 | The TradeWarz game design project started off as a fun challenge to see whether we as Nodd Studios could develop our own strategy game from scratch and what such a project would entail. The goal was to create an epic strategy game that is easy to play, well-balanced and likeable by die-hard and average gamers alike. A critical part for this game was to reduce the element of luck in the gameplay mechanics and how the winner of TradeWarz is determined at the end of every game.
TradeWarz was the brainchild of Freddie Mitchell an economist and sports coach by trade. He has a fascination with history, great empires and strategies in both economics and war that forged some of the greatest empires and civilizations across the world throughout history. This passion for history, empires and war time strategy is also shared by Ruark Swanepoel, long-time friend and mechanical engineer and 3D specialist.
These two friends sat down for a coffee one afternoon after playing a couple of
tabletop games during the weekend. Freddie was unhappy about the luck rather than strategy element in most of the so called “strategy games” they played during that weekend that determined the victors in most of these games. This luck rather than strategy element in these games acted as the catalyst to inspire him to create an epic strategy game that is well balanced, where less luck is involved and players “live and die” by their choices throughout the game. Ruark was a tad more sober about this kind of undertaking as he took a sip of his coffee and peered over the edge of the mug, pointing out that this was a long and arduous journey awaiting them. Freddie didn’t believe in pessimistic view and argued that this journey couldn’t be THAT arduous, it’s just a game after all ...
And so the journey of creating TradeWarz began.
The foundation was laid, rules and game mechanics drawn up and graphic ideas were starting to take shape. But neither Freddie nor Ruark was up to the illustration task ahead of them in bringing this epic game to life, and the search for a third co-designer was kicked off. Nodd Studios needed someone that would “fully buy into” the TradeWarz concept idea and that would also be willing to join them on this epic game creation journey for the seasons to follow…
And so the search began…
Freddie identified a prime candidate and after many coffees and some persuasion Gerhard Du Toit, a graphic designer and artist, decided to join Nodd Studios on this project as chief graphic designer and art director. The artwork and graphic design on the TradeWarz project is truly breath taking as Gerhard captured the very essence of the game with the look and feel. Now after a couple of really tough seasons, filled with lots of early mornings, fuelled by oil tankers of coffee supply, tons of test play …
But that was not the end in finding the right person to finalize this epic journey with....Nodd Studios needed the expertise of someone that had already gone the distance before...someone that had been around the block a couple of times with various projects....and so our paths crossed with Chandler Copenhaver.
Chandler has the experience and expertise to help this project (TradeWarz) move in the right direction as seen with his involvement with the hugely successful campaign of Boxthrone that has sourced a substantial amount under his guidance. He is joining the Nodd Studios group as Project Administrator and his experience is an invaluable asset that Nodd Studios will rely on for this campaign...and campaigns to come.
Nodd Studios can finally bring you this epic strategy boardgame called TradeWarz, to be played on the continent of Xadlagon where players write their own history.
Freddie Mitchell: Game engine and rules
Gerhard Du Toit: Art Director
Ruark Swanepoel: 3D Design and conceptualization
Chandler Copenhaver: Project Administrator |
