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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.

Who's Who? Amazing New Characters in Millennium Board Game

 

Here's a cyberpunk image I found on Canstockphoto.com for one of Millennium's role card decks. 

I'm calling him, Pucho (pooch-o) and he brings some much-needed levity to the game. I'll simply add a sly smile with Photoshop and set him free inside the game.

I've added some "funny" dialog between him and Andrea when they meet in the novel edition of the three books. Otherwise, you can also read the short introduction in Edge of The Apocalypse, Andrea's Journal.

For aspiring writers, check out how I presented this character by not using gratuitous humor as you might expect from a Joker. Humor comes later in the story. When you read the passage, this mugshot will make total sense.

Actually, I did hit the jackpot by finding CanStockPhoto.com because they have a great selection of apocalyptic and cyberpunk scenes. The only drawback is when the model's mug for the camera. I can hardly use any images when you pose or stare into the camera unless your character is trying to make a statement about their demeanor or connect with the player in some odd way.

On the left is another main character, Freedom, also from CanStockPhoto. This is an original shot that I've modified for the playing card where she has a weapon (for self-defense). 

BTW, several of my posts are out of order because this was a previous draft I'm finishing now but you can see the finished playing cards for these 2 characters in the post below.

I just wanted to include this short article so you can see the difference between the original photos and the final playing cards. As you can see, in a post-apocalyptic world, these characters fit in perfectly, and as I've said before, I'm going for a certain look and feel for this game so it's evolving nicely so far.

My next hurdle is to design interesting mechanics to give these characters meaningful actions that bring players closer to winning the game. That's easier said than done but it's not rocket science, so I should be able to figure it out soon enough.

Yes, it's an unusual way to design a game but for me, it makes sense because I'm starting with the end product in mind and working my way backward until I find the perfect blend of imagery and gameplay that's fun and interesting. 

I'm not your typical board game fanatic and that can be either an advantage or disadvantage but I know enough about playing board games to design the kind of game I can't find but I'd like to play. And so that's where Millennium comes in. This is the kind of game that's different yet familiar enough to attract players in this genre.

And speaking of genres, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic board games are not usually runaway best-sellers by any means but there's still an active audience that enjoys playing these kinds of games. Besides, Millennium is a different kind of post-apocalyptic game with a focus on positive outcomes, as opposed to the doom and gloom of other games in this genre.

That's a fine line to walk but I don't mind taking chances especially when so many of those dark-themed games are so played out. Not to mention this game is female-centric so it's a different POV angle altogether.

Everything remains to be seen. It's a roll of the dice as everything in life is so we'll see if I can get to the finish line by next year and finally put the game out there. Either way, it's an accomplishment and a stepping stone to other games and stories that are worth telling.

As the old saying goes, "no risk, no reward." 

I'll see you back here soon. 

Say it in the comments, please.

MAXIMUM APOCALYPSE- A REVIEW PLUS UPDATES ON THE NEW MILLENNIUM BOARD GAME

I haven't played this game but it looks interesting with so many options and I like the comic book graphic style artwork. Although, it's fantasy-based and for younger audiences. Nothing wrong with that if you're into that sub-genre and circling that age range. Let me know if you've played this game or plan to get it and if you like it. 

The New Millennium Update

Below is the latest update for Millennium with its 4 new characters. As you can see Millennium is for older audiences, at least 18 and up with realistic settings and stories. First up is our cover girl, Andrea. Make no mistake, aside from her soft facial features and childlike freckles, she's one tough cookie.

And don't let Alex fool you either. He might remind you of an underwear model (ouch) but he's strictly business. Freedom has a quiet charm about her but she's the real deal too. Don't piss her off because she'll unleash her super freaky side in a heartbeat.

And Pucho . . . well he's another story altogether. My alter-ego without a doubt. This guy is slick and even hilarious when he wants to be. But overall he's an introvert with a sick twist. Take him for a spin and find out what makes him tick.

Here's a sneak peek at one of the new pages from the Millennium rules booklet. As you can see, I've updated all the characters to include, Pucho, a joker of sorts who's sure to add some levity to the game, plus I've added a different, much cooler version of Freedom to this mix of oddball characters.

The best thing about this new batch of characters is that their appearance is much edgier and cooler than the original versions. Below is a comp of Freedom's new look. 

Thank you to CanStockPhoto.com for these awesome images.

These new photos will appear in the new Millennium card deck with the next printing in July. As you can tell by her looks, when Freedom speaks, everyone listens. She's far beyond just being a hot chick, she's got important things on her mind and plenty to say, so listen up. 

As for Pucho, well he's not easy to figure out. One minute he's quoting Malcolm X, the next he's spewing nasty stuff like, "Dangle that thought, I've gotta drop a deuce," or "... lay down some fudge." Right, right, he's got those kinds of issues. It's all in good fun and besides, girls like Freedom and Andrea love that kind of stuff.

As far as Andrea's best friend, Maria, well so far she's only featured in the books but as time goes on I might add her to the card deck and the board game.

A lot of things remain up in the air but as Covid-19 diminishes in our rear-view, this game gets closer to publication.

As I see it, once we get back to the way things were before COVID-19, it's going to be an outdoor fest for some time and few people will be playing board games. So with that outlook in mind, I'll still launch the game in September but I'm not expecting any real activity for several months.

The biggest lesson I've learned throughout this process is that taking my time is better for the quality of the game. The beginning of the design process is usually tentative at best and so as time goes on, ideas come into focus, and weak concepts become stronger.

I have to say that Millennium has evolved in ways I had not expected and as the following months blur across the COVID-19 landscape, this board game will emerge as a different kind of post-apocalyptic game that acknowledges our current life and times while giving a refreshing nod to America's nostalgic past.

It's an exciting time in more ways than one and I hope you can join me along the way as Millennium makes its long-awaited debut in September.

Say it in the comments below, thank you.

Hell Gate City Companion Preview

Millennium Board Game - A Nod to Cyberpunk 2077

 

Cyberpunk Prototype Box Design

Here's the latest update on the next prototype box. As you can see, Andrea, true to form, has robotic titanium-reinforced arms below her elbow. You can read more about that in the ebook, Edge of The Apocalypse available on Amazon.com.

So, this box has been through quite an evolution. This new design is probably the most direct and focused image based on the story in the three books. Andrea's Journal, included in each box, hints at events behind the scenes in detail about how the coming apocalypse gets underway and everything that happens to Andrea and her best friend, Maria.

Printed Journal Booklet

It's a fun story despite the fact that it takes place during an apocalyptic event, but hey, even the apocalypse should be entertaining at some level. But from my point of view, or Andrea's, there's so much more to Doomsday than doom and gloom.

And so, there are quite a few light-hearted moments and funny, albeit, tense situations, like their trip northeast when they pick up a suspicious hitchhiker in Jacksonville, Florida. Yes, Florida rears its dubious head, rightfully so, and not just because I live there.

My only reservations about Andrea's new image is the goggles, which give it a bit of Cyberpunk vibe, but I think I'll get over that and probably embrace it a bit more as I go along. Check out the robitic arms in a scene from the video game, Cyberpunk 2077.

These yellow marvels are attached at the shoulders, unlike Andrea's, which start at her elbows, sort of like the one Furiosa (Charlize Theron) sports in Mad Max: Fury Road. Yes, plenty of inspiration to feed from. Not to mention Blade Runner, which in my opinion leads the way with Cyberpunk history, if you will.

And so, I'll admit that while the Millennium game and Edge books are not hardcore Cyberpunk stories, they certainly lead into Cyberpunk territory. What separates my stories is that they reveal the seeds of Cyberpunk somewhat just as the recent Capitol insurrection revealed an underbelly that until that point had only been referenced and uttered in the deepest parts of the internet and among rogue QAnon groups.

Cyberpunk 2077 Game Trailer

Also, Andrea's one blue eye might suggest some sort of 3D camera lens capability but she was just born with a rare condition known as, heterchromia iridum, or different colored eyes, among several other odd birth defects mentioned in the books.

To really appreciate the board game, you should read the books because they give all the important backstory and juicy details that the game leaves out. And those ommissions are not intentional but they certainly are necessary because each product has its own vibe as far as feasability to inform.

And so, the books round out the game and vice-versa. It's a win-win all around.

In my next post, I'll talk about several other characters, which are still under development; namely Alex, Freedom, and Adam. These names are subject to change, maybe to a more descriptive image and so that remains to be seen.

Otherwise, Millennium lives on as a very ambitious board game with a scope unlike most others. I only wish I was further along with it but at this point I don't want to rush it out to market because in all reality, it's just not quite ready for prime time.

Getting it ready to meet the needs and wants of savvy players is what it's all about. And so the work goes on until the game is beyond awesome.

Stay tuned. It's getting close.

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Say it below in the comments.

Your Name on the Next Mars Rover Mission!

 Want to send your name on the next mission to Mars aboard a Rover? 

Read all about it here: Your Name on Mars!

Here's what a boarding pass looks like.