Asylum Earth - Supreme Survivor [New Cyberpunk Board Game]

 Asylum Earth-Supreme Survivor

Hey folks, here's the newest prototype box for the game. As you can see, the game title is now Asylum Earth as opposed to Remnants. I hope to print it soon with a matte finish and spotgloss titles and logos. It's hard to see here but it's going to look epic up close and personal on a shelf.

Again, in keeping with the theme, the new name speaks to the bigger picture and main theme, which is the survival of our species and the survival of our planet. Although Remnants are still a big part of the story and remain intact.

Hail The Theme

Asylum Earth rings true to the main theme by implying that this new earth after the apocalypse is hopeful and peaceful. Wouldn't that be a welcome change in our world? 

I first came up with EarthHaven, which I love but we all know that with the popularity of GloomHaven, that name wouldn't work. So I don't mind the compromise and I think Asylum Earth is unique and speaks volumes about the theme.

I also made several changes to the cover image, which now shows Andrea in a careful search for combatants in the midst of a terrorist attack.

New Card Decks

I've also added a number of card decks including bomb threat events with countdown cards and so on. This game is loaded with great play and I can't wait to put it all together and get it out there. But that's another chapter altogether and the name of that game is social proof. Period.

That starts with several influencers who champion this game and rave about it to their customer base or audience, if you like, and that's all followed by several other important things, such as awesome explainer and game play videos, conference appearances and demonstrations, and so on. 

Launch Time

It takes time and energy to launch a good game or product of any kind but the main thing is that the game itself is appealing visually and playable at first sight. There's no room for awkward moments or stale events that flow against the theme or genre. You've got to hit a grand slam right from the start. That's what makes a product go viral and amass interest, engagment, and ultimately, plenty of orders.

I hope to finish designing and developing Asylum by the end of this year. At that point playtesting will continue with a focus on finding its core audience of players and believers.

It's a long, winding road, my friends. Nothing comes easy or happens overnight. One day I'll be in full marketing and sales mode as the design and develpment stage winds down considerably. But, as I've  already said, you've got to get the right people involved. Great things don't happen in a vaccum. Great things happen in wide open spaces where your most guarded secrets are exposed for the world to see.

Share It

Share this game with anyone you believe might enjoy it and follow its progress right here as Asylum goes from a bunch of thoughts, to trial and error and eventually, a huge success in the gaming industry. Yes, you must think positive and act persuasively to meet your goals.

Strive to create the very best game you'd love to play and take chances because whenver you put yourself and your ideas out there, there's always a clash of ideologies at play between you and your audience and the point is that you've got to remain true to the genre but don't be afraid to add your own personality and points of view to a game because that's what makes it unique and different.

Come on back for so much more about Asylum Earth and tips on how to market your game and develop it along the way.

All products are experimental and this game is no different but as long as you expand the genre in your own way, you're on the right track. There are plenty of moving parts and synchronizing all of them is the name of the game.

Images that tell a story 

See you soon, right here where my next post will delve into what kind of images tell a story and hook your audience at first sight. I'll dissect my own cover to see what I think makes it great and what works to tell a story. If you're stuck designing your box cover, you'll want to get into this and see what makes a great cover tick.

Play on, folks.

Board Games Record Double-Digit Growth . . . ! [reddit.com, DW.com]

Board Games Record Double-Digit

Growth as Interest in Anything Analog Increases

Board Game Popularity on The Rise

That's the headline as posted on Reddit from an article on DW.com.
Read the original article and my comments on Reddit

I know there's a big divide along these lines; tabletop games vs. video games. But if you ask me, it's a lot like paperback or hardcover books, vs. ebooks. As a book enthusiast and collector I'm in the habit of buying all three editions of any book I like. So in fact, everyone wins.

It's a lot like that for gaming but not an identical set of parameters because RPG fans may never get into tabletop games of any kind since it's a whole different experience so I think it's safe to say that these are entirely different markets with unique players that don't necessarily crossover.

 There's plenty of room for more 

innovative game ideas

Classic tabletop games such as Monopoly™, Chess, and Clue™, for example, are embedded in our culture and will always sell, especially for the holidays. Other newer, modern games such as, Fallout™ , Scythe™, and Gloomhaven™, standout because they already have specific audiences with a strong following.

And there's plenty of room for more innovative game ideas similar to Scythe and my own brand of the apocalypse, Millennium™. Hey, someone has to break the mold, people. It's not rocket science, it's just fun and interesting game concepts that evolve and emerge with a big demand from new audiences.

Millennium - Glory Beyond The Ages

I'm betting on apocalyptic games because it's what I enjoy playing and designing and I truly believe, like many others, that an apocalyptic event of biblical proportions is on the horizon, so that alone is a great reason to ride that wave, which hasn't peaked by any means.

I'm not trying to make a case for apocalyptic tabletop games because I think there's plenty of room for everyone in the industry to succeed with whatever concept they decide to put out there; RPG or tabletop. Yes, it's always a crap-shoot. Life itself is a gamble at every turn so all we can do is roll with the punches and do our best. Hopefully along the way, we'll find other groups who feel the same way we do and at that point it's a happy match.

What else can we ask for? 

My new board game, Millennium is on track to debut on 9/11/2020. There is a trilogy of books that precedes the game. Edge of The Apocalypse, Book One, Epic Apocalypse - Book Two, and, Beyond The Apocalypse - Book Three.

Edge of The Apocalypse is already available on Amazon. Read the Preview: Book One.

Book Two and Book Three will be available in January and February, respectively.

The Edge of Time Trilogy

Yes, Millennium has been a long time in design and development (3 years and counting) but it's about time I release this series along with the board game. 

Time flies and none of us are getting any younger, folks. The time is here and now. Take it or leave it because perfection is the quintessential enemy of progress. And so warts and all, 2020 is the year of Millennium.

I'm confident all the products will do well, maybe sleepers at first but as players discover the books and the game in particular, I think they'll warm up to it and embrace it for what it's worth.

Elon Musk's Cybertruck was a huge controversy when he revealed it last month. Today it's hailed as a work of genius. Not that I'm comparing myself to Mr. Musk. I'm only comparing how people perceive products at first glance.

Time will tell. And the time is now.

Enjoy the ebooks!

Anyone interested can request Book One and Two for free until March as a PDF file. Just shoot me an email and I'll send them right over to you.