Tell us a little about yourself?
I was born the year the automobile air bag was invented, which for the people who live with me is not a big surprise. I have two amazing children which is a reminder to the youth that even super nerd habitual D&D players can eventually get lucky. I am married to the most tolerant gaming widow in the world and have two dumber than average dogs, Cthulhu and David Bowie Pickles. As hard as I have tried, I have yet to receive super powers or world peace.

What games have you designed or are currently designing?
Professionally I have had Road Kill Rally and Order-Up published with Z-Man games. Dragon Brew and Treasure Mountain are in the process of being published with August Games. I have about a half dozen designs I have been tinkering around with that over the next 10 years I would like to get published. Game design is something I like to do when the mood strikes me so I am in no rush.

What are your top 5 board games?
This question always stumps me because there is something about almost every game I play that I like. Games come in and out of my radar all the time. Today it’s a Tuesday, so my favorite games as of this day are:
1. Lords of Vegas – I have never had a bad time playing this game. My advice is to take the paper money that comes with the game and throw it out the window like a ticker tape parade. Replace that paper money with poker chips.
2. Eclipse – The economics and components of this game have always impressed me. This game really satisfies my “4x” itch, especially with the expansions and 6 players.
3. Twilight Struggle – This game was #1 on BGG for a reason. Although the game is not pretty, it is the most intense two player game I have ever played. You really feel like you are in an epic struggle. I also enjoy how the cards represent historical events. Last year my wife and I visited the Ronald Reagan library and they had a display all about the cold war. My wife said “Hey, these events are all Twilight Struggle cards!”
4. 1775 – This game is an amazing two player area control game. 1775 perfectly marries history, theme and mechanics. I love this game. It very well may be my #1.
5. Caverna – First of all, let me say that I love dwarves so any game with dwaves already has a leg up in my board game ranking. Caverna is a giant point salad. There are so many different ways to win the game, I have yet to be bored by it. Building out your caves and farm is very satisfying. There are so many wooden bits in the box I am convinced you could construct a boat out of them to escape a deserted island.

What game or designer influenced you the most?
The original designers of Dungeons and Dragons, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Dungeons and Dragons had a big impact on me growing up. It taught me many lessons about storytelling, creative cooperation and fun. I still use these lessons in my own designs.

What is the game mechanic you are currently obsessed with either as a designer or player?
I love variable player powers. It adds a lot of replay value and theme to a game.

What is your design style? Theme first? Mechanics first? Player Experience? Something else?
Theme is always my inspiration but mechanics are the heart of all my designs. A poor theme can make a game unattractive but poor mechanics can make a game unplayable. That being said, a game with great mechanics with a tacked on theme rubs me the wrong way too. It’s very important that mechanics matches the theme. The truly great games marry them well.

If you were to give advice on how to design games, what would be your top 3 rules to pass along?
1. Have fun – This is my #1 rule. If you are not having fun designing, stop doing it. Enjoy the process and know that you will get better in time.
2. Don’t compare yourself to others – Don’t be discourages if your designs are not a “good” as another design. Make the games YOU want to play and enjoy the process.
3. Have Fun – yes, I know I already said this. Having fun should be your only goals. Don’t worry about publishing, money and success. All three of those don’t matter as much as your personal enjoyment.

Who do you turn to for design help?
One of my important design philosophy is to make games that are easy to learn. My wife is an amazing resource for giving me feedback on the complexity of designs. Her feedback was invaluable for Dragon Brew and Treasure Mountain. She helped to make them better games. I guess I should buy her that diamond ring after all.

What trends or changes do you see in the future of board game design?
Last weekend we played Descent with the iPad “Road to legend” application. I was skeptical at first because sometimes I can be a purist when it comes to tabletop gaming. The game was a lot of fun. I expect to see more mixture of technology in the future.

What do you wish people knew about game design?
It is a lot more work with a lot less money than people think.
Tell us one crazy fact about yourself?
I used to coach woman’s roller derby.

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AugustGames