, Ca$h 'n Gun$, I'm the Boss!, or the negotiation aspect of Bohnanza. All these games, though some well produced, are still pretty 'raw' in terms of gameplay. People who care more about looking at each other than a board, who value most the shared experience of play. That's how I designed my game.
Did the game live up to your expectations?
Yes, I'm actually very, very happy with the game. Having only previously designed unpublished abstracts, I'm very excited to have a game of which I'm proud enough to share with the world. And the feedback I've gotten so far has been encouraging and motivational.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project?
With The Resistance, I really feel that I found my niche, and I'd like to explore it's possibilities. I want to see how else I can put people into a situation, a dilemma, that they must (and want to) resolve with and against each other, feeling like they're actually 'in' the story.
So, current ideas? The Asylum, for one, in which there are three sides: guards, good inmates, and evil inmates. The guards know themselves, but nobody else (not even each other), and need to figure out who's who and get them back in their cells. The good inmates think they're guards, and want to get free and put away the other inmates (unless they can be convinced they're inmates, in which case they want to go to their cell). The evil inmates know everyone, and stir discord at every chance, trying to break free when possible. Various mechanics for figuring out other identities and 'breaking out' are in the works. It's still pretty rough, but it's a start.
It's been amazing to me how much 'lightning needs to strike' in order to have a really good idea. But I'm working on it.
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game.
I feel like I've talked too much already, but in sum, I'm very proud of the game and I invite the readers to try it out. You only need a deck of cards and four friends (8 is my favorite number of players). I'll end this with a link, which leads to a session report which I feel is very telling of the game - as a shared, exciting story for all players.
P.S. If you like to play with fancy cards, Goldenturkey has put together some excellent graphics for printing and playing, located in the file section. Enjoy!
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)? I decided to begin designing a game based upon Bowen Simmons's block-and-maneuver system, originally developed for Bonaparte at Marengo (BaM). There are a number of reasons why I did so, but first and foremost because I—like others in the gaming community—craved another game that was like BaM, which was the only published game of its kind at the time. After some encouragement, I took it upon myself to remedy that situation.
How long have you been working on this game? 1,088 man-hours over 15 months of calendar time (May 2007 through July 2008, inclusive). For more specific information, read this design diary entry.
How old were you in that time? 34-35
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea? The final game was very similar to my original game concept. The game did undergo a number of refinements during playtesting, which in my opinion improved the game.
What do you like most about the game? Generally speaking, I am very pleased that other individuals enjoy playing the game. More specifically, I like the refinements to BaM's block-and-maneuver system that BaBR added.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game? I believe that anyone who enjoys playing Bonaparte at Marengo or Napoleon's Triumph (as well as the upcoming The Guns of Gettysburg) will enjoy playing Baptism at Bull Run (BaBR). Additionally, a number of American Civil War enthusiasts will find BaBR to be a departure (hopefully, positive) from the usual ACW game fare.
Did the game live up to your expectation? Yes, it did. I am quite pleased with how BaBR turned out. I still play the game regularly, and I am thrilled when I am finally beaten by someone who is new to the game. There is nothing quite like the feeling when someone else "gets" my game.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project? I am currently investigating opportunities to physically publish BaBR. That said, I do have some other concepts for games, but nothing worth noting at this point.
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game. For those interested, feel free to peruse the complete design diaries for Baptism at Bull Run.
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)?
The board came first. I was playing around with Illustrator, and I had stackable cone pawns left over from 4th Corner, and I thought it would be neat and unique to have a wheel-shaped board for an abstract strategy game. Then I thought it would be neat to have a pure strategy game for more than two players. Then I added the "lotus points" (starting points around the outside of the board) to give the board a more Buddhist theme, and when I came up with the mechanic, it seemed logical to call it Samsara -- you are converting others to your philosophy and they stay with you long enough to become enlightened and leave the wheel of samsara and go off to nirvana.
How long have you been working on this game?
A little more than two years. I'm doing a bit of tweaking of the rules to make them clearer while waiting for the financing to produce it, but it's basically ready to go.
How old were you in that time?
I would have been 45 then.
Was the final product the same as/similar to/totally different from your original idea?
I think I had to reduce the number of spaces on the board early on. And one play test group came up with stacking limits and stacking order rules. I also added a beginner's setup with dummy pawns to focus on absorbing first.
What do you like most about the game?
I like how propaganda and negotiation start happening about halfway through the game.
What kind of players do you think will enjoy the game?
Abstract fans. Negotiation game fans. Chess and Go players.
Did the game live up to your expectation?
More so. It is getting a lot more attention than I thought it would.
Do you still design games? If so, can you tell us something about your current project?
Star Hopper and Master Spy are pretty much ready to go into production too, so there's only a bit of rule tweaking going on there too. Otherwise, I'm working on an RPG/BG hybrid and a couple of card games -- Assorti is a simple matching game for 2-4 players age 6 and up; Hybrid Dungeon is a role-playing, cooperative game using characters with constantly changing attributes for 2-6 players; and Laundromat is a card game in which you use sabotage and other strategies to get all your laundry done first.
Feel free to add anything interesting about you or your game.
I started in book publishing, took a break to become a professional actor, and decided to try game publishing when I moved to New York a little over 2 years ago. I have a weekly blog that chronicles the struggles of launching a board game company. I only take breaks from game design to earn money at other things, but I hope to start working on the games full time some time this year.
I've noticed that many geeks are proudly wearing "GAME DESIGNER" badge but (with some exceptions for those, who made it to TOP 100) I usually have no clue what did they design. Being curious kind of person, I usually try to find out more about them. But my curiosity is not satisfied with short descriptions plus one or two pictures, which I can often find in their profiles. I want to know more!
If you want to see more about the games someone has designed click on their "game designer" badge. This will take you to their designer page, rather than their user profile. On that page, you'll see the BGG entries for all of the games they've designed.
I'm waiting for "Mykeria" to be added As soon as that happens I'm throwing in an art I just got and I'll post. Hopefully the list will still be on the front page until then
The meaning of life is the river... And the river bifurcates...
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)?
and a detective game 
?!? That's super-exciting! I'm looking forward to some more details...
)
Where did you find an inspiration for this game (theme, mechanism..)?
How long have you been working on this game?
Rockford
Illinois
Being curious kind of person, I usually try to find out more about them. But my curiosity is not satisfied with short descriptions plus one or two pictures, which I can often find in their profiles. I want to know more!
If you want to see more about the games someone has designed click on their "game designer" badge. This will take you to their designer page, rather than their user profile. On that page, you'll see the BGG entries for all of the games they've designed.
Seymour
Connecticut
Edmond
Oklahoma
Seymour
Connecticut
Kraków