Catching up with the creators of Patriot
We recently caught up with the creators of Patriot and have to admit that we were extremely impressed with Anthony and his team. Their dedication to the project and their hard work in getting it where it is today deserve recognition. Although I haven't played Patriot yet, it looks like it has everything I'm looking for in a board game: different classes, 3D models, great mechanics, and great playability. We've been looking through the rulebook and checking out reviews, it looks like Patriot is going to be a great choice for any Social Deception board game fan. We're definitely excited about trying this one soon!
Read our interview below the image.
Please describe your project for people who might not have heard about it.
Patriot is a social deduction board game with elements of deck building, combat, and engine building for 1 to 6 players. Set in the world of Karmonia, Patriot's rich lore, dark art, unique mechanics, fun playing dynamics, and multiple game modes set it apart from anything else you have ever played before. If you enjoy games like Dead of Winter and Battlestar Galactica - you’ll love Patriot, too.
What's your background? How did you get into this field of work, when did your passion for games start?
I’ve been a board game fan... No... Fanatic for over a decade. As a kid, I – of course – loved Monopoly, but then I was introduced to a little game called Battlestar Galactica (which, in this case, “little” means 6+ hours per session) at around age 21. Then, while in between jobs and relationships, I thought I would take my hobby to the next level by tinkering with the idea of building a board game myself. I iterated and iterated, and the old saying is true: for every 99 bad ideas you have, usually there’s one good one. In my case, it took me a few hundred more ideas, but I eventually landed on Patriot: a semi cooperative social deduction that has an emphasis on strategy, dark and gritty art, fun character storylines and which is peppered with humour. It took me a number of years to develop, test and refine with 2 (brilliant) artists called Ali Phelps and Jeff Brown.
Is this your first project or have you published games before? If so, please tell us more about your past projects.
This is my first project, though it’s a relaunch! The first time around I didn’t understand the importance of marketing. Just because you have a cool product, doesn't mean people will flock to it. There are heaps of cool products that are released every day! You've got to be able to reach the people that feel the same passion as you, and the only way to do that is through marketing.
What are some really awesome, unique features/elements of this project? (don't be afraid to say how great it is!)
Great question. Patriot is quite unique in its own right. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, but we wanted to make the experience both something quite unforgettable and something that is different each time it’s played. On that note, we’ve introduced Brief Cards: cards that are drawn after each turn. There are 72 of these cards, all with different artwork and storylines, which can quite significantly change gameplay - some are really hard challenges, and others are quirky decision points that can cause some moral dilemma amongst the group. Apart from that, we’ve also got a campaign mode, so the game is adaptable for 1 to 6 players. Oh, and the combat is a completely unique mechanic!
Who is this product designed/made for? Does it serve any particular group?
The game is on the heavy side (both physically and mechanically) and it's really designed for people who love to think strategically. Also, if you like social deduction then this is for you.
What was the inspiration behind this project and why are you launching this now?
This game is inspired by a number of things. It's my passion project that is my expression of love for board games. It's got themes similar to Dead of Winter and Battlestar Galactica, but it's really inspired by all of the games I've played that love to introduce story and immersion into gameplay.
Is your game based on any existing games or game mechanics? What are some of the features specific to this game?
As mentioned the inspiration of the social deduction parts of Battlestar Galactica are similar in mechanics: you get a secret allegiance card. We also have multi-use cards (called: “Influence Cards”). Our Brief Cards are also similar to Dead of Winters crossroad cards.
What was the most surprising thing you learned while making this?
I’ve been making this game for 6 years and I’m still surprised by something every day. Most recently, I've been surprised about how great the community around the game is. People love to get involved, add in suggestions and join the fun. The board game community is truly the best. Another thing I was surprised about was how intensive the process would be! If you're a dev, you're usually used to late nights and early mornings. Making a board game is INTENSE!
What was/is the most challenging task in launching this project? And how are you overcoming it?
The most challenging task for us was ensuring that we could nail the marketing on this campaign by effectively utilising Facebook Ads, and getting in touch with the right audience. It was also very challenging fixing any issues from play testing - something we learnt from the professional play testers was to not be afraid to 'kill your darlings' (as in, your favourite game mechanics). Sometimes things just don't work as you'd like them to, and that's okay - you have to be adaptable in this industry.
Where can people see more and follow you? Please drop any and all links to the project, social media etc. below
Please follow us on our Kickstarter page - we'll give you a crisp high five if you do! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/patriotboardgame/patriot -- also, our instagram is the best place to find us @wildrobotgames
