nPips
Tactics in every turn, strategy in every choice
What is your name, day job and boardgame company/brand?
My name is Yee I-Van and we run a small indie publishing studio called Alchymy Creative, we develop video games, publish tabletop games, and provide social media content development for clients. Roll Rebellion is our very own tabletop game publishing arm to focus on developing and publishing boardgames.
How long have you been gaming and what got you into boardgaming?
I think when I was around 8 or 10 I started video gaming, back when games were still played on floppy disks. It was really hard to get into boardgames back when I had no disposable income but the world of Warhammer was actually what got me started into tabletop.
Designer Ivan with his game HR the Toxic Workplace Game
Warning Letter from HR the Toxic Workplace Game
How did you get into game design?
I couldn’t really afford games like Magic the Gathering back then so I would study the game and quietly made my own version out of plain A4 paper for my own personal satisfaction. As I studied Multimedia in college, that opened the door to me to start working on interactive games and content. That eventually led to my company working on games for clients so we don’t always get to work on our own IP. HR was our first attempt to make something we designed from the ground up that we were happy about.
What games have you designed and published?
The first game that was fully developed and published under us was HR The Toxic Workplace Game. Prior to that we have worked on a bunch of other games, one of our very first project was a language game called Extradiction Junior. We were commissioned to do the graphic design for the packaging and components by a game designer who was actually a senior architect. Besides that we’ve provided our services for a number of other clients and NGOs.
What are your guiding principles in game design?
Speaking from my own experience, I would say I usually begin with the theme or setting of the game. It has to be something relatable to the audience, because that would be the first thing that grabs their attention. Although personally I would love to design a fantasy or sci-fi game, but the boardgaming market in Malaysia is already really small, to segmentize that small market into an even smaller market based on genre would not be ideal. My approach would be to build something the mass market would like, something that sells rather than something that I personally enjoy.
Our approach to game design is usually more commercially driven, I believe it may be different from other designers. Some people design games as a form of expression, which is also a valid approach but not us.
Employees from HR the Toxic Workplace Game
When did you decide to publish your games and start your own brand?
COVID haha. It happened during COVID, I like to tell people that I miss working in the office so much that I designed a game about working in the office. Having a lot of time at home also helped.
What challenges did you face before publishing?
The final decision to print the game was probably the hardest. As creators I think we stare at our designs for too long, until a point where it starts to look dull. My game contains a bit of humour, and I did the writing and that took awhile. The game design process took about 3 weeks, but the writing took about 2 months. I kept reading and rewriting it to a point where the jokes were not funny anymore, at one point I just decided to just go with it. Then comes the part 2 of the worry, which was sinking a chunk of money that I may never see again.
What challenges did you face after publishing?
The pressure of keeping the ball rolling, we need to come out with a new product while also grow this current product. This little passion project slowly became a full-blown side business. The real challenge was to expand the business while maintaining what we currently have.
HR the Toxic Workplace Game
What was the most negative comment you have received for one of your games?
I have received comments where the gameplay was too slow, and also certain mechanics could have been done better. So, on my Discord there is a page for players submit recommendations. If we like them, we will make it into a house rule and recognize the person that gave the recommendation. We encourage the players to play the game as how you like it to be played, in fact most of us have been playing other games with house rules, such as UNO and Monopoly. We actually have a few rules in our Discord now on how to speed up the game now, and also a few other small changes that have been playtested by our audience.
What was the most positive comment you have received for one of your games?
It was too relatable. It was our goal to make a relatable game, something that everyone has experienced before. The more traumatic the better.
HR the Toxic Workplace Game Box
What is Alchymy Creative next step forward?
We are looking to roll out a few more games, maybe 2 or 3 more games. We are also here to support young publishers, those who have great ideas but not the financial means to execute them. We are happy to meet with these people to evaluate the games and see where things go.
What is your next game?
We have one upcoming horror game, it is called Enter the DarkeWoode. If you are familiar with those paranormal investigators on Youtube, you will be playing as one of those Youtubers lost in the forest. Your objective is to get out of the forest, and in order to do so you have to achieve certain goals, mechanically it is a set collection game.
1 tip you would give new designers.
Don’t be afraid to put your game out there in the public space.
Making board games is excellent, because it is not life threatening unlike other hobbies or product lines. It does have a certain upfront cost when it comes to publishing, but it is not bank-breaking. One more thing is that when it comes to game design, you should work on your game to a certain point where you feel comfortable and release it. I would also encourage new designers to collaborate with other people more, but make sure the terms are laid out before starting the project.
What will you do if you have unlimited budget
I actually have a design called Dungeon Fodder that I would like to print, it is an RPG-like game where you go around beating other players for treasure. This game is simulating a CRPG, but players will be controlling the monsters instead of an AI. Perhaps in the future, this might be something financially viable, but in the meantime, we’ll stick to what we know.