Q&A met Bruce Allen, de auteur van Tobago

[P.T.]

By the way, I read in spielbox that you have a very nice job: software engineer

[Arzach]

By the way, I read in spielbox that you have a very nice job: software engineer

Yeah it is fun, but can be stressful at times
If "WebsiteBeheerder" means what I think it means I guess you might be in IT, too?

[P.T.]

In this case I am taking care of this website indeed Webapplications are currently my main job, but I am in my final year of software developer training now

[Arzach]

In this case I am taking care of this website indeed Webapplications are currently my main job, but I am in my final year of software developer training now

Good job, the website! Final years can be stressful, too. Lots of exams and such, I guess.

[P.T.]

Nah, not really. Let's just say that the education in the netherlands is worthless

Back on topic by the way:
28) Are there any titles in Essen you are looking forward too?

[Arzach]

Back on topic by the way:
28) Are there any titles in Essen you are looking forward too?

I am just compiling my list for Essen, it isn't complete yet but I am very curious about
7 Wonders (well, who isn't)
the Space Alert Expansion
the Rattus Expansion
Isla Dorada
Skyscrapers
Khan
Antics (I playtested it and can't wait to see the final version)
Pressure Matrix
Tikal II: The Lost Temple
Magestorm
Freeze
Road Kill Rally
Safranito
Burrows
Cadwallon City of Thieves
Mad Zeppelin
Alchemicus...
I haven't read all the rules yet, so the list might change, but probably it will get longer

[P.T.]

Nice list. Didn't know that there was an expansion for space alert

We will make sure that there is a chair available at the white goblin booth

[P.T.]

29) I guess you have a lot of boardgames in your house. If someone decides that you have to sell all your boardgames, except one. Which one would you keep? (Excluding Tobago) (It's a popular thread in the forums here, and probably the most difficult question in the world )

[Bartjes!]

30) How big is your game collection by the way?
32) Which artists/board game illustrators do you like or admire?
33) A difficult question: which question were you dying to answer, but hasn't been asked by anyone here so far? Is there anything you had hoped for we would ask you? Something you wanted to talk about?

[Arzach]

29) I guess you have a lot of boardgames in your house. If someone decides that you have to sell all your boardgames, except one. Which one would you keep? (Excluding Tobago) (It's a popular thread in the forums here, and probably the most difficult question in the world )

....First of all, I would hope that there is a special hell reserved for people who decide things like that!

My first impulse was Nexus Ops as I really like it a lot, second one was Betrayal at House on the Hill because of the different scenarios (but probably the new edition coming out soon in which they corrected the mistakes) and then I remembered the scenarios I thought up for Heroscape and how much fun it was designing them. Ok, I would probably change the initiative rule but a game I can tinker with and create new scenarios is definitely the one I must go for. Only way to get infinite replayability. Perhaps one could even turn it into an area majority game.
So Heroscape it is - I am a bit astonished, too.

[Bart]

Earlier you told us that you are a software engineer.

34) Does your education / profession is an advantage in developping games?

[Bart]

27. Any chance that I can get your autograph on Tobago when I buy it at Spiel ? I haven't got a game with a signature yet, so you would be my first

Sure, no problem.
I'll be meeting Bart (Bartjes) in Essen at the White Goblin Games booth, but we haven't set a time yet. Perhaps we can meet there, too.

You asked about buying Tobago in Essen and it just occured to me that you probably want the Dutch edition.
My answer about its availability refered to the German edition.
The publisher for the Dutch version is The Gamemaster NL. They have been in Essen the last years and have sold their games at their booth in Dutch, too, but it is probably best if you contact them directly, whether they will bring Dutch Tobagos with them.

Wat betreft Tobago, die is zeker te koop en wordt gedemonstreerd [edit Bart: door The Game Master] tijdens Spiel!

Tobago will be on sale and demonstrated [edit Bart: by The Game Master] on Spiel!

[Arzach]

30) How big is your game collection by the way?

I haven't counted it. When I entered it in BGG I went down the ranking list and suddenly had 570 games, but a lot of small card games are missing and some obscure games, too, so I estimate it at 650-700 games.

I am switching to answering the questions one at a time now as the connection timed out again and I had no copy
Sorry for the delay!

[fatum]

....First of all, I would hope that there is a special hell reserved for people who decide things like that!

The question was actually that you get to keep one game or you will loose your significant other. The general consensus was that single life isn't so bad at all

Since I'll be driving to Essen right behind Bart chances are that we will see each other.

35) Which languages do you program in ?

[Arzach]

32) Which artists/board game illustrators do you like or admire?

Artists: Dali, Franz Marc, van Gogh
Cartoonists: Vaughn Bodé, Ralph Bakshi
Game illustrators: Miguel Coimbra, Pierô, Lars-Arne "Maura" Kalusky, Bertrand Benoit, Mathieu Leyssenne, Victor Boden, Tom Wham