We are excited to have Tim Blank back in Designer Alley this year showing off his games Wizards of Wysteria, Yosemite and Bumuntu.
A little about Tim, written in his own words.
Tim Blank is a board and escape room game designer from Boston, MA. In addition to designing games, he teaches game design at Northeastern University, is Vice President of BostonFIG, and president of the Game Makers Guild. Tim's games include Oh My Gods!, Bumuntu, and Yosemite, being published later this year.
THREE RANDOM FACTS ABOUT TIM:
I have a Guinness World Record.
I play 6 instruments and have written a symphony.
I can move one eye without moving the other.
THREE BOARD GAME DESIGN QUESTIONS:
Have you ever let go of a design or idea? Explain what it was and why you let go or why you have not.
All the time. I have a rule that if I fall out of love with a game, I stop working on it. The way I see it, if I can't even get excited about my own game, how will I get others excited for it, too?
What pushes you to the end of a design, what motivates you to finish?
Royalty checks are nice. :) But seriously, I don't really "push" to finish my games as much as I realize that they're already finished. I usually get to a point where the changes I make don't actually make it better, but instead just make it different. At that point, I need to just make some decisions and call it done.
Who are some of your favorite designers and their games?
Myself, duh! I also am a fan of Uwe Rosenberg - all of his games are vastly different, but still fun.
THREE QUESTIONS JUST FOR FUN:
What does a perfect gaming session look like for you?
Good friends, good food, and lots of laughs. No matter what we're doing, we're having fun.
If you could meet one person (whether they are alive or not), who would it be and why?
The person who keeps calling me about my car's warranty so I can punch them in the face.
Besides Granite Game Summit (or its companion events) what is your favorite convention and why?
BostonFIG, of course, because it's the best gaming event ever.
TIM WILL BE SHOWING OFF HIS GAMES WIZARDS OF WYSTERIA, YOSEMITE AND BUMUNTU IN DESIGNER ALLEY AT #G2S2022
Wizards of Wysteria: The kingdom of Wysteria is being attacked by dragons and you, an elemental wizard, have been recruited to fend them off. But each of your spells needs a rare elemental stone. Good thing you have the technology to transform stones. Build your stone transformation machines, hire apprentices, and fend off the dragons; but watch out: Spend too much time building your machines and the dragons will come along to destroy it!
Yosemite: Welcome to the Annual Yosemite National Park photo contest. It’s time for you to show off your skills! Take the best pictures of our beautiful park and impress our judges to with the title of “Photographer of the Year!” Yosemite is a fast-paced, competitive strategy game for 2 players based on the landmarks of Yosemite National Park. In this game, you’ll travel through the park, take pictures of the animals and the landmarks, and go camping and fishing. Be the one who impresses the judges the most (scores the most points) in order to win the coveted title of “Photographer of the Year.”
Bumuntu: A common theme in African folklore is that animals are wise creatures who teach humans to do good and moral things. As a tribal leader, you will follow the guidance of the animals, journeying through the jungle in hopes of winning their favor. Bumúntú is a lightweight strategy game based on the culture and folklore of the Bakongo tribes. Descendants of the Kingdom of Kongo, the Bakongo people are the largest group of tribespeople in central Africa.
You can find out more about Tim and his games at: timmakesgames.com
