Höyük Coming to Kickstarter

Upcoming Featured Kickstarter Interview

Höyük

Designed by Pierre Canuel

Publisheifd by MAGE Company

Interview with Alexander Argyropoulos, Michael Andresakis, and Pierre Canuel

OK, before we get started, let me go ahead and tell you what Höyük means (because, if you are like me, if I don't tell you now you will be spending the entire article thinking what does it mean).  Höyük is actually Turkish for hill or mound and is also used in naming many settlements in the area.  The houses of these settlements were built on top of hills and on top of other houses.  There were no streets between the houses and access to them was usually through the roof.  There is a lot of history behind these settlements, but let us focus on the fact that this once 'print and play' game is going to be on Kickstarter later this month (February 25th - mark your calendars) as the MAGE Company has decided to publish Höyük.

Höyük was first made available as a 'print and play' (PnP) game back in 2006 where all the files (rulebook, printable game pieces) could be downloaded, printed out (or otherwise made), and then played.  Höyük received the 2007 Parthenay Game Designer's Trophee; where prototype games are judged by a jury and public with the winner being the highest combined rating.

I noticed the announcements from MAGE Company that they planned on publishing Höyük and the artwork really caught my eye.  One of my favorite games just so happens to be Carcassonne, another tile laying game based around building a past civilization.  So, from France to Turkey, Höyük looks like it will be another enjoyable tile laying game.  I had the great opportunity to ask Höyük's designer Pierre and MAGE Company's Alex and Michael a few questions regarding the upcoming Kickstarter project.

My first few questions are for Alex and Michael, the owners of MAGE Company:

Lou: 

Can you give us a short history of your company and how/why you got involved?

Alex and Michael:

Wow..way back. We started designing games back at 2001 in a box room with a messed up computer and year by year we were learning things about the industry and the million things we must know in order to deliver a finished product. In 2011 we finally created MAGE Company publishing our first two games and since then we have continued to publish and grow (and of course we continue to learn and become better). This is what we do and this is our life and we would start again from the beginning if we had to.

Lou: 

It seems like it would be difficult to determine what games to publish and which ones not to. Please tell us, what made you want to publish Höyük ?  

Alex and Michael: 

Some games shine, you know...you may see a game on a table and it is like it is talking to you. I know it sounds silly, but it is true. Höyük was one of them. Simple, easy (with some changes), for a wide range of ages, strong theme, and we were looking for a game with a theme like this - Neolithic Area, nice ideas for components, no texts in the cards, many people had already tested it as it was a PnP. So, what else could we ask for?

Lou:

As you mentioned, this was originally made available as a print and play back in 2006. Why use Kickstarter and why now (around 8 years later)?

Alex and Michael:

We did not know that the game existed since then. I know that some companies had seen it, but did not work on it. So, a couple of years ago we saw it and here we are. It is also a matter of the designer and how he handled this. Kickstarter is a great tool and makes you so visible to lots of people. We have worked hard, and we have already made games there and many people know that they can trust us.

Lou:

The released artwork is looking incredible. How did you choose the artist and how important is the artwork aspect to you personally or as a company?

Alex and Michael:

Automatic inspiration in combination with experience is how we chose an artist. We also have a variety of over 120 artists available, so it is easy to choose since we have worked with them in the past. Artwork reflects on how serious we see a game and we want people to understand that we do not follow the copy-paste tactic. We search for each game to reflect what it represents through its artwork.

Lou:

The Kickstarter is going to be starting February 25th. When can backers of the game expect the final published version?

Alex and Michael:

The campaign will end on March 31, so based on initial calculations... sometime in August.

Lou:

Will there be any stretch goals or Kickstarter exclusive content?

Alex and Michael:

A lot!! There will be lots of stretch goals to be honest. Not exclusive, but all will be upgrades to the basic game so that everyone can have the equal chance to enjoy this game.

Lou:

I don't want to get a head of myself but do you have something planned after Höyük?

Alex and Michael:

Our program has been arranged at least for the next few years, but each year we study the market for the next one and make some changes. But to answer your question, yes, we have other games on the pipeline...thankfully.

Thank you Alex and Michael for taking the time to answer a few questions. Keep the great games coming!

Now I get to pick the brain of Höyük’s designer Pierre Canuel. Pierre, I love board games and I am currently designing my very own game. So, it is always exciting for me to interview someone who has created a successful game.

Lou:

If you were traveling to the International Space Station where you would stay for months on end, what 3 board games would you bring with you?

Pierre:

Rather than bringing games, I would probably gather a few objects that would allow me to design the very first Zero-G friendly game ever. Could you imagine playing Carcassonne or Ticket to Ride with game pieces floating all over?

Lou:

Favorite hobby other than board games?

Pierre:

I like to walk in nature or ride my bicycle in town.

Lou:

Can you give us a little background about yourself and how you decided you wanted to create a game?

Pierre:

I was born in Le Mans, France (the 24hrs car race!), studied in Paris and lived 10 years abroad (Los Angeles and Northern Norway) with my wife and kids. Along these years I had many different jobs, and even self published a game about Polar Environmement while in Norway. We moved back to Paris a few years ago. I am currently working for "Les Jules", providing DIY services for businesses and consumers. What we do is help people with the small repairs they don't have time to take care of, like fixing shelves or curtain rods, repairing tap, etc. Our business is expanding fast throughout France, so I don't really have time for game design anymore...

Lou:

Tell us how Höyük came about. Was there any specific inspiration from other games, books, or personal experience?

Pierre:

The starting point of Höyük was really a small scale reproduction of ancient settlements that I would see in museums. I wanted to design a game where players would actually build a replica of ancient cities, in 3D with small pieces representing houses, buildings, workshops, etc. So, more than a game, it's a gaming object that I had in mind, that one could display in the living room, such as a nice chess set.

Lou:

Describe Höyük in one word. Two words. And three words.

Pierre:

Fun! Interesting Object! Build Prehistorical settlement.

Lou:

Who will enjoy playing this game?

Pierre:

I believe Höyük can appeal to a large public. It's true its many components may imply it's a complicated game for advanced gamers, which may repel occasional gamers.

But it's quite the opposite. Very often people are surprised by its simplicity after their first game.

Lou:

I like to ask this question a lot. I love games where I can play with just my wife after the kids have finally gone to bed. How well does Höyük play with just 2 players?

Pierre:

Be careful it can be risky to play games with your wife ;).

With two players, I have the feeling that Höyük performs almost like an abstract game. Instead of placing black and white pawns on a grid, you lay colorful pieces directly on the table, with the same  simple choices and rich strategic options. But this reply is based on the PnP version of the game. As I know, MAGE Company is working on several changes right now.

Lou:

What is your favorite thing about Höyük?

Pierre:

Again, it’s the game object I really like about Höyük. The aesthetics.

Lou:

Anything else we should know?

Pierre:

If anyone could bring a copy of the game to Catal Höyük in Turkey, play a game, and send me a picture, that would be awesome!

Catal Höyük is the actual archaeological site that I got inspired from.  I even sent a copy of an earlier version of the game to the archaeologists to have them test it and send me their input. I don't think they were really pleased with it, but they took the time to answer me. I think the game was at that time a tiny bit too complicated, and they were probably expecting something closer to their preoccupation, that is more like a simulation of a settlement, with food gathering, farming and artifacts production. Höyük is really oriented toward the urban construction aspect (PnP version).

Lou:

What's next for Pierre Canuel?

Pierre:

Game-wise, I don't really know. I'm too involved in my job to save energy for any game design. Publishing Höyük after many years in stand-by could be a good incentive to start again. Many thanks to MAGE Company!

And there you have it.  Thank you again to Alex, Michael, and Pierre for taking the time to answer my questions.  You can check out some more information regarding Höyük here at its Board Game Geek Page and stay tuned for an updated link here in this blog post and to the right side of my blog to the actual Kickstarter project when it actually becomes active February 25th.

If this sounds like a game you might enjoy, feel free to visit the Board Game Geek page and download the available PnP files to try it yourself!  I'm excited to see more of Höyük soon and that is How Lou Sees It!

Rolling Into The Dungeon

Dungeon Roll

Designed by Chris Darden

Published by Tasty Minstrel Games

1 - 4 Players (Best with 1 or 2)

Unique Hero Rolling Dungeon Delving Dice Game

Background / Introduction

Dungeon Roll is definitely not your typical dice game.  If you are expecting the roll your dice three times routine, think again!  One of the things that I really enjoy about Dungeon Roll is how unique and different the game feels.  You should already get that feeling just from the actual packaging of the game.  I mean, the game comes in a little cardboard treasure chest and not only that but during the game when you gain treasure you actually open the chest to randomly get a piece of treasure - how cool is that.  The theme is nice, the variability is great, and the quality of components awesome.  The game is very light, easy to learn and doesn't take long to play.  There are dice involved and the game does have a large luck element to it.  So, for all the hard core strategists that can't stand games with luck, this may not be the game for you.  The game has a great variability built in with the different hero cards which really shape what kind of strategy you will play each game.  In this base game, there really isn't any player interaction, so while the game makes for great solo play and is enjoyable, don't expect to work together or attack one another in this game (although this may change with future expansions/promos, as the soon to be released Winter Promo has some fun player interaction).  Well, enough chit chat, let's talk about the game in a little bit more detail.

Components / Rulebook

OK, so I mentioned the really cool treasure chest packaging.  The box actually opens like a treasure chest too.  I was a bit worried that it would just rip right off the box after a few uses, but I have to give it to them - it seems to be doing very well.  It may not last forever, but even if the "hinge" functionality of the box is lost, it is still awesome.

Moving on to the dice.  Being such a huge element in the game, one should expect these dice to be the really nice quality.  I'm happy to say they really are.  The custom 15 dice (7 party dice, 7 dungeon dice, and 1 dungeon level tracker die) are very well made and I think they will remain that way.  The color coding and icons used are good and make sense.

The hero cards (8 included in the base game, and 8 more available in the Hero Booster Pack #1) in the game are printed on good card stock and each of the cards has really nice artwork.  Each hero card is double sided (one side is a Novice side and the other side is the Master side) and abilities change when flipped over.  I am disappointed that they didn't take the opportunity to provide the hero slightly differently on the Master side as each side has the same artwork of the hero.  They could have changed to pose of the hero, or add armor, or something.  The game also includes 4 reference cards to help remind players what each face of the die do and what treasure tokens can be obtained with their special purpose.

 

The game includes 36 treasure tokens and 24 experience tokens.  These are your usual card board cut out pieces.  the pieces are good thickness and didn't have too much of a problem punching them all out.  The game also includes a rulebook along with a Book of Heros.  The game play is simple, and the rulebook does well to explain the game and includes some illustrations.  The Book of Heroes is just a book comprised of pages summarizing the different hero cards and providing further clarifying information as necessary.

Setup

The game has a very quick setup.  Empty out the treasure chest if you choose to use it as your treasure token randomizer (which you always should!).  Place the treasure tokens in the chest or flip them all face down if keeping them out on the table.  Place the experience tokens near by.  Each player can have a reference card and then each player will either choose their hero or deal these out randomly.  That is it!

Goal / Gameplay

The game is played by each player entering the dungeon exactly 3 times to seek glory, treasure, and to gain experience points.  The winner of the game will be the one with the most experience points once everyone has tried their hand at the dungeon 3 times.

On a players turn (in general, this and other actions can be modified by a heroes special ability or ultimate ability) the player first rolls the 7 party dice.  This will represent the company of adventurers entering the dungeon with you and perhaps some scrolls (just in case you feel like reading in the dark dangerous dungeon).

The player will then enter the dungeon at dungeon level 1.  The dungeon level tracker die will be moved to show the number 1 face up.  The dungeon lord will be rolling dice equal to the number on the dungeon level tracker die or as many available dice as able if that can't be reached.  So, for example the dungeon lord will roll 1 of the dungeon dice for level 1 and 4 dungeon dice for level 4.

The player will then enter the Monster Phase of his turn and will need to defeat or otherwise dismiss any monsters rolled (Skeletons, Oozes, and Goblins make up the monsters you will encounter).  This is done by using your party dice rolled at the beginning of your "delve into the dungeon" (a.k.a. 1 of your 3 turns going through the dungeon).  You may use any one adventurer die (Clerics, Mages, Fighters, Thieves, and Champions) to defeat any one monster die.  Each type of adventurer also has specialties that help remove more of a certain kind of monster etc.  These are color coded for your convenience.  Example: The grey Cleric can defeat (or in other words remove) any number of grey Skeletons, the green Fighter can remove any number of Goblins, and the Thieves can open any number of chests (we will discuss these soon).  The gold Champion is pretty special, it can remove any of the same type of monster (consider it a wild die of sorts).

Also during the Monster Phase, you can activate your hero's ability or ultimate ability, you can use treasure tokens, or you may use any Scrolls that you have.  Scrolls allow you to re-roll any of the dice (party and dungeon).  Once all the monsters are removed from play, the player can then continue on to the Loot Phase where players can open chests or quaff potions.  It is always optional to open chests or quaff potions.  While players may not always want to open chests or quaff potions, each one of these rolled means one less monster (or possible dragon).  If you choose to open a chest using your dice, then you can gain a treasure token at random (these can be really useful!).  If you quaff a potion (even your scrolls can do this), then you can bring a party die back from the "graveyard" (the place where your used party dice end up) and you get to choose what face you want to use.

Without getting into too many details about all the rules, I do need to mention the dragon and how experience tokens are obtained as well as what happens if you can't defeat the monsters and/or dragon at a given level.  Whenever a dragon is rolled, it is set aside in an area known as the dragon's lair (these dice can't be re-rolled with the Scroll, but can be manipulated with certain hero abilities).  After the Monster and Loot phase, it is then the Dragon Phase.  If there are 3 or more dragons the hero must defeat the dragon.  To do this the player must use 3 different adventurers (or Companions as they are really called in the rulebook).  This can be done with the help of certain treasure tokens that can act as companions too.  So, here is a good spot to point out that while Champions are really versatile, you still need a variety of companions to defeat dragons.  When you defeat a dragon, you receive 1 experience point and you get 1 treasure.

After the Dragon Phase comes the Regroup phase.  Players can now determine if they want to leave the dungeon and receive experience points equal to the number shown on the dungeon level tracker or continue to go down to the next level (although 10 is the maximum and you are required to leave after defeating level 10).  If at any time you can't defeat the monsters or you are faced with a dragon that you can't defeat, you must end your delve that round without scoring any of the experience points on the die.

Conclusion / Final Thoughts
I really enjoy playing Dungeon Roll.  The quality of components are great and the theme really works well.  The heroes and their special abilities really make the game for me as they provide unique strategies depending on your character.  Dungeon Roll is just a great light dice game that can be taught and played very quickly.  The base game doesn't really have much as far as player interaction is concerned, but I think most players will enjoy watching to see what other players choose to do as well.  Now, with 3 or 4 players, the down time between turns lengthen and may result in people not enjoying the game as much.  The game fits well for a nice 2 player game as one player can always be rolling dice (either as the hero or the dungeon lord).  The game does have a large element of luck and that keeps the game different and challenging in its own way, but this may keep some gamers away that don't like a large element of luck in a game to mess up all their perfectly contrived strategies.  The game retails around $19.95, so the price point is nice too.  I am really looking forward to playing the Winter Promo pack and I can't wait to learn more about what they have in store for Dungeon Roll this year (I'm hearing that there will be some great things coming out).  If you like dice games and you are OK with a large luck element and dungeon fighting theme, I think you should get it!  I'm giving this game 4 Fingers Up or 9/10 Stars and that is How Lou Sees It!

A big SHOUT OUT to TMG for making this review possible.  I should be receiving Coin Age and the Dungeon Roll Winter Promo over the next few months.  TMG is really coming out with some great little games.  I will be reviewing The Village soon as well!  Hopefully I can take a look at Belfort too to give you an idea of how the TMG more complex games are.  Until next time!