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cliquenabend.de: Hi Bobby! Could you give us a brief introduction about yourself, for readers who don´t know you?

Bobby Doran: Born and raised in sunny Southern California to parents that worked in the motion picture industry. One of 6 very creative brothers and sisters. I am currently a fine artist and graphic designer by day. Even though I´m an "Old man" my hobbies still include skateboarding, bodyboarding, snowboarding, painting, sculpting, photography, mountainbiking, hiking, rock climbing... blah blah blah



Although I have always created games for the last 2 years I have been obsessing on boardgames and boardgame design.

cliquenabend.de: How many games from you are published on the market?

Bobby Doran: Currently I have a few "Deep Space DrillerAce" games available. I published a limited edition run and it is almost sold out. And Meepile is a simple little game that I´m offering for a limited time.

I designed a "Dueling Dice" game that was slated for a March 2008 release with officially licensed artwork from the band the "Misfits". This was to be published by C&D Visionary Inc. They are a manufacturer and distributor of officially licensed products but this was to be their first foray into boardgames. Unfortunately I have been informed that it has been put on hold pending some restructuring. This is one that I might consider self publishing if they choose not to proceed.

I have a few other game´s being considered by game companies but I can not talk about those until something is more concrete.

cliquenabend.de: Can you give us a quick introduction about them?

Bobby Doran: Deep Space DrillerAce can be found in the BGG database. It is an abstract Strategy style game (with cards) with a fun theme pasted on. Players are competing to place the most Driller Domes on an alien planet. When the patterns on your cards are completed you are granted the ability to place more domes.


Dueling Dice is a dice/board game where you are attempting to move your dice across a board without getting destroyed by your opponent while simultaneously attempting to wipe out his dice.


cliquenabend.de: Are there or will there be any of your games on the German market?

Bobby Doran: I will be producing a second run of Deep Space DrillerAce but a license is being considered so the name could possibly change. I am attempting to get Canadian, Australian and European distribution for that game.

cliquenabend.de: There are also a lot of unpublished ideas on your desk, what can you tell us about them?

Bobby Doran: I have about 10 games that are ready to go. They are waiting and hoping to be picked up by someone. Some will possibly be self published. I am currently working on a card game that targets young girls from 8 years old and up. I feel that market is small but it is definitely need of quality games.

Tangata Manu is a Euro style game that I feel has a lot of pottential and I hope that one goes into production soon.

Basically I design all styles of games. I have a few dice games, a few Euro style games, a couple of Ameritrash roll and move games, abstract strategy games, party games, dexterity games and even word games. I just can´t seem to stop.

cliquenabend.de: One of your new ideas 2008 is "Meepile" how came you up with this invetion?

Bobby Doran: I was watching my daughters pile up their meeples while playing Ark or Carc (like they always do) and I decided I had to make it into a game. I am always making custom game parts or variants for games. I just can´t seem to let them be what they are.


cliquenabend.de: What are the rules of the game?

Bobby Doran:
The basic rules:
Players take turns placing their Meeples anywhere on the Meepile. If you knock meeples off then you take those into your stock. When one player has placed 7 meeples successfully then the game ends and players take negative points for any meeples they have left in their stock. Their own color counts as minus 1 and other players colors count a minus 2 points. Players play an equal number of rounds to the number of players and add up their points. The winner has the lowest points.


I have a many other rules variants that I will be putting in the BGG database in the future. Some of the rules will require multiple "Meepiles".

cliquenabend.de: What will this figure cost?

Bobby Doran: I am currently selling Meepile for $4.00 plus shipping and handling. The game comes with just the large Meepile and a rules sheet.

cliquenabend.de: Will you send them also to Germany? What will that cost with shipping?

Bobby Doran: I am currently sending them to Germany and the cost to ship is not that bad. I can send up to about 8 in a box.

cliquenabend.de: Will you be at Essen ´08 with it?

Bobby Doran: I am currently looking into this
possibility.

cliquenabend.de: Your game get quite a reaction on boardgamegeek, what can you tell us about that?

Bobby Doran: BGG is an amazing site. My games are being played on the other side of the planet because of the exposure received through boardgamegeek.

cliquenabend.de: What do you thing about meeples, what do you like about them?

Bobby Doran: I think the Meeple is THE most iconic and recognizable "gamer" image. I love meeples. In fact I am working on a line of fine art paintings that feature the meeple.

cliquenabend.de: When did you start making games and why?

Bobby Doran: I´ve always made games for myself, my family and my friends but only recently have I started making them to sell.

cliquenabend.de: If you could be a single game piece what would you be and why?

Bobby Doran: Interesting question... Maybe a Tiddly Wink??? I don´t know why.... I just like saying "Tiddly Wink".

cliquenabend.de: What is your favourite creation and why?

Bobby Doran: Hmmmm... I loved Clout Fantasy but that has been abandoned by Hidden City Games. Heroscape might be my current favorite.

cliquenabend.de: What other games do you like play with friends, besides your own creations?

Bobby Doran: I like to play ALL games. I am not really picky like some of my gamer friends are. I love the Ticket To Ride games, I like anything that involved the ocean or pirates, I like the Carcassone series a lot. I like to play games that THEY enjoy playing.

cliquenabend.de: Is there anything you would like to tell our readers?

Bobby Doran: GAME ON!
Don´t take gaming so seriously. Life is too short. Have fun with it. Laugh and
play.



The Interview was held by Andreas Buhlmann for cliquenabend.de.

Thanks to Bobby Doran for his support.