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Magazine"},{"term":"Yellow Jack: The War of Jenkin's Ear 1739-1743"},{"term":"York"},{"term":"Ypres"},{"term":"Zama"},{"term":"Zulu"},{"term":"Zulu War"},{"term":"aPriori Digital"},{"term":"additional strategical and tactical bonus games"},{"term":"air crew"},{"term":"airwarfare"},{"term":"ancient Battles"},{"term":"animation"},{"term":"aperion cyberstorm"},{"term":"area movement and blocks"},{"term":"aviation"},{"term":"battalion"},{"term":"battles \u0026 campaigns from Roman Empire"},{"term":"block games"},{"term":"bombing"},{"term":"bullet hell"},{"term":"campaign"},{"term":"chat"},{"term":"chit-pull activation"},{"term":"clapfoot"},{"term":"co-operative"},{"term":"colditz"},{"term":"comic book"},{"term":"command structure"},{"term":"computer wargame"},{"term":"conversion"},{"term":"cooperative play"},{"term":"cthulu"},{"term":"cuba"},{"term":"days of wonder"},{"term":"deck building"},{"term":"destroyers"},{"term":"digital"},{"term":"diplomacy"},{"term":"east"},{"term":"eastern Europe"},{"term":"educational"},{"term":"emulator"},{"term":"engine builder"},{"term":"escape from colditz"},{"term":"euro"},{"term":"event"},{"term":"expansion"},{"term":"films"},{"term":"five island hopping battles"},{"term":"fleet management"},{"term":"flight sim"},{"term":"footballer"},{"term":"fortress italy"},{"term":"four small scenarios"},{"term":"foxhole"},{"term":"full campaign"},{"term":"game.World War II"},{"term":"garphill games"},{"term":"gladiatorial combat in Ancient Rome"},{"term":"gloss finish"},{"term":"grand tactical"},{"term":"highly interactive"},{"term":"home"},{"term":"hypothetical future"},{"term":"igor Nebolsin"},{"term":"imageStudios"},{"term":"importance of leaders"},{"term":"impression"},{"term":"inXile Entetainment"},{"term":"indeoth"},{"term":"indy"},{"term":"innovative systems"},{"term":"interrogation files"},{"term":"issue #42"},{"term":"magic realm"},{"term":"memiors"},{"term":"miniatures system. small scale tank actions"},{"term":"missile crises"},{"term":"modern war"},{"term":"modern war. modern"},{"term":"monster game"},{"term":"multi-player"},{"term":"multi-scenarios"},{"term":"musket \u0026 pike"},{"term":"musket \u0026 pike era"},{"term":"name change"},{"term":"narrative"},{"term":"new system"},{"term":"nieuport 11"},{"term":"nuovo"},{"term":"operational level"},{"term":"pc gaming"},{"term":"pdf"},{"term":"pirate"},{"term":"platoon scale"},{"term":"point-to-point"},{"term":"polaris sector"},{"term":"post cold war"},{"term":"push your luck"},{"term":"random chit-pull activation"},{"term":"retreat from Mons"},{"term":"review. medieval"},{"term":"roden"},{"term":"roguelike"},{"term":"roll and write"},{"term":"rule books"},{"term":"sandbox"},{"term":"scale"},{"term":"science-fiction"},{"term":"scourge of war"},{"term":"semi-historical"},{"term":"several shorter 2\/3 player scenarios"},{"term":"ships"},{"term":"shopping"},{"term":"siege"},{"term":"simulation"},{"term":"simulator"},{"term":"skirmish tactical"},{"term":"slavery"},{"term":"solitaire and cooperative system"},{"term":"solo option"},{"term":"special forces"},{"term":"special hobby"},{"term":"story telling"},{"term":"tactical air combat"},{"term":"tank World War II"},{"term":"the Great Northern war"},{"term":"thematic"},{"term":"tradition of London"},{"term":"twitter"},{"term":"two battles of the Sendoku Jidai period"},{"term":"upcoming"},{"term":"vento"},{"term":"videogame"},{"term":"wargame"},{"term":"wargame vault"},{"term":"west kingdom"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"A Wargamers Needful Things"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":"A Wargamers Needful Things is a one stop blog for Wargamers, Military Minifig collectors, Toy Soldier collectors and military history obsessives. We will do our upmost to cover in depth as much as possible. We shall be reviewing books, miniatures\\toy soldiers, MiniFigs and of course games, plus interviews, model making and AARs! \nQuote from a reader.. \"Your site is a much needed breath of fresh air, I absolutely love the spectrum of things you cover\/review. Keep up the great work. \""},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/posts\/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/-\/interview?alt=json-in-script"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/search\/label\/interview"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Mike Wall"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/00412103694827166164"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"13"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"25"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-1972870418484071179"},"published":{"$t":"2022-11-10T21:22:00.001+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-11-10T21:23:45.910+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"game"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interview"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mark McLaughlin writes about himself and his games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"War and Peace"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Mark McLaughlin writes about himself and his games and books"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMark McLaughlin writes about himself and his games and books\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjv9pO8eA3I1enul8tbqhZrgXLn2VfeAh0DFVLJid7unJDaYDufg6VOwwUhehtjuV3bvDvMI_BkcjmysCxpBQtKLdT2FnIvWoGXqwHgERavrscebLRS4eklIZ8e6VrVB8eQOEE0F2XXi2tAPqO71SCZ44EQhqg4Y8g52-_sESwNQiFuOxOQ72Ank6LOew\/s450\/ht9brdblpf2lbq28ko74sn2e3a._SX450_.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"431\" data-original-width=\"450\" height=\"383\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjv9pO8eA3I1enul8tbqhZrgXLn2VfeAh0DFVLJid7unJDaYDufg6VOwwUhehtjuV3bvDvMI_BkcjmysCxpBQtKLdT2FnIvWoGXqwHgERavrscebLRS4eklIZ8e6VrVB8eQOEE0F2XXi2tAPqO71SCZ44EQhqg4Y8g52-_sESwNQiFuOxOQ72Ank6LOew\/w400-h383\/ht9brdblpf2lbq28ko74sn2e3a._SX450_.jpg\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;How I Got Into Wargaming – and How It Changed My Life\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Eby Mark G. McLaughlin\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOne Saturday morning in Brother Aloysius' optional\/mandatory extra-credit class at Christian Brothers Academy (a military school run by Irish Christian Brothers), my fellow seventh-grade classmate, Dan Bunton, stood up to read his essay on “what I got for Christmas.” He wrote about a game called “Waterloo” that his father had given him. Guess whose house I showed up at that afternoon?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThat was well over half a century ago, and I have been playing war games ever since. Yes, I did -and still do- play Battle Cry, Broadsides, Dogfight, Hit the Beach, and Risk, but Waterloo by Avalon Hill was my first true wargame – the first of a collection that at one point topped 800 titles (almost all of which I have sold, but I still have about 50 games, not counting my own designs).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThat same year my father decided that since I was 13, I should give away all of my toy soldiers, as those were things of childhood, and I was no longer a child. I was crushed but did as he asked. Four years later, however, I picked up an issue of Time with\u0026nbsp; West German Chancellor Willi Brandt on the cover. On page 68 there was a picture of Brigadier General (Ret) Peter Young pushing painted miniature soldiers across a table in a pub in England. I showed it to my dad and said “this guy is not only a man, but he also is older than you, was in the same war as you, is a much-decorated general, and if he can play with toy soldiers then why can't I?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMy dad conceded. That day I went to the Palace Hobby Shop in downtown Albany, New York, and bought a bunch of Airfix HO boxed sets (Napoleonic, to begin with). I painted them up, and mybestfriendNino (all one word, always) and I started playing a very rudimentary set of miniatures rules we had written.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhen it came time to decide which college to go to, it was between Boston College and Georgetown (heh, from Franciscan Nuns to Christian Brothers, why not go Jesuit and make a clean sweep?). I picked the latter. Why? Because I wrote to Time, to the journalist, and then to Brigadier General Peter Young, and asked the general if he knew of anyone in the states who made figures like he played with. He gave me the address of Duke Seifried in California (a legend in the miniatures community, with whom I developed a strong friendship over the next 50 years). Duke told me about Jack Scruby, and I wrote to Jack to ask if he knew of anyone in Boston or DC who bought and played with his line of miniatures. Nobody in Boston, he replied, but I know a couple of guys in DC.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E..and THAT was the deciding factor. The day my parents dropped me off at my dorm before I unpacked, I got on my bike, pedaled three miles uphill to the home of Curt Johnson – and we played miniatures. Through him, I met more miniatures gamers and some board gamers. And I met more of both when I set up games (miniatures and board) in the common space in my dorm. One of those was Chris Vorderbruege, another was John Tuohy, both students at Georgetown's School of Foreign Service (from which I, too, graduated)..\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThese names are important. After graduating, I stayed in DC. I was at Curt's house one day, gamed late, spent the night on his sofa, and was there the next morning when his publisher came for a breakfast meeting. Curt was supposed to do a book on the Civil War for him. The publisher wanted it in six, not twelve months. Curt, a history teacher in a local (Catholic, of course) high school, said he couldn't get it done without a co-author. The publisher said, “you have anyone in mind?” Curt pointed at me and said, “how about him?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh7Ck3EQU6J_VZ2Jb4yUBPVb9FDfxY7uw-5IU8lHXsnRdnTGsIlYzWSNVNJG0ll6rr5vd3IBajzaThiRF1DZkL0Ak-hDa4W3PT6el9JlN1wvdKemR38siFbIoUs-20VZrwWOTC2Kq9Iaf8oWDv2dIh0KTyN4oWUkjqLwDuq0CC816mRh5ditCZdsJ162g\/s937\/all%20five%20books%20(1).jpg\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"540\" data-original-width=\"937\" height=\"368\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh7Ck3EQU6J_VZ2Jb4yUBPVb9FDfxY7uw-5IU8lHXsnRdnTGsIlYzWSNVNJG0ll6rr5vd3IBajzaThiRF1DZkL0Ak-hDa4W3PT6el9JlN1wvdKemR38siFbIoUs-20VZrwWOTC2Kq9Iaf8oWDv2dIh0KTyN4oWUkjqLwDuq0CC816mRh5ditCZdsJ162g\/w640-h368\/all%20five%20books%20(1).jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThese books are excellent\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;The Amazon links to Mark's books:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Mark-G.-McLaughlin\/e\/B001KIGJDS?ref=dbs_m_mng_rwt_byln\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAmazon.com: Mark G. McLaughlin: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E….and that is how I came to co-author my first book: Civil War Battles.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E...and how I came to write my second book: The Wild Geese (as the publisher liked my writing and had introduced me to Osprey, who published this book on the Irish Brigades of France and Spain.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAs for John Tuohy, well, John has an older brother named Larry. A Vietnam veteran. He began to game with us. A couple of years later, when I got promoted from copy boy at the Associated Press (yes, even after being a lieutenant in the army I took that entry-level job just to get my foot in the door) I introduced Larry as my potential replacement. He and my former boss hit it off, and Larry soon moved up the tech path at AP while I went along the journalist path. One day when his car was in the shop I drove him home. It was midnight, and we were both supposed to be back at work in the morning. He suggested I stay the night on his couch (yeah, couches are karma for me). The next morning one of his roommates comes out, sees me, and says “who the hell are you and what are you doing on my couch?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EHer name was Cheryl. We have been married 534 months as of this September (44 and a half years).\u0026nbsp; We have two children. The elder of which is our daughter, Ryan, for whom a boxed set of miniatures rules, an Avalon Hill boardgame, and my sci-fi novel, Princess Ryans' Star Marines, are named.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAnd Chris? He is godfather to our son, Campbell. Chris has also been a playtester, editor, credited consultant, and\/or co-designer on every one of the 27 games of mine that have been published, including the very first:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWar and Peace.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjO-zh5CDc2C4paYnJTM70i2SFGgp0eC406ELvQgj1eFIZbq9n_GJhGFVCoyGGQW8cAAf7LBPHq_boAcpIMAwI5o1-y8c3WWupyYC7Sh2HxQh_gG0xTtTQVG5kbPvMOCNRPdmcVSC7f5J680cawk_F-yMV4_OlyfZoIoTH20aAmWTpfTaDwU07fcGv1Yg\/s417\/Screen+Shot+2019-05-23+at+10.17.37+PM.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"417\" data-original-width=\"311\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjO-zh5CDc2C4paYnJTM70i2SFGgp0eC406ELvQgj1eFIZbq9n_GJhGFVCoyGGQW8cAAf7LBPHq_boAcpIMAwI5o1-y8c3WWupyYC7Sh2HxQh_gG0xTtTQVG5kbPvMOCNRPdmcVSC7f5J680cawk_F-yMV4_OlyfZoIoTH20aAmWTpfTaDwU07fcGv1Yg\/w478-h640\/Screen+Shot+2019-05-23+at+10.17.37+PM.png\" width=\"478\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPS: When Cheryl and I came back from our honeymoon in London in 1978, we both found ourselves suddenly unemployed. Having some free time, I wrote to Avalon Hill and asked if I could come up some morning to see how they did what they do (I lived an hour south of Baltimore). I was there, talking with Don Greenwood, when the senior VP, Tom Shaw, walked in. He and Don were going to lunch, and Tom said “bring your friend along, on me.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWe went to a great Baltimore old-school restaurant, and as I was raising a spoonful of a lovely crab bisque to my lips, Tom asked “so, what's this game you want to pitch us?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhjJB2xzs7aGOvmMwEGBSM-4xXkTh-X0kVor7Dz9VPJmbQJ9fwvjs4AyH_HUPSYNZBc-sYLI_RXCRZGXX_6tAWcgjFQfbh9tAlpTYBl0Q9Nqf19pPfZzaw7hFyPXxo1gOtjXS2RwdRaVyH-Ib3EYUjH-0pxNvJ_NJZs4NgWm9tfPqNCG1hOJDN0dpx2VA\/s1040\/Napoleon+Force+March+example.png\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"829\" data-original-width=\"1040\" height=\"510\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhjJB2xzs7aGOvmMwEGBSM-4xXkTh-X0kVor7Dz9VPJmbQJ9fwvjs4AyH_HUPSYNZBc-sYLI_RXCRZGXX_6tAWcgjFQfbh9tAlpTYBl0Q9Nqf19pPfZzaw7hFyPXxo1gOtjXS2RwdRaVyH-Ib3EYUjH-0pxNvJ_NJZs4NgWm9tfPqNCG1hOJDN0dpx2VA\/w640-h510\/Napoleon+Force+March+example.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWar and Peace example\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI froze for a second. I had not come to pitch a game. I had not thought of designing a game (I was then and still am a journalist and author, but at the time only played games). But I know when opportunity knocks. Over the course of lunch, I came up with, pitched, and sold them on the idea for a game. We went back to their office and signed a contract, for me to design that game....\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWar and Peace.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjrWga3d1zzZaX5sXhWlpr6onRaKXGKs2zffSk3mdfsZSFHwnKlCkIIsBriAJWdeTUSobHJkDGKwsxaq14-kWI2uwMYMZjB5QuUB7zypAx7jc1EoQ3yQqUMwP79BA_jgrw6IzgR75GSXic_e-CphBEzCs_hsa1pMhR942AF6J0P0k9VfC6Iqsb5vtHHRA\/s806\/Sample+Pieces.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"806\" data-original-width=\"544\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjrWga3d1zzZaX5sXhWlpr6onRaKXGKs2zffSk3mdfsZSFHwnKlCkIIsBriAJWdeTUSobHJkDGKwsxaq14-kWI2uwMYMZjB5QuUB7zypAx7jc1EoQ3yQqUMwP79BA_jgrw6IzgR75GSXic_e-CphBEzCs_hsa1pMhR942AF6J0P0k9VfC6Iqsb5vtHHRA\/w432-h640\/Sample+Pieces.jpg\" width=\"432\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWar and Peace Counters\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWar and Peace: From Avalon Hill to Avalon Digital\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Eby Mark G. McLaughlin\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWargaming changed my life, and War and Peace was not only one of the “game-changers” (pun intended) but has continued to be so for more than 40 years – and will be so for a few years more!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWar and Peace was published by the storied Avalon Hill Game Company of Baltimore, Maryland. I got an advance copy in December 1979. I brought it with me on a visit to my inlaws in Connecticut, and had set it up, punched it out, and was going to play a quick solo game when I got a phone call from my editor. The Soviets had invaded Afghanistan the night before. As I was on the “slow, quiet” and very lightly staffed South Asian beat, I had to pack up and head back to DC that night (without so much as rolling a die or moving a stack!)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe game did so well in 1980 that it sold out and they decided on a second edition – which was really just a second printing but with extra scenarios and optional rules (which I wrote in articles for The General, AH's all-AH all-the-time magazine). It sold so well that even with my measly 2% royalties it paid for most of the downpayment on our first house. (Yes, royalties were a third of what they are now, and games sold for about a fifth of what they sell now....or in the case of the newest edition of War and Peace, one-ninth; but houses were a lot cheaper too – under $85K).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEgyAm8UbJ7FL49CZxlj5gzo0IfjnwLhE0g0rZ5xA5jjRUPxBROk1WUkeYToIZALkEajRCduR6dbaxLuEOdhn6NVvMaVXzlKq5cvsK0ZG_5DzGKRlR8ppU3RiXYSpaftMQ5B_3W1FGNHJ62AthG-bLIMGDLe-L_xtTdWd6VRt4_KJdp06kIZdpRFFHsuqg\/s500\/836.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"500\" data-original-width=\"500\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEgyAm8UbJ7FL49CZxlj5gzo0IfjnwLhE0g0rZ5xA5jjRUPxBROk1WUkeYToIZALkEajRCduR6dbaxLuEOdhn6NVvMaVXzlKq5cvsK0ZG_5DzGKRlR8ppU3RiXYSpaftMQ5B_3W1FGNHJ62AthG-bLIMGDLe-L_xtTdWd6VRt4_KJdp06kIZdpRFFHsuqg\/w640-h640\/836.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAnother great game from Mark\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI digress.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERight up through 1985 War and Peace was THE game I took to and ran tournaments for at conventions. By then, however, I had designed and published No Trumpets, No Drums (a Vietnam game), Holy Roman Empire (Thirty Years War), and East Wind Rain (WW2 in the Pacific), and was working on Viceroys! (age of exploration). And I was a dad (my daughter, Ryan, arrived in 1983). So I set aside War and Peace and, basically, it just sat on my shelf like a trophy.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ETwenty-five years passed – seriously – until a friend who played games on something called Vassal (which I only started playing on during Covid, seriously) showed me that my game was there – and that there were several websites with scores of articles – and two unofficial new “editions” (3rd and 4th) of which I had no prior knowledge of and nothing to do with. Soon after, I was contacted by one of these web fans, John Gant, who had reworked my original game and called it The War Between France and England. He showed it to me, and I introduced him to GMT. They liked it, assigned my regular editor, Fred Schachter, to the project and forward they went – until they didn't. Creative differences between John and Fred, and between John and GMT, ended the return of War and Peace much like Napoleon's return from Elba collapsed on the field of Waterloo.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBUT\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EJohn and I kept in touch. In the meantime, Jon Compton of One Small Step Games asked if he could update and upgrade my No Trumpets No Drums and Holy Roman Empire (both of which had appeared in The Wargamer, of which I was managing editor for three years). After they came out, we sat in his study in Virginia and, a nice single malt in hand, and he said what he really wanted to redo was War and Peace. “Too bad Hasbro (which had bought AH) has the rights.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI smiled. “No, I have the rights. Hasbro kindly gave them back to me.” (Hasbro had also tried to give me a nice royalty check for AH sales of War and Peace in stock, but I sent it back, as my agreement with AH had been 2% for five years, and vice 1% for life. They were touched by my honesty and offered me the rights back. Which they had done long before I met John Gant even).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EHe was excited. He was even more excited when I told him “I know a guy.” That guy is John Gant. Using the design he was originally going to do for GMT as a starting point, he and I (mostly he) went to work.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOut came the 5th edition of War and Peace. (As I mentioned, the first two editions were AH products, while 3rd and 4th were rules redos by assorted fans).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAnd we did it bigger, Bolder, BROADER and BRIGHTER! than the original!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe original map is there, but was broadened to include the British Isles, Scandanavia, Italy, and more – including a naval strategic game mini-map and an insert map for the Egyptian Campaign. John Gant added three scenarios (Italian, Marengo, Egyptian campaign) plus the naval mini-game AND a brand new Campaign game based on HIS designs.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThis last bit was really critical, as when I originally did the game it was only supposed to be for scenarios. Six months before it went to the printer Frank Davis at AH (my developer) said they wanted a campaign game. Frankly, we had to rush – and it showed. It was “ok” but not great, which is what most of the 3rd, 4th and Gant's works addressed. John's campaign game is not only what I would have done if I had had more time in 1978 – but also is better than what I could of done, as he built upon 40 years of tradition and industry advancement. And John is also one very smart, savvy CEO (he has made of a career of running businesses).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe map had many changes, most notably rivers along hexsides (not through them – a definite improvement in terms of shortening rules and ease of play), and bridges, plus well-defined ports for the naval parts of the game.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThen there was the pure beauty of the new art work – and not just in the gorgeous map but also in the brilliant work on the counters - no more mere silhouettes - full color, CORRECTLY uniformed figures, faces, and flags....Antonio Pinar and I went over every single one of them; he is a stickler for detail and me, well, I paint miniatures. That should tell you everything you need to know.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPerhaps the best thing about it, was that if you played either first or second edition, you could pick up this game, lay out the pieces and without having to read the rule book play any and all of the scenarios. The basic rules from the original are almost exactly the same as those in the new editions.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOne Small Step did this as a Kickstarter, and when it sold out (within a couple of weeks) decided to do another edition. Kickstarter does not like mere reprints, however, so we had to do something different to make it a 'new' edition. That meant backprinting two counters (French transports) adding a sticker to put on the map for a production center that had been overlooked, and fixing some minor typos.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe sixth edition sold out even faster than the fifth.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAnd then the French arrived.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EA delightful Frenchman named Philippe contacted me. He said War and Peace was one of his favorite games and wondered if I had any interest in seeing it made into a computer version.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI said I would love it, but did not know any computer company that was interested in it.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThen Philippe told me there was one: his. Philippe has a very well-respected computer game design studio and company.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIt's name?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAvalon. Avalon Digital.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EHow is that for Karma? Add to it that this is a French company doing a game on Napoleon and, well, vive l'empereur!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEgxa8sVNkFA2D2yXi4EEvcVYDbZ3oMLFZbnI9vYsD_6Zy8Gsl52fIYOFfM3e8_GikZjPefFpPi-PFtzSuT1PlRAREbeYf7JO6LqsgnctOiO0cJ_YZTZYpZEyoahMo5f4mwUSYzSL1Q81SHGL5FPAw3I20kfTICy9KTlHecxUwLNr4Jc8SkdAC5znjFJug\/s2000\/war-and-peace-game-beta-04.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1293\" data-original-width=\"2000\" height=\"414\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEgxa8sVNkFA2D2yXi4EEvcVYDbZ3oMLFZbnI9vYsD_6Zy8Gsl52fIYOFfM3e8_GikZjPefFpPi-PFtzSuT1PlRAREbeYf7JO6LqsgnctOiO0cJ_YZTZYpZEyoahMo5f4mwUSYzSL1Q81SHGL5FPAw3I20kfTICy9KTlHecxUwLNr4Jc8SkdAC5znjFJug\/w640-h414\/war-and-peace-game-beta-04.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EScreen of Avalon Digital's War and Peace (Beta)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPS:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWe are currently alpha-testing and it is going extremely well. Most of the scenarios are up and being played by us both hot-seat solo and multiplayer, and the mechanics of the game are almost all done, but we keep fine-tuning. After we agree that everything is working properly, we have to move on to beta-testing, creating and testing an AI, and then, of course, there will be the campaign game to put to the test. The advertisement for the game for players to watch and follow just went up on Steam, and our goal is to have the game out by August 2023.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ELatest Rules for War and Peace:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1afkiBocwLTgaUXL66EPztZzSpX_ME0PU\/view\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWar\u0026amp;Peace_RULES.zip - Google Drive\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWindows 64 Demo:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1U326FigDFU5_XwwnQKQY4o8buHNpp7ij\/view\"\u003ESetup_WarAndPeace_Demo_Lite_1.0.exe - Google Drive\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMac Demo:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1OYelwKiTHhCT3Y-_cRV0-PJQGtZPaK2I\/view\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWAR AND PEACE DEMO OSX LITE 0.1.dmg.zip - Google Drive\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;Kickstarter Link:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kickstarter.com\/projects\/787937257\/war-and-peace-the-digital-version?ref=nav_search\u0026amp;result=project\u0026amp;term=avalon%20digital\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWAR AND PEACE - THE DIGITAL VERSION by Avalon Digital — Kickstarter\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;A list of Mark McLaughlin's games form BGG:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/boardgamegeek.com\/geeklist\/52787\/games-mark-mclaughlin\"\u003EThe Games of Mark McLaughlin | BoardGameGeek\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/1972870418484071179\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2022\/11\/mark-mclaughlin-writes-about-himself.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1972870418484071179"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1972870418484071179"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2022\/11\/mark-mclaughlin-writes-about-himself.html","title":"Mark McLaughlin writes about himself and his games and books"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Robert Peterson"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/17114299951391079193"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjv9pO8eA3I1enul8tbqhZrgXLn2VfeAh0DFVLJid7unJDaYDufg6VOwwUhehtjuV3bvDvMI_BkcjmysCxpBQtKLdT2FnIvWoGXqwHgERavrscebLRS4eklIZ8e6VrVB8eQOEE0F2XXi2tAPqO71SCZ44EQhqg4Y8g52-_sESwNQiFuOxOQ72Ank6LOew\/s72-w400-h383-c\/ht9brdblpf2lbq28ko74sn2e3a._SX450_.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-4975756093154171251"},"published":{"$t":"2022-09-04T22:10:00.000+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-09-04T22:10:41.754+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Cards"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interview"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Lock 'N Load Publishing"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Sean Druelinger designer of Lock 'n Load's Point Blank"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"World War II"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Sean Druelinger designer of Lock 'n Load's Point Blank: V is for Victory"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESean Druelinger designer of Lock 'n Load's\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPoint Blank: V is for Victory\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjzP2KvpHp84YVwrBSRERIJxrS_QnoLj5_I4Uz_6Kl4hvErd1Hh3m0pkNR_1ayVl7zpv8GyVx_SReCQCtGkZzeVYbe9jnzUK4NEAPwSDrzKzs6Rk1NOzSnz0krb5_3xiNid6yIpDiCAFsoLLHCoZuHVIZ851bKieD4elSFzlp-HaOvFweT-rtYDq8Dr1g\/s737\/pic6979640.webp\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"737\" data-original-width=\"551\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjzP2KvpHp84YVwrBSRERIJxrS_QnoLj5_I4Uz_6Kl4hvErd1Hh3m0pkNR_1ayVl7zpv8GyVx_SReCQCtGkZzeVYbe9jnzUK4NEAPwSDrzKzs6Rk1NOzSnz0krb5_3xiNid6yIpDiCAFsoLLHCoZuHVIZ851bKieD4elSFzlp-HaOvFweT-rtYDq8Dr1g\/w478-h640\/pic6979640.webp\" width=\"478\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;I had asked Mr. Druelinger to do a short bio about himself and some information about his game. I would describe it as not a Card Wargame, but a wargame played with cards. It comes with a good-sized\u0026nbsp;rulebook and does not abstract many parts like a card game usually does.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh2XXc5dh1nesf-ADaDcjUgQtwIwDkJ4gUoHpPycFEx8wQEpfO7L1ElwrbgcwBnxOsgKAS92d_ltawwlfzTYFGIPgIF5_XuclIXzQJ7Y05U5NVsXdFkaRDNfrIHFmHQ0gF_Bcm0PXtQCUHvkNhYmJrLSAZR4orrwcovsuxBHU2xs4U3rEBSnwcQuA5URw\/s680\/835142b332f3dc0562949eccdaa4fe25_original.png\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"601\" data-original-width=\"680\" height=\"566\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh2XXc5dh1nesf-ADaDcjUgQtwIwDkJ4gUoHpPycFEx8wQEpfO7L1ElwrbgcwBnxOsgKAS92d_ltawwlfzTYFGIPgIF5_XuclIXzQJ7Y05U5NVsXdFkaRDNfrIHFmHQ0gF_Bcm0PXtQCUHvkNhYmJrLSAZR4orrwcovsuxBHU2xs4U3rEBSnwcQuA5URw\/w640-h566\/835142b332f3dc0562949eccdaa4fe25_original.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EGame Map\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThis\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Eis a write up about the game from Lock 'n Load:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\"Point Blank\" is Lock 'n Load Publishing tactical World War 2 squad card wargame, for 2 players pitted against each other in situational combat scenarios.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThere is also a solo option as well as partnerships in teams of 2.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EEach scenario presents the players with a unique situation involving squads of men, support weapons, leaders, and individual armored fighting vehicles.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThis game pits the forces of the USA against Germany just after the landings in Normandy (June 1944) through October 1944. Each player has victory conditions determined by the scenario in which to defend or take objectives, seek and destroy their opponent’s units, or one of many other different scenario objectives.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe game is played on an abstract map board made up of terrain cards in the game and managed through a distance system that accounts for the range to targets, line of sight, and defensive attributes. The player has units that start out on the map and gradually work their way towards their objectives by advancing through the battlefield all the while conducting combat actions against their opponent or defending their troops from return fire or whatever hell that awaits them. Players draw cards from a common action deck where they will play actions on their units on the map board. The game is an IGOUGO impulse system and turns are managed when the action deck is exhausted. (Some scenarios may require multiple deck exhaustion to finish the game). Actions in the game consist of Fire, Move, Assault, Rally, etc. The action cards contain dice icons on them to determine random results.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOne of the unique features of the game is that it contains a deck of terrain cards that are not part of the action deck. As players change terrain they will draw a terrain card in which their moving units will occupy. Some action cards such as Recon helps players manage what terrain they occupy but your opponent may have other plans for your moving troops during their turn.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ECombat in the game is similar to how combat is conducted in Lock n Load Tactical. 2 players can play a game in about an hour (depending on the scenario size) and if you cannot find an opponent then try the game solo system. In general, the gameplay is fast and excited and compares to such legendary game systems as Up Front.\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh1tJtVdfy7iRCE8S7jJbnltueDiow1KYMCh4RXryLVA-2vBv_8S2CnCwZAQQInjwaIYzUIj7L2BYA5XP76JC6PwS5obNIRtE4fki7GagV2jFj2cdssiS2SRjyte3K6qw3honG4IkI5-IXcrAa-wfKWxM1I_rHoJ9nccrqbE3peir5wOEEqewTS2aGVXg\/s1200\/pic4173045.webp\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"683\" data-original-width=\"1200\" height=\"364\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh1tJtVdfy7iRCE8S7jJbnltueDiow1KYMCh4RXryLVA-2vBv_8S2CnCwZAQQInjwaIYzUIj7L2BYA5XP76JC6PwS5obNIRtE4fki7GagV2jFj2cdssiS2SRjyte3K6qw3honG4IkI5-IXcrAa-wfKWxM1I_rHoJ9nccrqbE3peir5wOEEqewTS2aGVXg\/w640-h364\/pic4173045.webp\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESome Cards\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;I am not a big fan of interviews. It seems that the same questions always get asked. I would much rather have the designer etc. give us the information without my input. To each their own.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEgHZ6XXT28_OlDMdwnP-hnSDR0yO75tEpdCDsUMi1ADqAHu_8I4nWtydJgvcw9K9DoLWVnT_3h-JbODADYMqWwWcCeflIsavtldeGK4LF-6OB_G3qP-j8bM3UcZWW_vR1SPL4s-vV5AOz-GDre4e1t4nyH-BIuTF7Vbsc58w61HL0xbu60_u7-D60EnFw\/s1200\/pic6810370.webp\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1200\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEgHZ6XXT28_OlDMdwnP-hnSDR0yO75tEpdCDsUMi1ADqAHu_8I4nWtydJgvcw9K9DoLWVnT_3h-JbODADYMqWwWcCeflIsavtldeGK4LF-6OB_G3qP-j8bM3UcZWW_vR1SPL4s-vV5AOz-GDre4e1t4nyH-BIuTF7Vbsc58w61HL0xbu60_u7-D60EnFw\/w640-h480\/pic6810370.webp\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThis is a big game with a lot of cards\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWithout further ado, here is Mr. Druelinger's write up. It gives us a good look at his game design:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI was introduced to Squad Leader when I was about 12 years old. I was playing D\u0026amp;D every other week with this gaming group of 20 something’s at the time. I accidentally showed up on a non-D\u0026amp;D day and was asked if I want to play SL. I was hooked from that point on.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI was lucky to see a lot of AH games in their infancy and was able to participate in many of the playtest sessions. Titles like longest Day, up front, enemy in sight,\u0026nbsp;etc.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIn and around 2012 I wrote some scenarios for Nations at War and Tank on Tank for Line of Fire magazine. I then developed an east front prototype for Nations at War and got a green light from the owner of L'nL at the time to proceed. L'nL was then bought by David Heath around 2015. He wanted to redo the original Nations at War titles and asked me to develop them. At the same time,\u0026nbsp;he asked that I include my east front module “Stalin’s Triumph” into the mix. We developed all 3 systems at once. In addition to that, Dave asked me to develop\/design the Lock 'n Load tactical solo system to be compatible with every scenario for every L'nL tactical game to date.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIn 2016 I began designing PB. I introduced the game to David in 2017 at Origins and after some strong hesitation he gave me the green light.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPoint Blank was inspired by games like Up Front and L'nL tactical. The thing that makes this game different is that it introduces what I feel are new concepts in tactical gaming. For instance:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMovement: Moving is an action that you can issue to the game,\u0026nbsp;but the ordered units do not complete their move until the next owning player's upkeep phase. This models that troops have to gather their equipment, form up and then move out. From a game perspective the opposing player has a chance to react to move action before it is completed. Melee is handled in much the same way. An order is issued and then resolved in the player's next upkeep phase. I do not see a lot of games that handle actions this way.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ETerrain and Line of Sight are other areas that sets the game apart. Terrain is very dynamic in PB. A unit in a sector within terrain can conduct an action to change its terrain while remaining in the same sector. Terrain can also be acquired and held by the player through play of recon actions. Terrain that is collected through Recon actions can place terrain into empty sectors to secure good terrain for units that are in the process of moving or into sectors adjacent to opposing units or friendly units. This mechanic makes of interesting Line of Sight situations and expands the maneuverability options for units in the game.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESpend and Discard actions; Another key factor that sets this game apart from other card driven games is the ability to discard cards to perform some type of action. In every card driven game there are situations where a hand of cards may not contain a card that you need to perform a preferred action. In PB you may, in lieu of playing an action card, discard a card (spend action) to activate an action printed on a\u0026nbsp;unit's card. Once that action is performed however, the unit is \"spent\" (rotated 90 degrees) to indicate that it can no longer perform an action until it is readied through the play of a \"Ready\" action. Other actions in the game are available through discard type actions. This whole concept expands the game play and helps to prevent situations where a player is locked down by a hand of cards that may not be of any use.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ELeaders in the game are represented by individual cards and they have benefits to units by contributing their modifiers. Additionally, they have actions printed on their card that they can execute through a spend action in action to the play of an action card during a player impulse.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEgUIb3u0BQ_BvLYwy1dpVjVPITighg9ioiKBGKvGBLkyVsfedavQlre5sBk7dXNyE_ncY-nzKwCs0Ig7G9WwhZM1dNdSJF3zVpPQEbqPYj_DPAi_CRSCergCeeDYsYRPYFLzhOU_hPHWJUFJ1YhXJxOoZ0UIO7b2ZYPU1tY7Qk-yBKS_zW3tN7eqv4NRw\/s680\/8863ef640d9b9cfc9b58f480413a83c3_original.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"437\" data-original-width=\"680\" height=\"412\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEgUIb3u0BQ_BvLYwy1dpVjVPITighg9ioiKBGKvGBLkyVsfedavQlre5sBk7dXNyE_ncY-nzKwCs0Ig7G9WwhZM1dNdSJF3zVpPQEbqPYj_DPAi_CRSCergCeeDYsYRPYFLzhOU_hPHWJUFJ1YhXJxOoZ0UIO7b2ZYPU1tY7Qk-yBKS_zW3tN7eqv4NRw\/w640-h412\/8863ef640d9b9cfc9b58f480413a83c3_original.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEg3rD4hbdSqCxwzRcrN9t2nrZynJrIuKS8oSjrQa5HCQdDZG_tpyqufaKpl9Y5kYNlQhfmLC_BHHQhH2qNIFRww-kcZrQrSeL-x030TecjbUEYCQ_9AwtdQQc-j92Qr7vE645RWBuD43tyV14Q1zvdMGlXuyB7DByq0CqEnc9Lh28g9YI9q2Yuad3yYgw\/s680\/7acb95c054520435b85cde5b49ba4d2e_original.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"601\" data-original-width=\"680\" height=\"566\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEg3rD4hbdSqCxwzRcrN9t2nrZynJrIuKS8oSjrQa5HCQdDZG_tpyqufaKpl9Y5kYNlQhfmLC_BHHQhH2qNIFRww-kcZrQrSeL-x030TecjbUEYCQ_9AwtdQQc-j92Qr7vE645RWBuD43tyV14Q1zvdMGlXuyB7DByq0CqEnc9Lh28g9YI9q2Yuad3yYgw\/w640-h566\/7acb95c054520435b85cde5b49ba4d2e_original.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh6VRcJJMScsU1bEWyOIwXne1eo9gjFrUslezx-VaISPG6224fGgnNSFBV0NeehpvcLaByDUyqZocGFN2GCrtQSYh0BhOG5CP-Spyhs60BBbeC2XLCawPiqn3yAaovpfC3w7L79MA1VHpD5Ob2J-8k1MM1ipgtens5sci-Cvr1zlfJuwK_SjnCoMSna_Q\/s999\/ca6d6922e8eb872905b3571ade7e329a_original.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"999\" data-original-width=\"680\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh6VRcJJMScsU1bEWyOIwXne1eo9gjFrUslezx-VaISPG6224fGgnNSFBV0NeehpvcLaByDUyqZocGFN2GCrtQSYh0BhOG5CP-Spyhs60BBbeC2XLCawPiqn3yAaovpfC3w7L79MA1VHpD5Ob2J-8k1MM1ipgtens5sci-Cvr1zlfJuwK_SjnCoMSna_Q\/w436-h640\/ca6d6922e8eb872905b3571ade7e329a_original.png\" width=\"436\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EVisually it is a stunning game. The cards are regular playing card sized. So, you can see that the information on them is incredibly easy to see. I believe I could play the game with my glasses off. I will be doing a review of the full game on our site. Thank you Lock 'n Load for allowing me to take this out for a spin. Point Blank: V is for Victory is still available for late pledges on Kickstarter.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERobert\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ELock 'n Load:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/store.lnlpublishing.com\/\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ELock 'N Load Publishing (lnlpublishing.com)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPoint Blank: V is for Victory:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kickstarter.com\/projects\/lnlp\/point-blank-v-is-for-victory\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPoint Blank - V is for Victory by Lock 'n Load Publishing — Kickstarter\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/4975756093154171251\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2022\/09\/sean-druelinger-designer-of-lock-n.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/4975756093154171251"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/4975756093154171251"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2022\/09\/sean-druelinger-designer-of-lock-n.html","title":"Sean Druelinger designer of Lock 'n Load's Point Blank: V is for Victory"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Robert Peterson"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/17114299951391079193"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjzP2KvpHp84YVwrBSRERIJxrS_QnoLj5_I4Uz_6Kl4hvErd1Hh3m0pkNR_1ayVl7zpv8GyVx_SReCQCtGkZzeVYbe9jnzUK4NEAPwSDrzKzs6Rk1NOzSnz0krb5_3xiNid6yIpDiCAFsoLLHCoZuHVIZ851bKieD4elSFzlp-HaOvFweT-rtYDq8Dr1g\/s72-w478-h640-c\/pic6979640.webp","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-6017718291552099028"},"published":{"$t":"2020-03-06T13:55:00.002+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-03-06T13:55:57.103+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Conflict Simulations LLC"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interview"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ray Weiss"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Interview with Ray Weiss from Conflict Simulations LLC"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EInterview with Ray Weiss from Conflict Simulations LLC\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-muR1fFpZMpc\/XmFpdwg3QYI\/AAAAAAAAFmg\/7VSmVTegcfMAzQ474VFJD7_iD9yz-mFKgCEwYBhgL\/s1600\/68741338_517074242430502_6959127714343157760_n.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1108\" data-original-width=\"750\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-muR1fFpZMpc\/XmFpdwg3QYI\/AAAAAAAAFmg\/7VSmVTegcfMAzQ474VFJD7_iD9yz-mFKgCEwYBhgL\/s400\/68741338_517074242430502_6959127714343157760_n.jpg\" width=\"270\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-vKkCs_YLIUo\/XmFpd5yHOoI\/AAAAAAAAFmc\/xC8E56v1J4sRBxN35KP-dBi10FPL-FnigCEwYBhgL\/s1600\/TWU%252Bcover%252Bweb.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"936\" data-original-width=\"750\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-vKkCs_YLIUo\/XmFpd5yHOoI\/AAAAAAAAFmc\/xC8E56v1J4sRBxN35KP-dBi10FPL-FnigCEwYBhgL\/s320\/TWU%252Bcover%252Bweb.jpg\" width=\"256\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;Ray, please give us a bit of background on you, and how you got into designing games?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;32-year-old from NYC, previously a touring musician that managed to screw up every other job I had other than this one. I started off designing RPGs 10 years ago, and wargames for the past 3-5 years. I majored in History and Political Science in college and was already into strategy games, the first time I laid eyes on a proper hex and counter wargame (John Tiller’s East Prussia 14) I was entranced. Experiencing that kind of control and attention to detail enraptured me to no end, and soon after I moved onto board games as I stare at screens enough all day. After getting sick of waiting for others to check out and publish my games, I decided to just jump off the deep end and publish them myself. I’ve now been running CSL for 2 years.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;So what wargames have you developed, or working on?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWargames I’ve Designed which are currently shipping:\u003Cbr \/\u003E1916 – Operational combat @ Verdun\u003Cbr \/\u003E1950 – Strategic Korean War\u003Cbr \/\u003E1812 – Strategic Napoleon’s Invasion of Russia\u003Cbr \/\u003E1987 – Operational What if Kaliningrad\u003Cbr \/\u003E1864 – Grand Tactics 2nd Schleswig War \u003Cbr \/\u003EAGN – Operational Barbarossa\u003Cbr \/\u003EAGC – Operational Barbarossa\u003Cbr \/\u003EAGS – Operational Barbarossa\u003Cbr \/\u003E1995 – Strategic What if Yugoslavia\u003Cbr \/\u003E1870 – Operational Franco Prussian War\u003Cbr \/\u003E1968 – Strategic Tet Offensive\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E1914 The World Undone: East Prussia – Operational Tannenberg\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;If you had the chance and all the time in the world, what game would you design?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;Maybe a tangent, but my dream would be to design a computer or video game at some point, something like a CRPG, roguelike, or something as equally niche as wargaming, if not a computer wargame itself. One of the main reasons I got into analog design though was because I am so bad at programming so there’s that. One of the benefits to running your own publishing company is that you get to publish whatever you want, so I'm very fulfilled in terms of the stuff I’m working on, from the Eastern Front in 1914, an American WW1 What-if, Diadochi and more.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;Diadochi, that really hits the time period I enjoy gaming the most. Please hurry up with that design.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;What plans do you have for you and your company in the future?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; I am hoping to release an upgraded\/deluxe version of our Destroy All Monsters series of games (AGN, AGC, AGS) which combine for a larger mini-monster type game. We’ve made the print larger, rewritten some chapters for clarity, and tweaked the exclusive rules for each module for historical accuracy and balance. I think it’s probably wishful thinking but I was hoping to get Imperial Bayonets: Sedan 1870 done or close to done this month, but I’ve been compulsively refining and perfecting the rules for this series making sure everything makes sense. The world undone is probably our simplest game at 6 pages of rules, whereas Imperial Bayonets is maybe our most complex system with both series and exclusive rules, similar to OSG’s Library of Napoleonic Battles (the system is similar as well). Basically, I hope to get most of if not all of everything that’s been up for pre-order the past 2 years out this year, which is a sh*t ton of work, but such is my (lovely) lot in life.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;From what games and designers do you get your inspiration?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;One thing I’d hope sets my games apart from other contemporary publishers is that I really attempt to put many of the same design principles as practiced by SPI into practice. I prefer older games as I find them more immersive and less distracting, along with often times being more historical. My favorite designer is John Young of SPI who tragically died pretty young, but designed my favorite wargame The Marne, after him would be Kevin Zucker, who was gracious enough to encourage and help my initial efforts at design, and finally David Isby who designed SPI’s Soldiers and East Front Quad. I believe these designers represent a holistic approach to design in which every aspect of a game works to support another, there is little to no “chrome” in most of their games, and the games are historically accurate above all else.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;Full disclosure; I invested in a preorder of Ray's 'Imperial Bayonets: Solferino 1859: For Liberty \u0026amp; Lombardy. I couldn't help it, another of my favorite historical times.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;Thank you Sir, and good luck with your designing and company.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EHere is the link to Conflict Simulations LLC:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.consimsltd.com\/\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.consimsltd.com\/\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERobert\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/6017718291552099028\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/03\/interview-with-ray-weiss-from-conflict.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/6017718291552099028"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/6017718291552099028"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/03\/interview-with-ray-weiss-from-conflict.html","title":"Interview with Ray Weiss from Conflict Simulations LLC"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Robert Peterson"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/17114299951391079193"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-muR1fFpZMpc\/XmFpdwg3QYI\/AAAAAAAAFmg\/7VSmVTegcfMAzQ474VFJD7_iD9yz-mFKgCEwYBhgL\/s72-c\/68741338_517074242430502_6959127714343157760_n.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-2372763184396069055"},"published":{"$t":"2020-02-22T20:24:00.001+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-02-22T20:24:05.568+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"English Civil War"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interview"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Nuts! Publishing"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Scott H. Moore"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"This War Without an Enemy"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Interview with Scott H. Moore designer of This War Without an Enemy released by Nuts Publishing"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;Interview with Scott H. Moore\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EDesigner of 'This War Without an Enemy'\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EReleased by Nuts! Publishing\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-PuQoy_4azkI\/XlEknc8pTYI\/AAAAAAAAFik\/UVN3EhvIeYEYWVScBz_HE2biWt3-H5qHACLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/pic5006199.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"600\" data-original-width=\"438\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-PuQoy_4azkI\/XlEknc8pTYI\/AAAAAAAAFik\/UVN3EhvIeYEYWVScBz_HE2biWt3-H5qHACLcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/pic5006199.jpg\" width=\"466\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;Please give us some biographical information about yourself.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI was born in Sheffield but mainly grew up in the suburbs of Birmingham. My brother and I played games like Monopoly, Risk and Campaign when we were really young kids, but it was Christmas 1982 that really converted me into a gaming geek: we got our first computer – a ZX Spectrum complete with The Hobbit adventure game – plus the Warlock of Firetop Mountain gamebook. By the age of 11 or 12, I was wargaming the English Civil War with 25mm miniatures, and playing Games Workshop games such as Talisman and Warrior Knights. A few years later I started roleplaying with AD\u0026amp;D, MERP and Warhammer RPG. When we were 16, a few friends and I joined the English Civil War re-enactment society as pikemen in Colonel John Fox’s Regiment of Foote.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ENot long after I had gone to university to study Physics I more or less gave up on gaming, except for the occasional roleplaying session back home in the holidays. After graduating, I spent a year in Spain, then I did a degree in Optical Electronics in Glasgow and Hamburg. When I finally entered the world of work, it was as a market analyst. I lived in London for a while, briefly in Prague, and then over a decade in Budapest. It was there, about 20 years ago, that I got back into gaming when I discovered both euro games (Catan, Carcassonne) and modern wargames (Hammer of the Scots). The boardgaming scene was just taking off in Budapest at that time, so I had plenty of opportunities to experience the renaissance of the 2000s led by designers such as Reiner Knizia and Wolfgang Kramer. In contrast, Hungarian wargamers were few and far between (they still are). I was lucky enough to find a few willing victims who I could explore light and midweight contemporary wargames with – we played a lot of block games, Command \u0026amp; Colors and CDGs such as Hannibal and Paths of Glory. I also got to know the only ‘serious’ wargamer living in Budapest at that time – Stéphane Acquaviva (designer of Hungarian Rhapsody). We played through the entirety of Great Battles of History, he introduced me to some classic Napoleonic Games and I could sometimes persuade him to try a CDG or a game from the Musket \u0026amp; Pike series. But the main focus of our hundreds of hours spent during Sunday gaming sessions were the campaign scenarios from the various volumes of MMP’s OCS series.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESeveral years ago, I returned to Birmingham having changed career to work as a translator. The gaming scene is very strong here – one of the world’s largest tabletop gaming conventions, the UK Games Expo, is held here once a year and has really helped to create a vibrant gaming ecosystem in the city. I attend a few different boardgames clubs every week, so I get to play a wide variety of games: euros, cooperative games, wargames, and even traditional RPGs. As part of the Birmingham Game Designers group, I organise an event every two months where boardgame, wargame and RPG designers can playtest their games with the gaming public. We also have more focused designer meetings four times a month.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-DhbE-LyCTNU\/XlEl2FlbkeI\/AAAAAAAAFis\/06GOxjX1PeYj8_gHgWS6eTnZ3iZsnSrgQCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/pic4964203.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"600\" data-original-width=\"843\" height=\"454\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-DhbE-LyCTNU\/XlEl2FlbkeI\/AAAAAAAAFis\/06GOxjX1PeYj8_gHgWS6eTnZ3iZsnSrgQCLcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/pic4964203.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhat was your first game design?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhen I was about 12 years old, I created an Asterix board game based on Talisman, though I never finished the artwork and it I probably tested it no more than once or twice. When I became a serious hobby gamer 20 years ago, I also began designing games again. Although I’m usually inspired by history, my first completed prototype was a 2-player block wargame called The Long Winter based on a section in the Appendices of the Lord of the Rings (Appendix A, II, The House of Eorl). I was never going to be able to get a game on that topic published, but a couple of ideas I developed for The Long Winter did eventually find their way into This War Without an Enemy.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhy the English Civil War?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAs I’ve alluded to already, I’ve been intensely interested in this period of history since I was a kid. The first English Civil War, in particular, is a fascinating narrative, full of colourful characters, closely-fought battles, important sieges and more than one reversal of fortune. I began designing a strategic game on the war many years ago, but the publication of Charles Vasey’s Unhappy King Charles in 2008 put paid to that, as it fulfilled most of what I wanted my design to do. However, a few years later Columbia Games listed the ECW as a topic they were considering publishing a game on. By offering to design it for them, I could combine my love of both block games and the historical period.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIn what way is your design for This War Without an Enemy\u0026nbsp; different than others?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAs my game was originally designed for Columbia, it very much followed in the mould of games like Crusader Rex and Richard III. However, when I moved to a different publisher – Nuts! Publishing – I wanted to differentiate it from those earlier block games, while at the same time I realised that I had the freedom to increase the complexity level slightly and add in more historical atmosphere. I think there are three main areas where This War Without an Enemy differs from most other block games:\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe card decks: I decided early on in the design process to have a separate deck for each player. As a civil war, both sides in the ECW were very similar to each other in many ways, so I wanted to tease out the differences – and introduce more asymmetry to the game – with specific event cards. There are too few cards in total for the player decks to be further split into early, mid and late war decks, and so I introduced a mechanism for adding and retiring cards from each deck. The cards in most card-driven block games provide either points to spend or, more rarely, an event. In TWWE, most cards have both. This allowed me to balance the cards and avoid the possibility of a player having an inherently good or bad hand of cards. Each card either provides a lot of points (4) to spend on movement and\/or recruiting; fewer points (2) but a strong event; or something in between (3 points and a weaker event).\u003Cbr \/\u003EAssaults and sieges: although the battles during the ECW are far better known than the sieges, it was the latter that were more important for the outcome of the war. Victory in TWWE is mainly determined by capturing cities, and so the rules around this needed to be well thought out. You can take a city through storming (assault), which is risky but can be quick, or through a siege (blockade), which is slow but sure. The mechanism for storming is similar to that for a battle, but artillery plays a more important role – if you breach the walls using artillery (or Mining via an event) then the city provides a much less significant defensive bonus. Sieges are resolved by rolling a die and consulting a table – this determines any attrition for the defender and eventual surrender. Ports can hold out longer than inland cities and can be reinforced by sea.\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Battle Mat and battle resolution: this has probably been the most popular part of the game. Although I retained the basic mechanism from other block games, I added more historical chrome and more player decision-making (in most block games, the only significant decision during battles is if and when to retreat blocks). The Battle Mat is essentially a player aid that makes battles easy to resolve despite the increased complexity. There are specific rules for artillery and cavalry blocks that replicate their role on the mid-17th century battlefield (yes, Prince Rupert’s cavalry can end up pursuing their opponents off the battle field!). When it comes to infantry blocks, a player must decide every round whether to fire at a distance with the muskets (which is less effective but happens early on in the round) or engage at close quarters with the pikes (more effective but take place at the end of the round). I believe this extra set of decision points makes battles them much more interesting for players.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-IaD183PivYk\/XlEl_bnkE4I\/AAAAAAAAFiw\/U8VTAN6PtkQqjpPeE6lOZKSxR_3mhzX4wCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/pic5016956.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"600\" data-original-width=\"859\" height=\"446\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-IaD183PivYk\/XlEl_bnkE4I\/AAAAAAAAFiw\/U8VTAN6PtkQqjpPeE6lOZKSxR_3mhzX4wCLcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/pic5016956.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIs there anything in the game that you would haved liked to be different because you had to compromise, or perhaps some part of the design that gave you fits?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAs I have mentioned already, my move to Nuts! Publishing game me the freedom to change my game beyond the confines of the Columbia system. So, in the end, I had full control over the design of the game and did not have to make any compromises. My aim with TWWE was to create a game that is easy to learn, plays in no more than 3 or 4 hours, and yet contains a lot of history. I hope I have achieved this.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI did not have difficulties with any particularly part of the design process. Basing my game on an existing system meant that it was fairly easy to develop an initial prototype. When I later chose to change the game, it was more of an evolution of an existing game that was working well. The trick was to add more chrome and historical atmosphere without compromising playability. Perhaps the most challenging part of the game to get right – and this is something that really gives it the flavour of the English Civil War – was the regional aspect. While the main field armies of the King and Parliament generally campaigned across the centre of the country, there were virtually autonomous regional theatres of war in the north and southwest of England. Unhappy King Charles simulates this in various ways, but I wanted a simpler approach for TWWE. Essentially, most blocks belong to one of five regions of England and Wales. Each block can only recruit (add strength) in its home region and may not leave, or remain outside of, its home region unless ‘chaperoned’ by a Leader block.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAnything else you would want to \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003Eemphasize or add to?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESomething that I haven’t mentioned yet is the artwork and graphic design of This War Without an Enemy. This was a long process for both the publisher and I, but eventually we were very fortunate to find Nicolas Roblin and persuade him to do his very first board game commission. Working with Nicolas was a very collaborative experience, but the success of the final design was mainly due to his extensive research, passion and dedication – and, of course, his natural talent. He spent days in a library just to find the period illustrations for the cards. But it is the box cover illustration and the gorgeous map art that have attracted the most praise from people – they elevate the look of the game beyond anything I could have hoped for when I first started designing it all those years ago.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThank you\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERobert\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/2372763184396069055\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/02\/interview-with-scott-h-moore-designer.html#comment-form","title":"2 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2372763184396069055"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2372763184396069055"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/02\/interview-with-scott-h-moore-designer.html","title":"Interview with Scott H. Moore designer of This War Without an Enemy released by Nuts Publishing"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Robert Peterson"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/17114299951391079193"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-PuQoy_4azkI\/XlEknc8pTYI\/AAAAAAAAFik\/UVN3EhvIeYEYWVScBz_HE2biWt3-H5qHACLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/pic5006199.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"2"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-8852396053898135951"},"published":{"$t":"2019-12-12T23:59:00.004+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-12-24T16:29:54.227+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Art"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interview"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Russell Smith"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"World War I"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"An Interview with Russell Smith"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/images.fasosites.com\/26019_3287483w700+v=201912111009\/a-pair-of-jennies.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"266\" src=\"https:\/\/images.fasosites.com\/26019_3287483w700+v=201912111009\/a-pair-of-jennies.jpg\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Ci style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003ELast week I had the pleasure of speaking over the phone with \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/russellsmithart.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ERussell Smith\u003C\/a\u003E, an award winning artist who focuses on images of the Old West and early aviation, particularly World War I aircraft. A rough transcript of our conversation follows.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJB: To start off, tell us a bit about your background, what started your interest in art, and how did you get to where you are now?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERussell: Art was the one thing I've always been good at. Even in elementary school, in third grade, I was drawing noticeably better than a lot of the kids around me. You know when you're good at something, you tend to keep doing it, because you get recognition for it, and I enjoyed doing it.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThen when I got into college, I majored in art, and about that time I saw the work of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.aces-high.com\/artists\/view\/robert-taylor\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ERobert Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E, and I just, I loved airplanes as a kid and I thought, \"Wow!\" if someone can make a living painting airplanes, that's what I want to do. So I started doing it on the side, and worked day jobs for about ten years, and then finally back in 2001, I went full time with it.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg height=\"253\" src=\"https:\/\/images.fasosites.com\/26019_1900088xl.jpg?sold=Sold\u0026amp;hdots=False\u0026amp;v=201912111009\u0026amp;cv=201912111009\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJB: So, you did something else in there before you went full time with it. What was the moment when you thought, I can do this full time and make it work?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERussell: Well, I was working in the printing industry for about ten years. I was single at the time, and so I was kinda pushing myself on a pretty hard schedule. What I would do was, I would get up at 6:30 in the morning, go to work, work until 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Come home, maybe run a couple miles and eat some dinner, and then I would go in the studio, and work until maybe one in the morning. Drinking a lot of coffee obviously. I was pushing myself pretty hard, and not getting a lot of sleep, especially towards the last couple of years. In the last couple of years, I was doing to the point that my performance at my job was starting to go down, because I was sleep deprived.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAt one point I just finally thought, this is ridiculous, I can't keep up this schedule. I either have to give up the art or give up my day job, and there was just no way I could give up my art. Because that was my dream, to be a full time artist. I had just enough work, that I figured it would keep me going for just a little while. I decided I would give it a year, and then if it wasn't working out after a year I could look for another job. Then one year turned into two, then two turned into three, then after three or four years business really picked up, and I haven't looked back since.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI joke with my wife, you know, if this ever did tank and I had to go back and get a job I don't what I would do. Twenty years on I'm not really qualified to do anything other than be a full time artist.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"Russell Smith - Biography\" src=\"https:\/\/images.fasosites.com\/26019_2585658w550.jpg\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJB: So the two subjects that you focus on mainly are the old west, and early aviation, a lot of World War I aircraft. Tell us, why those two topics?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERussell: Well, of course, I've loved airplanes since I was a kid. That started when I was seven years old and my dad bought me a model of a B-25. I've just loved airplanes ever since. I built a whole bunch of different models when I was a kid. Then when I got a little older that started translating into art. That interest has always been with me and I've always been a history buff. I like looking up the history of these people, the pilots, the planes, and translating those stories onto canvas.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAs far as the old west, I love that too, it's a bit more recent subject that I've been painting in, just because for a long time the airplanes kept me so busy that I didn't have time to delve into these other interests of mine. With the old west stuff, it's really more the mythology. The idea of the old west. I guess it's the stories and ideas you get from the books and movies and legends and all that. I love that stuff. I'm not as much into the historical details with the old west as I am with the aviation subjects. Part of that is just because I've been doing the aviation subjects so long, I know the historians, I've studied it, I know what I'm doing with that. Whereas, I can loosen up the belt a little bit with the western stuff. It's almost like that lack of knowledge gives me a bit more freedom to have fun with it. I can explore that mythology and those legends and get that onto canvas.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg height=\"524\" src=\"https:\/\/images.fasosites.com\/26019_2215325xl.jpg?sold=Sold\u0026amp;hdots=False\u0026amp;v=201912111009\u0026amp;cv=201912111009\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJB: Can you tell us about the process of how you go from an idea to the finished product, step-by-step, what does that look like?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERussell: Each painting is a little different. I do commission work, so sometimes it's the client telling me what they want, so I go from that and build a composition around it. Other times, it's just an idea that pops into my head. One painting in particular, that I did several years ago of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eddie_Rickenbacker\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EEddie Rickenbacker\u003C\/a\u003E's \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SPAD_S.XIII\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ESPAD\u003C\/a\u003E was actually inspired by a piece of western art that I had seen. It was a picture of a guy on a horse, with a bunch of dust behind, and I thought, if I took that rider and horse out, and put an airplane in there, that would be a really cool scene. So that's kinda what I did.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOnce I get that idea, I'll do some small thumbnail sketches, kinda flesh out of the idea, and give it a little more to breath and get it out of my head. I'll work through a number of sketches until I find what I want. Then it's a matter of doing more detailed drawings, some figure drawings, doing perspective drawings of aircraft. I'm working on a western train robbery scene where I had to do a perspective drawing of the train. Basically getting the finer points down, making sure everything is right, making sure the drawing is right, before ever going to canvas.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThen once I get the image transferred to canvas, it can take a couple of weeks for a small painting, to a couple of months for a large painting. It can be time intense. I'm not the kind of artist that can work straight through on one painting and get it done. I just get burned out after a certain point. I usually have two or three paintings at different stages of completion just sitting around the studio. When I get to a stopping point on one painting, maybe I get bored with it or just reach a point where there isn't any more I can do with it at the moment, I'll take it off the easel and I'll put another painting up and I'll work on it. So there's always work in front of me.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI did an interview with a local newspaper a couple years back where the interviewer asked what I do when I get artist's block and I said I don't really have that problem, because I've got a lot of ideas backlogged that I want to get to, and I've always got a painting waiting to go up on the easel. So, I never really have a problem with artist's block or anything like that.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\n\u003Cimg height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/images.fasosites.com\/26019_3034675xl.jpg?sold=Sold\u0026amp;hdots=False\u0026amp;v=201912111009\u0026amp;cv=201912111009\" width=\"267\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJB: I asked Russell about whether he ever likes to experiment with new styles or techniques, or explore new subjects.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERussell: It's interesting, the western art market and the aviation art market are typically different from each other in that the folks who are interested in aviation are usually historians, pilots, and technical minded folks who are very detail oriented. Typically in that market they want nuts and bolts, they want rivets. Whereas, in the western art market, the subject is more organic. You're not dealing with aircraft, you're dealing with horses and people and landscapes. You can loosen up and be a little more creative with that. With your brush strokes, with your compositions, your whole method of painting.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBut, I don't want to have two different styles of painting. So what I'm trying to do is, I'm trying to introduce some of that looseness, some of that stuff I deal with in the western art, back into the aviation art, to give it something a little different, to help it stand out from other work in that aviation market. Which is typically really detailed and tight. I think it's really working, people tend to like it.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg height=\"229\" src=\"https:\/\/images.fasosites.com\/26019_1900688xl.jpg?v=201912111009\u0026amp;cv=201912111009\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJB: Next, I asked Russell about the day to day life of a full time artist, and what his normal schedule looks like.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERussell: Well, I've got two small kids, and so a little bit of my day is killed by playing Mr. Mom at home, and running kids to and from school, and playing referee when they get into arguments. I try to keep my day scheduled. If I don't do that, if I don't stick to a routine, I won't get anything done. My attention span is really short and a lot of artists tend to be ADD in that way. A lot of times during the week I'll even eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch, just to kind of keep a routine. I'm going to eat at this time, I'm going to run at this time. I just have to keep my day really structured.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI get up before the kids are up, just to give myself time to wake up. Once I've got them up and out the door, I'll come in here and I'll work for about three hours, maybe go running. Then I've got to go pick one up from pre-school and I'll bring her back and I'll put her in the house and let her do her thing, and I'll come back in the studio and I'll work another four hours. So that's a typical day, I try to stay focused and not get on Facebook, or get sucked into social media, or things like that. That's always a trap you fall into, and suddenly realize you've killed thirty minutes you could have been painting.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJB: I asked Russell about whether he had any favorite pieces that he has painted, and whether any had a deeper story he wanted to share.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERussell: Oh wow, you know, I heard Billy Joel once say, when someone asked him a similar question about writing songs. He said that they're all like your children, but some of them grow up to be doctors, and some of them grow up to be slobs.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EYeah, there are a few that I'm really proud of, and some that I look back now and think \"I could have done a better job with that.\" There's some aviation pieces, like a couple of my Richthofen pieces, one in particular called \u003Ci\u003EGod of the North Wind\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;which is of a black tri-plane. Then on the other hand there is this western train robbery scene I'm working on that I think will be really cool when it's done.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cimg height=\"401\" src=\"https:\/\/images.fasosites.com\/26019_1899705xl.jpg?v=201912111009\u0026amp;cv=201912111009\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E[Here I lost a bit of the recording, as somehow \u003Ci\u003Eboth\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;of the devices I was using to record with stopped working for different reasons. First time doing a phone interview, lessons learned.]\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJB: I next asked Russell if he had any advice for aspiring artists, especially those looking to make it a full time career.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERussell: (First he discussed how it's important for a full-time artist to understand art as a business, and how to stay in business, and how that is a skill many artists are lacking)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe other thing I would say, is don't do it unless you are absolutely\u0026nbsp;committed\u0026nbsp;to it. It's a hard business, a very competitive\u0026nbsp;business. There are times when you are rolling in business and things are great, and other times when suddenly you hear crickets chirping and wonder what's going on. You gotta be able to ride out those highs and lows, and have a tough skin here. But if you're devoted to it, and it's what you love doing, then by all means do it. Just understand that it's not going to be a walk in the park at times, it's gonna be hard. You'll have to ride out the low points and wait for the high points.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJB: So what do you do for fun? Many people might have art as their hobby, but you do that full time. Do you have other things you enjoy doing?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERussell: It's funny, a lot of artists, I'm finding out now, their idea of fun is going back in the studio and working more. But you know I try to get out, I try not to live in my cage all the time. I try to get outdoors and go hiking. I've got a buddy who is a pilot that I'm going flying with tomorrow. Yeah, I mean, this is like a seven day a week job that is all consuming if you let it be. Sometimes I let it be a little too much, so I try to get outside. I try to go running to get some blood pumping, get some activity to refresh my brain and just reboot every now and then.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJB: Since you're a fan of the old west, I've gotta ask what is your favorite western movie?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERussell: Oh that's a hard one. I love Tombstone, and 3:10 to Yuma is a good one. Actually there was a scene in 3:10 to Yuma that inspired a painting I did a couple of years ago. A lot of times I'll watch these movies and I'll see a frame, not necessarily\u0026nbsp;that I want to copy, but it's an effect. Or like, this one in particular, there was a stagecoach coming around a curve with some dust behind it, and I thought that would be a cool painting if I put some guys on horseback chasing it.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe thing about western movies is they kind of come and go. They'll have a couple good ones come out and then nothing for a while, then a couple more good ones will come out\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cimg height=\"296\" src=\"https:\/\/images.fasosites.com\/26019_1900620xl.jpg?v=201912111009\u0026amp;cv=201912111009\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJB: You mentioned you like history a lot, do you have any books that you're reading or that you really like?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERussell: Oh boy, that's a hard one to say. I've got a whole bunch of books in my studio. I've got bookshelves full of history books, and they're stacked up in the corners. Most of them are aviation books, but I've got a pretty respectable collection\u0026nbsp;of western books going now. The irony is that most of them I don't end up reading. I only read them if I have to, if I need to research a subject. Most of them remain unread\u0026nbsp;for a long time.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJB: Next, since we are primarly a gaming website after all, I asked Russell if he plays any games or has an interest in war and strategy games.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERussell: You know, I try not to, because I know if I did, I would get addicted and it would steal a lot of my studio time. We don't own a Nintendo or anything like that, for that very reason. I know if we did, I would get nothing done.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJB: A lot of the games we cover are on historical topics, and usually have really detailed art on the cover, have you ever done a box art or anything like that?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERussell: I haven't done any box art, but I have done a lot of book covers, for World War I titles. I've got several publishers I work with. It's fun to do those, because you've gotta kind of think outside the box. Instead of just painting a painting, you have to think about where the title is going to go, what kind of image is going to sell the book, and how big it's going to be. It's fun to work on them, but they're a little constraining at the same time.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cimg height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/images.fasosites.com\/26019_1986508xl.jpg?sold=Sold\u0026amp;hdots=False\u0026amp;v=201912111009\u0026amp;cv=201912111009\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJB: If anyone wanted to contact you about doing a commission\u0026nbsp;or anything else, what is the best way to reach you?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERussell: Through my website,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/russellsmithart.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ERussell Smith Art\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EJB: Thank you for your time, it's great speaking with you.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERussell: Thank you\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/8852396053898135951\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/12\/an-interview-with-russell-smith.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8852396053898135951"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8852396053898135951"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/12\/an-interview-with-russell-smith.html","title":"An Interview with Russell Smith"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-1245003892560107511"},"published":{"$t":"2018-10-30T16:53:00.001+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-10-30T17:00:39.894+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interrogation files"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interview"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Interview with Games Designer, David Thompson"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003EInterview with Games Designer,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003EDavid Thompson\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cimg apple-inline=\"yes\" id=\"018DEA26-195C-461D-82FD-00793C3B6C70\" src=\"https:\/\/btmail.bt.com\/cp\/applink\/mail\/Downloader?dhid=attachmentDownloader\u0026amp;messageId=30927\u0026amp;accountName=DefaultMailAccount\u0026amp;folderPath=INBOX\u0026amp;contentDisposition=inline\u0026amp;attachmentIndex=0\u0026amp;contentId=1AE48D07-9601-4166-9926-F451EE845CE9%40home\u0026amp;contentSeed=45d75\u0026amp;pct=d18d4\u0026amp;d=btinternet.com\u0026amp;u=mikewall278#\" style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;\" \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cu\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u003Csub\u003E\u003C\/sub\u003E\u003Csup\u003E\u003C\/sup\u003E\u003Cstrike\u003E\u003C\/strike\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cu\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u003Csub\u003E\u003C\/sub\u003E\u003Csup\u003E\u003C\/sup\u003E\u003Cstrike\u003E\u003C\/strike\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EToday, I’m going to be putting some questions to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.boardgamegeek.com\/boardgamedesigner\/67071\/david-thompson-i\"\u003EDavid Thompson\u003C\/a\u003E, the games designer currently best known for the superb solitaire game, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.boardgamegeek.com\/boardgame\/219101\/pavlovs-house\"\u003EPavlov’s House\u003C\/a\u003E.to learn something of his background, gaming thoughts and future designs.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThe obvious and easy factual starter is what was your path into the gaming world?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI began my gaming life when I was about 10 or 11. I started with AD\u0026amp;D. At the time, AD\u0026amp;D was making the transition from 1st to 2nd edition. My brother and I had picked up the core rule books for 2nd edition, but the campaign setting info for the 1st edition of Forgotten Realms. We had no clue they were different editions - and we didn’t care! The game kept us busy for countless hours. We also dabbled with things like HeroQuest, but we always came back to D\u0026amp;D. RPGs were my primary gaming interest through my late 20s and into my 30s. I knew about some other tabletop gaming stuff - mostly things like miniatures (Warhammer and the Clix games specifically come to mind), but it wasn’t until I was married and had kids that I discovered “hobby board gaming”.\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\nOnce I discovered everything that board gaming had to offer, I jumped into the deep end and never looked back. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDo you consider yourself more of a wargamer or more of a Eurogamer and why?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWow. Great question. My favorite game type is the Waro\/Weuro (Wargame-Euro hybrid). But I would take that a bit farther and say that any political or historical game (including those with a war theme) and Euro mechanisms are my favorites (think games like Freedom: the Underground Railroad, 13 Days, etc).\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI spend more time working on wargame designs than Euros, but more time playing Euros (they are much easier to get to the table with my family). \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EWhich \u003Cb\u003Egames stand out for you on the way to deciding to design your own game?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nA Few Acres of Snow (AFAoS) is probably my single biggest design inspiration, Halifax Hammer*be damned! [*a move credited with being an unstoppable game winner]\u0026nbsp; I love deck-building and deck-manipulation as a core mechanism; it allows for the ability to model all sorts of interesting things in an elegant way. AFAoS was one of the first to take deck-building and tie it to a spatial element. This influence can be seen in many of my designs (some that are still in development with publishers), but even my abstract strategy game War Chest owes some of its lineage to AFAoS.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EWhat were some of the other influences and reasons that led you to design and produce your first game?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nMy first game design has never been published, but gives a good idea about my path to board games in general and design specifically. About the time I got married and had my first child, I was looking to create a game that borrowed from some of my favorite game inspirations. I wanted to make a game that combined tactical elements from tabletop RPGs like D\u0026amp;D, gameplay from tactical RPG video games like Final Fantasy Tactics, and miniature tabletop games like Mage Knight (the original Clix game from Wizkids, not the board game). At the time I really didn’t know about board games, and there weren’t very many examples of board game \/ miniature game hybrids (now 1,376 of them are released every week on Kickstarter!). So, the result of this was a game I created called Skirmish Tactics Apocalypse. Over the years this design has been signed by a couple publishers but never actually made it to publication. The core design concept (a streamlined board game \/ minis hybrid) is no longer unique, which makes it a tough pitch these days, but it helped me discover the world of hobby board gaming and will always have a soft spot in my heart. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EYour first professionally published game, I believe, was \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.boardgamegeek.com\/boardgame\/207208\/armageddon\"\u003EArmageddon\u003C\/a\u003E, which was co-designed with Chris Marling and published by Queen games.\u0026nbsp; Can you give us some idea of that experience and your choice of topic?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIn 2014 I moved from the US to the UK. I landed in a village just outside of Cambridge, where there is an amazing designer and playtest community. One of the designers there is Chris Marling, and we instantly became friends. Chris had been working on a core mechanism for a game he called From the Ground Up. The conceit was a city-building game set in a post-apocalyptic setting with a unique sort of auction\/area influence mechanic. We worked together on the game for a year or so. At Spiel 2015, we pitched the game to Queen. It was one of our first meetings of the con, and Queen signed it on the spot. It’s extremely rare to have a game signed on the spot by a publisher, so we were super happy. The next year, the game was released at Spiel. Queen pushed it big time at the con, with a huge roll out, including something like 40+ demo tables. To say the experience with my first published game was a positive one would be an understatement. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EYour most recent game Pavlov’s House was a Kickstarter project published by Dan Verssen Games.\u0026nbsp; First of all, what was the experience of being part of a Kickstarter project like and secondly of working with DVG?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI’m going to flip my response around, because I think it’s a more natural flow.\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWorking with DVG has been both unique and great. It’s unique in the sense that I essentially did all the design, development, and art for the game. Dan and crew at DVG were responsible for working with the printer, fulfilling the game, and customer service. So, from a creative control perspective, I couldn’t have asked for a better situation. Everything in the final game, for better or worse, is my fault! And Dan, Kevin, and Sarah at DVG had to work on all the stuff that I have zero interest in. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI was a collaborator on the Kickstarter, which meant I could modify the page, respond to questions, etc. Pretty much everything except change stuff like pledge levels. If you had to define the Kickstarter experience in a single word, the word would be “stress.” I was a nervous wreck in the days leading up to the launch. I assumed a handful of people would be interested in Pavlov’s House due to it having been a fairly popular print-and-play project on BGG. But I had no idea it would get the support it did. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E[Got to say that doesn’t surprise me, i.e. the huge support the game got - as I was one of those hooked from the very start by topic, mechanics and the company that was going to publish the game and, of course, inspired me to both review the game and then ask you to do this in-depth interview.]\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EBut moving on. Is there a particular group of gamers or games club that has helped you with playtesting?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThere are a few different groups that I use for testing. Like I mentioned earlier, I lived near Cambridge for the last four years. Playtest UK is the world’s largest design and playtest group, and there is an extremely talented and active chapter in Cambridge. The designers in the group (folks like Brett Gilbert, Matthew Dunstan, Chris Marling, Trevor Benjamin, and more) are always gracious with their time, and provide amazing feedback. And there’s a core of great playtesters who will provide honest, critical feedback. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI also use my personal game groups, once a game is beyond the initial design phases. With these tests, I’m usually more interested in observing the group and gauging the play experience rather than looking for critical feedback. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAnd then there are remote testers who either create a print-and-play copy of the game or test the game online. I use Tabletop Simulator to both design and test games, and I usually make a playtest version available to those who want to test it for me. In the past I have also used Tabletopia and Vassal for this purpose.\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\nIn the end, I get a good combination of critical feedback from designers and dedicated playtesters, in-person gaming groups, and blind playtesting using both physical and digital implementations. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EWhat was it like to experience being at UK Expo 2018 demoing some of your games?\u0026nbsp; Any particular stories to tell there?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nI attended UKGE every year I lived in the UK (from 2015-2018). It has been amazing to see the convention change over time. It has grown so quickly, and is run so well. In prior years, I was primarily there to play games and pitch to publishers. In 2018, I was able to demo one of my new releases (Orc-lympics, published by Brain games), show off the pre-production copy of Pavlov’s House, and show off a prototype of a game I have that’s coming out within the next year or two from Phalanx (a post-Cold War political strategy game called Europe Divided).\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThe single best experience from the convention was meeting up with Andrew Powell. I had met Andrew in person for the first time the previous year at UKGE. Prior to that, we had chatted online due to his interest in Pavlov’s House. Andrew became one of the most impactful testers for Pavlov’s House - so much of his input changed the game for the better. He also introduced me to a Facebook Group (Solitaire Wargamers) that has become an amazing support community for my designs, and ultimately led me to working with DVG on the game. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYour other game, War Chest, published this year is a very different, more abstract design.\u0026nbsp; What took you down this different road?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThe road to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.boardgamegeek.com\/boardgame\/249259\/war-chest\"\u003EWar Chest\u003C\/a\u003E was a long, winding one. I mentioned earlier that its lineage can be traced back to influences like A Few Acres of Snow. Just around the time I was moving to the UK, I had started working on a World War 2 platoon-level deck\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nbuilding game. After the initial design was complete, I began to develop it with a close friend and design partner (Trevor Benjamin). As we were finishing the development of that game, Trevor suggested the idea of boiling the game down to a MUCH more streamlined design and replacing deck-building with bag-building. The initial sketches of that concept still look very much like the final, published version of War Chest, though we iterated on it for a year, running countless playtests to ensure balance across all the different unit combinations. Despite its elegance as an abstract strategy game, it is extremely asymmetric and provides for a TON of possible unit combinations because you draft your group of unique units. I’ve never been happier with the final result of one of my games. AEG spared no expense with the production, using extremely high quality chips for the units, and the graphic design (by the super talented Brigette Indelicato) is elegant and beautiful. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EAnother recent design \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.boardgamegeek.com\/boardgame\/196257\/castle-itter\"\u003ECastle Itter\u003C\/a\u003E is currently in development too, I believe. Can you tell us something of the game and any details of its possible release?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nCastle Itter is based on an amazing WW2 story. If you’re not familiar with it, stop reading this now and go Google it.\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E [I did – and I really recommend that those of you reading this do so too!] \u003C\/span\u003EPrepare yourself for a story so amazing that people wouldn’t believe you if there wasn’t historical proof. In short, Hitler is dead and the war in Europe almost over, but remnants of the SS fight on. In the game, US tankers and infantrymen join with Wehrmacht infantry, an SS officer, French VIP prisoners, and an Austrian resistance fighter to defend a medieval Austrian castle against an SS assault. See - I told you it was unbelievable! Castle Itter was the design where I first created the tactical game elements that were also featured in Pavlov’s House. The game is being published by DVG and is set to launch on Kickstarter in early-to-mid November 2018.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPersonally that’s fantastic news for me.\u0026nbsp; However, the game I really would love to see taken up by one of the major companies is the embryo design you mentioned earlier, Skirmish Tactics Apocalypse.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; What are the possibilities of seeing that happening?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWell, as I mentioned before, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.boardgamegeek.com\/boardgame\/138205\/skirmish-tactics-apocalypse\"\u003ESkirmish Tactics Apocalypse\u003C\/a\u003E was my first game design and my first love. I spent years (literally, about five or six years) working on the design. Over time it has been signed by a couple publishers but never made it to publication. I’ve made the entire game (three settings, six factions) available as free print-and-play files, and the game can be played for free on Tabletop Simulator. I’ve considered pitching it to publishers, but the market for hybrid minis\/board games is so crowded these days that I’m not sure how much demand there would be for it. But I’ll never say never. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EI don’t think I’d be a lone voice in saying I would love to see it snapped up.\u0026nbsp; I know what you mean about the crowded market, but everything I’ve seen of your designs makes me believe there’s still room for at least one more sci-fi tactical hybrid!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EFinally, I’d really like to thank you for taking the time to reply to all my questions and wish you every success with all your future projects.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/1245003892560107511\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/10\/interview-with-games-designer-david.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1245003892560107511"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1245003892560107511"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/10\/interview-with-games-designer-david.html","title":"Interview with Games Designer, David Thompson"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Polydor"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/08875339847623732683"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-2931684983650812213"},"published":{"$t":"2018-08-17T01:55:00.002+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-08-17T02:13:01.752+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"boardgame"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Crowbar"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Herm Luttman"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interrogation"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interview"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mark Walker"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Rangers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"West Front"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Interview with Mark Walker"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003EMark Walker\\\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/flyingpiggames.com\/products\/crowbar-the-rangers-at-pointe-du-hoc-june-6th-1944\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ECrowbar\u003C\/a\u003E Interview Transcript\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"117\" data-original-width=\"620\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-ddYo_D35D68\/W3Yc8yZhJyI\/AAAAAAAABG4\/6l5J0l1pOYQLdFUQ-RtiyzPabyObUIvjgCLcBGAs\/s400\/9f74b68382e536baf53f9643e7550966_original.jpg\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;AWNT received a package containing two tape recordings of what appears to be the interrorga..sorry interviews, of two people. Below is the transcript of the first recording. Though not all was clear we have done our utmost to record as precisely as possible what is being said on the tape.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003EInterview of Mark Walker.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;Mark Walker first of Lock n Load boardgame fame and now the man behind \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/flyingpiggames.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EFlying Pig Games \u003C\/a\u003Eneeds little introduction within the Wargaming community. His games, mainly at the tactical scale, cover a wide range of conflicts (both historical aswell as sci-fi) are well loved and well known. This man of many gifts is also a prolific author of a genre he has made his own, it’s military fiction crossed with the supernatural.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nNow onto the transcript…\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EHello Mark, please don’t panic. Let me quickly explain. We tried, oh we tried to do this the proper way Mark. We really did. Not only did we send you an email requesting an interview we also messaged you on that facethingymajig. We waited, yes, we waited three days!! Nothing. So this was our last resort Mark. So now, all you have to do is answer a few little questions and we will put you right back where we, er, picked you up from. OK.What’s that..oh sorry \u003C\/b\u003E\u003Ci\u003E(background..”he still has tape on his mouth, take it off you cretin….”).\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cb\u003E Painful tearing sound. Sorry about that, now OK to start? One thing, just ignore the wires. You’re connected to ACME 1555 1\\3 lie detector, just so you know. OK here we go.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EName?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EUh? Mark\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E(base line stick with it)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EAge?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EAs young as I feel on any given day. In general, my wife claims that I’m a large nine-year old.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003ECurrent Location?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003ESouth-central Virginia.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EFavourite TV program?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u0026nbsp;Castle Rock\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EFavourite Music genre?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EAlternative Rock\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EFavourite band\\musician?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EPlimsouls\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EFavourite Film?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003ESucker Punch\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EFavourite period of history?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003ETomorrow\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EFavourite Superhero?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EForever Carlyle\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EFavourite colour?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E Blue over tan, like the beach.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EFavourite animal?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EDog\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003ELucky number?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E8\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EHurricane or BF109?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EP-51 Mustang. \u003C\/b\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E(clever)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EWW2 or Vietnam?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EWW3 \u003C\/b\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E(like it, leftfield)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EWerewolf or Vampire?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E Katarina \u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E(\u003Ci\u003Einteresting)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003ETactical or Operational?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003ETactical \u003C\/b\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E(me too)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EPatton or McArthur\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EPatton\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EExcellent! That’s the levels sorted, sorry I mean the, we know you better, part done.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EWhen did you first get involved with wargames and at what point did you decide to make a career out of it?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EFirst game I played was TAHGC’s Gettysburg when I was 9. Decided to make a career of it in 2006 when I opened LNLP.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EHow difficult was it to get off the mark with your first product?\u0026nbsp;Trying to get this website out there to the communities that would be interested has been the hardest part by far with regards to AWNT. I imagine trying to make a living out of your venture adds the pressure ten fold with regards to getting your name out there.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EIt was difficult. I remember the first screen shot I posted of a village in Forgotten Heroes. It was on Consimworld. Some smart ass said, “Where’s the cocktail waitress.”\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EWhat was your first successful game design?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EI’m not sure any of my designs have been successful. My first published designed was Lock ‘n Load.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003ELooking back at your game releases what if any are your standout games?\u0026nbsp;Not necessarily from a profit viewpoint but more from a personal view and why is that?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EDark War RPG, because it’s my first RPG and the game everyone wants to play when they come over to my house. Of course, Lock ‘n Load was a lot of fun too. Strange thing about that game was that it worked right away. Some games, like ’65, take quite a while to make click. I like ’65 and Night of Man because of the way they play. The card-driven mechanism makes them feel bigger, richer than a typical tactical game. And World at War? Geez but I love me some WW3 gaming.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EYour games go from historical through to WW3 horror and lots in between! Do you have a favourite with regards to the design process?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003ENot sure I understand this question, but… if you mean a favourite era\/genre, it would be military horror. Like Dog Soldiers.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/b\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E(great film)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EWhat scale is your favourite to design for? I’d love to see man vs man scale, does that scale ring your bell so to speak?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EWell, Dark War is man vs man\/woman\/beast\/demon. I guess that squad-level is my favorite scale, but platoon-level is a close second.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EWhat’s your thoughts on Solo games? Many struggle with regards to finding an opponent so solo wargames suit them. Have you thought about designing solo only boardgames?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EAlthough I didn’t design it, we have an excellent solo wargame, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kickstarter.com\/projects\/markhwalker\/crowbar-the-rangers-at-pointe-du-hoc-a-tabletop-ga\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ECrowbar! The Rangers at Pointe du Hoc, on Kickstarter right now.\u003C\/a\u003E I like solo wargames, or I guess that I mean that I like the idea of solo wargames, but I find it difficult to find time to solo game. It’s when I get together with friends that I make myself sit down and game.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EWhen did you first come across \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/flyingpiggames.com\/products\/crowbar-the-rangers-at-pointe-du-hoc-june-6th-1944\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EHerm Luttman and the Crowbar! Tabletop game\u003C\/a\u003E?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EI’ve known Herm for a few years. He suggested \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/flyingpiggames.com\/products\/crowbar-the-rangers-at-pointe-du-hoc-june-6th-1944\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ECrowbar!\u003C\/a\u003E To me and I said, not yes, but hell yes. If Herm designed a game about dog poop, I’d publish it. Fortunately, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/flyingpiggames.com\/products\/crowbar-the-rangers-at-pointe-du-hoc-june-6th-1944\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ECrowbar!\u003C\/a\u003E Isn’t about dog poop, it’s an immersive game about the Ranger’s assault on Pointe du Hoc. It’s a push-your-luck type game. The longer and harder you push your luck, the greater the chance for a big fall\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EThe KickStarter has done extremely well. How pleased are you and Herm about how successful it’s been?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EVery pleased and I think there is a good chance to unlock more stretch goals as we approach the finish. It’s exciting stuff.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EAs mentioned earlier I have an interest in Solo wargames and for me there is always room for solo tactical wargame. What was it about \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kickstarter.com\/projects\/markhwalker\/crowbar-the-rangers-at-pointe-du-hoc-a-tabletop-ga\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ECrowbar! \u003C\/a\u003EThat grabbed your attention? Did the Solo aspect\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003Ehave any say?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EI love the way that Herm puts story into his games. I had played In Magnificent Style and I loved the game.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EWill we see expansions or new standalone releases? If so I do hope we get to play as the Germans..pref in Stalingrad pretty please?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003ESure, there are expansions included in the Kickstarter, and yes you get to play as the Germans. 😊 \u003C\/b\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003E(colour me excited!)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EDO you have any tactical advice for the future players of Crowbar?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003EDon’t push your luck too far! 😊\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003EFinally it’s been a pleasure speaking with you, Just sit tight I’m sure the good men about to burst in are now expert at untying people strapped to a chair..\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E(\u003Ci\u003Eloud smash\u003C\/i\u003E) \u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #990000;\"\u003Ebeen tickety bo..must dash..bye…\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Ci\u003E(sounds of footsteps and cursing fades into distance. Possibly Marks voice thanking someone and something about unhinged and need treatment..tape ends)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003ECrowbar the tabletop game has just had a very successful \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kickstarter.com\/projects\/markhwalker\/crowbar-the-rangers-at-pointe-du-hoc-a-tabletop-ga\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EKickstarter.\u003C\/a\u003E I highly recommend you go check it out. Mark hasn't let us down yet, and he hasn't dropped the ball on this one either!\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EGood luck to Herm and Mark!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EComing soon Herm Luttmans interrogation!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/2931684983650812213\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/08\/interview-with-mark-walker.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2931684983650812213"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2931684983650812213"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/08\/interview-with-mark-walker.html","title":"Interview with Mark Walker"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Jason Rimmer"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/11422897378271126789"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-ddYo_D35D68\/W3Yc8yZhJyI\/AAAAAAAABG4\/6l5J0l1pOYQLdFUQ-RtiyzPabyObUIvjgCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/9f74b68382e536baf53f9643e7550966_original.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-8532328237660642923"},"published":{"$t":"2018-03-31T17:11:00.003+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-03-31T17:11:45.992+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Agrippa Maxentius"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interview"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"An Interview with Agrippa Maxentius"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-yg6ua0UWBJk\/Wr-osUB_VbI\/AAAAAAAAAlk\/DdRTGr6hZMYK0cTdHIM8lQkiLzTNCOKlgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/photo.jpg\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-yg6ua0UWBJk\/Wr-osUB_VbI\/AAAAAAAAAlk\/DdRTGr6hZMYK0cTdHIM8lQkiLzTNCOKlgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/photo.jpg\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EToday I'm happy to share an interview I had with Kevin Buster, who you will likely recognize as Agrippa Maxentius from his prolific \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/AgrippaMaxentius\/featured\"\u003EYoutube channel\u003C\/a\u003E where he posts gameplay videos of numerous war and strategy games.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETell us a bit about your background, what led you into playing so many wargames and other historically themed games?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EYou know, since I was a young child \"about 4\" I was obsessed with strategy in general. My family made regular trips from the U.S to Portugal and I remember the former airline \"TWA\" had diagrams of maps in all of their on-board magazines. I remember taking pens and drawing potential \"alternative history\" countries and leading fictional armies to attack one another. At about the age of 8 my father got a PC and I discovered \"Panzer General\" and \"Civil War Generals 2\" I was completely hooked. I had always been partial to history, and remember watching \"The Longest Day\" over and over at a young age, I must have seen that film 30 or 40 times. I  enjoy the genre, I see it on a sort of \"Grander\" scale and often find myself actually imagining how my attacks would look in real life, or how for instance a fictional country I am leading in a Grand Strategy Title would be, how daily life would be for the civilians etc. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhy the name Agrippa Maxentius? Is it in reference to a particular historical figure or figures?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMy favorite \"Military\" figure was always Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, particularly because he was loyal to no end, but also because he was of fairly common blood and still managed to achieve an extremely high position in his field. Sadly this name was taken, so I went for the whole Jungian duality of my most loved General \"Agrippa\" and my most hated Roman emperor \"Maxentius\". If I had a nickel for every time someone referred to me as Agrippa \"Maximus\" I'd be a rich man. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ciframe allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4bC2oih7OmI\" width=\"560\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETell us the story of how you got your start in making videos and how that has progressed over time.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhen I was fairly young my family moved up to New York and I ended up joining a high school that specifically focused on Drama, Musical Theater etc. I found myself getting a lot of roles and soon started doing some commercials, student films and theater work at a pretty young age, but soon lost interest and sort of just drifted around not doing much for a few years. I remember sitting down with a friend and watching \"Krebs\" on YouTube, a fellow that did let's plays of \"Company of Heroes\" matches and I really enjoyed them. It didn't click at first, but after a year or so I decided to mix my drama background and my interest in such games, I figured \"I can do this if I try hard enough\". After that, I started getting paid for my voice work and so in the end I considered it a good trade. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EYou’ve covered a ton of historical periods, what is your favorite?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EDefinitely the Cold War, particularly the conflicts in Angola both pre and post colonial. The Vietnam War is also a big deal to me, my father was a 1st Lieutenant in the 577 Corps of Engineers so I think I got that interest from him. I'd also have to say the period in between WW1 and WW2, particularly the Spanish Civil War. The 20th century in general is definitely my favorite time period for conflicts. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhile we’re on the topic of favorites, do you have a particular game or series that you enjoy above all others?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThere are so many great games out there, for me to narrow it down to one single game would really be a travesty. I can certainly give some games that come to my mind as the most accurate depictions of war, or a war like environment but admittedly these all come with their own positives\/negatives. (Graviteam Tactics, Decisive Campaigns Operation Barbarossa, Ultimate General Civil War) truth be told this list could go on for quite a bit. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ciframe allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GkIhWgtSWJ0\" width=\"560\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EHow do you decide which games you will do videos on? Is it a matter of personal preference or which game you think will be more popular?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThat's a great question, especially with the way YouTube is changing and seemingly disallowing advertisements for videos that focus on controversial subjects. Initially I started the channel as a hardcore strategy channel, that is to say we didn't stray from controversial wars and conflicts and in many ways we continue not to. I have tried to go for some more mainstream strategy games, but the community is nowhere near as receptive as with the more hardcore titles \"Graviteam Tactics, Close Combat, Tank Warfare Tunisia 1943\". Ideally i'd like to draw in a more mainstream audience with a well known title and slowly convert them to pure wargaming, but the experiment has been spotty at best.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EI know that Youtube has made a lot of changes in the recent past that shook up things for content creators. Could you tell us more about how those changes have affected you and your channel?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI would say that the changes made especially initially affected smaller wargamers like myself very significantly. I saw an immediate hit to my income, dropping about 50% as most of my videos were deemed \"Not Advertiser Friendly\" after requesting a review copy most of these videos have been reinstated, but that leads me to ask the question \"Why were they demonetized in the first place?\" The problem still continues, and since I get most of my video views in the first 24 hours, even after the video has been \"Deemed advertiser friendly\" I've lost most if not all the revenue I could have claimed for it. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ciframe allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hdxV-KliaFs\" width=\"560\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat does your weekly schedule look like? I know plenty of our readers would love to get paid to play games all day. Is it more work than one might imagine?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EGenerally speaking one major benefit to being a Youtuber or working for yourself is having the ability to pick your own work hours. That sounds a lot better than it actually is. On a productive day I'll typically wake up and read the news, occasionally I'll crank up a documentary relating to a conflict in the past and try and generate some ideas for a new series. There are a ton of videos that I have put 1-2 hours of work into and then simply scrapped, so generally when you're seeing 10 minutes on screen you have to keep in mind the many hours snipped away during the editing process. YouTube is a lot of work, people don't understand the difficulty in trying to play a game and provide entertaining commentary at the same exact time. Your brain is working overtime, and trying to multitask while struggling with all of the conflicting information. You may be in the middle of a fight, discussing a similar conflict that occurred during the actual war when suddenly an enemy tank shell rips through your men. What do you do now, do you suddenly put your story on hold and focus on the action, do you switch to the action and potentially risk forgetting the story you were just telling moments ago? Then comes the editing, initially I found editing to be a real pain but as with most things, over time it just becomes a small part of the overall process. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAs for those wishing to get their main paycheck from YouTube I would only say \"Have a second job, and be prepared for a long and arduous road that may or may not lead anywhere\". \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAre there any mediums that you have used to reach people besides video? Have you done written articles or podcasts or anything else?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI've done a number of voice work bits, primarily commercial voice work for larger companies. I haven't merged into any other areas as of yet but I would certainly like to. I'm not sure I would be very adept at a \"History\" podcast, to be honest with you I often learn a lot more from my subscribers than you can even begin to imagine. I would however love to narrate a historical novel of some sort in audiobook form, and I am always open to a fun podcast with fellow strategy gamers. I tend not to take myself too seriously, if I make a mistake I'll often laugh at myself for it, and despite my mistakes I am not too critical of myself. Overall I think the goal is to have fun, and to entertain people while doing it. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERegarding your commercial voice work, where might we have heard some of it?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI've done a number of the trailers for the Order of Battle series, Burma Road and Kriegsmarine come to mind, but these aren't the only ones. I've also done tutorials for \"Wars of Napoleon\" \"Carrier Deck\" as well as \"Battle of the Bulge\" most of which can be accessed in game, many of these if not all can be found on YouTube. Outside of Slitherine I have done voice work for Franks Deli Mustard, Delta and even Coreg heart medicine. Most of these played on radio stations in the American Northeast, I have the files but no link to any sort of radio station clip. If anyone is interested, you can always reach me at agrippamaxentius@gmail.com and I can shoot you over my commercial demo reel. I continue to provide streaming services as well but haven't put the same focus into finding voice gigs as I have into building the channel, however I am always open or business and do plan on furthering that career. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESo, you worked directly for Slitherine for a while, now you're back out on your own. What was that like and how does it feel to be independent again?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThis is true, I worked as the Public Relations Manager for Slitherine and now work independently from home, however I still have a close relationship with the company and continue to produce streams for them as well as provide tutorials\/voice work whenever needed. Slitherine\/Matrix will always have a special place in my heart, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time working at the company and consider it a valuable learning experience. I think anytime you move from an office environment to a home office environment there are going to be a certain degree of positives and negatives, at home you have a degree of freedom which can't be found in an office, but at the same time you aren't surrounded by a team of professionals who are capable of assisting you when you are having a work-related issue. Also the staff at companies like Slitherine are just the best, that includes the management, being in a work environment with people who share similar interests is always rewarding. Money wise, unless you give it a lot of time and effort do not expect to be pulling in a larger check by working for yourself, a lot more work for a lot less gain if you go the independent route. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThis question is a bit heavier, but it's something I ponder for myself from time to time, so I'm always interested to hear another person's take on it: We have fun playing games that depict conflicts where real people died in awful ways, and countless survivors came home scarred by the things they saw and did. Do you ever feel conflicted about this juxtaposition of experiences?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ENo, not at all, not for a moment. I do feel that the juxtaposition Is an important one to consider, without a doubt most wargamers have reflected on this in the past. We have to be able to differentiate between venerating war and outright promoting it. I feel that reflecting and being entertained by re-living these wars in a virtual world is very different from actually wanting to be in them. One thing that helped me come to terms with depicting recent conflicts are the many subscribers on my channel who are current or ex-military veterans, who assure me that they appreciate the content I provide. I do my absolute best to present a gray picture of war in all the content I provide, simplistic terms like \"Good Guys\/Bad Guys\" have no place in most wars, if anything I believe wargames help to educate people about the horrors of war. Context is also important, if you're passing on wargaming as a hobby to your children for instance, make sure to provide relevant context about the conflict they are fighting, reassure them that a game is one thing, but real conflict is entirely different. This is such a fascinating question and I really could go on and on about it but I think I have made my point. For the record I do find war to be abhorrent and something that should be avoided if at all possible. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat games are coming up this year that you can’t wait to play?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E“We: The Revolution\" and hopefully the upcoming Close Combat just off the top of my head.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ciframe allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/R7uRJeT83wc\" width=\"560\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat are your short and long term goals for you channel? \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EShort term I would love to get some more ideas for strategy titles to take on, and in general just get a feel for what people really want to see. While I get most of my views from certain games, once you play the same game over and over your commentary tends to become quite stale and you end up running out of topics to discuss. My dream would be to find a more mainstream strategy game that really generates enough interest to draw in larger groups of people to the channel, but also one that the hardcore wargamers can enjoy. Long term I would obviously love to become one of the premier strategy channels on YouTube, as big as legends like Arumba and Quill18. If I was able to generate those views my goal would be to give a percentage of that income to either charities helping disabled military veterans, or children affected by war. Lastly I want my more obscure and controversial coverage of conflicts such as the \"Chechen War\" to not only be sources of entertainment, but perhaps also assist in educating people about wars they may have never even heard about. If anything I think the worst thing we can do to the fallen is forget about them entirely. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThank you for your time Kevin, this was a really interesting niche of the hobby to learn more about! \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EIf you are interested in seeing more of Kevin’s work head over to his Youtube channel \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/AgrippaMaxentius\/featured\"\u003Eby simply clicking this link\u003C\/a\u003E. He adds new videos on a regular basis, playing a variety of great games!\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/8532328237660642923\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/03\/an-interview-with-agrippa-maxentius.html#comment-form","title":"5 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8532328237660642923"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8532328237660642923"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/03\/an-interview-with-agrippa-maxentius.html","title":"An Interview with Agrippa Maxentius"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-yg6ua0UWBJk\/Wr-osUB_VbI\/AAAAAAAAAlk\/DdRTGr6hZMYK0cTdHIM8lQkiLzTNCOKlgCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/photo.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"5"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-7632878613135704686"},"published":{"$t":"2017-10-12T15:55:00.001+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-10-12T15:55:57.655+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interview"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"INTERVIEW WITH DESIGNER \u0026 GAMES PRODUCER TRISTAN HALL "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003EINTERVIEW WITH DESIGNER \u0026amp; GAMES PRODUCER TRISTAN HALL\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/cf.geekdo-images.com\/images\/pic1323443_md.jpg\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"left\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cu\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u003Csub\u003E\u003C\/sub\u003E\u003Csup\u003E\u003C\/sup\u003E\u003Cstrike\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strike\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"left\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOur designer in creative mood \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E... or has he just spotted the tarantula on the ceiling?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E[A few months ago I was unfortunately away on holiday when Tristan Hall came to my local games store (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.wargamesuk.co.uk\/\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EWargames\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Southport) on its club night to demo his latest game design, \u003Ci\u003ETears For Many Mothers.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/i\u003EMore recently his own family commitments meant that the hoped for opportunity to meet and game with him at a local twice yearly gaming event went out the window.\u0026nbsp; So, thankfully there is at least the good \"old\" internet which gave me this opportunity at least to pose some of the questions that I'd hoped to ask face to face.]\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000025; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe obvious and easy starter is - what was your path into the gaming world?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000025; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: large;\"\u003EI always played board games as a kid, even when the rest of the family wasn't interested, I'd find ways to change the rules and play games solo if I had to.\u0026nbsp; But the first game that really blew my tiny mind was HeroQuest, which arrived one Christmas in my childhood.\u0026nbsp; The miniatures, furniture, dungeons, adventures and everything that game promised was everything I'd dreamed of at the time.\u0026nbsp; Of course, it's a little dated now.\u0026nbsp; I went on a hiatus from gaming in my teens and early twenties, but after I got married and settled down I rediscovered the hobby after finding the \u003Ci\u003EArkham Horror\u003C\/i\u003E board game in some murky corner of the internet a decade ago.\u0026nbsp; Since then I've collected hundreds of board and card games and never looked back -\u0026nbsp; a gamer for life!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003EDo you consider yourself more of a wargamer or more of a Eurogamer and why?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000025; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000037; font-size: large;\"\u003EI love both, but I think that the most compelling thing for me in any game is the theme - that's what keeps me coming back.\u0026nbsp; Agricola is a beautifully designed game and I enjoy playing it, but if I have to choose between medieval farming and wiping the world clear of the freefolk with my armies of orcs, I'm generally going to lean towards the latter.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E[I'll take that to be a\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003Enod towards being more of a wargamer!] \u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EThat said, there is an elegance that deeply appeals to me and my favourite games tend to be those that merge elegant mechanics with a cool theme, like \u003Ci\u003EEclipse\u003C\/i\u003E and \u003Ci\u003EArchipelago\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003EWhich games stand out for you on the way to deciding to design and produce your first game, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.boardgamegeek.com\/boardgame\/98527\/gloom-kilforth-fantasy-quest-game\"\u003EGloom of Kilforth\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000025; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: large;\"\u003EI hold Vlaada Chvati [\u003Ci\u003EThrough The Ages\u003C\/i\u003E and \u003Ci\u003EMage Knight\u003C\/i\u003E - two of my all time favourite games] in high esteem and Richard Hamblen's \u003Ci\u003EMagic Realm\u003C\/i\u003E breaks my brain just thinking about it and the ideas that these guys have developed into fully fledged beautiful games are an inspiration.\u0026nbsp; But generally I start with the theme and then try to imagine what mechanics best help deliver that narrative experience.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003EWhat were some of the other influences and reasons that led you to design and produce your first game, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kickstarter.com\/projects\/tristanhall\/gloom-of-kilforth-a-fantasy-quest-game-1-4-heroes\"\u003EGloom of Kilforth\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EI wanted the experience of playing\u003Ci\u003E Dungeons \u0026amp; Dragons\u003C\/i\u003E, but didn't have the time or the inclination to pour through all the books, nor a regular group who would commit to an epic campaign.\u0026nbsp; So I tried to distil my favourite game elements and narrative vignettes from my favourite D\u0026amp;D campaigns and tunnel it down into one evening's play time.\u0026nbsp; At the time there was nothing else on the market that offered this because every fantasy adventure game was about killing monsters and stealing their treasure.\u0026nbsp; I wanted to experience the joy of exploration, meeting strange characters along the road and turning them into friends [or nemeses], going on cool quests, discovering ancient shrines and hidden temples, and then, yes, a little bit of monster-killin' an' treasure huntin' too.\u0026nbsp; To that end, I'm really satisfied with how \u003Ci\u003EGloom of Kilforth\u003C\/i\u003E turned out.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003ETell us something of the trials and tribulations of being both a game's designer and its producer.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000025;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000037;\"\u003EThe buck stops with you, so you are responsible for every decision and not every single decision will please every single person, especially when you're supported by thousands of individual backers worldwide. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E[\u003Ci\u003EGloom of Kilforth\u003C\/i\u003E, like so many games today, was a Kickstarter project, as is its coming 2nd edition.] \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EIf someone else lets you down, it's also on you to take the lumps.\u0026nbsp; And crowdfunding is a very public platform so every decision you make is scrutinised for everyone to see, which can be hugely daunting.\u0026nbsp; But it's also hugely liberating and rewarding at the same time - whilst the backers have to trust you and what you're working to achieve, you're not beholden to the whims of external producers or publishing companies who have lots of other games to consume their attention alongside yours.\u0026nbsp; So you get to devote yourself entirely to your own creative projects and do everything you can to make them the best they can be for yourself and for the gaming community.\u0026nbsp; If you nurture your community so that they support you too, you develop this incredible symbiotic relationship where you can create beautiful things together. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E[If you've seen anything of the art work for \u003Ci\u003EGloom of Kilforth\u003C\/i\u003E, I think you will know what Tristan means and how top-notch it is in this field.*]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #b00000;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003EAmong your many decisions as the designer, why fantasy for your theme and why purely a card-based game?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EI love card games, because you can put beautiful art \u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E[see above\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E*]\u003C\/span\u003E on the cards and build fantastic narratives through the images and through the gameplay... and while I love many different genres, fantasy has always been my favourite since I first saw Ralph Bakshi's \u003Ci\u003ELord of The Rings\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E [the first - animated - attempt to put Tolkien's epic on the movie screen in 1978]\u003C\/span\u003E when I was a kid.\u0026nbsp; There followed a series of pivotal childhood moments - picking up the Fighting Fantasy book \u003Ci\u003EIsland of The Lizard King \u003C\/i\u003Efrom a charity shop because of the front cover, finding the D\u0026amp;D red box at a school sale and finally joining an RPG club at the local YMCA - that sealed the deal on my being a geek forever!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #b00000;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003EIs there a particular group of gamers or games club that have helped you with playtesting?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EThe gaming community on boardgamegeek has been immensely helpful over the years.\u0026nbsp; For example,\u0026nbsp; I tinkered with some scenarios for the D\u0026amp;D Adventure System games and built some adventures for the Lord of The Rings: The Card Game LCG that had tens of thousands of downloads and loads of positive feedback, which really helped me believe I could create something of my own from the ground up.\u0026nbsp; When I mentioned that that's what I was doing gamers from all over the world\u0026nbsp; started asking if they could play-test it and their feedback and support has helped shape \u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EGloom of Kilforth\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E into what it is today. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E[Yes, I think this benefit of comment from so many outside sources comes out clearly, as sometimes in-house products can suffer from the fact that a group of play-testers are so familiar with the product en route.]\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EThe same thing happened with my current, second game, \u003Ci\u003E1066, Tears to Many Mothers\u003C\/i\u003E, which went down really well with the community and has started to pick up award nominations even before it has even been published.\u0026nbsp; Also, the Playtest UK guys at UK games Expo were very helpful too.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003EPersonally, I discovered and was drawn to seek out \u003Ci\u003EGloom of Kilforth\u003C\/i\u003E after being hooked by the Kickstarter for your current design, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.boardgamegeek.com\/boardgame\/155122\/1066-tears-many-mothers\"\u003ETears to Many Mothers\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E.\u0026nbsp; Here you've turned directly to history and the almost legendary, but little gamed, Battle of Hastings.\u0026nbsp; What took you in this direction for your second design and why the title you chose for it?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000025; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000037; font-size: large;\"\u003EWhilst a sequel to \u003Ci\u003EGloom of Kilforth\u003C\/i\u003E would have been the path of least resistance, I was determined to prove that I'm not a one-trick pony, so I wanted to make a completely different design and a 1-2 player head to head card game seemed like a great fit for an historical battle game.\u0026nbsp; The Battle of Hastings has always fascinated me- and no doubt thousands of other British school kids - since we were taught about it at school.\u0026nbsp; The events leading up to the battle were momentous and the outcome obviously had its impact on English history\u0026nbsp; for hundreds of years afterwards.\u0026nbsp; Both sides were so perfectly matched on the battlefield that it could have gone either way at any given moment.\u0026nbsp; The tragic story of King Harold, one of England's potentially most powerful kings, living out one of the shortest reigns and falling in brutal battle is utterly compelling too.\u0026nbsp; Capturing that narrative via the medium of a card game was too tempting an opportunity to resist.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000037; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000037; font-size: large;\"\u003EI also considered how cool it would be if, instead of memorising the statistics of a Pikachu or a Shivan Dragon when playing card games, what if they took away a little bit of history with them after playing too?\u0026nbsp; So, every single card represented in the game is based on a person, story or event from the time of the Battle of Hastings, even down to pulling character names from the Domesday Book.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000055; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000085; font-size: large;\"\u003EAnd that very unusual title.\u0026nbsp; What's the story behind that?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000013; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000019; font-size: large;\"\u003EAh well, the title comes from a strange quotation I came across. In April of 1066 Hailey's comet was in its perihelion orbit and writers at the time said it was four times the size of Venus and shining with a light equal to a quarter of that of the Moon. Many thought it was an evil omen - including the aged monk, Eilmer, of Malmesbury Abbey, who wrote of the event:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000037; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000037; font-size: large;\"\u003E\"You've come, have you? - You've come, you source of tears \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000037; font-size: large;\"\u003Eto many mothers.\u0026nbsp; It is long since I saw you, but as I see you\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E \u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000037; font-size: large;\"\u003Enow you are much more terrible, for I see you brandishing\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E \u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000037; font-size: large;\"\u003Ethe downfall of my country.\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000055; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000037; font-size: large;\"\u003EWhich is where we get the title of the game.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000055; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000085; font-size: large;\"\u003EIn giving us some details of this game, other than the change from fantasy to history, what would you say are the major differences in your two designs?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000013; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000019; font-size: large;\"\u003EThey are very different - but, in a nutshell:\u0026nbsp; \u003Ci\u003EGloom of Kilforth\u003C\/i\u003E is an epic, sprawling, fantasy adventure game for 1-4 players with dice and hundreds of cards and tokens that can be played solo, competitively or cooperatively and takes about 50 minutes per player.\u0026nbsp; It delivers an immersive role-playing experience, whereas \u003Ci\u003E1066, Tears to Many Mothers\u003C\/i\u003E is a 1-2 player competitive card game that dynamically re-imagines the historical Battle of Hastings and can be played on your lunch break.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003EAnd, inevitably, my final question has to be what next when once we have \u003Ci\u003E1066, Tears to Many Mothers\u003C\/i\u003E in our hands?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000025; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ELifeform\u003C\/i\u003E - alien terror in space with superstar designer Mark Chaplin\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000037;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ESublime Dark\u003C\/i\u003E -\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000037;\"\u003E horror card game with campaign play\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000055; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ETouch of Death: A Fantasy Quest Game\u003C\/i\u003E - the stand-alone expansion-sequel to \u003Ci\u003EGloom of Kilforth\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E1565, St. Elmo's Pay\u003C\/i\u003E \u003Ci\u003E- \u003C\/i\u003Ethe stand-alone expansion-sequel to \u003Ci\u003E1066, TtMM\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAnd the list goes on - we have such sights to show you...\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000025; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003EThanks, Tristan, for taking the time to answer all my questions in such depth and detail.\u0026nbsp; AWNT obviously wishes you continued success with all your projects and I hope that it won't be too long before I have the chance to meet up for some real ftf gaming.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ETo whet you're appetite further, I shall be reviewing \u003Ci\u003EGloom of Kilforth\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Ein the coming weeks and showing you something of the superb art work mentioned here.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000037; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000037; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #000085; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/h2\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/7632878613135704686\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/10\/interview-with-designer-games-producer.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/7632878613135704686"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/7632878613135704686"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/10\/interview-with-designer-games-producer.html","title":"INTERVIEW WITH DESIGNER \u0026 GAMES PRODUCER TRISTAN HALL "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Mike Wall"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/00412103694827166164"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-4538123319142065388"},"published":{"$t":"2017-08-20T19:55:00.001+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-08-20T20:00:16.450+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Afghanistan"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Carrier Deck"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Every Single Soldier"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interview"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Vietnam"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Interview with Johan Nagel from Every Single Soldier"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-QkN3tLhMlJQ\/WZnRQszW8SI\/AAAAAAAAAZk\/geh2lgE5hiEwj3WCKVRc6y8tk2Djp-2rACLcBGAs\/s1600\/1456744679.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"73\" data-original-width=\"250\" height=\"116\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-QkN3tLhMlJQ\/WZnRQszW8SI\/AAAAAAAAAZk\/geh2lgE5hiEwj3WCKVRc6y8tk2Djp-2rACLcBGAs\/s400\/1456744679.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EToday I have a special treat, an interview with Johan Nagel, founder of Every Single Soldier, a studio which has brought us several high quality games in the last few years. Vietnam '65, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/03\/afghanistan-11.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EAfghanistan '11\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/06\/carrier-deck-review.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ECarrier Deck\u003C\/a\u003E. He discussed with me the past, present, and future of his company. Enjoy!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAWNT: Tell us a bit about yourself, what was the path that led you into playing wargames and eventually into producing your own games?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI come from a military family, my father was a submariner, my brother an officer in the Army Special Forces and I was a Lieutenant in the South African Marines. I have been playing wargames and generally all sorts of board games since my early teens. I started with Squad Leader and progressed from there. I decided to leave the military as we were always going to win the battle war but lose the political war.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI am a lawyer by degree and went into banking, all the while keeping my interest in military history and especially strategy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EVietnam '65 was actually designed and played on a Commodore 64 (GWBasic) and then later on PC (using the Operation Flashpoint editor) as finding an opponent was always a challenge, especially with such a small community in South Africa.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EA few years ago I decided to actually publish V65 and thoroughly enjoyed the whole process from design to actual development and decided to make banking part time and making military games full time.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAWNT: Could you tell us about the founding of Every Single Soldier? Did you and your team have a clear vision of what kind of games you wanted to make from Day 1?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"gmail_quote\" style=\"border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"gmail_quote\"\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"gmail_quote\" style=\"border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"gmail_extra\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"gmail_quote\"\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"gmail_quote\" style=\"border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"m_-2138663704031936298m_5393059152818520376m_-2627477000648570599h5\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"gmail_quote\"\u003E\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"gmail_quote\" style=\"border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan id=\"m_-2138663704031936298m_5393059152818520376m_-2627477000648570599m_-2540423367251084914m_3525877875417093096gmail-docs-internal-guid-d4b00efe-bde2-65d1-4dc1-14a7c369b9ab\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan id=\"m_-2138663704031936298m_5393059152818520376m_-2627477000648570599m_-2540423367251084914m_3525877875417093096gmail-docs-internal-guid-d4b00efe-bde2-65d1-4dc1-14a7c369b9ab\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan id=\"m_-2138663704031936298m_5393059152818520376m_-2627477000648570599m_-2540423367251084914m_3525877875417093096gmail-docs-internal-guid-d4b00efe-bde2-65d1-4dc1-14a7c369b9ab\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EESS is actually just myself, I design, finance and produce the titles, all outsourced to studios both locally and internationally. ESS was actually created in the early 90's and was another military hobby of mine, casting and painting military chess sets and Anglo-Boer war artillery sets. Literally, every single soldier was handcrafted and painted by me, hence Every Single Soldier. I just kept the brand.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003EI always wanted to make games post WW2, I have played every battle in WW2 so many times I gravitated to modern conflicts , especially\u0026nbsp;counter insurgency wars, having served in the SADF in the Angola border wars in the mid 80's. I was always very interested in the Vietnam war, partly because of the counter insurgency nature and the fascination with the development of airmobile warfare.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-gZZMHBr8q_4\/WZnZHvDkRCI\/AAAAAAAAAZ4\/jSNccSSnqtw8fQ4fK2tsz8aqHEgjOeNCwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/9095858_orig.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"479\" data-original-width=\"736\" height=\"260\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-gZZMHBr8q_4\/WZnZHvDkRCI\/AAAAAAAAAZ4\/jSNccSSnqtw8fQ4fK2tsz8aqHEgjOeNCwCLcBGAs\/s400\/9095858_orig.jpg\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003EAWNT: Is there a dream game you would like to make one day, that you simply don’t have the resources for right now?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFortunately after a successful 20 year career in banking, I have the resources to make the games I really want to without the fear of not being able to pay the bills :)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI have so many games I would like to make, it's a matter of priority and finding the resources to make them that's the challenge.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMaking games about the South African conflicts both in the 19th and 20th century doesn't make immediate economic sense but are what I really want to create, but [I] will save them for later, leaving the best for last, as I learn the trade of making and publishing games.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003EAWNT: What was the inspiration for Vietnam ‘65, specifically in terms of making a game that wasn’t just about combat, but required the player to focus on the Hearts and Minds aspect of the conflict?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe traditional, conventional wargame methodology of building up your army, crossing a border and then destroying your opponent was becoming a bit stale for me as well as being a model that could never realistically model modern conflicts. Not only did I experience counter insurgency war first hand, but have studied it, and the hearts and minds of the local population had to be a factor in the new model. Also a war without borders, Intel taking center stage and political objectives needed a new model. V65 was really a baby step in this direction, A11 expanded on it adding many new levels of complexity, it [is] still a part of the journey, there is a lot that can be added to the future.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-GI1Xfs2fWZQ\/WZnZi83q2SI\/AAAAAAAAAZ8\/fXeZ96yvmUgBXifW9BUNPvAS46oCk37YwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Game%2BIn%2Bprogress%2B3.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"618\" data-original-width=\"1100\" height=\"358\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-GI1Xfs2fWZQ\/WZnZi83q2SI\/AAAAAAAAAZ8\/fXeZ96yvmUgBXifW9BUNPvAS46oCk37YwCLcBGAs\/s640\/Game%2BIn%2Bprogress%2B3.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003EAWNT: After developing Vietnam ‘65, how close was the original design to the final result?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPretty close, but the original V65 (1990) had a lot more elements and was also played on a strategic map but then the player could assume the actual FPS character of any action at any time, thanks to the great Operation Flashpoint Editor, I still view this as the best version of the game :)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe hard part was deciding what to leave out and how to keep as much simplicity in the model whilst capturing the essence of the conflict.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003EAWNT: After Vietnam ‘65, what led you to choose Afghanistan as the next conflict to explore with this system?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAfghanistan was a natural choice following Vietnam, the parallels are very apparent, albeit the terrain very different. This also gave me the opportunity to include elements left out of V65, for example the whole nation building (Vietnamization policy), political variables (elections and global events) etc.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-jMCesOfSCAg\/WZnZEEkC0BI\/AAAAAAAAAZ0\/lx3qbQf10dEgVoDSnS_mhFIM05lbbvvAgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/1481136527.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"252\" data-original-width=\"446\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-jMCesOfSCAg\/WZnZEEkC0BI\/AAAAAAAAAZ0\/lx3qbQf10dEgVoDSnS_mhFIM05lbbvvAgCLcBGAs\/s400\/1481136527.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003EAWNT: Was there any feedback that Afghanistan was too recent of a conflict to turn into a game?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ESurprisingly\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;no negative feedback on any scale was received, we had no more than a few posts in a few threads , so was very happy about that. I took great care to ensure the credibility and authenticity of the conflict was properly represented, being ex military myself I understand this, and had constant input from a number of serving US Army officers and NCO's throughout the process. The feedback for vets and serving has been overwhelmingly positive and this has really been the most gratifying part of the whole process.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003EAWNT: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAfghanistan ‘11 expanded upon most of the mechanics in Vietnam ‘65. Were there any features or mechanics that you wanted to add but didn’t make the cut for whatever reason?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003ESo A11 was an opportunity to evolve\u0026nbsp;the model but certain elements were left out, mostly to keep the evolution of the model at a steady pace, as the model has a relatively steep learning curve and we need to keep this in mind when trying to get a larger audience.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe civilian population and the subsequent interactions with them needs expanding, Intel needs to become more 'nuanced', unit experience needs to play a larger role.\u0026nbsp; The tactical part of the game, etc.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-FHfQCwIt74k\/WL5IrLVxOHI\/AAAAAAAAAQE\/Lpl6uNDZOMQcOATbCDyDUXdTW4x9rRU2ACPcBGAYYCw\/s1600\/20170306232036_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-FHfQCwIt74k\/WL5IrLVxOHI\/AAAAAAAAAQE\/Lpl6uNDZOMQcOATbCDyDUXdTW4x9rRU2ACPcBGAYYCw\/s640\/20170306232036_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003EAWNT: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAre you familiar with the COIN series of board games from GMT Games? The games Fire in the Lake and A Distant Plain are similar in some respects to Vietnam ‘65 and Afghanistan ‘11, respectively. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EVery familiar with the series, in fact, I contacted them a while back offering to take the series to the computer realm, time will tell.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EEnjoy the series as it too is abstracted, just like my games are.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003EAWNT: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAfter visiting Afghanistan and Vietnam, what is the next stop in this series?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-size: large;\"\u003ERight now we are porting A11 to the iPad, then we will be publishing the British Army DLC for A11, new vehicles, campaign, uniform etc.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-size: large;\"\u003EThereafter we are planning a USMC DLC and finally an ISAF \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-size: large;\"\u003EDLC which would include a few vehicles from most of the top contributors to the conflict.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe potential for future stops could include an ISIS adaption and our very own Angola Bush war :)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003EAWNT:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003EWhat was the spark that led to Carrier Deck? While still war-themed, it is a very different sort of game from your other titles.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003EAs mentioned earlier, my interest in game development is not linear to counter insurgency wars, I have a number of game designs that have been 'percolating' in my head for many years, I was always interested in the battle of Midway and especially the finding and destroying opposing carriers. This coupled with my preferred style of making abstracted games as opposed to purely historically accurate games and that I prefer developing systems rather that recreating events in my game designs, CD was born. It's perfect for a game, it is process driven, involves awesome tech and is relevant.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-0iZ3F0PdPjU\/WU_Cf24VHnI\/AAAAAAAAAW8\/V-dOdQJ9zpc7r53oQ4CGiLd4C63Gz6X5gCPcBGAYYCw\/s1600\/Desktop%2B06.24.2017%2B-%2B23.34.30.05.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-0iZ3F0PdPjU\/WU_Cf24VHnI\/AAAAAAAAAW8\/V-dOdQJ9zpc7r53oQ4CGiLd4C63Gz6X5gCPcBGAYYCw\/s640\/Desktop%2B06.24.2017%2B-%2B23.34.30.05.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003EAWNT: Do you have plans for more light, fast paced games in the vein of Carrier Deck?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003EIndeed I do, currently in development is His Majesty's Ship (HMS), completely different to all my previous games. Being raised as a Navy child, Captaining a ship was always going to be a boyhood dream. Once again, looking for a game that catch the's essence of commanding a vessel has proved hard to find, most 18th century games currently focus on 'sailing around your opponent trying to discharge cannons', similar to the traditional WW2 games where you stack your infantry ( Stregth 5 ) + armor (strength 8) and attack the enemy infantry (strength 4) apply modifiers etc, this is so not my type of game! I have played them to death and rather prefer to try capture the essence of the theater, including logistics, morale, etc. in an abstracted form. I create systems as opposed to outcomes, and when I get that unintended\/unexpected result, I still smile (sometimes not) when I unexpectedly experience a crossover of a few of the systems in A11 and the result is both credible, plausible and entertaining.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAs development of HMS has already commenced, I am currently working on a new fast paced game abstracting the present\/future conflict for the dominance of the Arctic Circle. The game is currently in prototype and coming along nicely.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI have not totally forsaken the TBS genre and have completed a design doc on a game that captures the essence (abstracted of course :) of the period of 1860-1900 in South Africa (Anglo-Zulu + Anglo-Boer) and hope to get this into production before the end of this year.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"im\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"im\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"im\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"im\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"im\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"im\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"im\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"im\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"im\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"im\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"im\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\" style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI am really enjoying my new 'career' in game development and am aiming to publish around 3 titles a year, after so many long years in Financial Services, I have ton of games stored since my youth and now have the time and resources to actually realize them.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;helvetica\u0026quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;helvetica\u0026quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;helvetica\u0026quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAWNT: Well, you sound like a very busy man, so I'll let you go. Thank you for your time!\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EESS Official Website:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.everysinglesoldier.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.everysinglesoldier.com\/\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAll of the games discussed can be found on Steam, the Apple App Store, and on\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/4538123319142065388\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/08\/interview-with-johan-nagel-from-every.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/4538123319142065388"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/4538123319142065388"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/08\/interview-with-johan-nagel-from-every.html","title":"Interview with Johan Nagel from Every Single Soldier"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-QkN3tLhMlJQ\/WZnRQszW8SI\/AAAAAAAAAZk\/geh2lgE5hiEwj3WCKVRc6y8tk2Djp-2rACLcBGAs\/s72-c\/1456744679.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-4857319237657767002"},"published":{"$t":"2016-08-17T20:56:00.000+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-08-17T22:21:53.020+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"2by3 Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"designing"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"developing"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"development"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interrogation"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interview"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Joel Billings"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"slitherine"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Steal Panthers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"WitE"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"WitW"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Interrogation of Joel Billings"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETranscript of \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/2by3games.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EJoel Billings\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;of 2by3 Games\u0026nbsp;Interrogation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"left\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"left\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/--DHmjXJH99w\/V7S9wzXJvWI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/2eSTTGwdNJAvTim5O6byft_bTH-tYVRawCLcB\/s1600\/jbseat.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/--DHmjXJH99w\/V7S9wzXJvWI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/2eSTTGwdNJAvTim5O6byft_bTH-tYVRawCLcB\/s1600\/jbseat.jpg\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EGood morning Mr. Billings, I hope you had a pleasant night. Now to continue with our 'interview'. If it will help matters we can do a little role playing. I will go get my dentistry tools and ask you if it is \"safe\".\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n \nFirst some quick fire 'about you' questions.\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nName?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EJoel Billings\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nHair colour? \u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EBrown\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EEye colour? \u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EBrown\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n \nAge? \u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E58\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nHeight? \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E6’3”\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nSingle or in a relationship? \u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EMarried 27 years\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nLittle Joels or..erm..Joelettes? \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E2 daugters, Melany 26, Jenna 23, 1 son, Alex 18 (about to leave for college, at which point all 3 will have gone to the dark side - Southern California - while my wife and I are in the San Francisco Bay Area).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n \nFavourite food?\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EMexican\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFavourite film?\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EDas Boot\n \n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFavourite colour?\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EReally?\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E(mumbling between interrogators)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nFavourite book? \u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003ETask Force Lone Bandit (my father wrote it, so I’m biased)\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFavourite music genre and bands? \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EJackson Browne, Neil Young, Elvis Costello (rock of the 70s, as my music life peaked when I was in college)\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nFavourite holiday destination? \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EWestern Europe\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nLucky Number?\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E43 (actually my wife’s, but it’s been my roller hockey jersey number for the past 20 years)\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBF109 or Hurricane? \u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EBF109\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESherman or Panzer IV?\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003ESherman\u003C\/span\u003E\n \n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWest front or East front? \u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EIt depends on the scale and\/or battle, but I like them both.\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ETactical or Operational? \u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EOperational\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERommel or Patton? \u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EI’m too much of an American to not pick Patton. My father took me to the movie Patton when it came out when I was 12. My uncle served in the 1st Division in Sicily and he had a mixed opinion of Patton. My dad was just happy that Patton didn’t go into politics.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n \nHmmm..interesting....Now we have a good idea from the ACME Lie Detector when your telling the truth we shall get on the real questions. Remember ACME Lie detector currently has a money back guarantee, that's how good it is!\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-ntDNuh7xtsg\/V7S-C2LeKUI\/AAAAAAAAAbo\/KLtAHqJRMPkoTDJy94KMYi3LOG7xYX0FQCLcB\/s1600\/pic1.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-ntDNuh7xtsg\/V7S-C2LeKUI\/AAAAAAAAAbo\/KLtAHqJRMPkoTDJy94KMYi3LOG7xYX0FQCLcB\/s320\/pic1.JPG\" width=\"247\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n What started your career with computer gaming in general, and specifically wargames? \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EI started playing wargames with Tactics II at the age of 7 in 1965. My father got the game from his brother (both WWII vets), and my father taught it to me. After that Gettysburg, and many other Avalon Hill boardgames followed. I loved it as my father got me interested in military history by the time I was in 2nd grade. I spent the next 14 years playing as many wargames (and some statistical sports games) as I could afford, while I eventually got a degree in Economics from Claremont McKenna College in the Los Angeles area. In 1979 when I graduated from college and saw my first personal computer (a TRS-80 at Radio Shack), I thought the time was right for wargames to be made on computers. I had a small amount of computer experience in college, and had programmed a very simple wargame for a BASIC computer class. I didn’t have the skills to do the programming myself, but I was lucky enough to be spending my summer after graduating working in Silicon Valley. Through the local wargame stores I found two programmers that were also wargamers and interested in working with me. At that point, I founded Strategic Simulations, Inc (SSI). Had I not been in Silicon Valley, I don’t think any of this would have been possible. For that I have to thank my favorite college professor who had gotten me an internship at Amdahl that led to the summer job, and my uncle for letting me live in his house in Palo Alto that summer and for giving me encouragement to put off business school and start SSI instead.\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-xnhYIWT0o2M\/V7TMhsTdUyI\/AAAAAAAAAcQ\/BzWSyTeoB1o9qavZPh42yLtN7tTQ7XE4ACLcB\/s1600\/240px-Tactics_II_cover.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-xnhYIWT0o2M\/V7TMhsTdUyI\/AAAAAAAAAcQ\/BzWSyTeoB1o9qavZPh42yLtN7tTQ7XE4ACLcB\/s1600\/240px-Tactics_II_cover.jpg\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nWhat have been the major hurdles you’ve come across during your game development career?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003EEarly at SSI since most of our games were in BASIC, we struggled with making the games run fast enough. Later on, the issues became that the games grew to be so complicated and time-intensive that testing them in a reasonable time-frame became very difficult. My major struggles weren’t so much in development of wargames though, as they were managing SSI as it grew and produced non-wargames. I enjoyed all kinds of strategy games, including statistical sports games, although wargames were my real passion. Many of the development people at SSI were big role-players (not me), so that allowed us to branch out into role-playing games generally and the SSI D\u0026amp;D license was the culmination of that effort. By 1990, wargames were no more than 25% of SSIs sales, so a lot of my time was spent on the business and not as much of my time went into game development. Two years after selling SSI to Mindscape in 1994, I decided to end my short lived executive career at Mindscape and go back to being a wargame developer at SSI. In 2000 the opportunity came up to partner with Gary Grigsby and Keith Brors and create 2by3 Games with the idea to focus entirely on developing Gary’s wargames. I had been developing Gary’s games since 1982 and his were always my favorite wargame designs, so it was a natural partnership. The challenge we’ve faced at 2by3 is how to continue making these ever increasingly complex games given their limited market. It wouldn’t happen without the group of volunteers that came from our fan community and have done all kinds of work needed to produce these projects (database, scenario, testing, programming and more). \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nWhich game are you most proud off that you’ve been involved in?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EThat’s hard to say. Over the years, starting with War in Russia in the early 80s and ending with War in the East in 2010, Gary’s eastern front series of games have been very special to me. I was a huge fan of SPI’s War in the East monster board wargame when it first came out in the early 70s). Another game I am very proud of is the original Panzer General. As arguably the best selling personal computer hexagon based wargame of all time, it was a very special project created by an all-star group of employees at SSI in 1994. I think the many games in the Panzer General series, and the PG inspired \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/store\/414\/Panzer.Corps.Grand.Campaign.'39\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EPanzer Corps\u003C\/a\u003E series put out more recently by Matrix, have introduced a lot of people to PC wargaming. I’m proud of War in the Pacific, given just how difficult it was to develop. Once released, I never wanted to see it again, but I was very proud of its release and subsequent improvement by the community with the release of \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/store\/294\/War.In.The.Pacific\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EWitPAE\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nSo \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/store\/294\/War.In.The.Pacific\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EWar in the Pacific\u003C\/a\u003E was the hardest to see to completion? Why was that? \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EEvery ship, every plane, pilot, squad fighting in the entire Pacific. A game that played in daily turns executing ever airstrike for 4 years. It was massive. The only way it could be tested quickly was using the AI to play the AI, and even that took days. Having human players test it was very difficult. We had done massive games before, but this was the biggest by far.\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-LKdf1qSsT0o\/V7TAelKmp8I\/AAAAAAAAAcA\/Atr3UWZj9OImFuUHPncCth2U8EkvpfQ1ACLcB\/s1600\/SPWAW-3Dbox-170x220.gif\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-LKdf1qSsT0o\/V7TAelKmp8I\/AAAAAAAAAcA\/Atr3UWZj9OImFuUHPncCth2U8EkvpfQ1ACLcB\/s1600\/SPWAW-3Dbox-170x220.gif\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhat have been your low points and what have been the high points?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EGetting to develop 10-15 games a year in the 80s was a lot of fun, although it was also hard work. Getting SSIs first game completed in 6 months, and then getting SSI to turn profitable within a year were big early high points. Later on, getting the Dungeons \u0026amp; Dragons license in 1987 and releasing many successful D\u0026amp;D products over the next few years were high points. Not being able to take advantage of those D\u0026amp;D products on the early consoles, and problems with completing the 2nd generation D\u0026amp;D engine, and the layoff that came because of it were low points. The sale of SSI was both a high and a low, and the early success of SSI within Mindscape, thanks in part to Panzer General and Steel Panthers was another high. Forming 2by3 Games in 2000 and getting to work with Gary on a day to day basis again as I did in the 80s was another high point, as were the release of WitP (more of a relief) and War in the East.\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nWhat advice would you give to someone who was contemplating designing\\developing wargames?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EPlay a lot of games. Get involved with beta testing wargames. You may find you can talk to various game designers\/developers and help out with various tasks aside from just testing. There is a difference between a programmer\/designer and someone like me that hasn’t programmed since 1982. It’s hard for non-programmers to get to be designers, but it’s more possible for them to be a developer. However, I found that my basic knowledge of BASIC back when most of our games were programed in basic did help me deal with programmers, so I’d encourage developers to get some experience if they can with programming, if only at a very basic level.\u003C\/span\u003E\n\n \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EHow do you feel about the change from brick and mortar commerce to the new internet download version? \n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EI’m very happy to see it go this way. It works for wargames, especially when we have a great distribution partner in Matrix. Most wargames are niche products and had an increasingly difficult time finding shelf space. Unsold gamers were returned, forcing prices down as inventory stacked up. Removing the middle man (retailer and often a distributor) means more for the designer and publisher. For downloaded products, the cost of the download is less than the cost of the box and docs, so that’s another advantage.\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n Do developers and programmers get a larger percentage of profits with the new model and the absence of overhead?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EYes, generally royalty percentages are higher than they were back in the 80s and 90s, and the percentage of the retail price actually received by the publisher is higher than it was in the brick and mortar days. That’s not to say you get rich making serious wargames, but the amount received per game sold is higher than it used to be.\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-JWEfEn-IvuU\/V7TMoJuTJRI\/AAAAAAAAAcU\/aw58PZpGNDMOnr_8L6pqxOP6Bq7hrfHlgCEw\/s1600\/230px-SSI-0.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-JWEfEn-IvuU\/V7TMoJuTJRI\/AAAAAAAAAcU\/aw58PZpGNDMOnr_8L6pqxOP6Bq7hrfHlgCEw\/s1600\/230px-SSI-0.png\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nCan you give us a brief run down on how SSI came into being and what are your feelings when you look back to that time?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003EI got the idea of making computer wargames in 1979 while working at a summer job in Silicon Valley between graduating from college and going to business school. When I was able to find two programmers also interested in making computer wargames, we started SSI. I did not plan on becoming a publisher, but once Avalon Hill said they weren’t interested in what we were doing, I had to figure out how to publish and distribute our first wargame when we finished it 6 months later. It was a great time, when personal computers were just getting into stores, and computer users were hungry for software. For me, it was great fun because once we started publishing our games, people started submitting games for publication. I got to work on a new game every month, and I got to work with some great designer\/programmers. When I look back, I wonder just how everything came together, and how much we were able to do without any experience. Of course, when you’re young, you’ve got time and energy. It helped to have my sister running the production part of the company, and having my uncle available to provide business advice. In many ways it was a family business. At the same time, the people that joined our R\u0026amp;D department were all wargamers, so we had that in common. As the company grew, there was always a game going on of some kind, at lunch, or afterwork. Board games, miniature games, role-playing, you name it. When I met my wife in 1986, she described the company as a treehouse for gamers.\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n Was it a terrible blow to let go of SSI, or was it a relief at the time?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003EIt was a bit of both. I knew that selling SSI to a bigger company would inevitably change the company forever. If it wasn’t for the increasing cost of development and the risks associated with that for a small company, I would have been happy to stay independent. However, with the gaming consoles coming in, the rising cost of development, and the increasingly hit driven business, the risks were too great. Once we decided it was time to become part of a bigger company, it then became a matter of finding a company that valued us. It took over a year, and two possible deals going south (EA and Spectrum Holobyte), before Mindscape came along. Since they had recently been bought by a big British conglomerate, it seemed as if there was a good chance for us to do well there. In fact we did very well for the first two years within Mindscape (partially because we were no longer shackled by the EA affiliated label distribution deal that was costing us a lot and partially due to some timely hit products). Unfortunately, Mindscape had its own problems, and I found I really didn’t enjoy the corporate management game and preferred working directly on the games. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\n \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-S4tBXzDi1nI\/V7S-ManBswI\/AAAAAAAAAbs\/GLFLa91lC1s8Ku-4Ula3gwoS-AgxwI88gCLcB\/s1600\/pic2.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-S4tBXzDi1nI\/V7S-ManBswI\/AAAAAAAAAbs\/GLFLa91lC1s8Ku-4Ula3gwoS-AgxwI88gCLcB\/s320\/pic2.JPG\" width=\"247\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EYou must understand that this mode of questioning is a means to an end. This isn't just an outlet for my salacious appetites.  Some people believe that the heyday for computer wargames was years ago.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMy feeling is that we are in the golden age right now. What are your thoughts on the matter?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003ET\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003Ehanks to Matrix and internet distribution, I’d agree that times are pretty good for computer wargames. Unlike boardgames, computer games are constantly changing due to changing technological capabilities. So it’s hard to compare a game from the 80s to one of today. There seem to be plenty of good games for people to spend time on.\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Wargaming (both board and computer) is a hobby where the players are, to put it gently, aging. Do you see it this way, or do you feel there is actually new blood filling the hobby's veins?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003EYes, I think a lot of our customers are aging baby boomers that started with hex based board wargames in their youth, and then got computers after college and moved their gaming to computers. Back in 1980 I found the average age of our customers was 23, and I was 22 at the time. Over the years, the average age of our customers kept going up. There was a wave of new gamers that came in during the 90s via games like Panzer General and Steel Panthers. Those games sold 5 to 10 times what any other wargame had sold. They were easy enough and good looking enough to attract some new gamers. Some of these people went on to play more complex wargames. Of course wargamers are outnumbered by other computer gamers, but some percentage of computer games manage to find computer wargames and get interested. I don’t have any hard data on our customers these days, but I’d bet for games like Gary Grigsby’s War in the East, the average age is probably near 50. I’d bet that the average age of Panzer Corps players is much lower. Hopefully games like Panzer Corps will continue to create new wargamers, although I do wonder how different wargames will be 10-20 years from now when the old guard that played wargames before computers came along are mostly gone.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\n\nWhat do you feel needs to be done to bring younger wargamers into the fold?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003EMore games like Panzer General and Steel Panthers. Good looking, intuitive, easy to play games that are more accessible to non-wargamers.\n\n Is it fair to compare an author and a programmer? Both are in some way creating something new. \n A programmer\/designer is like an author in a way, as game design is a creative process. Of course understanding high level programming is a barrier to entry for many would-be designers. At SSI back in the 80s we used to say that designs were a dime a dozen. The key was finding a designer that had the ability to program his design. Keith Brors was a great help in those days creating tools that Gary and other others used to make many of our early wargames. Without those tools, it would have been much harder for some of the designers to program their games. But fundamentally, it took a designer that could program to make a game happen.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EDoes a programmer suffer things like 'programmers block' etc?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EI’m not really one to answer that as my only experience at programming was programming Pursuit of the Graf Spee back in 1981. I know that Gary often hits problems that require him to take a long walk on the beach to work out in his head. After taking that time, his mind manages to come up with solutions to the problem he’s trying to deal with.\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\n  \u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EPlease hold still and stop squirming, and let the sodium pentothal do its work.\n\n You were involved with some wargame releases whose longevity boggles the mind.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003ESome in our hobby keep an extra old DOS computer just to play some of your games. The original SSI wargames are spoken about in hushed tones like the boardgame giant SPI, in our hobby.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThere are four games from twenty plus years ago that everyone seems to want to have an updated version of. They are 'Age of Rifles', 'Battles of Napoleon', 'Great Naval Battles' and 'Steel Panthers'; you were involved with all of them in some way or another. Are you surprised at this fact, or when you saw the completed editions, did you know they were winners?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EGames that have the flexibility to cover many different battles of a period are always more interesting (and popular) than those covering just one battle. AoR, BoN and SP, all fit that category. Of course SP was much more commercially successful than the others, but we knew all three were fundamentally good products that covered their subjects well and allowed players to simulate a wide variety of battles. It’s no surprise that people would like to see these games return in an updated form (I’d like to see them as well). GNB was special because it was a much better looking game than other wargames of its time and had a real time element. All 4 of these gamers were made by experienced designers that had a lot of experience making computer wargames and knew a lot about the subjects they were working on.\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-upF5k_utM6k\/V7TAL5ncoMI\/AAAAAAAAAb4\/nObsOCGMKawEKXVmzqSraKr6E4cZMQ-SwCLcB\/s1600\/WITE-3dBox-170x220.gif\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-upF5k_utM6k\/V7TAL5ncoMI\/AAAAAAAAAb4\/nObsOCGMKawEKXVmzqSraKr6E4cZMQ-SwCLcB\/s1600\/WITE-3dBox-170x220.gif\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n If you stop fighting, I will loosen the ropes a bit. This is hurting me as much as it is hurting you, you know.\n So, now to the elephant in the room.  We have had '2 by 3 Games' ' \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/store\/372\/Gary.Grigsby's.War.in.the.East:.The.German-Soviet.War.1941-1945\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EGary Grigsby's War in the East'\u003C\/a\u003E, now '\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/store\/572\/Gary.Grigsby's.War.in.the.West:.Operation.Torch\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E Gary Grigsby's War in the West'\u003C\/a\u003E, and ' Gary Grigsby's War in the Pacific: Admirals Edition'. There have been some mutterings on Matrix's forum about the schedule of upcoming games. If memory serves me, 'Gary Grigsby's War in the East II' and a compilation that will be 'Gary Grigsby's War in Europe' have been talked about.  In the midst of these postings was a nugget called ' Steel Tigers', so just sit back, and I will get you some water and you can tell us all about '2 by 3 Games' upcoming schedule.\n\nWhich future release are you most excited about working on, if any?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-I9ZDjB1OSHw\/V7TAPl_TV5I\/AAAAAAAAAb8\/rpz7nEa2mFYso0KAUNYW4gJq1xkDXBIFgCLcB\/s1600\/WitWOT_Box_3D_170.gif\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-I9ZDjB1OSHw\/V7TAPl_TV5I\/AAAAAAAAAb8\/rpz7nEa2mFYso0KAUNYW4gJq1xkDXBIFgCLcB\/s1600\/WitWOT_Box_3D_170.gif\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EAt the moment, we’re working on both War in the East 2 and Steel Tigers, and I’m equally excited by both. War in the East 2 is a continuation of the progress we’ve made with the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/store\/372\/Gary.Grigsby's.War.in.the.East:.The.German-Soviet.War.1941-1945\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EWitE\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/store\/572\/Gary.Grigsby's.War.in.the.West:.Operation.Torch\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EWitW\u003C\/a\u003E system, using the map we created of all of Europe that was used in WitW. Exactly how far we will take this system is unknown. We’d like to be able to ultimately reach a point where we can have games with Soviet, Axis and Allied units all fighting in Europe. Getting a game that allows this starting in 1943 would be easier than starting in 1941, and much easier than starting in 1940 or 1939. At the moment we’re relying on Gary for the AI programming while Pavel is doing 90% of the rest of the programming. I really like the changes we’ve made so far, and think this game will go a long way to providing an even more accurate simulation of the Eastern Front. As for Steel Tigers, we’re working closely with Matrix’s internal development team. It’s really a joint effort as the goal is to be every bit as state of the art with ST as SP was when it was released.\u003C\/span\u003E\n\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESteel Tigers is the one I’m really excited about. Will old Steel Panther players recognise it as a new Steel Panthers game, or will it look very different?\n\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003ESteel Tigers will be a top down hex game with the same scale as the original Steel Panthers. However, the look and feel and interface will be up to today’s standards and should be very impressive. The original Steel Panthers looked as good as most AAA products circa 1995. We’d like Steel Tigers to be just as impressive relative to today’s games. It’s not 3D, but it uses 3D models to provide a great graphical look. The ability to play individual scenarios, linked campaigns and semi-random campaigns will be familiar to those that played SP. Of course Gary has added some new elements (like the ability to split infantry units), but fundamentally we want this to play as smoothly as SP did, but with the benefit of 20 years of improvements in graphics and interface.\n\n\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWill you be aiming for historical accuracy and realism with detailed ballistic model and armour modelling, if not how will these things be modelled?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EWith Gary involved, we’re always aiming for historical accuracy and realism. When you realize that the combat in War in the East is being resolved in a shot by shot method that began with Steel Panthers (or even before), you know that Gary has a lot of experience making combat systems. His primary responsibility with ST is the under the hood code, so I have complete confidence that the game will be realistic.\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nNo one expects these days for Steel Tigers to be released with all the Nations etc Steel Panthers was released with. Can you tell us what Nations will be in the first release?\n\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EI’m glad you asked. The effort it takes to create artwork for all the weapons is much greater these days than it used to be in 1995. For that reason alone, we realized early on that we needed to break SP into pieces. The first product will focus on the Eastern Front. We will have the Soviet Union, Germany, and most if not all of the Axis Allies that fought on the Eastern Front. If I recall correctly, we’re also including Poland. We fully expect to release expansions covering Western Europe and the Pacific, but for now, we’re focused on the Eastern Front.\u003C\/span\u003E\n\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ELast question on Steel Tigers. What years will it cover?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EIt will cover battles from 1939-1945.\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nYou’ve been very co-operative. Which upsets Mike as he still hasn’t got to use the nose tickler! In fifteen minutes the ACME Kidnap rope will automatically release you from the ACME kidnap chair, well that’s what it says on the box.\n Oh no not again...Mike, Run…sirens..Jay this way..no that way..no th(\u003Cem\u003Esounds of someone or something running into a wall,,more shouting fades into distance..sounds of victim getting themselves free)...\u003C\/em\u003ETAPE ENDS\u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/4857319237657767002\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2016\/08\/interrogation-of-joel-billings.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/4857319237657767002"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/4857319237657767002"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2016\/08\/interrogation-of-joel-billings.html","title":"Interrogation of Joel Billings"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Jason Rimmer"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/11422897378271126789"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/--DHmjXJH99w\/V7S9wzXJvWI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/2eSTTGwdNJAvTim5O6byft_bTH-tYVRawCLcB\/s72-c\/jbseat.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-3568915854408095108"},"published":{"$t":"2016-07-18T17:52:00.001+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-07-18T17:52:14.907+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"buy"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interrogation"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interview"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"pdf"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"retail"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"rule books"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"shopping"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"wargame vault"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"wargaming"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"WWI"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"WWII"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Steve Smith Wargame Vault Interrogation"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESteve Smith Wargame Vault Interrogation\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-ro29r8Mj4u0\/V40I_Oy-voI\/AAAAAAAAAVc\/jqR39fyEkZQw9UDH1kKt5VVw4rJ-ovp3gCLcB\/s1600\/site-logo-redesignd.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"71\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-ro29r8Mj4u0\/V40I_Oy-voI\/AAAAAAAAAVc\/jqR39fyEkZQw9UDH1kKt5VVw4rJ-ovp3gCLcB\/s320\/site-logo-redesignd.png\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\nSteve Smith runs \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.wargamevault.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EWargame Vault\u003C\/a\u003E. I’m sure most wargamers have browsed the Wargame Vault website if not made a purchase or two or five or ten.. For those who don’t know Wargame Vault it’s rather unusual for a wargame online store. They deal mainly with rulebooks for miniature wargames or print old classic wargames long out of print in their original boxed format. Take the classic \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.wargamevault.com\/browse.php?keywords=upfront\u0026amp;author=\u0026amp;artist=\u0026amp;pfrom=\u0026amp;pto=\u0026amp;x=0\u0026amp;y=0\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EUpfront\u003C\/a\u003E, a game many consider the greatest board wargame ever released.  The actual game can be bought in separate parts, so the games card sets are separate purchases as is the rulebook which can be bought in either a PDF version or printed. I purchased Upfront from them myself but at the time the rulebook was PDF only, however recently they have released a printed version which I jumped at. The best way for you to understand how they work is to go visit the website yourself. Whilst there I’m sure you’ll find something that takes your fancy. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESo with that in mind in another expertly carried out covert operation we managed to kidnap Steve Smith, take him to a secure location and start out interrogation!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe following is a transcript of our \"chat\" with Mr Smith, recorded on our special ACME interrogation recording device.\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFirst we will fire a round of quick fire questions at you…what the wires..lie detector of course.. Pardon…funny that last one sat there said there was no need for all this aswell, but we will be the judge of that!! Now remember no lies..oh and we have ways of making your talk!!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nName? \u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESteve Smith\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nAge? \u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E55\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ECurrent whereabouts? \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003ENorthern Indiana, USA\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFavourite TV program? \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EArcher\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFavourite Music genre? \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EMetal\/Rock\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nFavourite band\\musician? \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EMany! Metallica, Judas Priest, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EQueensryche to Static X and 5 Finger Death Punch!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFavourite Film? \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EDune\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nFavourite period of history? \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EWWII\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nFavourite Superhero? \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EDeadpool\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nFavourite colour? \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EBlue\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nFavourite animal? \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EDogs\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ELucky number? \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E26\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESpitfire or P51? \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EP51\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPanther or T34? \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EPanther\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBF 109 or FW 190? \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EFW 190\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPatton or Rommel? \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EPatton\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\nInteresting, very interesting. Now be good, answer the questions and all will go well!\n\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhat was your profession pre Wargame Vault and what year did you start up the business?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EWell, like many folks in the wargame business I have a day job as well as a job in the hobby. I know most wargamers think us guys in the wargame business live like rock stars, but sadly it's not true! I am a machinist in my day job\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAs mentioned in the introduction Wargame Vault is pretty unique in the way it runs compared to other wargame shops on the net. I’d love to know what sparked the initial idea and how you went about setting it all up to become the successful business it is today. So could you give us a run down on how you came by the initial idea and then turned that idea into a viable business, including the highs and lows of the process and if there were any hurdles you had to overcome?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EWell, it actually wasn't my idea, I just fell into it! Wargame Vault is actually an offshoot of DriveThruRPG\/RPGNow. These sites were owned by and run by several guys including Steve Weick, Mike Todd and James Mathe. They had been successfully running digital download sites since 2001 for RPG rules and such, way before downloading anything was cool. As time went on  they were getting more and more wargaming material loaded up, and being mainly RPG\/Larp folks they weren't familiar with the material, manufacturers or the unique genre that wargaming is. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\nAt the time (2007) Sean Patrick Fannon was employed as Publisher Relations for RPGNow. Sean and I had worked together for GAMA running the GAMA Trade Show and the Origins Game Convention, and he knew that I had been into wargaming for many years. So, when they decided that they needed a separate site for Wargame downloads they needed someone who knew the ground, and Sean brought up my name. They offered me the job and I took it! Nine years later it's still the best job I've ever had.\n\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EStarting out was a bit rough at first, selling wargame authors and publishers on the idea of selling games without printing them! We acquired Mongoose's Wargame Downloads website at the launch and gained a good number of titles, and when we kept sending out royalties checks to publishers every month others began to take notice. Also, downloading content became more commonplace, even among grognards! Our goal has always been to have every wargame ever made to be available on our site, so I just kept bugging authors and publishers thru emails and at shows and conventions and we eventually became the largest digital wargame publisher on the net.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\nIf someone was thinking about starting up an online wargame store what advice would you give and is there anything they really need to watch out for? \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EDo you have any pointers that might set them in the right direction?\nI would say get the best IT\/Technical people you can. If your site doesn't work right nobody will use it. We have been very fortunate in having some great folks on staff writing code for us and fixing technical issues, guys like Mike Todd, Chuck Childers and others who really know what they're doing. Also, customer service is incredibly important, as is knowing what you're selling.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\nMy introduction was a rather poor attempt to explain how Wargame Vault works. So what’s best is if you could explain what Wargame Vault does and how it works including who can use it and what the costs and terms are etc?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EHow we work is really very simple. Authors and publishers make an account and upload their titles to their \"storefront\" on our site. They can use about any format they like, but PDF works best. They can also set up titles to be printed on demand and sent to customers anywhere in the world thru our print houses in the U.S. and U.K.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWe can handle about anything, books, cards, cardstock terrain and minis, board games, 3-D printing files, audio books, PC games, etc. The authors set their own prices and margin and what they choose to offer on the site. There are no out-of-pocket costs, as we engage in revenue sharing. We only make money if a title sells. When a title sells the publisher gets 70% or 65% depending on whether they are an exclusive digital publisher with us or not. We get the remainder.\n\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWe handle the storefront, site upkeep, digital storage, security watermarking on pdf's, real-time bookkeeping, tax forms, limited advertising, printing and shipping for printed titles and royalty payout thru Paypal or check. We also can digitize products for folks who have a hard copy but not a digital copy of a work, which is great for long out of print titles made before electronic means were available. We pretty much handle everything except the actual creation of the title.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\nHow does your service work for the publishers?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EProbably the best part of our service for publishers is the ease of use. Once titles are loaded they really just need to cash out thru Paypal! For publishers and authors that use our print service, they do away with minimum orders thru traditional printers, no warehousing, no shipping and no cost to sell their products. Customers place their order, we print it and ship it, the author gets paid royalties. Simple!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\nWhere are you based?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EWe are truly a \"virtual\" office. I'm in Indiana, our servers and tech folks are in Georgia, Florida and I don't know all where, our Publisher Relations folks are in Illinois, Wisconsin, Georgia, the boss lives in Canada! We all work from home, wherever that may be. I've worked with some people for almost a decade and never actually met them. Publishing has changed over the years!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nWhat formats do you support?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003Epdf, jpg, epub, mobi, html, stl, audio, video, print\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\nHow do you pay royalties?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EWe pay royalties by Paypal that can be cashed out at any time or at the end of the month automatically, or by check at the end of the month.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\nWhat options do publishers and authors have on our site?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPublishers can be as active as they wish. They can spruce up their storefronts in any number of ways, run sales, update rule sets, load new ones, remove others, advertise on the site using our virtual currency, or use us for crowd-funding fulfilments. Or not. They are in control of how they want to use our service and offer their products.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\nWhat’s been the most popular rule set\\product you’ve sold?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWe've had lots of great selling publishers. Rottenlead has sold well, Ivan at Nordic Weasel cranks out great stuff all the time,  Admiralty Trilogy Group, Amarillo Design Bureau, Dave Graffam Models, Ganesha Games, MicroMark Army Lists, Mongoose, Steel Dreadnought Games, Osprey and many others have sold very well. But likely the best seller recently has been the one you mentioned earlier, the previously out of print Avalon Hill game Up Front and it's expansions released by Wizards of the Coast. We will continue to try to bring back old AH products in print format as we are able.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\nWhat era is the most popular?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFrom WWII to the present has been the most popular, but then there are a lot of WWII games out there too!\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\nWhat era is the least?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe War of Jenkin's Ear doesn't sell particularly well.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nDo you have a favourite rule set? If so which one is it and what makes it stand out for you?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EI don't really have a favorite, I'll play anything!\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nWhat’s your favourite era to game?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWWII and ancients.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EDo you play digital wargames? If so any favourites?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003ERarely play digital games, but I have played a bit of Hegemony which I think is a great game.\n\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nAs some will already know it’s not just Wargame Vault but you also have DriveThruRPG as well. DriveThruRPG runs exactly the same way. So if you enjoy your RPG’s as well then there’s double the reason to go check out the website!\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAnd not just the RPG sites! We do have DriveThruRPG and RPGNow, but also DriveThruCards, DriveThruFiction, DriveThruComics, and DNDClassics. If it's gaming or Geek related we want to offer it!\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\nYou’ve been very cooperative! I see a very successful future for you!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003EThank you for the opportunity, and I wish the same for you!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\n\u003Cem\u003E[Bob, tell me that’s not sirens…well what is it then…what!..you said it wasn’t sirens…aaarrghh..Steve we shall contact you soon about recruitment into our organisation..but first we have to run..Bob..run Bob run!!]\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n (sounds of someone running into something, loud clattering sounds, faint cursing..tape ends)"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/3568915854408095108\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2016\/07\/steve-smith-wargame-vault-interrogation.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/3568915854408095108"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/3568915854408095108"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2016\/07\/steve-smith-wargame-vault-interrogation.html","title":"Steve Smith Wargame Vault Interrogation"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Jason Rimmer"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/11422897378271126789"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-ro29r8Mj4u0\/V40I_Oy-voI\/AAAAAAAAAVc\/jqR39fyEkZQw9UDH1kKt5VVw4rJ-ovp3gCLcB\/s72-c\/site-logo-redesignd.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-3318470203786162185"},"published":{"$t":"2016-07-04T14:45:00.000+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-07-07T14:11:35.537+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"David"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"David Heath"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"designing"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"developing"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Heath"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interrogation"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interview"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"LnL"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"publishers"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"publishing"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"The David Heath Interrogation, sorry Interview:)"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ch2\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003EThe following transcript is\u0026nbsp;the interrogation of David Heath formerly of Matrix Games and now main man at Lock ‘n Load Publishing.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-gcRubxTnI14\/V3pjn3uqShI\/AAAAAAAAAPw\/sOg3Foin2rAar6Tv4o0BMin_6NxgyTsDgCLcB\/s1600\/dh.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"179\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-gcRubxTnI14\/V3pjn3uqShI\/AAAAAAAAAPw\/sOg3Foin2rAar6Tv4o0BMin_6NxgyTsDgCLcB\/s320\/dh.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHello, all! I've managed through a covert operation to kidnap another mover and shaker within the wargames industry. After a two-minute torture session involving gaffer tape, a chair and a feather duster, \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/heathdavid7\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDavid Heath\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E of \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/forums.lnlpublishing.com\/articles\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELock ‘n Load Publishing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E finally succumbed and agreed to answer any questions our devious interrogator could come up with. The transcript of said interrogation is below. Interrogators questions (\u003Cem\u003EBob \"You can't say that\" Me\u0026nbsp;\"Oh yeah right\"\u003C\/em\u003E). Interviewer questions\u0026nbsp;in black typeface and interviewee answers\u0026nbsp;in red.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\nOK first and foremost please introduce yourself, and not just name rank and serial number! In fact, why haven't you just been saying your name, rank, and serial number? Oh and stop saying there was no need for all this..we’re not going to fall for that old trick, we’re not stupid you know! Tell me who you are, your age, your favorite music, your favorite band, your favorite color (no idea why I'm asking that but go with it), favorite food and your favorite game of all time. Finally, are you married or single and are there any little ones around?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\n\u003Cem\u003EWell, ok my name is David Heath, I am 51, and music tastes are all over the place, from Rock, Punk Rock, Big Band and Classical.  Some of my favourite artists are The Cars, Stray Cats, The Police, MxPx, Post Modern Jukebox and Thousand Foot Krutch.  I do enjoy some classic bands like The Clash, the Beatles, and the artist Carman.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp; \nTwo of my favorite board game designers are Mark Herman and Erik Lee Smith.  I pretty much enjoy any games designed\u0026nbsp;by these guys.  Some of my favorite designs ,that I highly recommend, are Across the Five Aprils and Churchill.  My favorite board game is by John Prados titled Rise and Decline of the Third Reich.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\nOn the digital side, three of my top designers are Gary Grigsby, Norm Kroger and John Tiller.  I can’t think of any digital game I would call my favourite, but I do still enjoy Steel Panthers World At War.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp; I’ve been married to a wonderful woman for 24 years named Ava Marie.  We have three boys Andrew 19, Nicholas 17 and Shane 12.  I also have what I call my extended kids, Austin 18, Noah 14 and Jesse 9 from my sister family.  All of the boys are gamers from consoles, computers to table top games we do them all.  My family throughout my life have always supported my gaming habits which makes me a doubly blessed.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;Oh, and I almost forgot my favorite color is blue.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp; Good, good, that's more like it. I see you're now willing to co-operate. OK, Bob, you can put the nose tickler away! So, David, I'd like to start at the beginning. What did you want to be when a little David?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E My Dad was always watching historical shows and movies, and it gave me a love for all things history.  In the 5th grade, I found my first wargame at my local Toys R Us by Avalon Hill and the love affair has never ended.  I always wanted to design, develop and publish games and I've been so blessed by God and my family to be able to follow my dreams.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\nSo how did you follow your dreams, what was your first job and at what point did you become involved in the gaming business?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E First thing I decided was to learn as much as I could about the process and the game industry.  My High School had an internship program and I was told if I could find a company willing to take me on I could do it, since they didn’t have any companies for game design, imagine that.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp; I called Victory Games in New York City and had a few talks with Mark Herman and he agreed to give it a try.  I am so grateful to both Mark Herman, Erik Lee Smith and everyone else at Victory Games for giving me a chance.  Those guys took a lot of their personal time showing me how they do things and why.  Trust me it was the best thing I got out of High School after my wife.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-e96L2GA_2OA\/V3q5hjjWPLI\/AAAAAAAAARk\/2AyGBT0rUSAhP1urO2MvI1d3CHVgKu2gwCKgB\/s1600\/13598999_10210133179236681_1525210280_n.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-e96L2GA_2OA\/V3q5hjjWPLI\/AAAAAAAAARk\/2AyGBT0rUSAhP1urO2MvI1d3CHVgKu2gwCKgB\/s320\/13598999_10210133179236681_1525210280_n.jpg\" width=\"240\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;The mid 80’s was a good time for me NYC, after work on Friday it was time to go hang out in midtown before going off to the Village for some dinner.  The Complete Strategist in New York City was the wargame hangout.  Daniel, the store owner, always took the time to greet everyone and review of the latest games and to talk shop.  I learned about what stores needed and why.  We would talk for hours, and I enjoyed every minute of it.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-joqLoAcSVkg\/V3q5k8Fn_sI\/AAAAAAAAARo\/XSpP5WomYTAcvp1FjiZ0_j7DO-ArFAyFgCKgB\/s1600\/13617341_10210133184876822_1427920314_n.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"239\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-joqLoAcSVkg\/V3q5k8Fn_sI\/AAAAAAAAARo\/XSpP5WomYTAcvp1FjiZ0_j7DO-ArFAyFgCKgB\/s320\/13617341_10210133184876822_1427920314_n.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\nWhat was the first game\\project you worked on? How did the game do and was the experience enjoyable?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E Hmmm, that would be the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ambush!\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAmbush\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E series and \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/boardgamegeek.com\/boardgame\/5622\/pacific-war\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPacific War\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E for Victory Games.  I got to help with the map for Pacific War, which was some of the best times I had at Victory Games.  The guys at Victory Games never treated me as a stupid kid.  They made sure to put me down as a playtester on the Ambush modules I worked on.  Both games are considered classics these days.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;I also did some playtesting for SSI and made friends with a lot of the people there. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMy first computer project with myself at the helm was after I started The Gamers Network, an online review site.  I wanted to do more and I loved Steel Panthers and had made friends with Joel Billings from SSI.  After many talks I finally convinced Joel to allow my group to have the source code to do a fan base edition of Steel Panthers Series.  I think he might have just been tired of the debate (grin).  Both winSPWW2 edition from Shrapnel games and Steel Panthers World At War by Matrix Games came out of from my talks with Joel and Gary.  This was a\u0026nbsp;significant achievement back then and was never allowed normally.\u0026nbsp; Neither edition of Steel Panthers\u0026nbsp;would\u0026nbsp;exist today if it was not for Joel and Gary taking a chance and agreeing to this.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-sWtVng_N4M8\/V3rD6FDPfeI\/AAAAAAAAASY\/QzOIsHZ91tsz7tPRq0Ql6SDwU--3oYQogCLcB\/s1600\/SPWAW-3Dbox-170x220.gif\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-sWtVng_N4M8\/V3rD6FDPfeI\/AAAAAAAAASY\/QzOIsHZ91tsz7tPRq0Ql6SDwU--3oYQogCLcB\/s1600\/SPWAW-3Dbox-170x220.gif\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EMichael Wood was the lead programmer with Bill Wilder and his Raiders working on the scenario designs.   As a team, we worked very hard trying out new ideas and finally released Steel Panthers World At War.  What we figured would be a blip on the gaming world took off and was a huge success for us and would become the starting point for Matrix Games.  I was\u0026nbsp;told it would never happen; then\u0026nbsp;that nothing would come of it.\u0026nbsp;Lesson learned from that is to\u0026nbsp;pray hard and keep your eye on the prize.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cem\u003E \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \nMost of us first heard your name with regards to Matrix Games. If my sources are right, you started Matrix Games back in Staten Island, New York in 1999. Can you tell us what made you want to start up a game company devoted to wargames and how did the process go in getting it up off the ground and running as a viable business?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E At the time I started Matrix Games I had already owned a few business\u0026nbsp;but that work was never as heart felt as when I was doing gaming stuff.  My goal at the time was to work Monday through Thursday, play games Thursday night until late and then\u0026nbsp;be off on Friday to recover.  It never\u0026nbsp;worked\u0026nbsp;that way, but it helped me decide that\u0026nbsp; I wanted to do something in the game field.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;Everyone had told me it wouldn't make money and to not waste my time.  I started with the Gamers Network reporting on anything to do with board or computer wargames and enjoyed\u0026nbsp;that.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;When\u0026nbsp;we started doing Steel Panthers: World At War I\u0026nbsp; felt one of the advantages we had was that we were already working as a tight team.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\nLooking back at your time at Matrix Games which game are you most proud of and which was the most successful?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-U28M0V99Nho\/V3rDm9cbuII\/AAAAAAAAASU\/Goc-I-13k8c3OIXxgZEEwdyW1vJROy2jwCLcB\/s1600\/UV-3Dbox-170x220.gif\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-U28M0V99Nho\/V3rDm9cbuII\/AAAAAAAAASU\/Goc-I-13k8c3OIXxgZEEwdyW1vJROy2jwCLcB\/s1600\/UV-3Dbox-170x220.gif\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E I am very proud of all the products we put out and the people I worked with. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/products\/216\/details\/Uncommon.Valor\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E Uncommon Valor\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E was one of my favorites since it was the first time I got to work with Gary Grigsby and Joel Billings on a new product.  Most people never get to meet their heroes; I got to do that and work with them.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;Also which game would you rather forget about?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EOh, that is an easy one, Fortress Europa.  I can still here Erik Rutins laughing at me for years\u0026nbsp;about that game.  It was a mess, and it was all my fault.  To this day I still get\u0026nbsp;taunted about\u0026nbsp;it, luckily there are not many copies out there,\u0026nbsp;if any to be found.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;What it did teach me was everything you produce is important and not to be taken for granted.  That means the manual, player aids, menus and even the inside of a box.  The first two big lessons I learned here was to never stop reviewing the game during the development process\u0026nbsp;and keep trying to find ways to make\u0026nbsp;it better, and that does not always mean cheaper.  The\u0026nbsp;third colossal one was never let anyone pressure you to release something you are not happy with.  Something I think some designers and publishers can use today.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\nDavid, your companies’ philosophy always seems to be to create a family atmosphere and a close-knit community, do you feel you were successful in achieving this? Was this important to you?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EThis has always been my philosophy; The staff that work well together,\u0026nbsp;play together and\u0026nbsp;have fun and not always be just work.  Sometimes you just need a break.  I have\u0026nbsp;closed the office to catch a movie, a surprise food break, etc.  The team\u0026nbsp;knows I want to hear their views on any given subject, and I do consider what is being said to me.  I once had a guy tell me “I must make all final design decisions”  I said “No way”.  I know I'm not the smartest person in the room.  I’m just someone who made some mistakes and hope I’ve learned from them.  Once\u0026nbsp;any decision is made and jobs are allocated\u0026nbsp; I then\u0026nbsp;expect total commitment and their best effort no matter what. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\nFrom the customer end, it’s simple; I want the customers to be able to get in touch with our designers and staff.    I personally never trust a company that doesn’t have a forum to engage its customers.  I try to answer our customers questions, and I do enjoy chatting with them.  Half the fun of gaming is talking to people and that should not change if you are a publisher.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nIf you could go back is there anything you’d do differently?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003Cem\u003ELook there is a lot of things I would love to have a redo on but that is not life.  I try to roll with the punches and move forward.  So I do not over think the past. I figure out what could have been done better and then make sure I do that next time.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cem\u003E \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhat were your high points and if any your low points during your tenure of Matrix Games?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E I enjoyed it all from the start to the end.  Some things more than others but overall good times.  I love putting deals together and making what I was told would never happen, happen. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nWhy did you feel the time was right to sell to\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E Slitherine Games\u003C\/a\u003E?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EWe had published about 80+ games, and I felt I had gone as far as I could take the company.  I was simply burned out at the time, and I need challenges and goals to work towards to drive me.   I figured the deal with them would help me get to the next level.  It never worked that way.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;I didn’t know it then but I was starting to get sick, and being a typical man I suppose it took some time before I went to see a doctor and that of course ended up with me needing surgery.  It was supposed to be a simple ,quick\u0026nbsp;check up but they found two tumors growing inside me.  The good news is I'm now\u0026nbsp;fully recovered, I lost over 140 pounds and now I\u0026nbsp;just need to pay more attention to my health.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp; After the sale, it was announced you'd still be around, however at some point you disappeared. What happened?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAfter the sale was completed, I had a hard time finding a place to fit in.  This is not to blame the new owners, as I am sure I was not in the best of places personally.   The new owner had their business style and ideas, and I had mine, and the two didn’t match.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-99ZyqnCzXTo\/V3rDJlZawxI\/AAAAAAAAASM\/_YqS8ngc2Qkbol_azUuj1U8Zm7J2Q6j9QCLcB\/s1600\/IMG_9490.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-99ZyqnCzXTo\/V3rDJlZawxI\/AAAAAAAAASM\/_YqS8ngc2Qkbol_azUuj1U8Zm7J2Q6j9QCLcB\/s320\/IMG_9490.JPG\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003Cem\u003EI was there for about two years; during that time my Dad past, and we were very close.  My Dad attended the conventions with us, and we always had a great time.  One of my best memories is of my Dad, Bill Wilder, Bill Trotter and Larry Bond simply talking about life over a cup of coffee.  Another time we went to GenCon, and we were all getting ready for the hall to open, and GenCon some of the costumes people wear are a little wilder than at other conventions.  I tried to warn my Dad and he looks at me and says “David I’ve seen it all before”, within five minutes a girl dressed in a gothic outfit walks up with her boyfriend (I assume it was a boyfriend) on all fours in a leather spike outfit on a leash.  My Dad just stared at them and then at all of us and said “I was wrong, very wrong.” We all broke out laughing, and the couple started explaining\u0026nbsp;what game their outfits was for.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\nSo with my Dad passing the spark kind of went out of me for a bit.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E During the time I ran Matrix we hardly had any staff turnover, but\u0026nbsp;by this point only two or so of the original team was left, so the company I called mine was not there anymore.\u0026nbsp;I felt it was pretty much time to go.  So I did, and that was that door closed and I then\u0026nbsp;took a break.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;After that, I started\u0026nbsp;started working with an old friend who ran Just Adventure. I was\u0026nbsp;helping\u0026nbsp; developers and getting involved in products very much like before and it was refreshing.  I was allowed to run my area of the company, and I just enjoyed the freedom and the challenge working there.  I still\u0026nbsp;collaborate with the guys there when needed.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \nYou're now the owner of Lock ‘n Load Publishing. How did this come about and what was it about Lock ‘n Load Publishing that appealed to you?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-zBhroa-2cUg\/V3rErXuwT_I\/AAAAAAAAASo\/yVeZqgeuBRArE1XCFj3mK9PeROnJBq8iQCLcB\/s1600\/IMG_9355.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-zBhroa-2cUg\/V3rErXuwT_I\/AAAAAAAAASo\/yVeZqgeuBRArE1XCFj3mK9PeROnJBq8iQCLcB\/s320\/IMG_9355.JPG\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003Cem\u003EMark Walker the original owner of Lock n’ Load called me and simply said he was looking for someone to buy the company and asked if I was interested.  At first said “No thank you”, but a buddy of mine thought it would be a good idea, and I was feeling the need to get back in the game.  So after some more talks a deal was worked out.\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;What did you do first once taking over Lock ‘n Load Publishing?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EThere was a lot, and it took me a while to get a handle on all the products and then\u0026nbsp;for me to work out\u0026nbsp;what needed to be done, and more importantly how.  Once I started figuring out the details I soon realised there were quite a few issues, some minor, some not.   One of the main issues was getting the product lines back to the market.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;I decided that the best way to correct a lot of issues was to print as much as possible in-house.  This gives us a lot of freedom, but it took a while to work out those details.  This caused Mark and I to bump heads as we both have very different styles of handling things and the end result was Mark starting a new company called Flying Pig Games.  At this time Mark has released one new box game and another one\u0026nbsp;is on\u0026nbsp;the way.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nWhat has been your hardest thing you needed to overcome?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-z6ryFtpSSes\/V3rC3d7YWXI\/AAAAAAAAASE\/c614ng9FSj89EBKxWfllMEu6Ii3iVcz3gCLcB\/s1600\/IMG_9376.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-z6ryFtpSSes\/V3rC3d7YWXI\/AAAAAAAAASE\/c614ng9FSj89EBKxWfllMEu6Ii3iVcz3gCLcB\/s320\/IMG_9376.JPG\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E The games themselves have been the best and at the same time the worst thing to overcome.  At this point, I feel Lock ‘n Load Publishing is doing the best it ever has, and the community seems to agree.  We know there\u0026nbsp;are still more things we need to improve and we will.  The games and the systems themselves are in the best shape ever, the rules, maps and counters have all been improved where needed.  Our new editions having been selling out in record time.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp; Let me take a moment to do a shameless plug of my team because without them none of this would have been possible; Jeff Lewis now leads the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/store.lnlpublishing.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003ELock ‘n Load Tactical Series\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Sean Druelinger the Nations At War Series, Matt Lohse, and Keith Tracton the World At War 85 Series.  In-house helping me keep it all together on the graphic end is Marc von Martial, Blackwell Hird, and David Julien.  Darren White and Jason Church are covering our flanks handling our Production, Shipping, and Customer Support.  There are many others like Ralph Ferrari, Jim Zabek, designers, programmers, etc.  The bottom line is it's all about the people you surround yourself with and with a great team you can do just about anything.  We have improved the quality of our game line and the gamers overall experience.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nWhat do you consider to be some of the best changes you made at Lock ‘n Load Publishing?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003Cem\u003EI guess taking\u0026nbsp;any confusion out of the company name, game series titles, new domain name and a major one is simply making the games available again.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;The other big one was\u0026nbsp;the need for expansions, to need other expansions.  You should never need something such as extra\u0026nbsp;counters, maps, player aid cards etc., to play a standalone or what we call a core\/base game.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-2YZUqWmn8r8\/V3rCstN80cI\/AAAAAAAAASA\/AnfyZWBMhQ0oC_RaOjyM9B9mFJ8Lnk1xACLcB\/s1600\/IMG_9476.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-2YZUqWmn8r8\/V3rCstN80cI\/AAAAAAAAASA\/AnfyZWBMhQ0oC_RaOjyM9B9mFJ8Lnk1xACLcB\/s320\/IMG_9476.JPG\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003Cem\u003EIn an expansion you will of course need a core\/base game but not another expansion and especially not one from another historical era.  To help clear this issue up in Lock ‘n Load Tactical we made it easy, if you see the word “Hero” in a title of a Lock ‘n Load Tactical game you know it is a complete game and requires nothing else.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;I think it’s very frustrating for customers to buy\u0026nbsp; a modern era expansion that not only requires a modern core\/base game which is understandable, but then to also require the customer to purchase a World War II era core\/base game just so you can use the maps to play the expansion this\u0026nbsp;is just too much.  By us making things consolidated where possible it\u0026nbsp;gives the customer confidence in what they are purchasing and what they can expect in a game from us.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp; What do you consider to be some of the bigger changes you made for the customers since you took over?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E \u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\nOf course the games, but outside of that, I would say the new pre-order\/backorder system with our new customer loyalty program.  \n\nOur new pre-order system\u0026nbsp;will allow you to place pre-orders with no need for a credit card or payment upfront.  No Risk or Outlay of money.  When the pre-order is ready for shipment, you will be sent an email with a link to click on and pay for your pre-order. You will then\u0026nbsp;have ten days to do this, and if during the interval you decide not purchase the product then you don't need to do anything. The order will automatically be cancelled, and you may order the game at any time at the current price.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe use to have a reward point system, you had to know how many award points you needed for a game, limited to what products you could use them on and you needed to remember to use them at checkout. Our new Loyalty system is simple and does all the work for you. Our new Loyalty system keeps tracks of your purchase history and applies you with a discount at checkout; that is applied to all of your purchases including pre-orders. This discount is visible right at checkout, and you never need to do anything. As you purchase more games over time, your discount will increase over time giving you an even larger discounts. Your discount is made based on your purchases over time and NOT the amount currently in your cart.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\n\nOne of the things gamers hate is throwing down money on a game with no idea if they like it.  When I was at Matrix Games we were always being asked to provide a demo.  Wargames are not first person shooters so making a demo is a lot harder, and a major time drain for the programmer.  Most wargames need some type of printed rules.    \n\nThe last thing is, we are setting up services to provide much better rates for our customers in Europe and Canada.  Expect to hear more on that soon.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp; Lock ‘n Load Publishing is most famous for its board games, where Matrix Games was mainly digital wargames. So will the board game side still have a big role in the future of Lock ‘n Load Publishing or will digital wargames become Lock ‘n Load Publishing's bread and butter?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003Cem\u003EWhen I was doing computer games one of the biggest issues we had was not all programmers are game designers.  So many of the games could have been better or they took a lot longer than they should have to complete.  Having a long list of proven game designs and systems takes that problem away.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-4VheF_ApBuA\/V3rEVFHtjeI\/AAAAAAAAASg\/v0kSXTaymeY1cLej1Xa_HTO7LF59iS4GACLcB\/s1600\/COCGv2-Boxshot-900x1200.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-4VheF_ApBuA\/V3rEVFHtjeI\/AAAAAAAAASg\/v0kSXTaymeY1cLej1Xa_HTO7LF59iS4GACLcB\/s320\/COCGv2-Boxshot-900x1200.jpg\" width=\"240\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EJust about every digital game we release will have a Windows and MAC edition followed by iPad and iPhone where possible. \nOur idea is to provide a totally FREE core edition of our digital games.  So anyone can download the whole complete game and start playing.  Our core game will normally come with one a two easy battles\/scenarios to allow a gamer to see if he likes it and make sure it works on his system.  If the customer is pleased with it he may purchase the games Battle Packs that will provide more battles\/scenarios.  This also helps with updates as\u0026nbsp;every engine update will automatically update any older content. \nWe\u0026nbsp;currently have available \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/store.lnlpublishing.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPanther Games Command Ops 2\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, so if you’re not sure it is for you, simple, download it and find out.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp; Line of Fire Magazine issues seemed to have stop.  When is the next issue coming out?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EThe quick answer, it is not.  We had a lot of customers not wanting to buy a magazine\u0026nbsp;just for a few scenarios\u0026nbsp;for the\u0026nbsp;one or two games they liked.  We have decided to stop releasing any new issues of the magazine for the foreseeable future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;Our customer want more content for the games they already have from us.  So we will be releasing more Compendium magazines for our different game series.  We are taking the games that have\u0026nbsp;been released in back issues of Line of Fire and re-releasing them as stand-alone products. \nThe next two Compendium will be for Lock ‘n Load Tactical.  The first one will cover scenarios and articles for Lock ‘n Load Tactical: World War II and the second one for the Modern Era.  They should have all the previous released Lock ‘n Load Tactical scenarios with a few surprises.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\nGamers can be quite a vocal lot. Wargamers I reckon are probably one of the hardest to please. Grognards want different things to the casual gamer, then they all have their favourite scale, then you have the traditionalists and then those who are happy to see new mechanics, all with something to say and usually not shy in voicing their opinions.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;What’s your experience been like dealing with what can be a difficult section of gamers especially difficult to please? Does this make developing\\designing wargames tougher than a different genre of game?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EThere are always a few that you can't please and those I don’t worry about too much.  Overall the gamers are a\u0026nbsp;great and understanding lot.  I never liked using email for a customer support, emails get lost or missed.  Our forums and support desk really help us 90% of the time with keeping up with our customers.  We also go around\u0026nbsp;the internet keeping are customers informed and answering questions\u0026nbsp;where ever \u0026nbsp;we have a presence like\u0026nbsp;BGG, CSW, Facebook, Twitter, and Google.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;One of the things I personally do is pick a recently placed order and call that customer and see how he felt his service was.  I don’t mind upset customers because if they are spending money and something is wrong they\u0026nbsp;have the right to say so and that is why we have a support ticket system\u0026nbsp;and the forums.  There is no hiding, when we make a mistake we take our lumps, but this goes both ways and we have customers who post how happy they are, leave us nice support tickets saying thank you etc.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \nAs for designing\/developing games I would say it makes no difference.  The designers are important but if you want a great game it really requires a good developer\u003C\/span\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp; What advice can you give to those who are thinking about getting into the game business as a publisher?\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EIf you've got the bug to publish the likelihood is you have already started.  If you’ve got a question just ask someone at a publishing company or even a local print shop.  I get calls and emails\u0026nbsp;from college students to gamers asking questions all the time.  I don’t mind answering a few questions from time to time so feel free to email me.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;What advice can you give to those wanting to work in the game business in any other position?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E Go to a company (LnLP is always looking) and start off with a few scenarios, or playtesting.  Then try your hand at maybe building an expansion for a game.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \nWhat job within the business would you say is the one most needed so easier to get a job in? What would skills you say are must haves for those with ambitions to get into the game business?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEach companies needs are different but one part of a game that can be a gateway into the industry are the graphics.  To me the Graphic Artist\u0026nbsp;is the most needed but not necessarily the easiest job to get in with, and that is the short simple answer.  Not all artists can do all things, but once a publisher can make a connection it’s a good starting point.\u003C\/em\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;What is the most important thing you feel our hobby needs?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBring in more gamers PERIOD, and I am not talking about more Magic players.  There is nothing wrong with Magic but it is\u0026nbsp;not growing our hobby at all.  We need more clubs, gaming groups and leaders to help teach someone what this hobby is all about. The first gaming club I found was through the General magazine whilst I was\u0026nbsp;in High School and I am still friends with many of those guys.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp; We need starter wargames to teach what a ZOC is and other basic wargaming terms. There are a lot of good games for this, Jim Werbaneth’s Rommel At Gazala, Peter Bogdasarian’s Tank On Tank Series and there are a lot of other games from other publishers.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-ggW5OBJSnJw\/V3rCb9aRvHI\/AAAAAAAAAR8\/GXb3YH7bsrggzFhNtYcrC13OXIzuef1PQCLcB\/s1600\/IMG_9402.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-ggW5OBJSnJw\/V3rCb9aRvHI\/AAAAAAAAAR8\/GXb3YH7bsrggzFhNtYcrC13OXIzuef1PQCLcB\/s320\/IMG_9402.JPG\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EWe need more games that keep us engaged, here is an example of\u0026nbsp;what I am getting at.  I went to play Churchill and I could not get pass the rulebook.  I am sure it was me, to tired or simply just not connecting the dots.  The game is just such a great design it was like nothing I had played before.  I was so lost that I had to\u0026nbsp;have a friend come by to teach me.  I got the pizza and he taught me the game.  I loved the game and it seemed so much easier than the rulebook made it look.  This game would never have been played if I had\u0026nbsp;needed to figure it out by myself.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;I teach at a school on computer software and I\u0026nbsp;convinced the school to allow me to teach the software class while giving them a real project.  The project is teaching these kids how to design, develop and produce\u0026nbsp;a game.  This fall I will kick this off,  I have no idea how it will go but I am excited. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv align=\"center\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-eYOwi-W5DQQ\/V3rCQYWWslI\/AAAAAAAAAR4\/xeXmjLjs-I8D3_0ZRC4VyB5k05HjmPGagCLcB\/s1600\/IMG_9485.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-eYOwi-W5DQQ\/V3rCQYWWslI\/AAAAAAAAAR4\/xeXmjLjs-I8D3_0ZRC4VyB5k05HjmPGagCLcB\/s320\/IMG_9485.JPG\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\n\u003Cem\u003EThis past February I was reminded how important these retail stores are to our hobby.  My son Shane and I went to Jeff Newell’s convention called Game On in Seattle, it is a small convention but one of the most enjoyable ones I attend.  One of the exhibitors was a game store called Around the Table which is\u0026nbsp;based\u0026nbsp;in Seattle.  One of the owners is Nick Coelho who I had never met before yet soon we were chatting away and\u0026nbsp; I stated that I\u0026nbsp;would like to learn two games at his booth.  Nick went and got his own copies of these two games and came back and spent the evening teaching my son and I how to play and then went on to play the games with us.  Not wanting to make a choice I had to buy both games.  If I ever open a Lock ‘n Load game store, I promise this will be done at my store if it ever comes to be.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp; What are your dreams for Lock ‘n Load Publishing?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003Cem\u003EWhat any publisher wants, gamers to enjoy the games we publish.\u003C\/em\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\nFinally, I want\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/twohourwargames.com\/ww2.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E NUTS! and it's expansions Clash of Titans and Stalingrad by two-hour wargames\u003C\/a\u003E to be converted to the PC. We won't get the nose tickler out if you now commit to this? \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E Hey, Ed and I were just talking about making a LnLP edition of NUTS it may be closer then you think.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBob, what's that noise? Sirens? Oh sh…Bob run..run..David thank you for your time, just cut yourself out of the chair with these..oh you got out of there quick… Ok please don’t say anything…ouch, yes I deserved that..ooooh..and that…ow..that to…..\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\nExciting!! Gotta run..bye!\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-lTG11jlwxLc\/V3poeF4p7EI\/AAAAAAAAAQA\/uq7EJZ7g8McJI-fvThNOd13EYd8RKXfUgCLcB\/s1600\/interrogation-police.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"303\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-lTG11jlwxLc\/V3poeF4p7EI\/AAAAAAAAAQA\/uq7EJZ7g8McJI-fvThNOd13EYd8RKXfUgCLcB\/s320\/interrogation-police.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/3318470203786162185\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2016\/07\/the-david-heath-interrogation-sorry.html#comment-form","title":"5 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/3318470203786162185"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/3318470203786162185"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2016\/07\/the-david-heath-interrogation-sorry.html","title":"The David Heath Interrogation, sorry Interview:)"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Jason Rimmer"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/11422897378271126789"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-gcRubxTnI14\/V3pjn3uqShI\/AAAAAAAAAPw\/sOg3Foin2rAar6Tv4o0BMin_6NxgyTsDgCLcB\/s72-c\/dh.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"5"}}]}});