Saturday, February 25, 2017

Get Your Board Game On With MILLENNIUM - Trains After The Apocalypse?

Jumbo Story Cards
Who has seen trains run after an apocalyptic event? Not sure but who cares because anything is possible after all.

I've designed 3 new Jumbo Story Cards, which help move the story narrative along at a nice pace.

In this scenario, players come across a partially disabled Amtrak Train, which turns out can still run because a small portion of the electrical grid is still intermittently functioning. (Go figure)

I'm working on re-designing all the cards so they match these so it'll be a while before I can say the main deck is finished. So far I've added a total of 6 Jumbo Cards and I hope to finish the Bridge Deck with 54 cards soon.

The reason for the trains is simple enough. Guys especially love trains and there's always a certain romanticism and a sense of freedom that goes along with trains so they're a natural fit for this game.

My goal is to design a game unlike anything or at least unlike most mainstream games on the market today.


For me board games are much more than games for the sake of gaming and cheap thrills. As a writer, I like to incorporate stories into my games with a through-line that has meaning above any conceit the game concept has to offer.

Let's face it, without a meaningful story behind these games, there's not much left except going through the motions of getting somewhere without any purpose whatsoever. That doesn't make sense to me.

I want players to feel this game and to experience it at a higher level than they're accustomed to and the best way to achieve that is to get players emotionally involved in this amazing journey from a decimated land in New Orleans to a more hopeful place up north in New York City where they were more prepared for an event such as this.

Despite the common belief that Doomsday Preppers only hail from the midwest, New York's subway system turned out to be a haven in troubled times.

Why Use Jumbo Cards?

Hey, when it comes to images, bigger is always better, especially when it conveys a sense of winning and accomplishment for players. Sure it's the Apocalypse and that's a very down and out event. However, contrasting and overcoming these dangerous and evil happenings is exactly what makes this game so hopeful, so positive and triumphant in the midst of such turmoil. Each player must struggle to survive during the most dire circumstances imaginable and that's what it's all about.

Imagine if you could learn to survive such an apocalyptic event. It's epic to say the least. But that's why the game begins with learning survival skills before you begin your journey northeast.

Back Image for Jumbo Cards


Final Destination Card

I think for the most part I've got this whole game figured out. At least from a wide angle POV it's all clear to me. It's the details that slow me down and take time to develop. Although I know exactly what I want to accomplish, there are always obstacles that keep me from getting there.

It's almost always about keeping costs down and finding a way to manufacture this game at the lowest possible price without sacrificing the quality of play. Easier said than done but since this is a prototype and basically a test edition, for now I have to find ways to deliver a full version experience on a smaller scale.

Some gamers put out a cards only version to test their concept. It's a good idea but for me I don't think card games are the same thing and are a different market altogether so I decided to include the board and that's really where things get complicated.

But hey, nothing is ever that easy. You just have to take a deep breath and dive in. Hopefully you'll figure it all out and make the numbers work.

Nothing is ever guaranteed in life but we can't let fear and uncertainty lead the way. I've said it before: This is not rocket science, but hell, it sure feels that way.

ONWARD!

I'm at the point of no return.
This game is on schedule to be released for this Christmas season (2017)

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