Hi-
My user name "Alle Beetjes" is based one of the "characters" in my board game (prototype in development, not yet play-tested) entitled Fictitious (working title) and described somewhat in my profile and in another area for that purpose in this forum.
I'm a project director and technical writer from Metro-Phoenix, Arizona, USA. I grew up playing Chess and other board games and I learned the wonderful game of Go while in college. Later, I discovered and played many games, with Diplomacy, Civil War, and NOMIC, Chess and Go as my favorites.
While teaching I developed two games: Civil War: a play-by-mail multi-player game with 50+ players ("way back" in 1987--1988); and Changing the Rules within the Rules: an educational simulation for group decision-making, play-tested with, and offered to a few community college classes from 2006-2011.
With the board gaming renaissance, the interest of our daughter and her boy friend in board games, and a similar interest on the part of our grand daughter, my wife and I are delighted to re-enter board gaming and enjoy all the "a-ha" experiences. Board games are again one of our favorite pass-times. Given my apparent need for creative writing to provide a balance for my "day job" technical writing, I've typed out dozens of unpublished alternative history short stories and a novel over the past four years. Something wonderful happened when we "killed the television" and "cut the cable" (albeit with an online streaming service for good films).
So, from seeds born in the classroom, and especially in fiction writing, a game concept grew. It seems now some kind of growing-thing wanting to be expressed. In other words, the world may not need another board game, but it seems I need to develop and at least play-test this one.
Fictitious is set in a county-sized, extra-legal, unrecognized territory adjacent to Dakota Territory in an alternative United States during the 1880s.
I am impressed with the insights, good spirits and encouragement at this forum. I look forward to hearing your questions, impressions, and suggestions, even as I hope to share mine with you.
All the best,
Alle Beetjes*
*Dutch for "Every little bit", as in "Every little bit helps, said the gnat, as it peed into the sea."
Thanks Rob -
Attempting to "ruthlessly" cut back on the "good" and go forward with the "best" elements from what I've developed so far. Some of these little darlings will just have to pass away for now and reappear in some future game. It's time to set up a "future game" shelf in my "laboratory, workshop, studio" or whatever it is. Muddling along at this point, with an emphasis or tolerance for "lots of ideas" - my own brainstorm. My next step will be to employ some criteria such as number of players, time for game, etc. and reduce the complexity.
Glad you like the idea and setting. And thanks for the welcome.
Best,
AlleBeetjes / Gene