The Quentin Tarantino of Game Design? [G*M*S Magazine Interview]


Waaaay back in September, I was interviewed on the G*M*S podcast to talk about graphic design in board games.

The conversation quickly turned to game design itself and some of the creative constraints I put on myself. Mainly, that constraint has been avoiding designing games with a combat or violent theme. I've also been avoiding games with colonial themes and, by extension, avoiding games about farms.

So between those two constraints, I've left myself out of the most populous genres across gaming: The American fantasy combat and the European colony simulation. What's left is odd themes like parties competing for guests, or raising dragons for their dung, and flying kids helping strangers. (Later this week I'll talk about the intersection of new or familiar themes with new or familiar mechanics.)

Anyhoo, you should listen to this episode if you like hearing about the craft of rules presentation, game design. Also to find out why the host calls me the Quentin Tarantino of game design. Ha!

» G*M*S Magazine Podcast: Episode 70


Comments

  1. Jens AlfkeDecember 11, 2012 at 10:45 PM

    It's because Tarentino also avoids violent themes, of course.


    And as for colonialism, don't pretend we don't know about the suppressed history of the Flying Temple, the colony worlds under its brutal thumb, and the depredations of the pilgrim "advisors". It's a bit disingenuous to claim the pilgrims are "invited" in by these famous letters that get waved around but no independent observers ever get to read!


    Expect a glorious revolution, as soon as we figure out how to safely extract our supply of Semtex from the belly of the space whale that ate it last week. Anyone got any advice on that?


    --The Committee For The Overthrow Of The Flying Temple


    JK LOL :D

    ReplyDelete

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