World Building in Board Games, with Tristan Hall

The value of art, history, story, music, theme, and mechanics when World Building in Board Games, with Tristan Hall, game designer, publisher, and director of Hall or Nothing Productions Ltd.

[@GrungefolkBoy2010]

I love the weather effects as well in Gloom of kilforth, I remember one game where it rained for AGES, like a storm that really slowed down my characters progress, but added a great deal of atmosphere to that play through!

[@HallOrNothingGames]

I loved reading this, thanks for sharing 👍

[@iamleki]

Really interesting to hear you talk about giving the players the means to tell their own stories. I always find myself teasing as much meaning out of flavour text and artwork as I can to find a narrative thread for my actions in games.

[@HallOrNothingGames]

Cheers, great to hear it @iamleki - when used effectively, flavour text is such a great and simplistic tool for designers to add immersion, that it's noticeable by its absence from some thematic games. And just look at the huge books' worth of flavour text they put into video games like Skyrim and Witcher 3 that you don't even necessarily need to read to play the games. :)

[@dmrshadow]

100% agree. My favourite element of the game, is my own unique adventure developing as I play, which gives the game so much replayability. Allowing for stories to be built, whether I win or lose, is such a great escapism. Hands down my favourite game at the moment.

[@HallOrNothingGames]

@@dmrshadow that's fantastic David! :D I love reading those detailed session reports for thematic games where players have clearly completely lost themselves in the game for a good few hours. As a game designer there's nothing more you could ask for. :)