I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 22

 I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 22

 

 

There are two types of graphics used to draw on computers: Vector - which creates points in space and has the computer draws lines to them - as seen in the game "Battlezone" and Raster - which requires the user to draw using pixels to create images - as seen in the classic arcade game "Donkey Kong". 

When I started my career in video games I learned how to use raster-based drawing tools like Adobe Photoshop, which you use to create and alter pictures using pixels. The alternative tool was Adobe Illustrator - a vector based tool that I found to be very un-intuitive and fiddly to use. I've been a "photoshop guy" for forty years and I was pretty happy with that choice... until this week. 

 

 

You see, in order to create custom meeples, you need to create SVG files. SVG stands for "Scaleable Vector Graphics" and to create vector graphics you need to use Illustrator. 

 

These meeple images might appear very simple to you, but they took me hours of trial and error to create. I'm still not sure that I like them, but I've got to get moving on this game and I can't let a little thing like my own ignorance stop me. 

 

The other big task this week was getting all the assets ready for the printer. This means taking all of the images and putting them in a LONG PDF file. I don't know what the printer will do with them. Perhaps they can send me photos. 

 

I'm really out of my comfort zone with both of these processes, but that's why I'm doing this, to learn how everything it takes to make board games.

I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 21

 I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 21

Whew! I've finished all of the production files. It took twice as long because I didn't prepare the files properly for the printer when I created them (CMYK, 300 dpi, TIFF - for future reference) so I had to rebuild most of my cards.

 

The other big task, writing the rule book, is also complete. Here's where you can help. Please read over these pages for typos, bad grammar, unclear illustrations or directions.

I appreciate your help in advance!

 

UPDATED with revisions! Thanks so far!

ANOTHER UPDATE: Thanks for all of the help so far! Lots of good changes made.

I also got rid of that "steeple" terminology. As my pal Andy Ashcraft says "Why make up a word when there's a perfectly good one for it already?"

I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 19

 I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 19

Warning, this game has bedbugs!

No, not real vermin!  Because I DO MY OWN STUNTS features superhero movies as one of the Scene card genres, I figured who better to star in his own "movie" but my OC superhero Bedbug!

Bedbug the single father superhero, has been around since 2001 where he first appeared in Shooting Star Comics Anthology #1 and since then Bedbug has appeared in comic books...

video games...

 textbooks...

 ...and other board games!

If you want to learn more about Bedbug, check out his webpage here!

In I DO MY OWN STUNTS, Bedbug stars in his very own "movie", complete with action-packed stunts. It's been a lot of fun trying to figure out what the "memorable stunts" from this fictitious movie might be.

In the "movie" Bedbug squares off against his "classic" villains including the Grave Robber (a fan favorite) - will Bedbug overcome his vile adversaries and survive the spectacular stunts?  You'll have to play I DO MY OWN STUNTS to find out!

Want to see more games that feature Bedbug? Let me know in the comments!

I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 18

I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 18

Let's make some Scene cards!

Stunt cards are a very important component in I DO MY OWN STUNTS. Filling the Scene cards with meeple stunt performers is how you earn points. The first step is to create the "frame" for each card. I wanted the scene cards to look like individual frames from a fictional movie.

These physical prototype cards need to be scanned and recreated in digital form. The final cards will ultimately need to be digital files so they can be manufactured by the printer. The film frames are purple because I found it make for a better looking border than traditional black frames.

Once the frames are digitally created, I need to determine what information is on a Scene card. These include the Scene's genre, its Star value and if any Skills are applicable to it. Also, the stunt meeple color and pose requirements are designed. This requires the most balancing as certain poses are rarer (harder to achieve) than others. Knowing this is an important part of the design.

Once the frames have been laid out, they need to have scenes created for them. Each genre of film has its own movie (s) that inspires the images. For the Sci-Fi scenes, I turned to the character designs from one of my other creations: Rayguns and Rocketships.

I have to take these drawings and recreate them in digital form. I didn't like how messy looking the scans turned out, so I'm going to have to redraw them.

I redraw all of the cards digitally using a Wacom tablet. I prefer drawing directly on the pad so I have more control over what I'm drawing.

I will eventually be drawing 36 original drawings for each of the cards and it will take me about two to three weeks to format, draw and color all of them. I hope you find the final result worth the effort!

Once these have all been completed, I will convert them into a digital format (usually .PNG) that the printer will use to create the final cards. Oh, I mustn't forget to create the card backs as well!

I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 17

I DO MY OWN STUNTS Update 17

Most of the money for the game has been collected (thanks!) and I've been conducting play tests of the game. During those tests, we realized that a) everyone found the "snake draft" too confusing to keep track of and b) a first player token is needed to help keep track of who goes first. One of the testers suggest a clapper board as a first player token, which I think is a great idea.

 

Of course, adding new components means that I have to update the component list for the printer. I don't anticipate it changing the overall cost by much. I'm also reducing one of the components (landing mats for a "difficult" mode) in numbers because I don't think players will use them too often and I'm not sure how much they add to the game.

 

The biggest task for production at the moment is creating artwork for the Scene cards. After a few experiments (see update 15), I have gone with my "Scott Rogers style" for the Scene cards. You might remember my artwork from the prototype cards.

And here's what the Scene cards look like when I actually takes some time and color them in Photoshop. 

I might may a few more adjustments to some coloring or add a few more details, but this is pretty close to the final look. 

Oh, and if you are an illustrator offering to redraw these, I appreciate it, but for some reason people seem to like my art. What can I say?

I DO MY OWN STUNTS update 16

 I DO MY OWN STUNTS update 16 

Obviously, having a great game design is important, but when it comes to selling your game, they say a great box design is just as important. 

Often, when I am first envisioning a game, I create a mock-up of the box. It helps keep me focused on what I find interesting about the game and create the vibe that I'm going for. The drawing below is the first image I drew of I DO MY OWN STUNTS.

As I worked on the box design, I knew I wanted to keep the energy of this drawing - meeple stunt people (stunteeple?) leaping from an explosion while a camera crew filmed the action.

 

It also had to fit the "meeple tower" box form-factor. I wanted the players to throw their meeples off a building to land in an air bag pad below. I created a digital mock-up of the box to show to the printers so they will know what it is supposed to look like. (no, that's not a swimming pool)

Baring any last-minute changes, this is very close to what the final version of the game box will look like! I hope you're as pleased with the results as I am!

Next up, Scene cards (for real this time!)

 

 

I DO MY OWN STUNTS update 15

 I DO MY OWN STUNTS update 15

Things are moving fast. I am in the process of getting quotes from three printers - Eastar, Gameland, and Panda.

I'm thankful that I've found so many printers willing to create such a small print run. I will be making 100 copies of the game in total. Big enough to create their own issues, small enough to not be overwhelming.

 

As I march towards making a decision, I'm also creating the assets for production. There are currently five different types of cards needed for the game: Performers, Gear, Scenes, Infirmary, and Subplots. 

Since the cover art features "meeple characters" - which I think are cute and will help sell the idea of the game  - I started with them for the design of the Performer cards; which give players special skills to help reposition their meeple stunt people.

But when I started making Performer cards using the meeple character art, I was dissatisfied with results. They just didn't look right to me. I found them hard to pose in anything other than a face-on position. So I went in a different direction.

As I was exploring card frame designs, I hit upon the idea of them looking like head-shots. I'm quite satisfied with the results. I think of it like in JRPG's where the character on screen is a little Chibi while their portrait is more realistic. The Performer designs are based on famous stunt performers... although their names have been changed.

 Next up were the Gear cards. These are cards that help the player modify their meeples and Performers as well as giving scoring bonus.

Their design also didn't come right away, but once I hit on the "clapper board" concept, they came together pretty quickly.

Next up, Scene cards!

 

I DO MY OWN STUNTS update 14

 I DO MY OWN STUNTS update 14

Thanks to the 75 backers of I DO MY OWN STUNTS, we can move forward! I'm proud to say we have backers all over the world - from California to Rhode Island, Germany, New Zealand, Argentina, Denmark... 

 

 
Frankly I'm a bit amazed and humbled that so many people are excited for this game. You have energized me into action to make sure that I DO MY OWN STUNTS is the best looking and most fun game that I can make! 

 

Payment information has been sent via email. If you didn't get an email, please contact me ASAP.

I've been working on designs for the custom meeples. I'd love to have 4 four-color screen-printed meeples for the game. It all depends on the quotes I get back - still in process. 

 

 
Can you guess which stunt performers the meeples designs are based on? Post your guesses below!