Designing the game is not 8 hours job
I don’t know how other designers work. I don’t know if I am a freak among designers or I am a classical example. But I want to tell you how it looks. How it looked with Robinson. I spent last year on the Island. Really…
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For me 2012 was year of Robinson Crusoe because for the last 12 months I only read adventure books. I really mean it. I read a lot of Julius Verne novels. I read all novels I could find about castaways. I read all books about survival I could find. I read also comic books and I – certainly – watched all movies I could find that were about deserted Island or castaways.
I read about tens of ways of making fire. I read about building shelter from almost nothing. I read how to find water, I read how to find north without compass, I read everything I could. I am – with no doubt – one of the most educated persons on this planet… in terms of castaways…
If, by any chance, you are on the deserted Island, just call me. I will teach you how to survive. You don’t need to worry.
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For me 2012 was year of Robinson Crusoe because every single weekend of this year I had prototype of the game set up in our living room. Our home was literally paralyzed by Robinson. The game is big, it covered nearly whole table in our living room (I have to say – we have a big table). Because of Robinson we had mess on that table for every single weekend of 2012. I played it all the time, every single weekend, I drove my wife crazy with this tokens, cards, notes, dice with all that stuff that was living with us this year.
It was like part of our furniture. We had sofa, we had table, we had chairs and we had Robinson. It was part of our everyday life.
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2012 was year of Robinson Crusoe for my whole family. Kids have grown – it is a year of time! – and they saw and hear all the time about Robinson. They discovered this story. They played prototype with me. They played live Robinson all the time. They built real shelter in our garden (ok, I helped them a little), they spent countless hours in our garden hunting imaginary beasts, strengthening the roof or searching for treasures. With no doubt, if in 20 years I ask my kids about summer 2012, they will tell 'It was time of Robinson’.
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2012 was year of Robinson Crusoe because it really touched our every day life. We spent holidays this year by the sea and of course I had Robinson with me. Game was with us all the time. Sometimes it touched our life in a funny way. I remember one Sunday few weeks ago. I was a little bit late for a dinner, I entered the room, all kids were already eating and there was no plate for me on the table. I asked: 'Hey, what about me? I don’t eat?!’
And I heard answer from 10 years old Nina: 'You know, it is like in Robinson. There is never enough food… Today you get 2 wounds’
Woow. That was accurate…
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Next week I am in Essen. My adventure with Robinson ends. I finally leave the Island. I am finally free. I spent here whole year of my life. It was great but I that’s enough. It is time for you to visit the Island. I strongly recommend. This is a great adventure.
I strongly believe that good board game is the one that tells a good story. You play it and suddenly you are sucked into it, you feel chills on the skin. Emotions grow. In a moment you defend castle. You hear roar of warriors. You smell boiling oil. You are into it.
That's how I design my games. I always want to tell a good story. I want players to be into it. As deep as possible.
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