In part one of our interview with Rick
Priestley we talked about the background and setting for Beyond the Gates of
Antares, Warlord Games’ brand new sci-fi wargame. Part two was focused more on
the design process and crunch of the game – in this final part we will discuss
some miscellaneous (I couldn’t not ask about Necromunda) and the future of
BtGoA!
Q. One of our favorite games is Necromunda
– I realize that was 25 years ago, but what do you recall from the design
process for that game? What were some of your inspirations? What are some
things from that game that you still believe in and would use in games today?
A. Necromunda used the original WH40K
mechanics and added a level of detail – it was supposed to be just one of a series
of games that used the core mechanical ideas, but set on different worlds and
environments of the 40K background. So, we wanted to do a game set on an Eldar
Craftworld – for example. Unfortunately, the company’s agenda changed very soon
afterwards and it was decided to concentrate on 40K and WH, but I always felt
it would have been a great series of games, and it would have allowed us to
explore the 40K background in diverse and interesting ways. The backstory and
environment owe something to a ‘Wild West’ setting – sort of. How does that
relate to today – well I believe that great games spring from the setting and
imaginative content – rather than abstractions of the gameplay – and Necromunda
is a good example of why that is so.
Q. Can you explain, for an American, what
‘bottle test’ means? (From Necromunda)
A. In English slang ‘losing your bottle’
means losing your nerve, ‘you ain’t got the bottle,’ means you don’t have the
nerve to do something. In ‘cockney’ - and much modern English beside - the word
is pronounced with a glottal stop rather than a ‘t’ sound – so bo’-al.
Q. With the wide range of games and easier
production processes now available to game companies - what about Antares
sticks out among everything else that should make one pick up this game?
A. What one thing? Hmm well there are lots
of reasons to give Antares a go – but I have to admit there’s so many other
games, and so many Sf backgrounds in which games are set these days, it’s hard
to pick out just one thing over another. I guess the truth is it’s probably the
game play – especially because it has such potential for evolution and
development – but also because, with so many game designs opting for the
‘simple’ approach these days, Antares does rather stand out as being quite
complex and – hopefully – rewarding and involving too. It has some depth to it.
Of course – the writer in me would like to think that the worlds and the
backstory, and the potential for that to develop and evolve – are also a big
attraction J Perhaps I should just say they are
a big attraction for me and leave it there!
Q. What can players expect for FAQs or
errata etc. for Gates of Antares?
A. I’ve just handed over a players errata
and an FAQ – so I suspect those will be available by the time this is published.
Q. What are some of the game systems out
there you admire right now and what do you admire about them?
A. I’m very impressed by the success of
X-Wing – it’s a very straight-forward, clear and focussed game system that
manages to combine board game and war game mechanics in a way that is very
accessible even to non-wargamers. For similar reasons Alessio Cavatore’s
Terminator game is an example of an accessible mechanic combined with rewarding
game play – it’s very compact and precise and very typically Alessio! Other
than that – well I’ve had my head buried in Antares for more than two years so
I’m probably a bit behind the curve if I’m honest – and with the supplement to
do and hopefully the first of a series – that is likely to be the case for a
while J
Q. How do you think the reception for
Antares has been?
A. It’s only been out for a few weeks but
so far – amazing! I don’t think it would be giving away any secrets to say that
Warlord actually had to reprint the book before the game even launched. Which
is nice J
Q. What is next for Gates of Antares?
A. Warlord have about a year’s worth of
releases already designed so it’s a question of getting those into production.
Some of that includes plastics – which need to be tooled in steel so they will
take a little longer to get ready. Others are metal or resin or a mix of
those. I’m working on the first
supplement – which is all about the exploration and fighting over Xilos.
I want to give a huge thanks to Rick Priestley for
taking time to answer this gamer’s questions, and to Andy Hobday and Rich Dando
at Warlord Games for helping me. Check out Beyond the Gates of Antares on
Warlord Games’ website, on Facebook, and keep your eye out for more articles in
the near future!
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