Asylum Earth - Manhattan Protocol - The Boardgame Lives

 

Final Draft Box

Happy New Year, folks. We made it, and we're on to newer and better things. There's simply no time to waste, so with a little help from AI, I've managed to reimagine and recast Asylum Earth, now also named Aftermath: Manhattan Protocol.

It's amazing how many iterations of this game I've come up with, but as I've always said, as long as it improves the game, anything goes. It's certainly a work in progress, and I love the outcome so far. I've got all new cards, tokens, rules, and a new rulebook. Let's face it, everything has changed except the theme, of course.

You just can't argue with improvements. It's a matter of time again to get everything in place and keep forging ahead to the finish line. 

I've got plenty of new images to post and even more to talk about, but I'll keep things brief since I've got quite a bit of work to do. I'd like to post this new cover and a bit of the new artwork.

I have plenty more to change here on the Blog, so I'll get to it.

Keep the faith, my friends. Remember that winners don't quit. If you believe in yourself and keep reaching for the finish line, you'll get there sooner or later. Nothing lasts forever. Not even hard times.

Semper Fi.

Melancholia By Lars von Trier - An Epic End of Days Classic Film

 

SPOILER ALERT *** ENDING TO MOVIE

This is The End

Don't you love it when the end of the world is so . . . spectacular?

I can't praise this film enough. It's an absolute classic masterpiece in every way. From the enigmatic musical score (Richard Wagner's Tristan und Isolde) to its devastating ending sequence, Melancholia is . . . well, divine. 

And let's just say that sad endings have their place in cinematic history.

The point of von Trier's film is that this doomsday scenario is what he feels about the future of the earth and who's to say that it's not accurate? It's anyone's guess, I suppose but let's keep in mind that fiction, great fiction is always rooted in a grain of truth.

Yes, in this case, that means biblical truth, for those inclined to believe in the KJV Bible, that is. And yes, there are many Catholics who do believe, as there are many agnostics on the fence about such matters. But the facts remain clear for all to witness and research in the King James Version of the bible, since 1611. 

Dispute these facts at your own peril or to your satisfaction. Either way, von Trier's artistic interpretation of the apocalypse as depicted in the book of Revelation, is personal and quite effective.

Asylum Earth -The Covenant

In walks Asylum Earth with a similar ending except that our beloved earth is smitten, or showered with blessings from heaven and it is not obliterated. Instead, the earth survives a revival of sorts as our galaxy performs its last dance with a little help from Saturn and our planet renews its vows with the cosmos . . . sparkling in its wake.

Of course, I'm not comparing my board game to von Trier's cinematic masterpiece. The main distinction is that the outcome of the game (or novel) is a positive one. This for me is rare because most, if not all my stories end in a Melancholia way. I'd already mentioned in a previous post that I chose to go in a different direction only because of the gloomy atmosphere (global warming) the earth already faces.

Overkill, literally will not work.

And so, to be clear, the title, Asylum Earth-The Covenant is a nod to one of God's previous covenants with humankind, which is to never destroy the earth with a flood again; thereby using a rainbow as a sign.

So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth."

For what it's worth, I think the novel and board game are timely messages with plots and themes which are quite apropos to the times. As far as I'm concerned, a little hope goes a long way these days so no regrets about the work I've already done and no plans to change it.

Your Takeaway

That's one thing about stories; they should conform to the times so that they fit in the grand scheme of things about to befall us either as individuals or as a species. There's no advantage to writing against the grain to prove or make a point to stroke your ego as a contrarian. It is far better to tell the people what they subconsciously want to hear because there is infinite wisdom in that consensus.

And so with that, I'll quit while I'm ahead; at least in my own mind. 

Tell me in the comments what you thought of the film, Melancholia and what your favorite doomsday movie is.

Remember to subscribe to the Asylum Earth Newsletter for updates about the upcoming game and novel: Asylum Earth - The Covenant. Also, you can get important updates and discounts for the game by clicking on the game box.

Riddle: Who's part human, part Cyborg, and carries a gun?

Find out in my next post.

New Tabletop Post-Apocalyptic Game (Remnants: Supreme Survivor)

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3 Essential Design Elements (Board Game Packaging Box)

New Remnants Box

Hungry For The New Board Game Box?

Here are the 3 essential ingredients.

Hooks, Hooks, and more Hooks.

If you're a subscriber to this blog, you probably already know about the importance of hooks. And it's worth repeating because, without the proper hooks, your audience will dismiss your game and look for another image or a catchy phrase in another game that piques their interest and excites them.

In other words, your packaging must instantly push all the right buttons for the genre. It's just that simple and that important.

Let's break it down

First things first. Your main image must grab their eye and mind all at once. For Remnants, Andrea's face, her expression, says it all. She's not startled or surprised by what she sees, but something has caught her attention.

Next, you'll notice the big-ass Glock in her bionic hand. After all, she is an Android, with a backstory, mind you. And that says a lot about her already. She knows how to protect herself. So far, so good. And who doesn't carry a weapon these days? Many people do and whether they carry one lawfully or not is another matter. But in the near future, personal protection is a must. And all the doomsday preppers said, AMEN.

Aside from all that, she's dressed to survive. Not to mention her one blue eye. That detail is mentioned in the first book, Edge of The Apocalypse (featured on the bottom right side of the box).

Other Hooks

As far as the background goes, there are subtle messages that inform the audience. In this case, the New York City skyline is rushing by and there's a massive planet looming on the horizon. (Another Earth?) Plus, you'll notice the flash of sunlight on the left. That's not part of the original image but I included it to evoke a sense of hope or normalcy. Yes, the world is a blur, but the sun still shines. That's the metaphor, in a nutshell, folks.

Okay, so much for the imagery. What about the all-important copy? Well, that's another beast altogether but let's get into it.

Tagline Closeup

Taglines

We all know about hierarchy when it comes to copywriting for advertising or packaging of any kind and as you can see, the 2 lines read:

1. Welcome to the edge of the apocalypse and beyond.
2. "Take her to the edge."

I hadn't come up with this until now because that's just the way things go sometimes but I think this is good enough to stick with for the next printing.

As a side note, these two lines are at the top of the box (first lines) but they're not what the viewer sees first because the name or title of the game is front and center in a much larger size, as it should be. Nevertheless, the hierarchy still works as-is and potential buyers most likely will read those first two lines after viewing the name, Remnants right in the middle of the box, and the all-important subtitle, Supreme Survivor.

The word Remnants has a built-in curiosity and that's an advantage right there. Then there's the sub-title, which has a good ring to it because it evokes the object of the game in a catchy way. Yes, I could have used lone survivor or last survivor, but the word supreme is fresh and on point for the genre.

What's effective about that first line is that it mentions the title of the first book and evokes the title of the last book. That's clever enough and a great choice of first words.

The second line is of course a double entendre. No explanation is needed but suffice to say, it's a good and effective line for those two reasons. It ties in with the first line and evokes not just a sexual innuendo, but two books in the process.

Copywriters are fond of double, or multiple meanings and I'm no different because you get your money's worth when good copy does the heavy lifting. So remember that when you write your copy next time.

Here's a good example of multiple meanings in the media today:

"Pizza lovers get it."

Dogs get it too!

Short and sweet as Marco's Pizza declares in their new ad. But that didn't stop Papa John's from using the same, exact tagline. Who's line is it, anyway? (See what I did there. Right. Let's move along.)

The last line, or bottom line, as it were, evokes the subgenre and the author's name, which right now is not as important because no one has ever heard of A. R. Arias. (Hopefully, that will change next year.)

A Cyberpunk Strategy Game by A. R. Arias

So this line mentions the genre, the game mechanics, and its author. All very important elements that help sell the game in short order.

So there you have it, folks. We've dissected the front of the box and made sense of it all for aspiring copywriters and we've added strong sales copy that should help towards the long and winding road or sales funnel that hones in on prospects of the genre and beyond.

It's a win-win-win for all.

In my next post, I'll cover all the juicy details on the back of the box (so many). Now that's a can of delicious and tempting lines that should make your mouth water for more.

Bon appetite!

All comments or questions are welcome so please post them below.

See you soon. Be safe and play on!

CYBERPUNK Board Game Box Packaging - It's All About Hooks

 

Remnants Box Bottom

Okay folks, here's the back of the new box, as promised. Lots to unpack here so let's get into it.

The most important thing is the copy on the left column. Similar to the back of a book, this is all about sales copy that takes you right to the sales page on the manufacturer's website, for example.

That actual link has yet to be determined because the game is unfinished and not for sale yet, but, you get the idea. I tried my best in this limited space to cover all the important points that make this game unique and sales-worthy.

Let's face it, I'd need to write an entire book about this to be thorough but I'll have to keep it short here. As you can see, I've packed the back of this box with lots of good stuff. All that good stuff translates into many different hooks that should lead prospects to the buy button. That's the short of it and that's the result you're after, obviously. 

HOOKS

I've also stuffed 2 promos for the books on the bottom right. These are important because upselling, so to speak is part of the deal. I've included a promo for the first book in the series plus a peek at the collectible hardcover. 

What makes the hardcover collectible? Its unique design plus the fact that it includes all three stories in one book and also includes awesome photos. In a perfect world, the title should be blind-embossed or have some sort of metallic embellishing, etc. But for now, this jacket is good enough as is.

The characters up top are also hooks because they are what make the story meaningful and exciting. An example for an odd video link follows (another hook).

That's followed by a short summary of the game in the gray box. This is a crucial hook and the equivalent of a strong headline and sub-headline.

HOOKS

That's followed by another hook stating the theme of the game that provides a visual tone and what players can expect with this extraordinary game. Take a read and see if it works for you.

On the right column, you see the game board and below it, many of the components and card decks included in the game. These are all additional hooks that intrigue players.

The bottom line is simple. The back of your box must entice, inspire, and motivate prospects, your audience to find out more about the game and eventually buy it. The goal is for curious gamers to get into the theme and imagine themselves playing the game and having a great time.

AND MORE HOOKS

You want to create a burning desire in your audience that leads to a sale, hopefully, now rather than later. That's why you need more than one hook. You need as many hooks as you can configure and fit into a small space without over-crowding the box. Not an easy task, but it's always possible with a bit of planning.

Let me know what you think in the comments. I've also finished a short promo video that I'll post here soon. It's just a teaser so it doesn't include gameplay instructions. But instead, it's designed to intrigue gamers so they can find out more details about the game on the blog. Your blog should be the equivalent of a long and never-ending advertisement, but without looking or sounding like one. 

Welcome to the world of marketing, my friends.

New Board Games - A Millennium Update [ The Apocalypse is Alive and Well ]

New Game board

 

Hey folks, I just wanted to post the latest update for Millennium. I'm still using the six-fold game board but I've added wide borders to accommodate playing cards. As you can see, I've also added several graphics keeping the theme in mind, of course.

I think this works and even though the map is a bit smaller, I think it will still be legible enough to play without straining your eyes to read. I've slowed down my pace and still working on the new role-playing card deck but I plan to get back into that this coming week and hopefully finish it before this coming month is gone.

The main difference here is that I'm replacing the states with territories. Based on current demographics and other criteria, race and ethnicity dominance will be a major factor after an apocalypse and so I'm working all that out as we speak.

How Time Flies

We're quickly heading into September and that's when I wanted to launch this game but I insist on not rushing the process because that will only result in putting out an inferior version. Every time I turn around I find ways to improve the graphics and overall design so all these delays are for the good of the final product.

I'd regret launching this game only to realize that I've figured out a better design via game mechanics or graphics so I'll be working long hours by the end of this year to print another prototype early next year in 2022.

That's just the way it is and so no worries because the game keeps getting better, although that's not to say that I'm striving for perfection either. I realize that small changes can be made along the way after I launch next year. My main concern is to produce a playable version with minimal corrections afterward.

Main Goal

My goal is to launch an interesting and fun game ready to hook new players in this genre with something different but familiar that has a strong storyline. New games simply cannot afford to launch with bad or tepid reviews. 

And so it takes time to develop a great game that hooks and engages players in the genre and beyond. I'm also working by myself for the most part except for the help of my teenage kids that said the rulebook was not clear enough. I don't doubt that because I'm trying to keep the rules to a minimum but I can't leave anything out. I've since revisited the booklet and made several changes to clarify the rules and gameplay.

Play Testing

At this point, I won't ask them to play the game until I reprint the next prototype because I've made quite a few changes and corrections to the rulebook, the board, and the box. Right. It's an entirely new look and feel and the best changes going forward.

Thanks for your comments and questions. I'll be back soon as I get more work done. 

Until then, stay safe and play on, people.

BTW, soon you'll be able to download the new Rule Booklet on the right column under Andrea. Believe it or not, I'm confident that I can really finish the game by the end of this year. At that point, early next year, I'll be posting Youtube videos about the game and sending out free game boxes in exchange for reviews before the game officially launches on September 11, 2022.

The Apocalypse is Upon Us [Behold, The World After 11/3/2020]

I present to you, The Danish National Symphony Orchestra with their score of Taxi Driver (A Night Piece). 

Enjoy the dichotomy of its peaceful sound and its daring riffs. 

Behold, people. The flashpoint that ignites the apocalypse is soon upon us. 

Stay calm and stay safe.

Enjoy the music.

Peace out.

ARCHIVE: A New Sci-Fi Movie - A Rothery VOD Film

Directed by Gavin Rothery. With Rhona Mitra, Theo James, Toby Jones, Stacy Martin. 2038: George Almore is working on a true human-equivalent AI. His latest prototype is almost ready. This sensitive phase is also the riskiest. Especially as he has a goal that must be hidden at all costs: being reunited with his dead wife.

I'm watching this movie tonight so I'll post my review on Sunday. I've got my fingers crossed so I hope it's a good one. Happy watching.

Here's an update about my review of this movie:

Loved the concept and "special effects" or visuals. But unfortunately, this is one of those movies with very little tension or subtext to keep you riveted and keep you in suspense. Couldn't get into this film as much as I wanted to. Otherwise, it was interesting enough to watch until the end.

The ending for me fell short because I could hardly hear their soft-spoken voices but even when I got the words I'm not quite sure I got the ending.

I'll have to watch it again to see if this film gets any better.

SPOILER:

Okay, so after watching this movie again I can say that this film has a The Sixth Sense meets Ex Machina kind of feel. I think I loved it because it definitely had some good moments.

COVID-19 And The Apocalypse - Just Ask Robert De Niro

Like most Americans, I'm stuck at home trying to find myself amid this COVID-19 chaos. But in all fairness, I've been stuck at home, half-crippled for the past 13 years after my brush with death of another kind back in 2007.

But that's another story for another time. Right now, the world is standing still; waiting for who knows what else. I happened to catch Robert De Niro last night on CNN saying that this COVID-19 virus is like a bad movie. I get that same feeling because it just seems unreal when you see the barren streets of Times Square and other big cities, like ghost towns.

How did we get here?

I've seen enough boring bookcases lately.

It's a double whammy for me but nevertheless, I go on with my life as we all must go on with our daily routines, masks firmly in place. Either find a hobby or load a gun. I stopped watching television altogether, except for an occasional good movie that comes around. You know, it's mostly re-runs these days. Not that Hollywood wasn't already rebooting every show known to humankind before the virus. As for the live shows from home. No thanks, I've seen enough boring bookcases lately. It's all horrible and unwatchable.

The late-night shows were horrible before the virus with all the ass-kissing hosts on full display, night after night. Always trying to be so damn nice and proper as if their guests are so delicate and vulnerable to life's hard truths. It's appalling what this world, especially the entertainment industry has come to these days. There's no edge. No honesty in anything they say or how they present it. They are absolutely unwatchable ass kissers, panderers, and politically correct left-wingers. A bunch of sore losers who still can't get over Trump being president.

Get over it people. The son-of-a-bitch will most likely win another 4 years. I'm pretty much apolitical in case you haven't noticed by now. And forget Bernie Sanders. He seems to mean well, but it's all just a scam. Like most politicians, he just uses politics as a publicity platform. It's a disgrace.

What else can I say?

It seems the apocalypse has snuck up on us and delivered it's first glancing blow as we await its full fury in the form of nuclear war. What else can we expect? Is COVID-19 the beginning of the end? Who knows?

I can't call it. It's anyone's guess at this point. We'll have to go along for the ride of our lives and see where all this takes us.

Hopefully, it leaves us in a better place providing we can survive it. From De Niro's point of view, we're all stuck in a movie scenario, something unreal.

Except that COVID-19 is very real.

So suck it up buttercup and deal with it, people.

Deal with it!

Product Packaging - Does Yours Have a Hook? [Apocalypse Board Games]

All-New Millennium Game Box

When it comes to product packaging, products are no different than a movie poster, a novel, or a short story; the secret to designing a killer package is to give it an irresistible hook.

Right, you thought hooks were just for movies and novels, well think again because everything needs a hook. Even your hooks need a hook because without a hook, it's just another cog in the big machine. This brings to mind a cliche, the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

Think about that. So based on this analogy, your product should be squeaking for oil or a damn good hook because without it . . . you get the idea.

And a good hook, of course, is a design element that attracts prospects out of sheer curiosity. Hooks speak to people instantly by engaging them with visual cues that tell a story.

With the Millennium box, the marketing hook is relevant and immediate. This box, this product, this game is not of this world. How do I show that visually? The game box washes up on shore, but notice that it's beaming from above. Not exactly a Star-Trek beam-me-up, Scotty effect, but something similar.

More to the point, this image brings to mind the monolith from 2001 A Space Odyssey. None of these design cues were intentional but given the nature of the game, a futuristic setting, these design elements tend to come naturally as an extension of the genre.

Another hook is the sepia-tone and the juxtaposition of a futuristic woman set in the 1930s past. That's the real product hook. The rest is marketing.

This is the new box I'll be printing shortly. The seal says: Earth's Brightest Journey - Starts Here.

That little zinger keeps the main theme of the game, that all is not lost, front and center. That there is hope for humanity, after all. In other words, this is not a shoot em up, end of the world, the winner takes all game. Yes, the stakes are high and the danger is real ( a potential apocalypse) but there is a silver lining at the end.

The reason for this sort of thinking is that if I had designed the game like all the rest of the apocalypse games known to humankind, then it's just like all those other games. And frankly, I'm not sure how other games play in detail because I don't want to be influenced by their mechanics.

So Millennium, for better or for worse, is as original but as familiar as it gets because it's in a realm of its own. That's what makes it unique and what sets it apart from other apocalyptic games. I think that's a good thing and it remains to be seen if consumers agree with that or not.

Either way, I believe it's a good move and I'm sticking to it and will continue to develop the game along those lines. Right, sometimes you have to take chances because playing it safe is not an option.

If you're struggling with a product and searching for a meaningful hook, leave your comments below so we can figure it out right here. If you can disclose your idea, I'd love to post it to see what we can come up with.

Meanwhile, I'm committing myself to work on the Extension game ( The Fall of Berlin - And Beyond) and hopefully finish it for September release as well. A tall order but not impossible so it's all in the works and I've got to get back to it, folks.

See you back here soon!

8 Essential Elements to Improve Your Book Sales

Hey folks, I thought I'd put together a short list about the essential elements your book must have to succeed. You'll find plenty of tutorials about how to improve your book sales so here's my take on it and why this is a good list to follow.

Edge of The Apocalypse

Here's a list, in order of importance, your book needs to communicate.

1. Genre
2. Awesome Title/Sub-Title
3. Blurb (back sales copy)
4. Opening Sentence
5. First Chapter Hook
6. First Chapter Cliffhanger
7. Reviews
8. Author Authority/Website or Blog

GENRE:
This is a no-brainer. It's all about your genre and genre specific images on your cover. I'm working on a post-apocalyptic book series (The Edge of Time Book Trilogy) so my obvious genre is Science Fiction. Post apocalyptic fiction is a sci-fi sub-genre.

What kind of images does my book cover need to have? There are many typical images; destroyed landscape, crumbling or burning buildings, social upheaval, zombies, etc.

Research other covers in your genre and try to use images, colors, and font styles that match those covers with a unique layout that best fits your story. Design your cover so it appeals with a sense of curiosity about it.

The main purpose of your cover is to get readers curious about your story so they can read the blurb on your back cover. The blurb has to be good enough so readers will want to read your first chapter, and that starts with a curious opening first line that hooks readers through the chapter until the cliffhanger at the end of the chapter.

These are all bullet points for another article where I'll detail each step with examples.

AWESOME TITLE
Of course you need an amazing title because your title communicates the main concept of your story.  My book title (book one) is Edge of The Apocalypse because this title says to readers (fans of apocalyptic fiction) that this is the beginning of an apocalyptic event. (the edge). Obviously, this is the event my first chapter opens with.

BLURB
A book blurb is the back cover sales copy. Notice my emphasis on the word sales. Make no mistake, your back copy is strategic copywriting designed to get readers to read your first chapter. It's an important part of your sales funnel and more than just a snapshot of your story.

OPENING SENTENCE
Let's face it, the better you can open your story, the better your chances of making a sale. Although, this is not as critical as you might think.

FIRST CHAPTER HOOK
Your hook is probably the most important part of your book at this point because aside from your amazing cover, title, curious opening sentence, your first chapter hook is the reason readers will or will not buy your book. Get this right and your book has a better chance to sell. Get it wrong and you risk alienating potential customers from all your books.

FIRST CHAPTER CLIFFHANGER
Your cliffhanger at the end of your first chapter is critical because this is your reader's gateway to the rest of the story and a strong cliffhanger helps generate good book reviews.

BOOK REVIEWS
Book reviews are overrated but yes, good book reviews are important, although, I've bought many books with not so good reviews. It all depends on how much you like the story. For me, as long as the book has some good reviews, I'm comfortable buying it if I like the story and I know I'll enjoy reading the book because of the author's voice, plot, setting, story concept, characters, etc.

AUTHOR CREDIBILITY (WEBSITE/PLATFORM)
Believe it or not, this is probably the most important criteria because you also want to judge the author as far as their dedication to their writing craft. Remember, the most important thing new author's have going for them, is the current book(s) they are selling. Any previous work is a bonus if the books were successful.

The author's current book reflects everything about them, their platform, their upcoming books, their view of the world, and the types of stories they want to tell, etc. This helps build an author brand.

In my next post, I'll break down this short list and expand in detail, everything you need to know to design a kick-ass book cover that communicates enough information to get readers to read your first chapter and hopefully your entire book.

Your book cover must generate a chain reaction of events with all green lights in order to generate sales and good book reviews. Ideally, you want to have all these elements in place so your book can hopefully go viral and readers will do most of your promotion (word of mouth) for you.

In other words, your book sells itself. That's a tall order but many authors have done it so it's not impossible. Readers have to trust you as an author to deliver good stories. Putting yourself out there is also important so readers can see your personality and how you express your story ideas.

Readers want to know that as an author, you're committed to writing and publishing great stories for them to consume. One-hit wonders are okay, but a number of bestsellers is far better.

I'll also mention several one-hit wonders that made it very big and how they got there.

Can you come up with one? 

Come on back to see if that book is on my list!

An Excerpt: Edge of The Apocalypse

Millennium Boardgame's New Box Design . . . Here's the Lesson

Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3. Anybody out there? Not yet. I get it. I haven't posted here in a while so any momentum I had going with SEO a few months ago has gone back to zero.

Good news is that after several mishaps and unforeseen delays, I'm finally printing the second prototype box for the new Millennium board game, so here it is in all it's glory, for whatever this is worth, just for kicks and giggles. I've decided to give this cover a bit of sepia-tone instead of full black and white. I think it works and most likely this will be the box cover that goes into production.

This time around I'm happy to say this current version of the game is playable on all levels from start to finish so I'll be play-testing the heck out of it and fine-tuning anything that needs tweaking. The new launch date is September 11, 2020 so I hope I can stick to that and meet that deadline this time around.

Blah, blah, blah. nobody cares. In fact, all the pretty packaging doesn't mean a thing unless the game is totally playable and engages gamers on a deep level. Superficial game concepts will never cut it so you need something meaningful beyond all the great artwork.

Sure, you need amazing artwork as click-bait, so to speak. But once gamers get a hold of your game and play it out in real life and in real time, you'll need a stronger hook to keep them engaged and interested until the game ends.

And in case you're wondering, the box cover must tell a story. Most games don't because they leave most of the game imagery to the player's imagination and that's a good thing but a better idea is to tell a story with your cover art so you can not only attract potential buyers but also engage them with a storyline at first glance.

Your marketing needs to be worked into

 your stories so you can

use stories to market your books. 

In this case, I've featured an Android, Andrea, holding a gun (central protagonist) front and center with her dog Apollo beside her, smack dab in the middle of traffic--a scene set in the 1930's. Yes there's a story in there somewhere and it's deep, wide, and long. How long? Well, that's the real hook. There's an entire novel (300 pages featured on the front of the box) about Andrea and this fascinating cast of characters.

I'm about half way done writing the novel, which in fact will also be released as 3 separate short stories that tie in all the game activity with scenes from where the apocalypse first struck in Austin, Texas.

Here's a behind the scenes preview: 

Around the middle of book 2 (Epic Apocalypse) Andrea and Maria are stuck with their stolen Tesla pickup, now running low on power in Jacksonville, Florida after fleeing from Austin weeks ago. So they're deep into their adventurous trip north to New York City along with everything that happened since, which is documented in book 1 (Edge of The Apocalypse).

I'm slowly but surely working my way into book 3 (Beyond The Apocalypse). This is where things take an unexpected turn (again) and the girls are blind-sided with another life-altering dilemma. You gotta love it folks! I'm having a blast putting this down and can't wait to finish it and present it to fans of apocalyptic stories. This is the core audience, by-the-way, but I'm weaving in a bunch of sub-plots that have mass appeal.

I know, I'm a long way from promoting this new series but it helps to be inspired along the way. Otherwise, what's the point in living at all? Your marketing needs to be worked into your stories so you can use stories to market your books. That's something to keep in mind as you write. In fact, movie trailers are designed around specific throw-away scenes so think about that while you're writing your next book because it works both ways.

Millennium is alive and well!

Okay, I didn't plan to write such a long, short post but you get the idea. Millennium is alive and well and coming to a store online soon enough so it's an exciting time all around. I really look forward to playing this game in person with several different players to see how they respond to it overall.

I have a feeling they're going to love it and get hooked. And that's the beginning recipe for going viral. Everything must click so that everyone engages and gets excited at the same time and for the same reasons. That's how things are shared and word-of-mouth turns into a flashpoint that fires up the masses and therefore boosts sales in the long-run. Those initial sales also help potential positive reviews, which in turn starts conversations and begins to convert curious shoppers. There's a lesson in here somewhere but I digress.

Check out the game and if you're a curious reviewer, let me know and I'll send you a free game box in exchange for an honest review on Youtube or your game blog.

Your comments or feedback are welcome!

See the Millennium Game on the Developer Website

Colonizing Mars: Can We Escape The Apocalypse? Buzz Aldrin's Startling Answers [Interview Photos]

Visions of permanent human settlements on Mars all include methods by which inhabitants can grow plants and produce food. Picture: Bryan Versteeg/Spacehabs.comSource:Supplied

It's Mars or bust, says Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 hero and space explorer extraordinaire in an interview with News Corp.

“I don’t think we really understand how much we can take of that, [radiation] or from how much we can be protected in efficient ways..."

While in Australia, Buzz Aldrin spoke to News Corp. about his passion for a human outpost on Mars. The promo is part of National Geographic’s series of talks, Mars: The Live Experience.

Would Buzz take such a risk?

Buzz Aldrin Speaks

“Well, it may hurt! But to have a very challenging life from age 40 when you get to Mars, and returning at 60, may be worth it having sacrificed for your country, or for humanity ... This is a concept that I don’t think very many people have come to grips with yet.”

Traveling to Mars is much more difficult than flying to the Moon in every way.

“Then we didn’t know,” Aldrin said.

There launch window is narrow. The trajectory and thrust have to be very exact. About half of the Mars missions have succeeded so far.

Buzz Aldrin Mars Promo

“You have to get it 100 percent: 95 percent, you don’t get to Mars. You don’t come back,” he says.

“No free return and no backup system, no alternate. I’m disturbed about that.”

Aldrin says that independent, short missions are doomed to fail.

“Probably the third time we get there, Congress or somebody will say ‘here, we know how to do that — lets spend that money over here ...’ And that will be it for Mars.”

Aldrin believes that high risks can be managed by sending mission components separately.

“You can have a year-and-a half tour of duty, a five year tour of duty, a seven-and-a-half ... and come back,” he says. “You’re sending as many as you’re bringing back.

"Are you disappointed you never got to fly to Mars?"

“No. See, we’d already flown,” he says.

MARS Series for Nat Geo

“The three of us (from Apollo 11) felt that being so fortunate to have come out with the mission and end up the first landing that we didn’t feel like flying another mission was fair to other guys. We’d be taking a potential mission away from them."

Aldrin hopes NASA accepts his "master plan" which is already working on the spacecraft and the rockets to launch astronauts to Mars by 2030. And he expects a Mars settlement by 2040, around the 70th anniversary of his Apollo 11 moon landing.

Aldrin also envisions using Mars moons, Deimos and Phobos, as stepping stones for astronauts. He doesn't like the label "one-way" and he imagines tours of duty, lasting up to 10 years.

See related article here:

Do you think we should colonize Mars?

We welcome all comments or questions.

*****************************************************************

A.R. Arias, a Mars enthusiast, is the designer/developer for Terra Nova Board Games. His debut game, Millennium-Glory Beyond The Ages, and its companion short story, Girl With A Broken Heart, launches 9.11.2019.

Learn more at The Game Crafter Website

The Road To Hell is Paved With Works-in-Progress - Philip Roth

The title is one of my favorite Philip Roth quotes and it's quite appropo in my case with Broken Heart.

Here's the latest version of the GWBH cover. The most important part is the sales copy, I mean the blurb on the back cover, as it's known. As it stands now, it is a mixture of fact and fiction in all its incarnations, and as far as I can tell, it still works.

I've added an element, a short mention about clues to a riddle and an image to go with it, which is central to the main plot. Namely, anagram clues that tell which state is the next to get bombed. Nice touch, I think, but who knows?

AUNT IS AT SEX

You can barely make out the first clue: It's Big, followed by the anagram, AUNT IS AT SEX with a strip-tease image. Kind of funny if you think about it. The answer is a bit obvious, Austin Texas, the opening setting for the story. The anagrams get progressively more difficult to solve and that's part of the challenge for the characters in the book, as well as for the readers.

Playing Card

It's becoming obvious to this blogger that Girl With A Broken Heart is decidedly a full-length stand-alone novel. But for the purposes of the Millennium board game, I've kept the short story to about 110 pages.

The beauty of this book is that it serves as an in-depth promo for the board game, if you will, and vice versa. For those who first purchase the game and then learn about the book, they have an option to download a free PDF copy online. Otherwise, the paperback (available on Amazon) comes as a collectible edition with a prologue and photos that the online version does not include.

There has to be a clear distinction between the two, otherwise what would be the point, except that one is digital and the other is a physical paperback copy. Maybe that's enough, so we'll see if I decide to make them identical and leave it at that.

Playing Card

I'm leaving no stone unturned but in reality 95% of all the work is already finished and I still have about a year before the official launch date of 9/11/2019.

I love that because it gives me plenty of time to ruminate and experiment with it to see how I can make it even better. Although, I'd be happy to publish both the game and the book in January. It all depends how I feel about it at the time. But I'd like to stick to the official publication date because it has more meaning as it ties in with the 9/11/2001 events.

Sometimes momentum and trends are everything and they're important to incentivize and motivate sales at all levels. I still have another ace in the hole as far as marketing goes. I'll talk about that in my next post.

Meanwhile, I do have six more games and two other books that I'd like to finish so I'll get to it.
Your comments and questions are welcome.

**************************************************************

Play for free online at: Tabletopia.com

Learn about the game at: TheGameCrafter.com/games/millennium

WordPress: https://wordpress.com/post/millenniumglorybeyondtheages.wordpress.com/18

Free eRuleBook: https://boardgame-news.blogspot.com/r/rulebook.html

http://www.TheGameCrafter.com/games/millennium

Girl With A Broken Heart-Andrea's Final Journey: A companion story eBook available now in free PDF Format on the website:

http://www.TheGameCrafter.com/games/millennium

The Girl With Heart - A New Millennium Game Short Story

Upcoming Novella for Millennium Board Game

Here's a quick post about a short narrative that takes place early in the game. For those of you who enjoy dramatic and fun stories, The Girl With Heart will give you something to think about.

This story came about from Andrea's journal and chronicles the first events of the apocalypse as it happened in Austin, Texas, where Andrea is visiting her girlfriend, Maria.

New Game Components

Andrea's journal, included in the board game, is a bit different than this story and I'm still debating whether to keep them both or just offer the free ebook to go with the game.

That's actually a good option to keep my costs down but I haven't decided which way to go yet.

The short story in the book is about 50 pages so far, but I hope to get it to about 100 pages with photos.

The journal story, Heartbeat, works fine as is, however, I'll soon have to decide how to best present it. You can read that version online via the links (upper right) under Millennium Extras.

As of now, I've combined both stories in the ebook, but plan to choose one version or the other to include with the board game.

Most likely, I'll present the more detailed story from the ebook (and paperback) as the final version because it's a much better fit.

I'll post an excerpt of The Girl With Heart in my upcoming article when I make an update to the Millennium game.

Until then, may the gaming gods be with you!

Getting updates is easy! Just sign up for eMail updates up top and I'll send you upcoming updates about the Millennium board game and the new story. (Your email will not be shared. Your privacy is assured.)

You can also follow us on Twitter!

The New Millennium - Glory Beyond The Ages, Game Box!

Here's the latest version of the new Millennium game box. What I like about this one is that it feels more like the Apocalypse than the blue box. Keep in mind that this game focuses on post-apocalyptic events, although it has a combination of events without reaching far into a Dystopian future. Not yet, anyway. That idea is for expansions of the game in the near future.

New Millennium Game Box 2019

This new design keeps Andrea (the Android protagonist) and her trusty bull terrier, Apollo, on the cover with the city burning in the background. The blue box features the New York City downtown area with the Freedom Tower, as do some of the cards.

About The Background Art

At this point I still have to work that part of the city back into the story and into the artwork, but for now I'm using a generic cityscape on the cover.

Back of the box

Here's a better view of the back of the box. You can see some of the game components and the new game board with some of the poker cards alongside a phone with a video link to the past playing.

See The Rulebook On Your Phone

You can see the Rulebook, a video link (top links) and the newest video teaser on the right column. There's so much more to come. Soon I'll be posting a gameplay video after I order the newest prototype, which will be very similar or identical to this one I'm posting here.

This new game will most likely be available for purchase this coming Christmas, however, the official launch date is for the middle of 2019, give or take a month or so. I'll do my best to keep you updated on Twitter and on this blog.

Dig around this blog for much more about the history of this game and its evolution since 2016 when I first came up with this idea, which reaches far beyond the apocalypse with time-travel events and so much more.

So far I have one video link, but plan to add many more. You can also get the entire Rulebook on your phone and Andrea's personal Journal too. Andrea's journal opens up a whole new dimension to this game with plenty of background information about her life before the first bomb detonated over Killeen, Texas. (Sorry, Killeen. Somebody had to do it.)

Wyatt Earp Card Deck

I'm also adding several more really fun card decks aside from the Coney Island Deck and the Wyatt Earp Tombstone Poker Deck. There's so much going on I can hardly keep up, but I've got plenty of time to finish the game before the end of this year. Right now, it's about 90% done and I'm getting closer every day to that finish line (for now) until the first expansion in 2020.

Lot's to do guys. I'll get to it and hope to see you here again soon.

Please retweet this post on Twitter if you can and stay tuned for more surprises on the way.

Game on!

Follow me on Twitter for the latest updates!
https://twitter.com/ARArias2

Millennium Board Game Launches in 2019!

THREE - TWO - ONE . . .

The chits about to hit the fan, P E O P L E! (Yes, I'm game-drunk again!)

Which reminds me, I have a load of chits to dream up and finish before I can call it a day. I had tested these chits as shards in my original prototype and they were horrible in two ways. They were too small and wafer thin so I'm going with the the 1" chipboard with better layouts so that should improve the quality considerably.

1" Chits

You know, that first prototype was both a revelation and a major disappointment all rolled into one. Most of the printing was way too dark so I'm being extra careful not to submit dark images. Most of the images are in PNG format and about 20% lighter than the original artwork. I had quite a few hits and misses.

Wow, it's been over a year since I started working on this game and I think it's safe to say that Millennium will officially launch in January of 2019. Hey, that's only six months away! Not so bad considering I'm a one-man-band, which is unheard of in this industry. Most board games require the involvement of dozens of people, designers, consultants, artists, etc., to put a game together and bring it to market over several years.

There are several ways to accomplish this, but for now, my main concern and focus is to design a board game that appeals to players interested in post-apocalyptic themes and stories. That's the first door I need to fling open, and from there, to introduce and present this new world with all its challenges, rewards, and stories in an exciting and engaging way. Easier said than done, of course, but you will never know unless you try.

And by trying I mean you have to be all-in. Players want to play a game that engages them in unexpected ways and holds their attention in a way that goes beyond game play. Playing a game for the sake of having fun is not a good enough reason to learn a new game. From my point of view, the real appeal of Millennium is that its main theme is totally relevant to our times.

The chits about to hit the fan, P E O P L E! 

Beyond game mechanics, the theme and world view the game represents is the most important asset to play up. By approaching the game that way, you elevate its meaning and its relevance.

At this point my main goal is to finish all the card decks (about 5 different decks) and continue to test the game beyond family and friends for more accurate feedback that will lead to a better gaming experience.

As they say, less is more, and so I've tried to keep the flow of events as simple and as intuitive as possible while maintaining a level of interest that keeps players engaged in a personal way. While one of the main objectives of the game is to rescue survivors, teamwork is important but not necessary to win the game. In light of that, I've made another change to my cover image.

My previous box cover featured Andrea rescuing a young boy, which highlighted the main objective of the game, however, after some thought, I changed the image to Andrea alongside her sidekick, a Bull Terrier named, Apollo. (BTW, she's packing a 9mm Glock)

Overall, I think this is a more interesting snapshot and it doesn't repeat what we already know. The design on the back of the box is also locked-in to juxtaposed imagery that adds depth to the game's themes. Namely, the past and the future.

I'm a sucker for the 1800s or any era in the past for that matter. (I'm sure my high school history teacher would be baffled by this.) And so I've added plenty of references to the Civil War, The Roaring Twenties, and so on. (See one of the video links under the EXTRAS column on the right.)

There's so much I can add to make this game even more interesting but that will hopefully come in a second edition. I realize this initial game is just a proof of concept that needs fine-tuning along the way but for now, I must include bits and pieces, as it were, of the bigger picture. I want to give players a taste of what's to come in a much bigger form if this game catches on.

Something tells me it's going to be a popular game if I can deliver all the elements I have in mind in a way that's a little familiar but at the same time, very different than any game of its kind.

That still remains to be seen and so time will tell. My lack of gaming knowledge can either serve me as a disadvantage or as an advantage because I'm not tempted to mirror any other games. So far, I've tried to put together a fun and exciting game with my own twist on a theme I enjoy playing but could not find on the market.

Once I get this next prototype locked-in and ready for sale to the general public, then I can think about presenting it to a major publisher to see if they are interested. At this point I still need to send out several boxes to reviewers and continue testing the game with various groups.

If I can generate enough interest and excitement about it, then that's a good start. I have to build momentum and follow that up with effective publicity in all the right places. On top of that, you have your marketing mix of ads and promos and blog mentions, etc. It's a marathon of things that need to fall into place around the same time for a good launch. (I know, I'm getting a bit ahead of myself.)

"I think it's easier to read the rules

by scrolling or clicking instead of turning pages . . ."

The new Rules Booklet is now available to download off the The Game Crafter.com website, and you can also view it (and Andrea's Journal) from this Millennium Blog. Eventually the rules, journal, more video links, and more about the game will be available via a standalone App.

I think it's easier to read the rules by scrolling or clicking instead of turning pages. This way, everyone can read the rules on their phone, which, in turn, makes the video links and the Millennium blog more accessible.

I've said way too much and this post has gone on far too long. There's a whole book of information I can distill about this game and about marketing your product but that will come in due time.

"Right now, I have to sign off before the 

attention-span police lock me up."

Right now, I have to sign off before the attention-span police lock me up.

There's so much more to talk about folks. Stay tuned for more insights and highlights coming soon. Best thing is to subscribe to this blog so you don't miss anything. I don't usually post on a regular basis (a big no-no) but when I do, I really spill the beans.

Hey, I'm juggling dozens of projects at the same time. Hard to keep track of it all.

Come on back for my next post where I'll talk about the final stretch to finish up all the artwork and hopefully add some new video links and maybe a new promo trailer, which is already in the works.

No worries, I have 20 hours a day to work, 7 days a week. I just need to make better use of all that time.

Game on!

Re-Boot, Re-boot, Re-Boot - A Breakthrough With The Millennium Board Game

Sound the alarms! Baaaaack it up! Beep, beep, beep...

Scratch the vinyl record right here folks!

Stop the presses!

WTF!?

Okay, okay, enough with all the bad cliches. Let's get down to the real reason why I'm being so ridiculous. No, I've not been hitting the bourbon bottle. (Hmm, maybe I should be.)

I'm back with a bunch of changes to Millennium. All for the better, mind you, no steps backwards, ever. I had a change of heart on the East Coast and West Coast versions of the game. As good as that was in theory, I figured why re-invent the wheel?

No, I've not been hitting the bourbon bottle.

Instead, I'm switching to a six-fold game board, a new 9 x 12 tall box so everything fits nicely and I've ditched the black box design for a more traditional and thematic cover with Andrea rescuing an injured boy. She's also looking towards the front as opposed to giving her back to the viewer. Not sure what I was thinking other than trying to create a reveal but that just works in the movies.

Although, the biggest change is that Millennium is now a cooperative game. Other than all that, it's the same frickin' game. Go figure.

Call me crazy, but that's what I should've started out with from the beginning. It is an Apocalyptic story and so teamwork is a natural fit where everyone looks out for each other as opposed to every person for themselves. I am trying to make this a positive game with an edge as opposed to a "winner take all" POV where mayhem, pessimism, and greed rule the day.

Yes, going against the grain is always a risk.
But doing what you believe in can also have its rewards. It's about looking at the glass half full.

I think there's enough dark news to go around and I want Millennium to be different. I want it to come across as a hopeful game where Earth still has a bright future ahead of it, despite the grim outlook just because of a handful of tyrants around the globe.

Talk about a whole new feel to the game, this really narrows down the theme because it's all about rescuing as many survivors as possible in order to win the game as a team. There's just much more at stake this way and the game is more engaging and more fun.

Here's a preview of the new box:

Updated Box Cover

It's come a long way and I just might change this scene and show Andrea running from an explosion with the boy to make it more exciting and more dynamic. Although, I do like this scene or where she's waiting for the train. There are just so many choices to make and settling for one is never easy. But as you go along, the game develops into something different and if it's a better idea, you just have to go with it.

Once I get all the main events and cards in place, it'll be all about small details and how the game plays out, step by step. It has to feel just right. The pacing should be smooth but brisk without too much lag time between players.

Here's where playtesting with different groups comes in handy because every person will have their own experience with the game and hopefully they can offer suggestions to improve it.  I know that if I can get this game to the point where it plays out with plenty of tension and adventure, it will be a terrific game to play.

"Quite a longshot to launch a board game that way ..."

At that point, I'll have to try to find a publisher willing to take a chance with it and if that doesn't work, I'm on my own. Quite a longshot to launch a board game that way but you know, that's part of the appeal of designing your own games. It's a heck of a challenge to succeed at any level but especially rewarding if you can jumpstart one on your own and get it rolling at a steady pace.

It all remains to be seen, but I do have good expectations even though I realize that Apocalyptic themes are not exactly a rage these days, but I'm counting on Millennium to change all that. That's the dream and it's not impossible so in that case, I'm already in deep so no turning back at this point.

"Idealogy is king but trinkets are a close second."

My take on this theme may be just what board games need to kickstart a trend. You never know and the only way to find out is to be all-in. You can't put out a half-ass game, book, or anything else. You have to go for broke.

This board game is no small feat for one person, but if I can get Millennium out there as I envision it, I think it will succeed. If it does, it's all gravy from there because all my other games in development are much simpler and faster to finish.

It's a marathon, to say the least. Hey, it's either this or watching re-runs of Star-Trek. (My secret is that I can do both at the same time.)

Bottom of Box

Here's a sneak peek at the bottom or back of the box. I could write a whole book about this but in my next Post I'll try to tackle all the elements it takes to design a good back for your box. As you can see here, it's very cluttered but that's almost a given. I could organize it a bit more but there's just so much you need to include that it's always difficult to fit everything in a comprehensive way.

I'm also using a loss leader because I need all the advantages I can get. I'll get into that too and discuss a bit about sales gimmicks and how to make good use of them without seeming like a carnival barker.

You can see some of the bells and whistles here and let me say that regardless of your amazing plot and themes and your overall concept, players always love trinkets. That's what I call them and I'm not far off describing some of these game pieces. Other than an emotional angle, you also need tanglible objects. Idealogy is king but trinkets are a close second. Yes, grown-ups like toys too.

Enough said for now, I could go on and on but this article is already too long. Attention spans are not what they used to be.

Stay tuned for much more about the latest developments with Millennium and how I'm tackling each phase of this game from start to finish.

It's turning out to be a Master Class in package design and board game marketing and hopefully you'll find a digital version on Amazon after I finish this game.

Voila!