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.

ASYLUM EARTH SUPREME SURVIVOR [Board Game Update]

 

Image from Can Stock Photo

Here's a nice image I considered for the box cover but I would have to add a weapon in her hands and that might work with an interesting background. That's what I originally wanted to use, a fierce female image like this because she (Andrea) is the star or main character of Asylum Earth.

But as you can see on the current cover, I opted for a butt shot with a weapon in hand. Not bad because it is provocative but I might give this image a try someday. With a bit of Photoshop magic, you'd be surprised how good it can work. She has the right stare in place so that's a plus.

Yes, my friends, it's all about sex appeal regardless of what you're trying to sell and you'll have to add a good dose of curiosity along with it. A dead-end image won't work. Your cover image must tell part of the story without solving or giving away too much. At its best, a cover image should feature the star of the game engaged in some interesting way. But you must also include a bit of world-building in the background to set the stage and present the main theme in a believable way.

Come to think of it, I'll work on that image and post it here to see what you make of it. You never know, I might wind up using it after all.

Right now the latest update is the QR Code I added so you can download the Rulebook onto your phone. I think this is a much better option than having only one printed rulebook that everyone needs to share. Besides, the online Rulebook will have hyperlinks so you can navigate the rules easier and faster and every player gets their own copy. Try the QR Code on the upper right and see for yourself. The rulebook is not finished yet but it's a good start.

New Asylum Earth game board sample

Above, you can get a peek at the new game board I'm working on. I've also added several card decks that really take this game to the next level. If anything, the new cards will add another layer of interesting options that players can branch off into in search of a winning strategy.

If I've learned one thing about designing a board game it's that you never really know where it's going. And I suspect that even after this game hits the market, I'll be coming up with better ideas all the time. Of course, there comes a time when you leave it alone but if on the road to developing your game, you come across a far better idea than what you have, by all means, shake things up and add that great idea to your game. So far, I've changed the name and the entire board several times and I don't regret it because the game is much better for it.

And you can't argue with better ideas. Sometimes original ideas lack depth and visual appeal so I always opt to improve even at the expense of delaying the game. Let's face it, if you publish a weak game you're going to get weak results overall. You've got to hit a grand slam or nothing at all. Product development is all about presenting not just your best but the best your product wants to be. That's not always evident from the start but as you move along with it you'll find better ways to achieve the ultimate design, which is to produce an interesting, provocative game that players fall in love with and will want to go along for the ride, wherever it takes them.

Come on back next week for the new box cover based on the image above to see which one is best.

Your comments or questions are always welcome.

Play on, players!

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.

Cyberpunk Tabletop Games (Sergey Vasnev and Star Wars Ewoks)

 And the winner is. . . 

Drumroll, please. . . 

Right. You've heard this all before. And don't think that I'm not just as skeptical as you are. But there comes a time in the design and development stage of any product, board games included, that you have to decide on what you're going to publish. 

That's a big decision because everything hinges on your first impression. And as you know, you can only make, blah, blah, blah.

So after experimenting with dozens of designs and getting a feel for how this game should look and feel, I've settled on this image. (fingers crossed)

Battle for Endor

Chances are you're familiar with the Star Wars movies and characters like most humans on earth. In this image, Vasnev re-imagines George Lucas' Ewoks with an interesting fan-art like this.

Mmm. . . now it's all coming back.

And so if we remember, Ewoks hail from the moon of Endor, thus the battle you see hear.

When I saw this image I was struck at once with several questions and curious about the idea behind Vasnev's concept art.

As it turns out this was an art challenge of sorts, of which I don't know its outcome.

Star Wars

So all that aside, let's get in our time machines and travel back to the year 1983 and the movie, Return of the Jedi.

Many of you had not been born yet. But I'm sure you recall the Jedi movie as part of the Star Wars franchise and all the films that followed it. How many action figures do you own?

If you recall, those furry little bears, the Ewoks helped destroy the imperial shield generator in their forests and defeated the stormtroopers and scout walkers of the Empire. Nobody saw that coming.

Battle of Endor

Long story, short. 

I contacted Sergey Vasnev and asked if I could use this amazing image and he was gracious and generous enough to grant me the use of Battle For Endor, as a cover for the Remnants board game. (Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Sergey.)

As it turns out if you visit Sergey Vasnev's website on ArtStation, most of his artwork lends itself perfectly to this sort of game. He's quite prolific and all the artwork is stunning. You must see it. So the idea is to incorporate more of his designs into the game (box, playing cards, etc.) so gamers have a choice of whichever design they like most. Collectors can collect all three boxes, for example.

That's the plan for now and I haven't run it by Sergey yet but, you get the idea. I hope he'll be on board and I think he'll agree so we'll see. Let me know what you think in the comments and what your favorite Sergey Vasnev work of art is. It'll be difficult to choose, I promise.

You'll notice the new game board with the city of Manhattan and new playing cards. I'm loving it so far. Overall I do like this current iteration of the game and I think it's a good place to be as I further develop the game.

At this point, I'd like to feature the game on Kickstarter.com but not sure if it will be ready for this coming April. That's what I'm trying to finish as we speak. Actually, I just might be able to pull that off because the new concept flows much better than anything I had tried before so hopefully, I'll be able to launch the game this coming year.

How exciting will that be?

I can hardly wait. 

Don't forget to sign up for updates (upper right column) about the game plus interesting reveals about Vasnev's art in upcoming posts.

Hey, check out the animation on the blog where you see the whole box in 3D and much more fun stuff.

Learn more on the blog:

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

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