Chantilly2014 UNPUBMini Preview: Matthew O’ Malley

We are only a few days away from an UNPUBmini at the Game Parlor in Chantilly, VA (in northern Virginia just west of D.C.) on June 21st.  The event is free and has over 10 designers (including Dr. Wictz) bringing their latest board game designs for play testing.  To give you a reason (as if you needed any more) to stop by for an afternoon of board gaming heaven I invited board and video game designer Matthew O’Malley of Black Oak Games to stop by and give us a preview of what he is bringing to the UNPUBmini.

Dr. Wictz: So what are you bringing to the Chantilly UNPUBmini?

Matthew O’Malley: I'll be showing  Knot Dice.  I created custom dice that attach side-to-side to form Celtic knot designs for use in puzzles, art creation, and in several different games. Right now I'm testing a cooperative game, a partnership game, a full competitive game, and a real-time game.

Dr. Wictz: How as Knot Dice changed since you started presenting it at UNPUB events?

Matthew O’Malley: I first presented my Knot Dice at UNPUB 3 in 2013. Since then, I've designed several new games to play with the dice, and have improved the games' rules.

I've done away with some of the more complicated game ideas, and developed others that require just as much strategic thought but are far simpler to explain and play.

I'm excited about a new game that can be played with my Knot Dice which was inspired by Ben Rosset, another game designer I met through UNPUB.  Knot Partners (working name) has each player working on two tableaus, one with the player to the left and one with the player to the right.  The setup creates some interesting decision points.

Dr. Wictz: Why do you have so many different game variations you can play with Knot Dice?

Matthew O’Malley: The different variations of the game grew out of the original development of games for the dice. Since it started as more of a puzzle-game, I was always thinking about different ways I could use the dice, and I came up with a lot of game ideas. My hope is that once the dice are out in the wild, other designers will come up with new games to play with them as well.

I want to release the dice with several different games because they appeal to different playing styles:

-Kells is a cooperative game that has the whole table working together.

-Square Knot is an individual competitive puzzle-game.

-Knot Partners is a game in which you are sometimes partnered with one player and sometimes partnered with another, which adds a bit of a social element.

-Knot So Fast is a high-speed dice-rolling individual game.

Dr. Wictz: What inspired the theme for Knot Dice?

Matthew O’Malley: The Celtic knot theme was originally inspired by a friend of mine, Campbell Maloney [http://alphabetgallery.com/], a graphic designer who created an alphabet formed by shapes cut out of circles and then rotated. I spent a lot of time tossing ideas back and forth with him, and came up with the idea of making some puzzle games using Celtic knot designs.

The Celtic knot tradition has always fascinated me -- I love the look of the illuminated manuscripts from centuries ago as well as modern interpretations of it. It doesn't hurt that I've got a fair bit of Irish ancestry, and play Irish fiddle (along with other types of music).

Dr. Wictz: Does that mean I can talk you into bringing your fiddle to the UNPUB mini?

Matthew O’Malley: Sorry, I won't be bringing it to this one. I don't want my memorizing fiddling to distract people too much from talking about the games

Dr. Wictz: Looking at Knot Dice it sort of reminds me of your game video game Celtic Knots.

Matthew O’Malley: After I developed the Celtic Knots mobile game, I was driven to find a physical manifestation of the idea. Originally, I was focused on the puzzle aspect, and thinking about flat wooden puzzles with the knot pieces, possibly double-sided to get more patterns out of a set. But I couldn't get enough designs out of them, so I moved on to cubes, which became dice, which took me to far more interactive games (rather than individual puzzle-solving like in Celtic Knots).

Dr. Wictz: I notice on twitter you were exploring trying to make your game out of different materials, like cardboard squares, why did you decide to stick with the dice?

Matthew O’Malley: As far as dice versus cardboard cutouts, I've just gotten to the dice first. I do have plans in the works for Knot Cards and Knot Tiles, with game ideas emphasizing the strengths of each of those components, but the dice were my original idea and they appeal to me so much that I want to carry that idea through to production before spending too much time on the others.

Dr. Wictz: How did you get into designing board games?

Matthew O’Malley: I had a job with a relatively long commute, and after trying to occupy my time with various other activities or creative endeavors, I discovered that I could use that time thinking up and developing board game ideas. So I spent several years coming up with games that were far too complicated and took far too long to play, didn't have enough interesting decisions, or just weren't that fun. It wasn't until I started attending UNPUB events that my designs evolved enough for me to consider publishing them.

Dr. Wictz: Why do you love making board games?

Matthew O’Malley: I love making board games for so many reasons. I love bringing so many different elements together to craft an experience for a group. It's like directing a play or a movie, but the end result sometimes is a much more interactive experience, and can create some great stories about time spent together with friends.

Dr. Wictz: What games have you published thus far?

Matthew O’Malley:  I have two tabletop games being published in the near future, Diner (by Dice Hate Me Games), which has already been successfully Kickstarted and will be released this summer, and Battle of Wits (by Game Salute) which will be released as part of The Princess Bride set of games.

Dr. Wictz: Is it harder to get a video game published or a board game?

Matthew O’Malley: My experience with getting a video game published was relatively painless, though I did have to hire a developer for a good deal of the programming work. Once I found a reliable developer, the process moved pretty smoothly, and the process of actually releasing the game on the mobile stores wasn't too difficult.

The part of the process that I did not consider enough was support for the game, particularly on the Android platform. The iOS game is still basically the same as when I released it (besides some minor bug fixes), but the Android game required constant development work to keep up with new devices and OS changes, and I couldn't afford to keep it on the market.

As far as whether it's harder to get a video game or a board game published, I think it depends greatly on your skills and your method of publishing. If you are a developer, it would be pretty simple to publish a mobile game. If you can acquire some nice art assets, it can be relatively easy to self-publish on a print-on-demand site like Drive Thru Cards or The Game Crafter. Or, going the traditional publishing route, if you can find a publisher who is really interested in licensing your game, you can pass it over to them.

But of course, you have to put in a huge amount of time first getting the game ready for publishing. And once it's ready, you have to spend a huge amount of time on the actual publishing process.

Dr. Wictz: What is your favorite memory from past UNPUB minis?

Matthew O’Malley: I have to say when a store clerk told me that Star Dice (a game I was showing at the time) would be perfect to take out and play with kids at their school outreach activities. I think anything that appeals to kids has that "fun" factor that's so hard to nail down.

Dr. Wictz What are the positives to attending an UNPUB mini versus a larger board game convention?

Matthew O’Malley: I get much more of a chance to talk with the players at a smaller event, and to play other designers' games - and the players I think also get more of a chance to talk with the designers and find out about the game design and playtesting process.

Dr. Wictz:  Any shout outs to your most dedicated game testers (cough cough, wife, gf, etc.)?

Matthew O’Malley: My most dedicated game testers are my wife and my kids, and they help immensely with getting the ideas ready to show to other people - and they don't just say that they like everything I show them. I also have a great group of friends which was originally a game night group that I rope into testing my games as often as possible.

Dr. Wictz: Thank you Matthew for stopping by.  If you want to learn more about Matthew’s games you can follow him on twitter @BlackOakGames, facebook, or go to his website www.blackoakgames.com.  Or, if you are in the area, you can stop by the UNPUB Mini at the Game Parlor in Chantilly Virginia on June 21st and meet him in person.

UNPUB4 Preview: Ben Rosset

For some reason you are still not yet excited for UNPUB4 (www.unpub.net) then you need to check out my next interviewee, the Ben Rosset.  You know...designer of Nevermore Games' Mars Needs Mechanics and Dice Hate Me’s Brew Crafters.  After salivating over what Ben is bringing to UNPUB4 you can also check out my interview with Alf Shadowsong & Kiva Fecteau and Josh Tempkin who will also be demoing their games at UNPUB4.   But enough with this chitter chatter and onto the main attraction.

 

Dr. Wictz:  Mr. Ben Rosset could you give the readers a quick overview of the games you will be playtesting at UNPUB4?

 

Ben Rosset: I'm still working on getting 4 or 5 different games ready and not entirely sure what I'll be presenting. I'm working feverishly to have Homebrewers ready. Its a stand alone prequel to Brew Crafters, my upcoming game from Dice Hate Me Games. That's my number one priority right now. I will also be bringing Brew Crafters the Travel Card Game with me. Its a 54-card version of the full Brew Crafters that plays in 20-30 minutes. It was inspired by Dice Hate Me's 54-card Unpub challenge. In non-beer related developments, I may also bring Stranded, a wilderness survival game that I've been working on for a couple of years, as well as Building the British Royal Navy, an auction game about building ships for the British Navy in the 19th century.

 

Dr. Wictz: From my understanding only Stranded has been presented at other UNPUB events, how has Stranded changed since you started presenting it at UNPUB events?

 

Ben Rosset:  I've recently redesigned the way players gather resources in Stranded. I'm very excited about the changes I've recently made and looking forward to getting it in front of a few publishers.

 

Dr. Wictz: What inspires the themes in the games you are taking to UNPUB4?

 

Ben Rosset: I'm always inspired by topics that interest me or by everyday events. For Stranded, I was camping with friends, and we got on the topic about surviving in the woods if we somehow got lost. Building the British Royal Navy was really inspired by my old Axis and Allies days. I've always had an interest in the history of the British Navy. And Brew Crafters (and all the derivative games) was originally inspired by a tour I took of Dogfish Head Brewery in 2012.

 

Dr. Wictz: How did you get into designing board games?

 

Ben Rosset: I was hanging out with a good friend who I played games with all the time, and he was showed me a game that he and a couple other friends started working on. I thought that was the coolest thing---up until then I had never thought about designing my own games. I went home that night and started thinking about ideas. That was about 6 years ago. I've been a designer ever since.

 

Dr. Wictz: Why do you love making board games?

 

Ben Rosset: First, I love the challenge of seeing what I can create. This is my creative outlet. I don't paint, draw, dance, or write, etc. So designing games for me is a way to engage the rational side of my brain, but also to balance it out with the creative side. To put it succinctly: It makes me happy.

 

Second, I love sharing what I've created with other people.

 

Dr. Wictz: You have attended a number of UNPUB conventions, what is your favorite moment from a past UNPUB?

 

Ben Rosset: At UNPUB 2 (January 2012), a playtester bought my prototype from me on the spot because he loved it so much. That was really cool. Its part of what gave me confidence that I was a good designer.

 

Dr. Wictz: How does UNPUB compare to other game conventions you have attended?

 

Ben Rosset: UNPUB is so focused on unpublished games, so its very different from everything else. The great part about UNPUB is the opportunity to connect with other designers and publishers, people really engaged in the industry. Its an intimate affair (even though its growing rapidly, which is great).

 

Dr. Wictz: What draws you the most to UNPUB?

 

Ben Rosset: Hungry, motivated people attend. Hungry designers and hungry publishers. Its a great match.

 

Dr. Wictz: Any shout outs to your most dedicated game testers (cough  cough, wife, gf, etc.)?

 

Ben Rosset: I had a lot of wonderful playtesters for Brew Crafters, but the game was immeasurably helped by Kevin Barefoot, Lauren Kologe, Eric Handler, Clyde Wright, and Chuck Hughes. I can't thank them enough.  I'd also like to give a shout out to the Table Treasures Game Design Group in the Baltimore/Washington DC area. I probably wouldn't have 2 published games today without them.

 

Dr. Wictz: Thank you very much for talking to me today.  If you want to learn more about Ben Rosset and his games you can follow him on twitter @BenRosset or connect with him on Boardgamegeek: user name rosset37 .

UNPUB4 Preview: Josh Tempkin

Only a few more days till UNPUB4.  If you are on the fence about attending and have not picked up one of the free play tester tickets at www.unpub.net then go to the web site, pick up your tickets and come back here, because after you see what Josh Tempkin is bring to UNPUB4 you will want to attend.  Plus, you will be able play games designed by previous interviewees, such as Alf Shadowsong & Kiva Fecteau, Charlie Hoopes, Paul Owen, and Nathaniel Levan.

Dr. Wictz: We are very lucky to have Josh Tempkin here today.  Due to misfortunes of epic proportions this interview almost did not happen.

Josh Tempkin: Sorry I missed the e-mail in the holiday rush.  I got seriously backlogged.  Currently, I'm sitting at 260 emails still unread.  :(

Dr. Wictz: Like I said, misfortunes of epic proportions.  So I heard through the grapevine...aka UNPUB4 event website…that you are demoing Lesser Evil at UNPUB4.  Could you give us a quick overview of the game?

Josh Tempkin:  Lesser Evil is a light dice game with some serious choices in it.  The basic idea is that on your turn, you'll roll a set of dice and then keep the highest die toward an end-of-round sum.  Higher sums at the end of the round are generally bad, however, so you want to manipulate your rolls using your tokens so that you can keep lower dice instead.  Getting rid of your tokens is especially good, because each unused token costs you points at the end of the game.  But using all of your tokens too early means that you'll be at the mercy of the dice (which, again, generally give you high rolls).  In the end, it's a game of managing the rate at which your tokens come in and then get used.

 I think you first saw Lesser Evil at Unpub South Jersey, back in April 2013, right?  I think you first played it, though, at Congress of Gamers in Sept 2013.  Does that sound right?  I actually had an early draft of Lesser Evil back at Unpub 3. 

Dr. Wictz: Almost, I actually got to play the game at the UNPUB mini at Games and Stuff in Glen Burnie.  I really enjoyed the tension generated in the game when I had to decide if and when  to use my tokens.  I must ask, having taken the game to numerous UNPUB events, how much has the game changed after earlier playtesting? 

Josh Tempkin: It's changed a lot!  Originally, I had oodles (yes, oodles!) of different manipulation abilities on the tokens themselves, and there could be as many as 7 different abilities in each game!  But the experience of teaching the game showed me that players were struggling to keep track of all of the special abilities.  We tweaked it many ways to try to make that easier, but honestly the big breakthrough came when we peeled everything away to make a bare-bones demo version.  We used just the core abilities on the tokens, and to our surprise, we didn't lose anything from the game play!  From that point on, we knew where we could add mechanics and where we couldn't.  The game got simpler and tighter, even as we began to expand it again.  All because we needed to make it easier to demo.

The other main trend in the game's evolution was that the cost of the tokens slowly increased from 1 up to 5.  I liked the original idea of having each token be worth 1 point, as it would keep the final scoring nice and simple.  But it became clear that we couldn't cost the other options properly unless we raised the cost of the tokens.  Interestingly (at least to me!), we played the game with tokens at each value 1,2,3 and 5, but never 4.  Once we got past 2, I felt that I didn't want an ability to ever cost exactly 1/2 a token.  Besides, the scoring arithmetic seems easier if you can multiply by 5 rather than by 3 or 4.  So, lots of reasons to skip 4.  I've been happy with the tokens costing 5.

Dr. Wictz: Lesser Evil is an abstract game, why an abstract?  Why no theme?

Josh Tempkin: It was always envisioned that way because the game is supposed to be about the choices you make during play.  Without an explicit theme, I hoped that the focus would stay on the choices themselves, which *was* the intended theme.  I have recently been thinking about "slapping" on a theme, but I have to find one that works with the mechanics that I've got.  "Trading in the Mediterranean" doesn't seem to fit.

More broadly, the game has its origins in some early passages from Reiner Knizia's book, "Dice Games, Properly Explained."  I took some of the games Knizia described in his first 2 chapters, and then blended and twisted them to fit my style.  I hope to move on to Chapter 3 someday!

Dr. Wictz: How did you get into designing board games?

Josh Tempkin:  I don't really know.  I remember designing games as far back as middle school and high school, though I was definitely doing more with computer games back then.  In grad school, I was introduced to Magic: The Gathering, which I played for several years.  Eventually, I got interested in other CCGs, too, and I started buying lots of cards from lots of different games.  I also liked to purchase the 2-player starter packs for any new CCG that came out, so that I could read the rules and play through a few games.  

The discussions around those games and their mechanics led to friendships that eventually turned into our game design group, Table Treasure Games.  We've met every month since about 2004, growing from an initial core of 4 people to over 50 currently on our email list.  The game designers and play testers we've brought together in this group are really fantastic, and they give great feedback!  I'm proud to say that several of our members have gotten published!  I've come to enjoy designing games more and more over the last 10 years or so, and I plan to keep doing it.

Dr. Wictz: Why do you love making board games?

Jost Tempkin: Good question!  There are so many things I would say about this!  To oversimplify, I love the creative process at the heart of game design.  But here's a little more.

I often have an "interesting choice" in mind at the start of the design process.  The design evolves as I explore how interesting that choice can become.  I often add context to the decision space (think theme), but that isn't my main interest.  I am fascinated by how a set of rules can lead to a set of experiences.  As players play a game, their choices will drive the "story" that they will experience.  Different choices will drive that story in different directions.  

In a good design, all of those possible directions will be fun and lead to good experiences for the players.  It's quite a challenge (and a very important one!) to build a system that is robust in this way.  Fundamentally, though, I look at the choices that the players get to make.  I believe that the harder the choice, the more memorable the consequences of that choice.  

So, what I love about game design is the process of creating a context in which players can make a series of interesting and memorable choices that will in turn create a memorable set of experiences (i.e., the story).  It's not easy to get right, but I thoroughly enjoy the process.

Dr. Wictz: You have attended a number of UNPUBs. Looking back, what do remember from past UNPUBs?

Josh Tempkin:  I've been to each of the annual Unpubs, right from the beginning.  I remember talking with John Moller and Darrell Louder at the first one, especially hearing about how Darrell had put together his first draft of Compounded just the night before!  And now I have that game sitting on my game shelf!  As I walked from my car to the front door of that first little church, I remember thinking that I had no idea what to expect, but that I was about to experience something special.  It was a great little event, very warm and friendly.  

Unpub 2 was also good, as it had gotten a little bit bigger, but was still as friendly as before.  I remember just missing a chance to play Ben Rosset's design for The Market, which recently came out as "Mars Needs Mechanics."  But I was totally blown away by the size of the room for Unpub 3.  It was huge!  It was incredible to think that designing games was becoming that popular.

Dr. Wictz: What do you keep coming to UNPUNB events?

Josh Tempkin: I love the Unpubs because they are primarily focused on the field of game design that I enjoy so much.  Getting to talk with other designers about their games, their processes, and their successes is fun!  And the other designers often give me a new perspective on my own designs.  

Of course, I learn a lot from the play testers that come, too.  Since they aren't in my usual group, I get to see my games working in different ways.  It's fun when it works well and instructive when it doesn't.  Finally, as the Unpub program expands, publishers are now joining in the fun.  I enjoy their perspectives, too.

Dr. Wictz: Any shout outs to your most dedicated game testers (cough  cough, wife, gf, etc.)?

Josh Tempkin: Sure!  Special thanks to Brad Lackey, my main collaborator.  I've been very lucky to work with Brad.   A fun process is always better when shared with a good friend!  We've been working together on a weekly basis for about 10 years now.  "My" stuff is better when it's "our" stuff.  

And, to all of the game designers and play testers in Table Treasure Games - you folks are incredible!  Thanks for coming over every month and being honest about what you see in the games.

Dr. Wictz: Do you have a website, twitter feed, etc.? 

Josh Tempkin: One of these days, I'll get my website up: www.talltowergames.com.  But, as that's not where my skills really lie, I tend to go back and design games rather than build the website.  Lame excuse, but it's true.  Maybe after Unpub 4 I'll have more time …

Dr. Wictz: Thank you again Josh for stopping by.  If you want to learn more about Josh Tempkin’s Lessor Evil you can follow its progress on the UNPUB Lesser Evil game page.