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Not another fantasy world, you say, it's all been seen before. More poxy elves who always seem to be da bomb with bow and arrow, dwarves who always have axes and don't like being tossed, some large mass of enemy creatures known as orcs, or orks, or awks (I'm copyrighting that last one, back off). Always the ruddy same. Hmm, you sure about that?
Welcome to Vrahode: Age of Prophecy, a game and world built from the ground up by designer Jeff Irving. It's been causing quite a stir in my preferred habitat of Instagram, and I thought I'd send a few questions towards Jeff in the vain hope that he'd catch them and run with them. Let's find out where all this inventiveness came from, shall we?
The world of Vrahode is driven by imaginative writing and populated with races and characters we haven't seen before. But let’s get this out of the way: out of your standard fantasy types - elves, dwarves, hobbits, barbarians - who would survive and who would die a swift death?
Hmmm, I would say the ones with the highest levels of innate magical ability would fair the best! The world of Vrahode is steeped in ruhl (magic) as are all of the inhabitants. If you don't have that then you would likely go by way of the dodo. Even our warrior types are casters so....there ya go!
Give us some background. Is this your first board game? If so, what did you do before this?
I went to university for journalism and graphic design. I have owned several small computer businesses and spent a lot of years as a graphic designer. Vrahode - Age of Prophecy, while being our initial launch, is the ninth game project I have worked on. The first was a fantasy homage to Axis & Allies I did sometime back. It made it to prototype and was sent off to Fantasy Flight Games. They loved it but it was far too expensive for them to produce so I simply chalked it up to a learning experience and pushed on!
What's the first board game you remember playing? And what's the first one you fell in love with, and why?
My family was into the common stuff so I got exposed to all those early (Monopoly, Clue, etc.). The first one I loved was called Masterpiece. It was an art buying game with bidding I think and tons of cool cards with famous works of art on them. I love the money in that game too. It had a really fancy look! I first played D&D at ten which hooked me right away.
Who’s on the team? How well does the team interweave together?
Our team is huge but like most game companies most of them are contract workers and work for a number of clients. Shawn Dressler, Francesca Baerald, Flo Butler, Moreno Paisann, Léni Scheider, Andrea Mentalto Tentori, etc. The permanent members so far are myself and West Todd. West and I share the bulk of the load. I tend to design big games that take players places. West is more about affordable retail offerings. Together we are heading toward building a sound cash flow model. West has way more industry experience than myself so I rely on him heavily for his wisdom!
How long has it taken to develop Vrahode? Did development fit comfortably into your daily life?
The last four years started with designing our Harbinger 3D Terrain System (coming soon) and then right into the Vrahode core box and three huge expansions to that. We decided to make Vrahode - Age of Prophecy our initial launch because we wanted to affordably prove ourselves to gamers before asking them to risk a lot on our games. There is a lot of content to follow this initial game.
What’s the main inspiration behind Vrahode? Which board games it’s similar to? What kind of gamer would you recommend Vrahode to?
I was a D&D player and avid reader of 80s fantasy novels and grew tired of all the Gygax and Tolkein tropes. I wanted to create something that would let fantasy fans recapture that sense of childlike wonder of first stepping foot into a fresh fantasy world! Vrahode - Age of Prophecy is sort of like if Jaws of the Lion had a baby with HeroQuest in an art gallery then uncle Shadows of Brimstone raised the child! I think most fantasy fans that like challenging fast combat would enjoy it.
Have there been any major hiccups during development, and if so how were they overcome? How has playtesting helped in this area?
As I said earlier, we have made a few big course corrections in holding up release of the core box, expansions and Harbinger but we only get one chance to do this right. Playtesting is crucial to development of course! Since Vrahode - Age of Prophecy is derived from the larger game system to follow it made its development shorter since we had all that sitting there to draw from.
Which is your favourite mechanic within the game?
I love the way the final version of the initiative mechanic works, allowing players to make a presence check to push the order around or the ability to spend fatigue (sweat equity) to change your position. I enjoy the rest mechanic. I guess I am just glad that for all the opportunities we had to either err on the side of cumbersome realism and tactical depth OR fast and fun we chose the latter every single time. This is not a heavy game nor is it a table hog. I am proud of the work we have done to make it a game that is super fast to setup and play.
This is becoming a bit of a hot topic. What’s your thoughts on AI in game design? This doesn’t apply directly to your game as you have an artist with a distinct human style, but there are games out there which are heading to crowdfunding that seem to rely on it heavily. Is there room for AI in game design? Is there a limit to its acceptable use?
We don't use AI artwork or writing because I am an artist myself and appreciate that real artists need to make a living and we employ over a dozen! I think AI can be used to create a basis of art but the final work must be done by a person. While I don't use it I try not to judge others if they choose to use it. I just may not support them and there will be consequences if they do. I will continue to shout it loudly that we don't use AI because there are enough folks that appreciate that.
Vrahode is a cooperative game. Was this borne out of the fantasy adventure theme, or was it always your intention to go cooperative over competitive?
I personally hate beating up on friends and family and prefer cooperative play for this type of game. That being said I think the challenge level needs to be very high on cooperative play! I am a huge fan of Red Hook's game Darkest Dungeon because of the challenge level of that. At their heart Vrahode games are survival games and we feel there is enough challenge without having to worry about PVP, however, if enough fans demand that we add that then perhaps there is an Athak-uul gladiatorial pit somewhere in The Cut Caverns!
What do you play in your spare time between sessions?
I have a rule that I will not play new games during the design process. The risk of finding new mechanics that would take my design away from the initial intent is always there. That means during design my "wall of shame" grows then once I am done with a design I wade into those unplayed titles first. I certainly gravitate toward adventure, dungeon crawl, story forward type stuff but also love lighter family games like Summer Camp and we play a ton of card games.
Which one game do you wish you'd designed yourself?
I wish I had designed Darkest Dungeon the board game because I feel it could have been a much better adaptation from the PC game than it was. I also wish I had designed Trudvang Legends because I love the art and the game, while deeply flawed, has some great promise and unique mechanics.
What advice would you give to other prospective designers? What advice would you give to yourself after a spot of time traveling?
My advice to prospective designers is that you must approach design in your own unique way based on your passion, your resources and your goals. Don't listen when they tell you there is a right and wrong way to do things. If you want to start with a huge elaborate game then go for it. If you want to start with some as simple as tic-tac-toe then do that. Know your limits and hire great help. Don't delude yourself that you have the best game ever, that your ideas are completely original or that you are going to make a ton of money doing this because none of these outcomes are likely. Do it because you love creating!
How has the support been from the board gaming community?
The support from the industry and gamers has been amazing and humbling. I love this industry and the people in it and hope to get old as a part of it! We are in this for the long haul so each step is an important for us right now.
How does it feel to finally launch?
It is great to finally get to share the world that has been rattling around in my head since 1990! This initial game is just a taste of the vastness that is Vrahode so hopefully we get to continue to make Vrahode games and offer a robust community around it. That is why it is marketed as a "game system" since we are going to welcome and share player created content in addition to our own.
We'll finish on another vital question. Who's your favourite character to play as in the game? I'm definitely not asking in the hope of making my life easier in game, honest…
Ha! I have always loved the Toreln race and so I think Wyrich the Shadow (rogue) will get the most play from me but I am also a fan of challenging characters so Clarion the Athak-uul Augur (priest) is a favorite.
So, you've heard from the game's designer himself, but what's Vrahode like to play? I had the pleasure of taking an early review version for a ride - all opinions/ramblings are my own - and it plays as impressively as it sounds.
This is a fully co-op TTTRPG for 1-4 players.
None of your elves and dwarves and hobbits here: Vrahode introduces a brand new world inhabited by races and characters you’ve never seen before. The author in me is impressed by the extensive world building that draws you in from the moment you see the excellent cover art.
I was surprised at how quickly I was up and running: the huge box speaks of the vast adventure awaiting, but the rules are streamlined and the setup itself is far less complex than expected. I love the dashboard. Everything to do with your character is together on one tactile station. It’s super easy to track your status, equipment and abilities, and in the final version you can save your dashboard with a cover, making it even easier to resume your campaign between sessions.
No need for a GM: enemies move according to rules that give life to the battles, and can put up a tough challenge. When they land one of their special abilities, you will be in trouble. My advice if you’re playing solo? Take at least two characters, and maybe even consider three. True solo may only be for the reckless… I will say, though, that Vrahode works excellently as a solo game. I became thoroughly engrossed, to the point where my beloved Other Half pointed out that I was chuntering to myself again. Usually when I'm chuntering that means I'm working out my next plans and figuring out my decisions. It also means I'm in character, not demented. It's a very more-ish game too: reaching the end of a scenario was rarely the end of a session, as I was ready for the next part of the story to unfold.
Fantasy fans will know Critical Role, and these battles gave me the closest feeling I’ve had of being part of their livestreams. These fights take up vital resources but bring great rewards. Fatigue plays a role, so you have to decide when to rest (and a bad card draw could ruin this) or push on.
The hero miniatures are beautiful, as is the artwork throughout. Every map and card is a joy to reveal, and the component quality of the final game will be even better: the team are working on improvements constantly. Attention to detail, wild imagination, and the drive to create an excellent fantasy experience shine through in Vrahode. Despite hours of fun, I felt that I reached the end of my review copy all too soon, eager for more. Can there be any better recommendation?
The Kickstarter is wrapping up, will be into the last few days by the time this goes love, so I recommend you head over here quickly and have a good hard look at one of the year's biggest gaming systems, something that will only expand as time goes on.