Asylum Earth: Aftermath: Manhattan Protocol

 This is the latest and greatest box for the game, which should be arriving at my door on Monday, according to Fedex. Hey folks, it's been a while, and I've had my ups and downs these days. I've worked so hard to get this game done, but I feel it's probably not quite ready for prime time. If the game arrives Monday, I'll be setting it up and playing it to see how it works.

That's a nailbiter for sure, even though I've got all the instructions and the artwork as close to finished as I can get it. I'm just not sure about the board yet. But, time will tell and I'll be doing my best to make sense of it all and get it out there on the Game Crafter website for now until I can put it for sale on Amazon, Walmart, etc.

I also dug up several other games I had designed years ago that I'm looking to finish, also. Those games sat inside a slow HP laptop I'm still nursing and extracting files from. I'm in the middle of switching out to Windows 11 on my desktop, and I need a new keyboard and mouse that are on their way today.

There's so much to tell about this new version of the game, but until I lay it out and give it a whirl in real time, I just don't know where it stands. 

Luckily, the book, Asylum Earth: Age of the Apocalypse, has been out on Amazon for several weeks, parked until I get the game going in full swing so I can promote both the game and the book at the same time. Although my focus is on the board game for now. It's all quite the undertaking that needs to fall into place, but there are always delays and problems to be had along the way. Right now, the promotional video is finished, but its conversion to MP4 by Filmora is a bit dubious, to say the least.

Filmora claims that I have not purchased enough digital assets to convert the video to MP4 format, which is not accurate. So, as it stands, I'm trying to fix that glitch.

Much more to come, folks. Standby for the best part.

Asylum Earth Supreme Survivor Board Game

 

Hey folks, here's the latest update on the Asylum Earth board game. After printing the last prototype, I thought the name needed enlarging so now it's larger with a black border so it stands out.

We'll be playing the game during the Christmas break to fine-tune it and get it closer to publication. As I've said before, I'm not rushing this process because the longer it incubates, the better it gets. So far I'm happy with the quality of the box and printing. 

It's actually quite impressive how Gamecrafter puts this together. My only reservation is how dark the colors are but that's on me and I'll be trying to find ways to revise the artwork so it's more legible and more visually appealing. Other than that, I'm excited to see it in person after so many changes.

I especially like the foil cards so I'll be printing more of those. This game is a work in progress and getting better every time so I can't wait to get to the point where I can post it online for sale and promote it so players can get a taste of its dynamics and how interesting it is and how much fun it is to play.

Here are samples of the contents and some of the foil cards. We'll see how the game feels once we play this latest version. 

Meanwhile, it's the holidays, after all, so enjoy a healthy Thanksgiving and Christmas season. See you on the other side.

Board Games - How to Properly Name Yours

New Prototype Box -Remnants

Well, here I've thrown a monkey wrench deep into the development of the new game. Nothing disrupts the flow of work like changing the main title or name of a game. Obviously, I'll have to change everything.

Hmm, what to do? Let's unpack this thing. 

Okay, let's face it, I've never been crazy about the name Millennium because it's such a common and overused word. But, that's the name that came to me out of the blue so I embraced it for lack of having a better choice at the time (a working title). Although, I'll admit it sounds futuristic and all-encompassing. Yes, good traits but too general in scope.

Now, enter a video game by the name, Descenders, and suddenly a light bulb moment. Why am I using Millennium, which only describes a length of time as opposed to what the game is about or what its characters do? Millennium is just a period of a thousand years. In this case the new millennium, the year 2000 and beyond. And yes, that simple detail is built into the story but it doesn't say anything specific about the game, its protagonist, or its characters.

The name Descenders, describes what the game is about because it's an extreme downhill mountain bike race. That works nicely but more importantly, it creates a hook within the title. 

The name Millennium offers no details about the new millennium. Other than the tagline, Glory Beyond The Ages. That's a good hook but it's not specific enough. 

The new name, Remnants is more specific because it describes how the characters are defined and what they are known as. That's a stronger hook all by itself with just one word. 

And so it's easy to see why I'll have to change the name from Millennium to Remnants. The word remnants has a built-in curiosity that provokes questions and that's priceless. I also considered using Defenders, but again, that's a very overused word in gaming. 

An alternate word for defenders is Defensores, in Latin. I like how Defensores sounds and how it looks but even in Latin, it seems a bit trite. Luckily these are just prototypes and changes of any kind go.

So there you have it. A quick lesson on how to best name your game for greater impact. Try to choose a word that describes the main concept or theme for a catchy hook that resonates in more ways than one.

Are you having trouble with the name of your game? Does it lack that catchy hook? Let me know in the comments and I'll post it here to see if the gaming community at large can find a better solution. 

Come on, be brave. It's all in good fun and a great way to tease out the best name for your board game or card game and it won't cost you a dime.

Play on gamers!

For my next post, I'll feature the back of the box with the revised copy for the new Remnants name. It's still in flux but I think it's much better already than what I originally had. This is almost as important as the cover, if not more because in effect it is sales copy in the guise of game information.

Check it out soon. You can sign up for private email updates in, upper right column.

Post-Apocalyptic Steampunk in the New Millennium

 

New Millennium Box

And the winner is . . . ?

Heck if I know. I've been through dozens of designs and not really crazy about any of them. This comes as close to what could make it into the final design.

It does have a Steampunk or Cyberpunk vibe to it, which is not what I'm going for but, I'll run with this amazing image because it's very close to what I want for this box cover.

This is a free Pixabay image and the only two things I did were change one eye to blue and desaturate the overall color. I love it so far and I hope to print the next prototype with this design.

If you're familiar with this game's backstory, (Edge of The Apocalypse) its protagonist is Andrea Estrella, who originally had platinum hair. I might change her to this image, for now, otherwise, I can give this cool chick a haircut and hair color change.

Guest what? It's much easier to leave her as is and make new playing cards for Andrea. Stay tuned for that in the coming days. I might add a gun to her.

Let me know what you think in the comments. I might print the new prototype in March or April if I can pin down a few more game mechanics. It's all finally coming together and it's about time so onward it is gamers.

Play on.

Post-Apocalyptic Board Games - A Millennium Game Update

New Millennium Game Box

Hey folks, I hope all is well by you and that being home isn't driving you up the walls. Many people have adapted to working from home as I did 12 years ago. It's best if you have a dedicated home office, otherwise, the distractions are maddening.

Family game night is back and so it's a good time to try something new if you're tired of the old classic games. I was hoping to get Millennium out there by the September 11 deadline but since the manufacturer (TheGameCrafter.com) had been closed and I've had to add additional COVID-19 theme cards and chits, that has set me back a bit.

But no worries, the game is better than ever and holding up nicely despite minor delays. I still have a gameplay video to produce once they print the final prototype. Mama mia, (I'm watching the Godfather for the 100th time as I work) this game is never done.

Grazie. Prego.

Absolutely one of the best films ever made. You gotta love the classics and that includes classic games but once in a while you have to take a walk on the wild side. Like watching Mad Max Fury Road for a change. That's a modern classic right there.

I like to think that Millennium will become a modern classic game in its own right someday. I designed it with that thought in mind so the game does have many classic themes and scenes that resonate and are familiar to many players.

That's one thing to keep in mind when you design a board game of any kind. It's best if a new game has familiar mechanics and themes that all players can relate to. I've always been fond of stories that take you back in time and so that's a big part of Millennium, as the cover shows.

But the game is about so much more than visiting the past as it explores Earth's possible future, which is a hopeful one. The themes and plot devices run deep in the game and so it is also more than a search and rescue game. Millennium lives and plays on many levels and draws you in and takes you in many directions. There are many choices and you'll have plenty of decisions to make along the way so its many adventures are unpredictable.

It's going to be an exciting game and I really look forward to announcing when the game is finally done. Soon. Hopefully very soon.

Meanwhile, let's be safe out there.

Hill Street Blues. (Google it youngbloods.)

New Apocalyptic Board Games and Books 2020

Millennium Board Game

Happy New Year, folks!

Here we are, the year 2020 and I for one am grateful to have made it this far. (For those who have cheated death before, you know the feeling.)

And as you can see, Millennium is still on board, beaming down and standing tall like a monolith from another time, waiting to be discovered.

Actual landing time is 9/11, 2020 so it's coming, and before you know it, it's here for the world to see and play.

Sounds dramatic, I know and only time will tell how this game and the books that precede it will be received. I'm working on a shoestring budget so promotions are limited. I'm still testing the waters and so far, I'm happy with the results but in a perfect world I'd market these products in a more traditional way.

ebook, Edge of The Apocalypse

I'm hoping to get a bump from The Game Crafter website, once I release the game for sale. That's the only venue that will offer the game for now until I can get it distributed in stores. And TGC, these are the folks who produce the working prototypes.

Right now, this game and several others in development are a family affair and mostly designed and promoted entirely by myself, and that's difficult enough because unlike most gaming endeavors, I don't have a team of pros to help me get this out there.

Luckily, I'm well-versed in many areas, but that doesn't mean I have it locked down by any means. When all is said and done, there are going to be plenty of loose ends in play.

There's so much to do and so little time to get anything done so it's a challenge in more ways than one, but no excuses. You do your best, make adjustments, and let it go.

And along the way, if you're stubborn like me, you break most conventional rules and try to set different standards in the industry. Probably not the wisest choice to start with, but that's my style. I'm basically going for broke, all in, do or die. (If I can think of any other cliches, I'll let you know.)

Meanwhile, I encourage you to live your dreams and start with what you have. Don't wait on anyone else. Take control and get going. You can learn along the way and if you fail, you've gained valuable experience for your next endeavor.

My reasoning behind these games and books is that I've set out to design and develop Sci-Fi games that I'd like to play and to write books that I'd like to read. Hopefully, many people will join me and connect on some level with these games and stories.

If not, I'm having the time of my life trying, and right now, that's keeping me motivated and driven to succeed. If you'd like me to feature your Sci-Fi game or book, let me know in the comments or drop me an email, I'd love to write it up here.

Please leave me your comments and questions below. Also, consider joining my private email list (above, right column) so we can stay in touch if you're interested in any of these games or books.

Until next time,

Play on!

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I almost forgot to mention that I'm finalizing editing on all three books. If you'd like a free PDF file of Book One, let me know, or check out the Amazon Preview.