Why Me?

The Idea

I know…it does seem like a lofty goal to say I plan to create the world’s greatest tabletop game. Especially when I have yet to create a single game. Nonetheless, it is what I intend to do. Not unlike many of you reading this, I’ve grown up playing all kinds of games of all different types. Indoor, outdoor, tabletop and video, these games fulfilled many facets of my life. Games helped me learn. I learned to socialize, I learned how to interact with others, I learned to explore, I learned to read, I learned to solve puzzles and problems, I learned patience, I learned how to win and how to lose, I learned to persevere, I learned to have fun, I learned about the world, and learned about right and wrong, I learned about decisions and their consequences, but most important of all, I learned about games.

For a time, video games had a strong hold on the game market, and board games were nothing more than nostalgic relics of a time long ago. More recently however, board games have been developed that have proven there is a world of board games that has yet to be created. Some of these recent tabletop creations have lead to resurgence in game groups. Friends and families, once drawn by the allure of electronic screens, are now drawn back to the table. This is where my journey with Game X begins. Year’s prior, I had a dream of making an amazing game, but at that time, I didn’t have the financial means or discipline. Nor did I have the knowledge that I do today about games. In 2017, I began playing tabletop games regularly with a neighborhood game group. Soon I was playing games with friends, family, and occasionally exploring them on my own whenever I had the chance. 

The Motivation

Now is a good point to mention that I am highly critical of almost everything. I’m always looking for what I like and what I don’t like, what is good and what could be better in almost everything I do every day. With this in mind, I began to critique games and find opportunities in them.  On one hand, I love games, but on the other hand, I was always finding things that bugged me, things that could be better. At first, I kept these ideas to myself, but as a regular Kickstarter backer I realized that I should share my ideas in hopes of influencing the game design. So I did. With several games I have backed, I would learn about the games being released and would review content whenever it was available, I would look through it and share feedback. Most of the time, I didn’t get much of a response. I could hypothesize why, personally I think it has a lot to do with these games on Kickstarter now being sold by somewhat established game companies that have already “made up their minds” on certain things. Or maybe my ideas weren’t that great in all fairness. Whatever the case, I realized something that prevented these games from becoming something better was the long term established feedback loop between the creator and the players. Not to say that all games lacked this, there are many game companies that I feel do this to some level and should be commended for it. But in the end I think there is an untapped opportunity, for people like you and me, to play a part in creating these games to a greater extent that we currently see. 

To this end, one of my key drivers and desires is to create a tabletop game, “Of the people, by the people, for the people” to borrow from Lincoln. That’s also why I’m spending so much time investing in social media outlets before I have any products to sell. I really hope to find people with a similar passion to myself, and get them involved. I’m willing to do the hard work to make this dream become a reality, and I want to be as inclusive as possible with the hope that this inclusion will lead to something truly great. Way better than a game that could be created by a single individual, or even a company of 100 individuals, I hope to have a community created game.

The Support

When I was 16, I had a dream to create a tabletop game, and I still have notes from those early ideas, but it didn’t happen then primarily because of financial means. While I am planning to do a Kickstarter for the game to cover the final manufacturing and distribution costs, I plan on using much of my own funds to cover the early development and initial prototyping. For this, I have a day job in IT that I have and will continue to work very hard at. I am financially stable at this point in my life and have saved up a significant amount of “capital” to invest in this company and the game. I have no plans on quitting my job to “focus” full time on the game. And while I recognize this will result in a longer timeline, I believe it will improve chances for success, as I will have the guaranteed funds to keep progressing. 

I’ve heard of horror stories where people have backed Kickstarters only to see their money disappear. Simply put, I will make certain that doesn’t happen. I want to make certain that I have more than enough funds of my own to cover any and all “kinks” that may arise to see this through. I believe my current job and financial savvy nature will help to support the success of this game.

I also have the support of my amazing wife. She has, for a long time dreamed of becoming a writer and has dedicated herself to learning and practicing that skill for this game. She is also an amazing project manager. Some of you might be thinking - She sounds perfect to help create a board game! Well she is, and she works for free, just like I do. And no, I didn’t marry her just to help with the game, but I sure got lucky! With her skills in writing and keeping me on track, in combination with my art skills, IT skills, and ability to learn almost anything, we certainly have a strong foundation to support this games creation, but we’re still going to need your help.

The DIY Nature

I cannot think of a time in my life where I’ve come across something I truly wanted to accomplish and not been able to. I get a lot of crazy ideas, and this isn’t the first, and I’ve always seen them through. My wife and I do not have any children, which means I have a lot of spare time. In this time, I am an avid collector, gardener, baker, woodworker, artist, audiophile, licensed HAM radio operator, and board game enthusiast. Just recently my car needed repairs, and I decided to learn how to do them myself. Last year, I wanted some very specific bookshelves I couldn’t find in stores, so I learned woodworking and built them. Throughout 2017, I got two levels of Amateur radio licensing. Sometimes I take on a task for a one-time project, and other times, it’s for a longer lifetime goal, but whatever the reason, when I decide to do something I do it. This game is no different, and I do not plan on stopping until I have confidence that I have completed the world’s greatest tabletop game.

Conclusion

This blog was intended to share about my background; my motivation for this project and the qualities that I think will make Game X a success. If I haven’t shared enough, or you would like to understand more about me please write and I’d love to talk more. It wouldn’t be fair for me to ask for your help if I haven’t convinced you that I’m going to put in the time myself. But if I have convinced you, then I’d ask you join me on this journey. Follow this blog, share your ideas in the contact forum, join and interact in the social media sites. I look forward to working with all of you and I promise you won’t be disappointed with the results.

Thanks,

Jason