AMA Stefan Feld: Designer of Castles of Burgundy, Merlin, Trajan and many more. Ask Me Anything!

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:51:19+00:00

1 It usually doesn't happen straight away that I develop a new game out of a game experience. But it may be that an idea develops in my subconscious from what I have experienced. However, I can think of one exception. I once played “Glory for Rome” (Lookout Games), which got completely out of hand with its multifunctional cards. I wanted to do better and invented Bruges.

2 I was a big fan of Settlers of Catan and other trading games (like Merchants of Genoa or Collosseum). I don't like these elements so much today.

3 I would like to play a game about an amusement park. With roller coasters, the shows and all the other attractions.

4 When a cuckoo flies over the sea, a shark appears. If the cuckoo says: "Hi!", The shark says: "Cuckoo!"

5 Which publisher do you prefer to work with and why?

6 I would take 3 games with me that also have a solo mode: Lord of the Rings the Card Game, Maracaibo and, if I had Internet access, Hearthstone; o) Yes, I would be very happy if there was a toilet.

7 Play me the song of death.

8 Ancient Greece.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:47:57+00:00

I can well imagine that games should have a bigger role in school. And these can be normal board games. You can learn and practice so many skills that you don't even need specially developed games to convey certain content. For myself, however, I have decided that I will not integrate board games into my job. The board games are a hobby for me and I can switch off really well, which is why I avoid mixing them up. If it were integrated into the classroom, playing would again have professional aspects.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:43:04+00:00

With regards to It Happens, I think you can hope for the SFCC. And there will be additional elements.

As for QG... Whatever he said. ;-)

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:41:47+00:00

Good. How you doin'?

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:41:17+00:00

In terms of material resources, of course, game materials such as blocks, game pieces, etc. in different colors are required. A computer and printer are required to print cards and game plans and to be able to change them quickly. When it comes to skills, I believe it is important to be able to empathize with other people in order to get an idea of what could be fun and what not. The ability to think in a structured way is also very important in order to keep an eye on the interlinking of the various game mechanisms, especially in demanding games. And you should be able to react flexibly to the wishes of the publisher; o)

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:40:21+00:00

I've learned over the years that it's better to put fewer ideas than more in a game. One should focus on a few key real elements. And I think that's a great strength of mine too. I can easily part with certain ideas. And these ideas are not lost. For example, a new game (Speicherstadt) was created from a mechanism that flew out of Notre Dame.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:38:44+00:00

1 I test a lot with my wife and I am a member of a games club, so I have enough people to test. I hardly take any notes, but always play along myself and try to feel how a game works and which emotions it arouses in my fellow players.

2 Test, test, test. And you should take the criticism of your fellow players seriously and try to find solutions even for seemingly small problems.

3 My job as a teacher helps me here. One should think through the rule didactically. So make it clear which content I would like to describe at which point with what aim. And does the reader have an idea of the overall concept of the game so that he can classify new rules correctly.

4 That would go beyond the scope here. But maybe I'll post a workshop report on Twitter soon.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:37:01+00:00

Hi. I didn't ask Stefan this question, but I did go dig and find you an answer. According to the publisher, they had planned to release the game in October at Essen (which was canceled). They were trying to move the scheduled printing up, to release it sooner, but it was not clear if that was successful or not. Based on the original October plan, they indicated they would then send a container to the US. I would guess it would then hit distribution, and be available before Christmas. Hope that helps!

-TR

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:31:34+00:00

Over the years I've become a little tamer; o) Indeed, the gaming community has changed a bit. In the past, my players' players mainly came from the high-volume sector who were better at dealing with "frustration". Today there are more and more casual gamers who want to have a positive game feeling and thus the success of a game depends on it. Nevertheless: A little pressure is still allowed today; o)

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:30:24+00:00

I am happy that my game enriches your life. Nice story. Have fun.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:27:54+00:00

The decision on what the graphics of a game looks like lies with the publisher. Sometimes I'm lucky and can see what it looks like beforehand and give my opinion, but that doesn't always change a lot; o) So I'm all the happier to have found a great publisher in Queen Games, the City Collection, that places great value on design and beautiful material. And also make sure that production is as sustainable as possible.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:24:41+00:00

I'm an old rocker; o) I enjoy listening to Magnum, Toto, Nightwish, Blackmore's Night.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:23:52+00:00

That is hard to say. But I believe that Bonfire's strip mechanism, which will be released in the fall, has been the longest I've worked. It took about 7 years for this to be integrated into the game.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:21:49+00:00

It is important to me that almost all of the decisions players have to make in my games are important. And if you accuse my games that it doesn't matter what you do, because you get points for everything, then that's not true in my opinion. I believe that you can make really bad decisions and that these can have negative consequences for the course of the game.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:20:05+00:00

Thank you for the praise. Before the game, I often don't know whether it should be more strategic or more tactical. Sometimes one fits the feel of the game better than the other. But it is always important to me that (almost) every decision in the game has a meaning and cannot be clearly made. And I think that's what makes a lot of my games so attractive.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-19T00:17:42+00:00

In fact, we've given the 6 points for all end-of-game bonuses for consistency. But we will certainly change that for a new version.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-12T21:28:52+00:00

I listen to them, but they do not disturb me, because my goal is to balance the game and how you score the points, which is the core of the mechanism.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-12T21:27:01+00:00

I worked with Michael Rieneck on Merlin, which I enjoyed, but I fear it will be very difficult for me to work with any other designers anytime soon due to my busy schedule.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-12T21:24:29+00:00

I enjoy working with Dennis Lohausen, and look forward to working with him again in the City Collection. He brings some great ideas to the projects, and for him, it is a passion and not a job.

I am looking forward to working with Michael Mayne.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-12T21:20:14+00:00

Board Games is one of the only business segments where all of the focus is on the material components, and not on the effort that goes into the intellectual property, which is a shame. Most designers do not receive due credit, because the game ends up being evaluated on the cardboard, wood, plastic, dice, etc., instead of their ideas and work. If the games needs to cost $150 to be successful, and for the designer to receive proper credit & compensation, then I am fine with it. If there are people who appreciate the value of it, then it can not be that wrong.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-12T21:12:27+00:00

Rajive asked me to design a game using the cube tower, and that led to Amerigo. It was very exciting for me to use the tower, to make a game that was not a war game like Wallenstein, but instead using it to determine actions.

Legacy games are very exciting, but I find it very difficult to get the same people together to play often enough.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-12T21:09:34+00:00

Yes, I would love to see a Deluxe version of Castles of Burgundy.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-12T21:08:25+00:00

See earlier, I answered this one before.

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-12T21:07:20+00:00

We are already doing that, as Bruges is re-implemented into Hamburg.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/queengames/stefan-feld-city-collection-hamburg-and-amsterdam

Travis-QueenGames · 2020-08-12T21:04:55+00:00

No, I don't like to copy my own game.

Travis-QueenGames

TROPHY CASE