Post-Apocalyptic Board Game Millennium And New York's Freedom Tower Live On

Freedom Tower New York City 2020

September 11, 2001, is certainly a date to remember for many reasons. It's hard to believe that it's been almost 20 years since that event took place and gripped our nation in the unknown.

I had just retired that same year and moved to Florida like many people from the Northeast, trying to get away from the cold and the snow. I sure miss spending Christmas in New York and New Jersey.

But life goes on and here we are in the midst of a pandemic. Not exactly a surprise but nevertheless, a blow to the economy in so many ways.

It's great to see that New York City's Freedom Tower has stood the test of time and stands tall and proud alongside the former Twin Tower footprints; a destination on my bucket list for sure.

Today also marks the date I had set to launch my new board game, Millennium. September 11, 2001, is an important date for the board game because it serves as a backdrop to the Millennium landscape, which references September 11, 2001, as the catalyst for change in America. As it turns out, COVID-19 in the year 2020 is another flashpoint that certainly has shades of an impending apocalypse; not to mention the chaos the coming presidential election in November might bring.

Yes, folks, the future apocalypse is alive and well in America and around the world, hence the board game Millennium. Here are some of the package designs I've tested over the years.

Current Design 2020

As the game stands now it's in development hell due to financial reasons, although, that being said, I've updated the game and currently still play-testing the sepia-toned version you see above. As you can see, this box features the first book, Edge of The Apocalypse.

I think this box tells a better story on its cover and so most likely I'll print this packaging for the debut box hopefully out next September 11, 2021. Unless we're in for another dose of COVID-19 or God forbid something worse. You never know.

And so this is how it goes. I spend 3 years developing Millennium and along comes this pandemic and wipes out all the momentum I had going. Boohoo, cry me a river okay. Get over it. It's just a game. Right. That's what I keep telling myself.

No worries. Let's just hope we're all around in the year 2021 with a new outlook on life and everything it has to offer. So stay tuned for more about the game. I'm hoping to put out a promotional video soon.

Check out my previous posts on this blog for much more about the game and the three companion books, which are all out on Amazon in paperback or ebook versions.

See the Books

See Millennium on The Game Crafter

Game Crafter's New Retail Box

New 9x12 Retail Box

Happy New Year, people! We've made it to another amazing year and I'm wishing you a prosperous new year and an exciting and inspiring time reaching your dreams.

For me, there's no better way to start the new year than with new and fresh business plans and ideas. If you're not growing and learning new and exciting things every day, life becomes a monotonous series of daily events. And so with that frame of mind, I'm committed to venture into unknown territory with no fear, no apprehension, and certainly high expectations as I hope you are too.

Pursue what's possible and everything will fall into place. Trust what you know and follow your passion to wherever it takes you and beyond. You'll be surprised how far you can get on a whim.

So along with the new year, comes a new box for the Millennium board game. Yes, this game is alive and well and just about to hit the shelves this coming September 11, 2019, with its companion book, The Edge of The Apocalypse.

The book (available in three formats) will be published sooner but the official launch for both products is 9.11.2019.

New Book Cover

In case you missed it, here's the new cover for the book. As you can see, I've added a pier and Andrea's dog, Apollo. I resolved the problem with the missing feet and so the book should trim close to how this one looks. I think I'll keep these colors and not try to match the book cover to the board game cover.

Here's a link to the previous article about the (details) new cover design.
https://boardgame-news.blogspot.com/2018/12/awesome-book-cover-design-tips.html

Although, the more I think about it, the more I'm inclined to tone down the colors on the book cover to almost black and gray, mostly because when you pair these products in one shot they should match in some way. I don't think that will make or break the presentation either way but I'll juxtapose a gray version of the book cover to see how they look together.

There are subtle differences to the game box too. I switched out the main font for the Millennium name because the Montalban font is more distinctive and looks more futuristic. I also toned down the grunge filter so the name stands out a bit more.

About The New Box 

The big difference with this new box is the style of the box itself. This is Game Crafter's 9x12 Large Retail Box. At first glance it's a bit unusual because the sides (from the top of the cover) don't reach the bottom of the box. The top and bottom of the box halves (each 1" deep) meet half way to the middle and that's why it looks split. See the Game Crafter video to see how they explain the reason for this kind of box. They claim it's stronger and more durable when folded this way.

I'm sure it is a sturdier box but I'm not so sure it's a great idea for the sides because it limits the width (2 inches) of the space for images, but I do think it looks different and eye-catching enough that buyers might be inclined to pick up the box off a shelf just out of curiosity.

One can also try to match the bottom of the box to the top of the box to create a seamless image on the 2 inch sides but I doubt these images will match up because the first prototype box top was off by almost half an inch! I'm not sure what happened with their registration marks but the cover was way off, with the name too close to the edge on the top of the box. I'll be sure to comment about that when they print this next 9x12 prototype. Either that or I'll be more careful to position the cover image exactly how I want it t appear.

We are all born with great intuition and natural instincts. 

These qualities are all we need to survive in life.

Thriving is just a matter of details.

I never fussed about it because these are only prototypes, but I hope this next box looks a lot better than the first. Another concern was how dark most of the images printed. I've made adjustments to the artwork by increasing the brightness about 20% on Photoshop so when the PNG files upload and you enable the color filter, the artwork will not appear or print as dark as it did before. This box is also big enough to fit the 6-fold game board that I'm using so I can fit the entire U. S. map as opposed to just the east coast as in the first game.

Millennium has evolved in so many ways and my advice to game designers is to start with a solid core concept and develop the game from that concept outward until you reach a conclusion that satisfies the players.

You must have a clear event or incident that sets the game off and leads to both short-term and long-term goals leading up to the game's conclusion and the big finale; the ultimate strategy and final goal that makes the game worth playing from start to finish.

Millennium's Concept

In Millennium's case, a nuclear explosion in Austin, Texas, sets the game off in a big way and triggers apocalyptic events revealing the attacker's Manifesto with their warnings and taunting demands. As explosions randomly ripple across the land, you solve clues and anagrams to stay clear and avoid the next bomb.

You can also rescue survivors for extra points as you try to avoid a variety of obstacles and pitfalls along the way. You can find different modes of transportation, such as electric cars, scooters, and even an Amtrak train.

If you reach Brooklyn, NY, you can travel back in time via a time portal at the Meridian line via Coney Island's Astroland Amusement Park. Each of these events and cities have card decks to help you get there and accumulate points as you go.

In short, it's an interesting and fun American history lesson as you make your way across the map to your nearest safe haven.

There's much more to the game, including video links, a Rule eBooklet with all the game rules and game play you need to know, right on your phone or tablet. They are minimal because the game is designed intuitively since events happen sequentially as they might in real life.

As the day of publication nears, I'll post more details about how to play the game. The rule book is only about 15 pages long and the game is very easy to learn. In addition, all card decks provide plenty of information on your next move so it's a quick game to learn as you play.

You can access the (unfinished) eRule Booklet here:
https://boardgame-news.blogspot.com/p/millennium-rules.html

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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!

How To Stay In The Game

Overcoming Your Setbacks

There's no getting around it. Just when you see the finish line, it turns out it's a mirage and the end is really no where in sight, or so it seems.

Ever get the feeling that succeeding and meeting your goals is an illusion? Don't despair, you are not alone. Most of us set goals and often find ourselves in the middle of the desert with no water in sight.

Yes, life is tough and often the unexpected hits you right between the eyes more often than not. Here's where the line, 'Believe in yourself,' comes in. Or to be exact, believe in your idea.

Ideas come to us in so many ways and by so many means. They come to us in dreams, in the shower, during moments of reverie, upon awaking, in the news, via images or comments we've seen or heard throughout the day. Sometimes good ideas just happen to us while we are in the middle of something else.

Believe in Your Idea

The important thing is to recognize that the idea is good and marketable. Don't worry about how you're going to get there, just start moving towards your goal, one step and one day at a time. You're going to come across problems and obstacles, of course, because there's no easy road to success and in reality the road to success is usually paved with epic failures.

The difference between people who find success and those who don't is in how you process your failures and setbacks. Do you give up on an a good idea because it is difficult to achieve? Because you've stumbled into an obstacle that at the time seems insurmountable.

If this sounds like a pep talk to myself, well, you could be right but it is far more than that. It is a process of reaffirming everything you believe and everything that you are hoping for in your venture. Because getting to the finish line is half the fun. Finding your way through the labyrinth is part of the journey.

This past week I cheerfully opened my email as I do every morning, only to find an email with hard news, to say the least.

One of the parts to my game (Millennium) had just been discontinued. That means that supplies of this particular part are low and once those parts are all gone, they are no longer available. And that means I will need to find a similar part to take its place, or eliminate the part and its mechanics, along with its intended effect and re-do all the artwork and instructions that went along with it and so on.

A small nightmare. My first thought was that this was an inevitable end to Millennium because this part is integral to the game and in many ways the game is structured around this particular part, which happens to be multiple parts. In this case, a set of five train cars.

Quitting did cross my mind, but not for long.

Sure quitting is an option. Sometimes quitting is necessary because it will save you countless of man-hours and dollars spent for almost nothing to show for, except for an extrapolation of an idea, which might lead to something better than your original idea.

Hmm, not a good trade off after six months of hard work. So it's back to the drawing board to see if I can save Millennium. For now, I will exchange the wooden train cars with flat tokens. That will have to do unless The Game Crafter keeps these parts, which they will not.

What to do? Don't panic. It's not the end of the world, although it feels like it at times, but it is an opportunity to make the game even better. At least that is what I'm telling myself.

I'm not happy replacing these parts with tokens but it will have to do because I checked with TGC and in fact they are going to discontinue these parts. Lucky me. Good thing this is just a prototype.

I'm still ordering the prototype this coming month to see how it all plays out and I hope to find a better solution. Although I know that not having these parts diminish the game in so many ways. I mean the parts were very crude wooden parts anyway with no detail and ideally I want metal parts with great detail, similar to the Monopoly game. I know, dream on.

I could set out to cast these metal parts myself (by the thousands) if I need to but it's way to early to tell. Once I get the prototype in house and play-test it, I'll have a better idea whether to find a die caster to make these train cars or just scrap the train idea altogether.

I doubt that scraping the trains is a good idea. I'll just have to dig a little deeper and either find these parts elsewhere or manufacture them myself. It's a heck of a spot to be in after eight months of work.

No worries. I'll figure out something great.

Fingers crossed.

(This is where I sob and utter the dreadful words,  Good riddance cruel world!)

Millennium-The Board Game will be Available December 2017

By hook or by crook, as they say. Here's an update on Millennium. After a lot of consideration I revamped the entire game based on the good feedback from the Art Test conducted several months ago, which scored 70+, which I consider a bit low.

Understandably, the score was accurate because it was after all just a test for the preliminary artwork. So after the test I really took to heart all the good as well as the not so good criticism and revised every card in the deck.

Not to mention, I totally redesigned the box, which is the one you see above. I came across this artwork and couldn't resist using it as is and I think it totally works better than the first box.

As everything stands now, I hope to finish all the new artwork no later than the middle of June, but hopefully sooner so I can order my first prototype. I can hardly wait for that because I really don't know what to expect. Before I order the prototype I plan to run another Art Test and a Sanity Test, which I'm confident both will do much better than the first.

Stick To Your Goals!

My next goal following these two tests will be to fine tune the game in its entirety. Hopefully I won't be too far off but you never know. After revising the second prototype I can finally publish Millennium on The Game Crafter website and plan to send at least 3 boxes to reviewers, including, Father Geek, Boardgame Geek, and maybe Unboxed-The Board Game Blog.

These reviewers are all tentative and can change at any given time, but I'm shooting for these three first. If anyone has better suggestions, by all means please let me know and I will gladly post and link your game or website here.

As all game designers know, nothing is ever set in stone. The most important thing is the concept of your game and that its game play is interesting and yes, exciting. Right after the Art Test I rolled up my sleeves and really ramped up the overall design of this game.

Sometimes you get stuck along the way with one thing or another and try to find the best possible solution so you can continue moving forward. Other times, you just get bogged down with other design work and can't get back to your own game. A little of both happened this time and I was away from Millennium for almost 3 months. To the point I thought I'd almost given up on it.

Never Give Up!

I know that sounds insane but I think everyone second guesses themselves sooner or later. The thing is that as got back to the game, I was more excited about it than before because I had several small breakthroughs that unlocked certain obstacles for me and I think I'm over the hump at this point so it should be smoother sailing from now on.

I can finally see the finish line for the first time and that's a great feeling. You just never know how these things will turn out but you must have some level of commitment to begin with. Some level of belief that will carry you through to the end. Otherwise in all honesty you might never get started.

Posting the progress of the game is very helpful because it breeds inspiration and even deeper desire and commitment. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy, folks. Let's face it, if everyone could do this, everyone would be doing this. It takes quite a bit of focus and determination to get through it. I'm claiming this game will be out in December and I intend that will be the case, but who knows if I'll be dead in the morning.

Believe In Your Dream!

Or if something else comes up among my other dozens of projects that demands all my attention for much longer than I expected. There's always a reason to quit something but if you really believe it can make a difference and of course make a buck or two, then those are two very good driving factors to keep you on track and moving towards your goal.

It's very exciting to me even if I sell one game. However, I realize unless something goes viral, you may not sell one box because sales are all about jumping on the band wagon. If many people are enjoying something, that tends to inspire others to join in on all the fun and be a part of the conversation.

Sometimes we just can't stand missing out on a good thing. Getting your game or any product to that point is not as easy as it sounds unless you hit the right chord at the right time. We'll see how it all pans out soon enough.

I can hardly wait!

To learn more about Millennium - See the game here:

Millennium - The Board Game - A Dystopian Story Wrapped Around a Game

Millennium Box Concept

I'm almost finished with another game, (check out the ToughLove! game on the right column and its Trailer below.) although before I commit to ordering Millennium, I decided to test the artwork first. I know that's something I should've done sooner but I'll have to admit I wasn't aware of this feature on The Game Crafter website until I started to order it and I saw the Testing Button under the Management Column.

There's so much to learn about that website and it's easy to miss everything they have to offer. I have clicked on the Contests and Crowd Sale buttons to see what those links are all about too.

After several weeks I've gotten familiar with most of  The Game Crafter website and all it's offerings. So far I'm impressed with their site, although I've been stuck in several areas, which I have figured out by watching some videos. For a while I couldn't figure out how to manage the Decks section for designing the cards.

They do have an extensive selection of different cards to choose from. Everything from standard Poker decks to Tarot cards and beyond. The tricky part is figuring out how to order different Backs and Face combinations. But after watching their video several times, I was able to finally get the combination of Face and Backs the way I wanted them for the same deck.

It's fairly easy once you get the hang of it if you click on the Deck and Card pull-down menus to make your selections. I'll leave it at that for now. Maybe later I can expand on that if anyone has any questions, I'll be happy to help explain how it works. Although, I'm still not sure about the Random Cards so if anyone can explain that to me I'd be very grateful.

"Okay, so the learning curve is not all that steep but there are still some challenges."

Okay, so the learning curve is not all that steep but there are still some challenges. And I'll talk about those some other time. Overall, the site is fantastic and my only question is the profit margins, which seem low. I know we can set the margins however we want but one must keep in mind the retail price consumers are willing to pay for a particular game and factor that into the final price.

Standard markup being 50%, I can't charge $60 for a game (if my cost is $30) just to meet that markup. A more realistic price point is $35. That's about a $5 profit for each game or about a 15% markup at the $35 price point. Not exactly a killing but let's remember that prototypes for $35 are also unheard of in this industry.

So the bottom line is that even a 15% markup is still a fair deal, all things considered, and that margins will go up a bit depending on the sales quantities and discounts that come with it. If anything it's a great place to test game concepts, which I suppose is one of The Game Crafter's primary objectives.

"Just ask movie producers of films such as

The Road, Elysium, and The Book of Eli."

Okay, so on with the new Millennium Game concept. I'll post the Art Testing results here next time when I get that going and all done. I'm happy with the artwork so far but I'm open to anything and willing to change it if people don't strongly respond to it or identify with it on an emotional level.

Right now the art is standard Dystopian fare, if you will. At least in my mind. If you recall Cormac McCarthy's book and movie, The Road, that's somewhat the inspiration for Millennium.

Scene from the movie, The Road by Cormac McCarthy

I mean Dystopian themes are nothing new, of course, but they are trendy because of the times we live in. So in that sense it's a no-brainer. My main challenge is to put my own spin on it and my own sensibilities that evoke all those human emotions that tap into this kind of scenario for so many of us.

If you're wondering where any of the fun is in a game like this. Just ask movie producers of films such as The Road, Elysium, The Book of Eli, or any number of related stories, which have all been very successful at the box office.

"After all, you can only deliver so much fun with death and disaster."

Of course, we can't equate movies and board games on the same level, but the interest in similar themes is quite obvious and apparent. So what's good for the movies, hopefully is good for board games. However, that does remain to be seen or proven. That's why I'm here. If anyone is willing to take a chance on anything at all. I'm the first to raise my hand if it feels right.

That being said. There's always a tinge of doubt in just about anything we endeavor to accomplish or at least there should be. It's not negative thinking, it's just a healthy observation that nothing in this world is guaranteed, except that we're all going to die some day.

Bottom of Box

Great. That brings me back to my Dystopian game and whether it will succeed or flop entirely. Who's to say? In my view, the main theme, End of Days, and all the other themes laced within this story, this board game, are relevant, trendy, and sales-worthy.

The real trick is to design the game so it is challenging and full of surprises. That's what makes it "fun" so-to-speak. At least that's the idea. After all, you can only deliver so much fun with death and disaster.

Okay, hopefully the masses will feel the same way and order Millennium in droves. That is the idea. That is the objective. Otherwise to design a game that makes people think and takes them to a place they're probably uncomfortable with and open them up to a deeper meaning or understanding about the world around us.

But let's not kid ourselves. Sales and marketing is difficult and expensive at best. If we're clever enough and lucky enough to get our product in front of the right audience at the right time, maybe we can make a sale or two. Yes 1% to 5% is not much unless you're dealing with numbers in the millions. Let's also realize that many other factors are at play at any given time during the marketing life of a product.

"It must mean something important to buyers--something almost personal."

People have to really like your product for it to generate valuable word-of-mouth mentions and reviews alike. The word provocative comes to mind. And so, one can only hope to design and market the next Monopoly, Scrabble or Scythe game. The game and its concept alone is just not enough to catapult it into the sales stratosphere.

A new game must tap into a player's consciousness and provoke their emotions on a higher level. A game for the sake of gaming and entertainment alone cannot produce massive sales numbers without having a wow factor that transcends the object of the game itself.

Aside from the game's themes, a sales-worthy game must reach into the hearts, minds, and souls of prospective buyers. (yes, I just said that) It must mean something important to buyers--something almost personal.

Right. Enough of that. Here's a link for Millennium where you can get a better feel for the concept and all the artwork that goes with it. (A work in progress.) Here you'll find most of the Action Shots and a short game summary plus you can download a PDF copy of the Game Play Rules.

That's another thing. I don't believe in complex games and rules. The simpler, the better. I think most gamers feel that way so that's nothing new but my point is that gamers shouldn't expect a long drawn out novel or even a short story version of Millennium to permeate the game in any way.

If anything, I can equate the concept, its execution that is, to a short poem of sorts. Although, I have to say--that's something still up in the air because I think a short story about Millennium in the rule book is probably a good thing.  It certainly appeals to me because I've written several novels but I don't know how gamers feel about it.

Again, that's easy enough to find out in the upcoming play testing of the game where I might include a very short survey to find out just that and several other things I think are important to the design of this game.

Your comments are welcome.

Next time I'm going to post another game I'm about half way finished with. It's a time-travel theme and unlike Millennium, Warpd! is actually funny.

Until then ... Game on!

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The Game Crafter - Board Game Nerds Rejoice!

Newsie 1930 (Could be my long lost boy?)

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Imagine the Newsies of the 30s touting their headline newspapers for a few pennies. What a gyp!

Okay, that doesn't fit in with this story but it sounds funny (I think). Do Newsies go as far back as the 1800's? Because that's when this board game story really begins. And they sure had plenty to shout about in those days too.

Far from the days of Newsies, today's internet can and is usually tailored to each individual taste. I'm often amazed how my home page features so many things I'm interested in. How do they do that, I wondered? Oh, I forgot. I had subscribed to those stories a while back.

No wonder I keep seeing articles about antiques, science, and board games, just to name several of the dozens of topics I hand-picked off my news feed months ago. Go figure. I thought it was magic.

Okay, okay. Let me get to it. Zoom in to present day and now we can all geek-out on board games and all things about the wonders of making board games and card games too. No, this is not your grandfather's board game machinations. Although, some of them haven't changed much since. Uh, just for the record, ladies, I'm not really a nerd, I just look like one (a lot) and I play one on blogs like this.

I am a connoisseur (at least in my own mind) of all things antique and often nostalgic for the past. Well, not too far back, I'm partial to the Civil War era and I'm the love child of a 60's Flower Power chick so that explains a few things.

"Blogger is not being nice to me!"

Point is, most of us grew up with good ole' Sorry! The Game of Life and Monopoly, among others. Take a look at one of the first prototypes for Monopoly going back to the early 1900's. (Yeah, I really did my research on this one, folks.)

At least that's the claim about this cardboard mock-up below. For all we know it's a bad imitation someone cranked out on a drunken stupor. It looks legit, but who's to say. The Shroud of Turin was also believed legitimate and look how that turned out. Now that's funny!

Monopoly Game board, circa 1903?

I came across another round board game from the early 1800's. They seemed awfully fond of that shape. Take a look at this beauty. (below) I dug it up on one of my favorite online antique shops (Ruby Lane).

Published by the McLoughlin Brothers, they called the game, "A novel and fascinating fame with plenty of excitement on land and sea."

Imagine that. The game follows the adventures of Nellie Bly, which is a pseudonym for the American journalist Elizabeth Cochrane. It's said that in 1889, she sailed around the world in 72 days, breaking Phineas Fogg's record, the character in author Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days.  Yes folks, Women's Lib (the real story) was alive and well back in the day too. Priceless folks.

Check out these detailed images

Center of the Board. Notice the red fold mark!

Detail from Nellie Bly's Board Game. Notice the 17th Day. Stormy and if you landed there, GO BACK 5 DAYS!