Grant: Where did your concept for the Action Token selection come from and why do you feel it sets the tone for the game?ĭavid: For much of the design life of the game, the unit activation was a very straightforward (and dare I say bland) IGOUGO system of alternating turns. Meanwhile, factions like the Combine want wide open areas to optimize their long range. For example, factions like the Soldiers of Light that rely exclusively on close combat will want to have lots of elevated terrain in order to break up line of sight. How does this become a major strategy for players?ĭavid: Each faction has certain strengths, and the boards can definitely be used to bolster or weaken those strengths. Grant: I also really liked how the scenarios allow players to build the board by choosing and placing tiles as they see fit. I also made sure to integrate the boards from the core set with those in the expansions, so that the number of possible configurations is almost limitless. The boards also provide a ton of replayability. Savvy players will choose boards and configurations that play to the strengths of their faction. I thought it was important to feature construction of the play environment as an integral part of the game. Why was this your chosen medium for the board and what advantage does it give to the game play experience?ĭavid: Using double-sided modular boards was always one of my design goals. Grant: The game is played using double sided tiles as the board. And my buddy Ricardo Tomas (one of the game’s first blind playtesters) has been instrumental in helping to develop the setting’s lore. Much of the setting’s backstory is intertwined with real world events, which I enjoy. In recent years, I’ve drifted away from fiction as my love for history has grown, but I’m always up for some Mad Max, Book of Eli, The Road, etc. Like I mentioned before, post-apoc is one of my favorite genres. Grant: How much fun did you have with the story and background? Are you an aspiring writer because I think you did a great job?ĭavid: Oh, I love it. The original inspiration for the setting came from a setting “riff” thread on RPG.net from way back in 2008! It plays a central role to the setting for For What Remains, but only one of the six factions is actually directly tied to the Netherscape. It is a psycho-reactive environment that is home to a wide variety of beasts. Grant: What is the Netherscape and where did this idea come from?ĭavid: The Netherscape is a separate dimension that sits adjacent to our own. It allows you to recruit new troops and watch them advance over time, playing through an overarching storyline. But at the heart of the game is the campaign system. Just grab the guys you want, and battle it out. What are the two ways and how does this make the game a unique experience?ĭavid: That’s right. Grant: I read where there are two ways to play For What Remains. I stripped the rules way back in order to put the gameplay front and center. This design was truly about embracing the KISS (or “keep it simple stupid”) concept. And I want them to be able to develop their factions in a campaign with an interesting story. Grant: What is For What Remains about? What type of gaming experience do you hope to create for players?ĭavid: I want players to experience a quick, dynamic skirmish-level game with very little rules overhead. I thought the title evoked the idea of a desperate battle for a post-apocalyptic future. Then I changed it to Skirmish Tactics Apocalypse, as a sort of homage to the tactical RPGs like Tactics Ogre. Originally it was Project Capricorn: Apocalypse, which is a reference to some of the lore in the game. Grant: What about the name? What are you trying to convey with it?ĭavid: The name of the game changed over time. I was looking to meld together my favorite fiction genre (post-apocalyptic) with a game design that pulled from all the formative games I played during my youth: board games like Blood Bowl and Mage Knight (the original “clix” minis combat game) tactical role playing video games ( Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre) and Dungeons & Dragons. Grant: What was your inspiration for your newest design which is a post apocalyptic skirmish style game?ĭavid: The idea for the game dates back more than 10 years ago. As it is coming up quickly for the start of its Kickstarter on Tuesday, April 30th at Noon PST, I asked David if he would answer some questions about the design. Since then, we have done interviews with him regarding Castle Itterand now about his newest upcoming game called For What Remains. The first game of his that drew me in was Pavlov’s House from Dan Verssen Games. Over the past year, I’ve become aware of and acquainted with a very good designer named David Thompson.
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