Interview with the Designers of the Age of Inventors

1) Hello! Please tell us a few things about yourself!

Vanton: Hello, I am Vasilis Antoniadis or Vanton, I am 35 and I have studied geophysics but I work as a foul time designer the last 3 years; this is the 3rd game I co design. In my free time I enjoy music , video games, movies and I love to travel!

Iskios: Hey, I am Iskios or Vasilis, a first time designer. I grew up in Thessaloniki Greece where I work nowadays as a software engineer. If I get any free time at all I will either be on vacations or playing board games. Sometimes even both at the same time!

2) How did the idea of making Age of Inventors come up?

Vanton: We had just finished another design and I remember us wanting to create a more family friendly game with no blood or killings that would be both challenging and family fun. There were a few ideas on the table but the Inventors theme was the one that excited us more than all else.

Iskios: It was Aiollu’s prompt – as I remember he wanted to make a game about Inventions and he had even commissioned some artwork. So all we had was some artwork and a set of vague design goals. The final game came to life mostly by mashing together ideas from the design group and iterating a lot!

3) Please give us some info about Age of Inventors. What is the game about?

Vanton: Every player has to run a different lab with it’s own special bonus to the best of their ability by hiring historical Inventors, getting the best lab equipment and use all the scientific resources and funds available to progress humanity in various fields. Every invention conceived and inventor hired opens new capabilities not only to you but to every player.

Iskios: It is a game where each player is running a Lab owned by a different institution and participates in hiring historical Inventors to bring to life the Inventions that changed our societies from being agrarian to being modern Industrialized city loving Millennials! What’s not to love?

4) What was the greatest challenge that you faced during the designing and development of the game?

Vanton: The design of Age of Inventors were very welcoming for lots of ideas and it was very difficult for us to filter all of them. Many things that did not end up to the game were so great but a game should have only that many mechanics. So filtering out some of the ideas were the hardest part for me.

Iskios: Where to fit all these cool stuff we kept coming up on a single board! And we are not even done, I am not kidding we had to keep some stuff out for an expansion. To be honest we also had an initial slowdown in our design due to wanting all tiles to stay on the board for the whole duration of the game. Luckilly Aiollus idea around retiring Inventors and the books meeple solved it for us!

5) Which part of design / development process did you enjoy the most?

Vanton: My favorite part was actually studying about the inventors and their work and having to inspire and assign to them abilities that are thematic to their life’s work and scientific inventions.

Iskios: The initial brainstorming and the final playtesting. Anything in the middle is still a cloudy haze! I am kidding – I enjoyed everything but the most satisfying part of any design is to see the final prototypes work while playtesting at the end.

6) Would you like to share some key elements that you are excited about? What’s special about this game?

Vanton: The game offers a unique experience each time you play it depending on various factors. Each Lab offers different strategy options and it makes you feel very different when you play. Also, which scientists you will hire each game will also allow you new ways to claim victory. Same goes for inventions of course and many other aspects of the game.

Iskios: The unique selling point for this game in my opinion is how interactive it is for a worker placement game. When you start playing, you are sure you are playing a euro but soon enough it starts to feel like you cannot achieve anything by pursuing an independent strategy. You have to work rely to others in a give and take that is still competitive. I feel it keeps the tension high while playing.

7) What’s your favorite aspect of the game?

Vanton: The combos. If you combine the right abilities, with the proper inventions and/or inventors there can be some amazing chain reaction plays that will give you a huge advantage in the game. It needs some preparation and counting your resources right but when it happens it is such a rush for me!!

Iskios: The player boards! I love slotting the equipment tokens, adding Inventors, using the switches and of course the giant gear at the side.

8) What kind of players are going to enjoy the game?

Vanton: Those how are competitive gamers will definitely enjoy this game. Players who love , economy , engine building and combos are also going to love it. Also since it plays beautifully with 2 players I can see lots of players enjoying it with their significant other. Lastly, I believe it’s gonna be an amazing time for families who want to combine fun and learning!

Iskios: Competitive players who like economic and engine building games.

9) Describe the game in 3 words!

Vanton: Fast , Fun , Replayable.

Iskios: Racey, Thematic, Competitive.

10) What are Meeple Pug’s plans for the future?

Vanton: Chasing their tails, getting more treats and creating more board games!!

Iskios: Maybe get married and get a dog? Oh I forgot they are a dog already..

Visit Age of Inventors on Kickstarter!

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