Home Again Author in the Current Board Gaming Mar- Ket
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INTERVIEW Reiner Knizia the latest trends and to remain a relevant Home Again author in the current board gaming mar- ket. After just a few weeks, the accent clearly suggests it: Reiner Knizia has broken sb: How long can we keep expecting new camp in Windsor and returned to his old home Bavaria. We took the opportunity stuff from Reiner Knizia? Is the increasing to interview the record-breaking designer – for the fi rst time in more than 10 pressure to deliver original games going years. to turn into a curse at some point? RK: You really need to ask this question spielbox: Were you trying to escape from Bleasdale, who is now a successful game to the higher powers. At the tender age Brexit, or did you have other reasons to designer himself. of eight I started to play and develop make camp in Germany once more? I am leaving many lovely friends games, and if it is granted to me, I shall Rainer Knizia: When I left for England behind, in my business as well as my pri- continue to do so until I am 80 years old. 24 years ago, my main job was banker, vate life. My curse is actually a different one: I and game design was only a hobby. But sb: Will there be a new team ready in have too many new ideas! after my 40th birthday, when I took the Munich? There are 50 drawers in my studio, freedom to become a full-time game de- RK: Of course! Things would never work each containing a new game currently in signer, I remained in England, simply be- out without a team. My old Munich group development. I have absolutely no prob- cause I felt comfortable there. is already on board and the technical uni- lem fi lling these drawers with new ideas; I had never intended to emigrate to the versity has a games club, which means I what I struggle with is clearing them out Uk. All I needed to motivate me to go can fall back on a good crowd for play- again – by creating a fantastic new game back was the proverbial “kick in the butt”. testing. I am very confi dent that we can out of every single one; a game that can Many reasons have now contributed to build another powerful team as time goes give joy to many people. this return, one of them being the pro- by. I do not permit myself to fi ll more than gressively xenophobic behavior of the sb: New environment, new team: Is there 50 drawers. This restriction helps me to English government and the resulting also potential for new impulses and stim- develop my ideas more responsibly, to Brexit. My partner has already been living uli in game design? properly raise the children that I fathered, in Munich for several years. And my bril- RK: Absolutely! Creativity and innova- as it were. liant company assistant, Karen Easteal, tion constantly require new input. I am sb: Today’s media is fast-paced, which was willing to accompany me there. sure the new student-based environment also applies to games. For example, sb: In many interviews, you talk about is ideal to keep my designs in touch with some are published at SPIEL in Essen “we” and you mention a team and already forgotten by the time that develops your games with the Nuremberg Toy Fair comes you. Who are these people, and around. There is defi nitely a cult what is going to happen to those of the new. Can authors keep up left behind in Windsor? with that? RK: Yes, that is defi nitely the RK: But what a fantastic situation downer of the move, and it for consumers, with so many new makes me sad, although I am games coming on the market every very excited to be living in the year! And for the game designers, middle of Munich once more. Af- this market also offers many op- ter all, developing games means portunities to place their new cre- playtesting games, over and over ations with publishers as there is a again. And for this important huge demand from editors. task I had a highly experienced On the other hand, the wealth of and motivated group of people new games prevents many from in England. becoming established on the I cannot stress too much how market. Short-lived products with this nuclear team contributed their high costs up-front are not towards the creativity and suc- profi table, neither for the pub- cess of our games. I would like to lisher nor for any forward-thinking take this opportunity to send a author. So yes, the pressure to suc- heartfelt thank you to Iain ceed is high. Adams, Chris Bowyer, John Chris- In turn, this leads to the weird tians, Chris Dearlove, Drak, situation that many publishers do Gavin Hamilton, Martin Higham, not regard a solid, simply fun game Ross Inglis, Kevin Jacklin, Simon as good enough. Every product Kane, Chris Lawson, Dave Spring needs to be somehow special, to spielbox and the ingenious Sebastian stand out from the rest. The UK-Playtester 16 Photo: Karen Easteal My best defense against guishes them. Which is a good thing. It the fast-moving nature of makes our world of games so hugely fas- the business is to design cinating and multifaceted. In my case, I my works so they repre- like to condense situations to a few fun- sent as sustainable and in damental basic laws. And that is also how a sense as timeless a my games work: Only few rules, but they value as possible. I do not still create a distinct platform for player believe in simple gim- interaction. Few thematic details or ex- micks and cheap show- planatory texts, but innovative and suit- manship. Many of my able game mechanisms that grant players former games are still very an emotional experience of the respective popular today, for exam- theme. ple Modern Art (1993), In my work, I always keep in mind Medici (1995), Euphrat & which emotions I would like to have Tigris (1998), Samura myself in any particular situation of the (1998) and Ra (1999). game. The great skill is to let these emo- sb: It is only in the last tions evolve quite naturally out of couple of decades that in- gameplay. tellectual property rights For example, a trend in my games to a game concept or for would not be triggered by a chance a central gaming element event card, but by the action of a player. have actually been recog- Say, a caravan would appear on the nized. How does Reiner border of the game board, on its way to Knizia in his work avoid our market. The players realize that soon infringement of the rights there would be more goods available. In of others? a forward-looking manner, some of them sb: I would like to be more specific. RK: A very important topic indeed, for I would quickly sell their goods at the cur- Drachenhort (dragon hoard), published believe it has now become impossible for rent prices even before the arrival of the with Ravensburger in 2015, supervised by any individual to keep a comprehensive caravan, particularly when they antici- an experienced editor (Stefan Brück) and overview here. pate the other players are going to do illustrated by a great artist (Franz Vohwin- For my part, I rely on my playtesters, the same thing. So the players’ behavior kel) in a publishing house that has like- who sometimes rein me in if I accidentally actually triggers the trend that leads to a wise not just existed since yesterday. The get too close to another designer’s work. drop in prices. The emotions here are game was relatively well received, and Plus, I rely on the insight of the publishers totally different, for the players them- yet in 2017 it is already gone. What went when it comes to preventing an infringe- selves are an integral part of the trend’s wrong? ment out of ignorance. evolution and can experience the trend RK: I regret to say that I do not have a sb: Every game designer has their favor- themselves. satisfactory answer. There is no predicting ite gaming elements. The danger of imi- It does not really help if the rulebook if a game will gain enough momentum to tating yourself is high. How do you avoid prescribes that a game has to be played establish itself on the market. Maybe all it self-plagiarism? cooperatively. Players need to feel the needs is a little bit of luck. RK: Ignorance of others’ rights is one threats emerging from the game mecha- sb: One result of these hectic times is that thing. Blindness against reprocessing nism itself; they need to perceive them as a game only ever receives a single print- your own ideas another. Again, play- such a staggering predicament that the run, and not a very large one as that. This testers and publishers are an important question of cooperation is never actually of course limits the author’s royalties. Is part in keeping me in check. raised. Instead, the only thing that counts it still worth the effort of development, But at this point another effect comes is how they can all pool their resources to considering that the cooperation with into play. If a designer is working intensely reach the common goal. the publishers is also a time-consuming on a gaming system, he develops a very sb: As an established author, you will affair? fine perception for its details.