When we decided to include exoplanets in Factions of Sol, I knew it came with a host of exciting opportunities. Exoplanets are planets that orbit stars besides our sun (Sol). To date, over 4,000 exoplanets have been discovered orbiting over 3,000 stars. For a live update on exoplanets visit this link here.

We quickly decided that the exoplanets in our game would be named after real exoplanets. These names are decided by the International Astronomical Union and they’re absolutely incredible. 

Realistic Orbital Movement

In space, specific trajectories of movement are vital to successfully traveling between celestial bodies. The game board in Factions of Sol is specifically designed to mimic this type of movement. While the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, it is often not the most efficient path to travel, an idea that is both true in real space travel as well as in Factions of Sol. 

Another important aspect of interplanetary travel is using different planet’s gravity to assist your movement. Opportunities for a gravitational slingshot are crucial to planning your movement in Factions of Sol and in space travel. 

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The two of us have been working for almost a year on designing our game, codenamed Project Impervious, and we’ve learned a lot about each other in the process. For starters, Harry is much more creative than I am. Lots of the game’s best features were ideas that randomly popped into his head. I, meanwhile, am more methodical and logical, and enjoy problem solving. I like to make things work, while Harry likes to make things that work.

This creates tension sometimes– Harry might have a really interesting idea that, to me, just doesn’t fit the game. I may come up with a solution to a problem, but Harry sees a way to avoid the problem altogether. In general, I’m a lot more resistant to change, but Harry is always willing to go out on a limb.

More often than not, however, these differences enhance the board game design experience. I created the first draft of Project Impervious a year ago, and without Harry’s input, the game was very, very boring. And without me to slow him down, Harry jumps from idea to idea instead of sticking with one concept to see if it works. As projects evolve over time, we don’t worry about upsetting each other, because we trust that what we say is in the best interest of the game.

At the end of the day, board games are about bringing people together. This means compromising and trying new things, even if you don’t think they’ll work. I’m grateful that Harry is able to push me out of my comfort zone and show me how to improve one adjustment at a time.

For those of you working on your own board game design, or even working on any collaborative projects, how do you handle working with people with different work styles? Is there a tip or trick you use when conflict arises? Let me know in the comments or reach out to our Facebook, Instagram or Twitter what your experience with collaboration is!

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Playtesting Can Seem Terrifying at First

Playtesting your new board game can be terrifying. It’s a crucial step in the board game design process, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be riddled with anxiety the entire time. However, playtests don’t have to be daunting. If done right, they can actually be one of the most enjoyable times in the design process. Seeing other people enjoy your game is incredibly rewarding. I’ve been playtesting Factions of Sol with our team for about a year now, and I’ve put together some tips that helped me hone my method.

1. When playtesting, be open to feedback and criticism

This is the most important thing. While it may seem obvious, I’m sure we’ve all had the experience of showing a piece of art to the world and getting a lukewarm reception. Before heading into your playtest, take a moment to remind yourself that whatever people say is not a reflection of you. Breathe and remember that they’re only trying to make your game better. No board game is amazing right off the bat. There are always problems. When playtesters have something negative to say, they’re helping you identify them. Of course, that doesn’t mean everything they say is worth noting down…

2. Learn what criticism is helpful and what is not

Playtesters are people too, and often they won’t say exactly what you need to hear. They can have plenty of good insights, but sometimes they may say something that just isn’t worth worrying about. “I think the pieces should be like this” and “What if you had little aliens instead of robots” are examples of feedback that aren’t helpful when you’re testing out your new mechanic. Take their critiques seriously, but remember that they’re (usually) not board game experts and they don’t represent the majority opinion. If you think your trade mechanic is fine the way it is, don’t change it at the whims of one person. 

3. Know what you want feedback on

…and tell your playtesters ahead of time! This is hugely helpful for playtesters. A new game is a lot of information for one person to process. If you tell them beforehand “I’m testing the power deck, let me know what you think” or ask them afterwards “Did the power deck help you finish the quests?” they’re much more likely to provide useful feedback. A general “What did you like?” is useful as it tells you what stands out about your game, but it’s not as helpful when you’re testing something new or looking for feedback on something specific.

4. Have an effective rulebook

You may not think the rulebook is as important when you’re first starting your game, but giving playtesters something to reference really lowers the barriers to entry. The rulebook doesn’t need to be perfect–  if the game isn’t finished, your instructions aren’t either. But it’s important that players fully understand your game so they can give helpful feedback. More time spent figuring out rules is less time playing. Put your best foot forward and give them a manual to reference. 

5. Be prepared for playtesting to go wrong

No matter how much effort you put into your rulebook or how much time you spend explaining rules, there will be problems. Players will find a scenario you didn’t think about or an exploit you didn’t find. That’s ok! Learn to roll with the punches. The point of playtesting is to find those things. If one playtest goes awry, it’s not a huge deal. Learn what you can, make adjustments, and try again.

Other Playtesting Resources

• Playtesting: A Complete Encyclopedia – BGDL
• Board Game Playtesting – Print Ninja
• 6 Ways to Find Playtesters – Brandon Rollins

Tell Us About Your Experience!

Do you have any other playtesting tips? Have any of your playtests gone horribly wrong? Let us know in the comments or message us on our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! We can all learn from each other.

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Introduction: A New Universe

The team at Mark IV Games is currently in the process of publishing our very first game (coming to kickstarter soon) called Factions of Sol, which takes place in a very unique and new universe—a 1950’s “retro-dystopia” of Earth and its solar system. And as part of that work, we’ve VERY excitedly been writing goofy characters, horrifying (mostly gay) creatures, and thrilling adventures, and we want to share this new universe with you!

And as part of sharing this WILD world with you, I wanted to give you a bit of an introduction into the new universe (galaxy) of Sol. So what the hell does “retro-dystopia” mean? Do we even know? Why are all the creatures gay? Isn’t that homophobic? Wonderful questions, one and all!

The Retro-Dystopia of Sol

A retro-dystopia refers to a story that takes place in the past, but has been rewritten as a dystopia. In the universe of Sol (“Sol” being the name of both the Sun and Earth’s solar system) the year is only 1955, but a “family friendly” megacorporation called Megacore has taken over the planet Earth, ushered humankind into an early space age, and has settled the solar system with research colonies and space stations, all to try and find what Mark Megacore (founder and CEO of Megacore, Inc) believes is a secret paradise, hidden far across the galaxy. 

So how did our world get this way? How come it’s so different?

From the New Universe a Sci-Fi Alternate History Unfolds

Well like a mediocre X-Men movie, the timeline diverges with a somewhat-unjustified new technology. At the turn of the 20th century, a teenage Mark Megacore invents a new form of long-range radio and picks up a strange signal coming from across the galaxy, dreaming that night of a galactic paradise. Mark Megacore then creates MegaCore and takes over the planet over the course of World War One as MegaCore’s new technologies seduce and then subsume every world power—creating the Dominion of MegaCore. With the world’s resources at his command, MegaCore then ushers in a utopian space age for the wealthy—and a dark dystopia for the rest.

By the 1950’s, Mercury’s vast solar energy fields power Sol’s ships, thousands of long-range radio towers are built on Mars to seek out MegaCore’s mysterious alien signal, and missions across the cosmos are launched from Jupiter where humans encounter thousands of new, mostly gay species—leading theorists to the conclusion that turns out, heterosexuality is unique to Earth. But despite these incredible breakthroughs, MegaCore’s constant push for progress has turned Earth into an environmental wasteland, home to endless slums and hidden enclaves of elites. 

When does Factions of Sol Take Place?

In 1955, MegaCore’s long-sought after alien signals return suddenly with a clear and urgent message—The death of the universe is near, and only those who are worthy will be saved and reach paradise. This message brings chaos and war to the planets of Sol, causing the different factions to rise up and fight against their extinction.

Want to read more about the secret history of MegaCore, or the rise of the different factions of Sol? Like, comment, and let us know! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter!

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Creating Board Game Art was an Unexpected Opportunity

When I entered college, “design an entire board game from scratch” was never on the table. But then, there I was sitting in a meeting room of our residence hall, surrounded by my friends, with an in-progress art minor and an opportunity: Factions of Sol. 

When it came to Mark IV Games, I had some previous experience in social media marketing for an NPO club and as a Production Manager for a theatre company. I was excited to put it to use, but when it came to games specifically I felt useless. When I had game nights pre-college, we played video games. Any board games were Cards Against Humanity or Monopoly, with Dungeons and Dragons being the most intense game I played. But we had no money and needed board game art. So, I became the art director. My role goes a little deeper than a normal art director’s would– I manage our contracted artists, but I also do a ton of hands-on designing myself! So how does that work?

The Production Line Process for Factions of Sol's Art

Each drawing starts on paper. Sometimes there’s a structure and sometimes there’s not. For settler cards, I was just given the name. For a faction like Quantum Tunnelers, one of several factions in Faction of Sol, I was given a description.

The description for Quantum Tunnelers is as follows: 

“Quantum Tunnelers – miners meet mad scientist, space-age pickaxe, hair is frizzy, covered in soot and have goggles on, sci-fi miners essentially, tunnel through space-time, tool to do that would be the sci-fi pickaxe, incorporate portals, possibly old times train conductor with the pocket watch and such, working men”

It’s not particularly formal, because those are my own written notes. Each description was given verbally over Zoom, with the Faction of Sol team brainstorming together on which parts of their individual visions they feel fit the vibe in a way that doesn’t clash. They worked on finding a consensus and I summarized it. 

Step 1: Find Inspiration

This is when the Googling starts. I take my notes or my immediate thoughts and plug them into Google Images as keywords. For Quantum Tunnelers I had words to work with— “mad scientist,” “cave miners,” “train conductor.” Often, however, I take my spin on it, something I want to add. For the Quantum tunneler ship, for example, I had no team guidance on what that should look like. So my Googling went more with my own thoughts. I wanted to dig into that idea of tunneling through spacetime (pun intended) without losing the sense of sci-fi, so I focused my image research on existing media that had that. For example, the Star Trek series, a show similarly about exploration through space. How did they set up their ships? What aspects were important to each function of the ship? 

So, if we take a look at the Quantum Tunneler ship, you’ll see inside the ship there is a control center similar to that of the bridge in Star Trek. Above it, we have three viewing decks. These decks were inspired by Joss Whedon’s Avengers movie. The Helicarrier in the movie had a two-tiered bridge, separated by a step and railing, and the ship was floor to ceiling windows. I compared my more specific searches with a general search of 1950s comic book ships and the one on the page was born. Or at least, it was formed in my head. Now, I just had to translate that to paper. 

Step 2: Make a Sketch

Drawing people is insanely hard, any artist will echo that. I take reference images of poses and download them to my iPad, then I draw the skeletal structure of that person in the image, using my iPad like a Lightbox, for speed and to be sure the proportions aren’t off. The image is then pushed to the side and I build the body shape I want on this stick figure. Finally, I add the details—clothing creases, pant leg flares, boot thickness. This can be time-consuming, especially if the person is wearing something that radically changes how their body would look (but I try to have a bit of foresight for that kind of stuff and build that extra bulk in earlier). Once all that is cleaned up, I upload it to Google Drive.

In the Google Drive folder, the entire team of Mark IV Games can view my sketch. They leave comments detailing what reads, what doesn’t read, what could be stronger or outright removed. From here, the sketch goes to one of two places. 

Step 3: Add Color and Consult Contractor

After the first draft, we could be ready to add color. This is rare, but does happen, and in this case I would transfer it over to Roxanne’s folder. Roxanne is an artist here at Northwestern who we’ve recruited as a freelancer, so I’m not doing all the art myself. She takes my sketch, digitizes it into Adobe Illustrator, and does the line art and color. Not every sketch that goes to her is perfect, often they come with minor tweaks: an expression change (if they have a face in the original sketch at all), the shape of hands/fingers, a mistaken proportion. Little things she can fix as she goes! From then on, it goes back and forth between the Faction of Sol team and Roxanne, till we get a version of it we can put in the game. 

But, let’s say it’s not ready for Roxanne. Well, a similar process occurs. I take the sketch, adjust it or redo it, depending on the severity of the change, re-upload it, and rinse and repeat until it’s ready! The changes I make are major—outfit changes, pose changes, prop changes, etc. Things that change the entire look of the card. 

I Have Fallen in Love with Designing Board Game Art

We have a lot of fun here at Mark IV Games putting this stuff together. Half our meetings are spent brainstorming and building on top of each other to create the next, crazy conception that sets our cards apart from the rest of the board games out there. We want our style to reflect the fun we had in creating the pieces! Art is something I love, I’m even minoring in it, so having this set-out time in my week to sit down and practice is heavenly. Plus, there’s a lot of artistic freedom that comes with the job, something I feel blessed to have. Interested to see more? Want to playtest the game? Check out the Factions of Sol page on our website, by clicking right here! Have more questions or insights? Comment below, search Factions of Sol on our blog for other team member’s posts or follow us on our Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

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