As a professor of game design, I know that games can’t be created in a 1-person vacuum. Before working on Distilled, I spent multiple years creating an art video game mainly on my own, but also with the help of other talented individuals who provided support with its music, dialogue, and programming. I’ve also been a part of large teams in the classroom, often times consisting of a dozen different students working on a video game project over an entire year. I’ve learned that it is best to recognize both your strengths and weaknesses, and to lean on others to fill in those gaps that your project might be missing, due to your own shortcomings.
A perfect example of that is with Erik Evensen, Distilled’s artist and graphic designer. Erik is a phenom with visual hierarchy and stylized illustrations, and I knew that I wanted to have Erik as part of the Paverson Games team from the very beginning. I hope you’ll agree that it is Erik’s touch that has brought the game to life more than I could ever have done myself.
I’ve been communicating with Erik on a regular basis about the game, ever since I first conceived of Distilled back in Fall of 2019 in Scotland. Since we signed the contract in March of this year to work together on the game, it’s been a constant and daily communication pipeline, filled with Facebook Messenger chats, Google Drive Folders, Component Studio Assets and color-coded Spreadsheets. I see my partnership with Erik as a perfect example of how collaboration can really create some new and exciting opportunities for a project that a single person could not do on their own. Erik has helped me appreciate the value of teamwork more than ever, and I’m realizing that it is time to invite some others into the fold. But I’ll get back to that in a bit.
Digital Demigod
But the collaboration doesn’t stop there. There’s another individual who’s been unbelievably crucial in the development of Distilled amidst a pandemic. While Erik’s artwork is impressive and makes the game immersive, it can only be appreciated if one can actually play the game! Like most other things, the in-person tabletop gaming community was basically decimated by the 2020 pandemic. Because of this, Distilled’s playtesting and development was dead in the water – that is, until my friend Seth Berrier came along with a life preserver (no actually, an entire luxury cruise ship with life boats, all-you-can-eat buffets, and free bottomless drinks!). Seth’s work on the “digital Distilled” has been nothing short of god-like in Tabletop Simulator, as I’ve mentioned before. While there’s no contract between Seth and I (yet!), I’ve been trying to thank him in the best way I know how – gifts of board games and bourbon 😉
Fast-forward to the now – the end of 2020. We’ve had one heckuva year, filled with a lot of worry, suffering, and friction all around the world. It is definitely a year that many of us would like to forget, but I am thankful for all the amazing work that has been accomplished with Distilled. In addition to the hard work by Erik, Seth, and me, there has been a wonderful amount of support from the community, with our Facebook group growing to over 350 members, the Discord server having over 100 playtesting members, and the newsletter (which you can sign-up for right here on the website!) reaching over 300 people each month. I’ve been fortunate to have the game playtested over 100 times in person and on Tabletop Simulator, which has helped it to become more and more refined with every play – and that’s all thanks to the hundreds of folks who have taken the time to play and provide feedback about their experience. Many of those people are reading this very article, so THANK YOU – and remember, I’ll be thanking each of you by listing you in the rulebook, as you’re a crucial part of this team as well.
With so much to be thankful for, I also have some short term aspirations. I have three things I’m hoping to accomplish in January of 2021:
- We’re excited to finally release a Print and Play version of Distilled, for those who might be interested to be able to print out the game at home and play with their friends and family. Look for more on that in late January. This will be a free downloadable PDF to anyone signed up for the monthly newsletter.
- We’ll be shipping away to have the game’s first proofing copy printed through The Game Crafter, to start getting an idea of the components and physical scope of the game, before ordering multiple copies for previewers and reviewers leading up to the Kickstarter in June.
- Finally, I’m excited to announce some of the newest members to the Distilled team. So, over the course of January 2021, I’ll be introducing you to these amazing folks, and how they will be contributing to the project. I’ve reached out for help with things such as developing a unique solo version of the game, editing and re-writing the game rules, leading the development and playtesting to help it reach a refined state, and creating a professional video for the Kickstarter in June. These are all things I could likely do (a sub-par job on!) by myself, but I recognize that I not only lack the time, but more obviously the skills to do the professional job that I’m seeking for in every drop of Distilled. That’s why I’m working with these people – I sincerely believe that they are some of the best of what they do, and I’m really lucky that they’ve agreed to be a part of Distilled. I’ll be introducing a new character to the cast each week for the next month.
And of course, that’s just January!! 2021 is going to be pretty intense for Distilled, since we’re leading up to the big launch on Kickstarter in June. I’m thrilled that you are along for the ride, as I think it’s going to be an exciting year ahead. Cheers!