a ustralian b oard g ame d esign in the m odern a ge by aaron lim @ehronlime // @action_points...
TRANSCRIPT
AUSTRALIAN BOARD GAME DESIGN IN THE MODERN AGEBy Aaron Lim
@ehronlime // @action_points
theactionpointspodcast.com
HELLO I’M AARON
WHAT DO I MEAN BY “BOARD GAMES”?
Strategy board games, designer board games, Euro games, thematic games
Also usually includes: Classical/Abstract Games (Historical) wargames Party games Dexterity games Social deduction games Mass market games, family games
WHAT DO I MEAN BY “BOARD GAMES”?
Related, but distinct subcultures: Role-playing games Customizable card games Tabletop miniatures games Playing card games
WHAT HAPPENED THEN?
Australia has had a history of board game design from the 1960s Squatter (1962) by Robert C. Lloyd World in Flames (1985) by Harry Rowland & Greg
Pinder Colonial Diplomacy (1994) by Peter Hawes 7 Ages (2004) by Harry Rowland Archaeology: The Card Game (2007) by Phil
Walker-Harding
WHAT WAS HAPPENING?
We’ve always had board games - abstracts, wargames, mass market
Current surge in popularity of strategy board games
Not that young either: Acquire 1964, Cosmic Encounter 1977, Civilization 1980, Die Macher 1986, Catan 1995, Puerto Rico 2002, Ticket to Ride 2004
WHAT WAS HAPPENING?
Assume “modern age” started in late 90s – 00s – Catan, BoardGameGeek
Owes a lot to the internet connecting disparate groups of enthusiasts
YouTube, podcasts, Twitter, Instagram connecting players, designers, publishers, reviewers.
Non-specialist coverage – RPS, Kill Screen Daily, PAX
Appearance in mainstream media – Big Bang Theory, Parks & Recreation, Green Bay Packers
WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW?
Kickstarter (crowdfunding & self-publishing & marketing) lowering the barrier for creators Backer engagement with creators and vice-versa
Wider variety of designers and publishers Diversity in themes and styles being
challenged and expanded Bruno Faidutti on Post-colonial Catan and
Orientalism Luke Turpeinen on Euro-centrism and
whitewashing Monarch by Mary Flanagan on Kickstarter Consentacle by Naomi Clark String Railway, Paperclip Railway
WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW?
Video games with board game elements – evoking the form of board games, a lot of it with cards
Board games with video game elements – evoking video game art (pixel art), tie-ins
Digital versions of board games - mostly on tablets and mobile phones, but also on consoles and PC
App integration with board games – to ease bookkeeping but also as game elements
WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE? Major: America, Germany, France Minor: Canada, UK, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Japan,
South Korea What’s up with Australia? Games published in late modern age through
different paths: Relic Runners (2013) – major publisher Sushi Go! (2013) – Self-published, then picked up by
major publisher Francis Drake (2013) – Kickstarted with publisher support One Zero One (2014) – Originally Binary on Game
Crafter, Kickstarted 2nd Edition, setting up as publisher Hedron (2014) – Kickstarted as pilot test Rise to Power (2014) – Kickstarted, setting up as
publisher
WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE? Relic Runners (2013) – major publisher
WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE?
Sushi Go! (2013) – Self-published, then picked up by major publisher
WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE?
Francis Drake (2013) – Kickstarted with publisher support
WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE?
One Zero One (2014) – Originally Binary on Game Crafter, Kickstarted 2nd Edition, setting up as publisher
WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE?
Hedron (2014) – Kickstarted as pilot test
WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE?
Rise to Power (2014) – Kickstarted, setting up as publisher
WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE?
What’s happening elsewhere Kickstarter for Australia launched in
November 2013. As at 18 April 2015: 79 tabletop-related projects launched. 60
identified as unique tabletop games (includes minis and RPGs)
26 successful projects (46%) Some numbers for 22 successful Australian game
projects: Funding goal – Avg: $6272; Median: $5250 Amount raised – Avg: $21,617; Median: $11,820 No. of backers – Avg: 463; Median: 228 Pledge per backer – Avg: $62; Median: $44 Most backed tier – Avg: $31; Median $25
WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE? Conventions (TAGE, PAX Australia) – Meeting other
tabletop designers, panels on tabletop games, presence of publishers (Game Salute, Greater Than Games, Steve Jackson Games etc.)
Boardgames Australia – previously organized design focused events and annual awards
Game Jams – GGJ, Blue Jam Micro, Iron Game Designer, BGDF Contests
Playtest events – Unpub Mini Sydney, Brisbane Playtest Fest, Playup Perth, Games Lab Incubator
Designer meetups Game shop supported: Games Laboratory Incubator,
Gatekeeper Games playtest session, Vault Games, Good Games Hurstville
Others – Ad-hoc, gaming groups, friends etc.
WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE?
Online communities & resources: Tabletop Games Design Australia & Australian
Game Designers on Facebook Australian Board Game Designers BGG guild Internationally – Card & Board Game Designers,
Art and Graphic Design for Tabletop Games, Kickstarter Best Practices & Lessons Learned Group, Jamey Stegmaier’s blog at Stonemaier Games, League of Gamemakers, Cardboard Edison, Board Games Design Forum, Ludology
General increase in sustained interest in board game design
WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN?
Some challenges: Hurdles in self-publishing/crowdfunding Publisher access – conventions, meetings,
sending prototypes Cost of production (GameCrafter & China) and
logistics Playtesting and feedback – tapping into local and
international community Knowledge/Experience sharing, design &
production maturity Diversity of
designers/experiences/designs/themes Communication between creators
WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN?
Plans for more events: game jams, playtest sessions, designer meetups and discussions
Community is growing and sharing online and in-person
Increasing production/publishing experience Growing design maturity Seek out different perspectives Intersection with other forms, digital or
physical
QUESTIONS?
Contact: @ehronlime // @action_points theactionpointspodcast.com [email protected] Tabletop Games Design Australia on Facebook Games Laboratory Incubator on Facebook Godzilla Games & Eurogames at the Royal
Standard on Meetup