Q&A met Inka en Markus Brand, auteurs van o.a. Het Dorp

[Bart]

22) I suppose you both visit Spiel in Essen. Do you go to Spiel in Essen as a game designer, a gamer or a game collectioner? Which 'role' do you like most?

23) Since 'Het Dorp' is now available in Dutch, do you intend to visit gamefairs as Spellenspektakel (Eindhoven-Nl) or Spel (Broechem-B)?

24) You have met many game designers. Do you also have contact with Dutch or Belgian game developpers?

25) There are already several game awards on your shelf. Which award or nomination are you most proud of?

[Willy the Kid]

Hi there Inka and Markus,

26) What do you suggest to people if they want to find their job in the gaming industry. Where should they start?

27) Which game mechanic do you like to incorporate the most in your game designes?

[InaMarkusBrand]

22) I suppose you both visit Spiel in Essen. Do you go to Spiel in Essen as a game designer, a gamer or a game collectioner? Which 'role' do you like most?

22) We visit the „Spiel“ in Essen every year since 1999. And every year we´re there from Thursday to Sunday. From 1999 to 2004 we were there as collectioners. We came into the big halls with our sack barrows, ran from booth to booth and bought every game, which was announced as rare...and every well designed game...and every game with an interesting theme...and all the bargain goods....the giveaways... So we bought about 100 games on average every year. Since 2004 our cellar room lacked space for new games, so we stopped buying and started playing at the „Spiel“. We ran from booth to booth to snatch a table for trying the novelties. With our first Essen-release in 2006 (Summertime) we came as designers. Since then we spend most of our Essen-time by running from booth to booth for meeting the editors. Then we present our new prototypes. In the evenings there are often „come together events“ with like-minded persons (Publishers, editors, designers, gamers, collectioners, testers, friends), that´s the best part of the fair, because we can stop running.

23) Since 'Het Dorp' is now available in Dutch, do you intend to visit gamefairs as Spellenspektakel (Eindhoven-Nl) or Spel (Broechem-B)?

23) We would like to visit some international game-events in the future. At the moment, it´s very difficult for us, to make it possible. We´ve got two children (Lukas 11 and Emely 9). They are to young to stay alone at home, so we need a sitter for all events.
We need a sitter for the „Toyfair“ in Nuremberg, for the „Spiel“ in Essen and for the Gamedesigner-Festival in Göttingen...and we often need a sitter for our „normal“ dates.
If Lukas and Emely are old enough, we´ll visit some more events. We could imagine, that „Spellenspektakel“ or „Spel“ will be included in our planning then.

24) You have met many game designers. Do you also have contact with Dutch or Belgian game developpers?

24) Not yet. We think, it´s based on the fact, that we´re mainly known as gamedesigners for children games. This section of our business is not as international as the adult games part.
Since the „Village“-release, we notice increasingly that people show an interest in our work.

25) There are already several game awards on your shelf. Which award or nomination are you most proud of?

25) „Kennerspiel des Jahres“, of course. It´s our most important award. Precisely because we could show, that we´re able to design games for adults, too.

26) What do you suggest to people if they want to find their job in the gaming industry. Where should they start?

26) If you have responsibility for a family, if you have to bring money home consistently, don´t become a game designer!
We´re in the happy position, that Markus can work as insurance salesman in his „real life“. We can practise gamedesigning as hobby, not under pressure. We can celebrate every contract for a new game, because it´s a gift for us and not the last resort.

So, if you look for a job in the gaming industry, try to find a job as an editor. It´s a creative job. You work together with designers, illustrators and manufacturers, you´ve got a regular income and of course: You can play all day long!

27) Which game mechanic do you like to incorporate the most in your game designes?

27) We like to incorporate new mechanisms in our games. They should be innovative and interesting. We think, that the „Death of the meeples“ from „Het Dorp“ is such an innovative mechanism, we´d like to find for all of our games.

[Dierik]

Inka and Markus thank you very much for answering all our questions in the past week. I wish you all the best in private life and also in your carreer as boardgamedesigners.