Shifting Design Priorities

Often times a creative person may find themselves at a crossroad. Something I have learned, through the course of many years of designing games, is to listen to my heart. Sometimes I may show off a game and never actually finish it. I have done this a couple of times in the past decade. There are many reasons for this. At the core it is a balancing act.

On one end of the spectrum I need to set realistic expectations for myself. I cannot allow myself to bite off more than I can chew. I have gotten quite good at this. I am typically really good at only starting something that I think I can complete. Part of setting expectations also encompasses having realistic goals for the success of a game. I know my place in this regard and I am thankful and humbled by the following I have gained over the years. For the most part I have this side of things in control.

On the other end of the spectrum lies the space where I allow myself to follow my heart. If I have passion for a project, I pursue it, and I hope that my passion seeps through into my creation. Typically I am good at keeping this in focus, but not always. Sometimes that passion can fade and I have to get better at recognizing this. I also need to not beat myself up over this. It is okay to walk away from a design. It doesn’t have to mean you will never return to it.

The most valuable thing we all have in life is our time. The older I get, the more this comes into focus. I want to spend my time chasing after things I have a passion for. I have so many ideas for games, but only so much time, so I want to focus that time only on games that I have passion for.

This brings me to UnderQuest. I have been working on this title for over two years and have put in thousands of hours into playtesting and illustrating this game, so it makes it that much harder for me to walk away from. I also do not have to say that I will never return to it either. Things do not have to be etched in stone. Maybe I will return to it, but right now I have so many other designs that are pulling at my heart.

One of the larger hurdles for me is the fact that the more time I am working on it, the more I realize I am reinventing the wheel. I already have Desolate, Iron Helm, Tin Helm, Dustrunner, and soon Tin Realm that all sort of do many of the same things. This does not mean this is the end of the draw two, pick one mechanic, but if I am being truly honest, I am a little burnt out on it and want to explore other concepts I have in my head.

With that being said, I am super stoked for Tin Realm, as I think it is a fine example of the mechanic and has a few small twists that make it feel fresh. I also wouldn’t hate making another booster pack for Iron Helm. I really still have passion for that game. UnderQuest just started to feel like an overly complicated Iron Helm the more I work on it. That is not my style.

I hope all of you can understand where this is coming from. I know many folks were very eager for UnderQuest. Initially my thought was to make UnderQuest an adventure game in the likes of Four Against Darkness or D100 Dungeon. Maybe that is how it will return in the future.

Something I am going to actively work on more in light of all of this, is to hold my cards a little closer to my chest on future designs. I do not want to get peoples hopes up for something I do not deliver. I apologize for that. I will say that I do have an idea for a new solo game that I think everyone will be very excited for. I also have a couple of two-player games I want to work on. There is also of course a new edition of Plague. I just do not want to tie myself down with a huge game and I want to follow where my heart leads me. Hopefully all of you will join me on that adventure.

Thanks and kindest regards, Jason