Let’s raise the bar!
You saw plenty of Top10’s these days, huh? Many blogers and vlogers published their Top10 of 2014. These lists are super popular and are really fun to watch or read.
(BTW: There is even a geek list dedicated to different Top10 lists and it calculates the ultimate winner from different lists).
Craziness but I like it. We wait the whole year, we play lots of games and now we want to sum up the year and prepare for 2015.
Imperial Settlers appeared on some of these list. The game made it to some of these Top10’s and let me tell you – this is super flattering and super kind. Seeing my own game in one of the tops of the year is something extraordinary and really really cool.
But!
But it wasn’t on all of these list! Really! There are some people out there who doesn’t think Imperial Settlers is that good! Tom Vasel? No! Dan Thurot? No! Dan King? NO!!!
So much disappointment for me! 😉
But being serious – 2014 was great and motivating. I look at many of releases and I know I need to try harder now, because our industry is growing like crazy and our hobby is in an amazing shape now. Imperial Settlers was the best Portal Games could put out in 2014 and we were proud that we did catch up with big releases at Gen Con 2014 but now we are in 2015 and I have to do something better, I have to try harder, because everybody improves, everybody tries harder, everybody pushes our hobby beyond limits.
I tell you this, it’s awesome feeling. This race for putting better and better games, having better and better components, this competition of talent, passion and creativity.
My friends, fellow publishers and designers. It was a great time to compete with you in 2014. I honestly congratulate you Five Tribes and Star Realms, and King of New York and Spyfall and many more…
But it is January 2015 now.
I challenge you. It’s time to raise the bar. Again.
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.
Inspiring, sir! I hope all designers take you up on your challenge. We (the players) will be the winners! Congrats on Imperial Settlers and Robinson Crusoe making so many lists.