If you’re playing a game with a theme, you have to feel it in the gameplay. You should be presented with the same problems and situations as those who experienced that theme first-hand. In addition, you’ll very often come up with mechanics that you otherwise would never have thought of.
Quotes by Martin Wallace
My own feelings about the future is that mechanisms will take second place to story-telling. You can already see that happening with the number of Legacy games on the market.
I find it easier to design a game around a clearly defined story, whether this be from history or a work of fiction. History is so rich in interesting stories that there is no end to the games you could come up with.
I’m not sure I have a favourite mechanic, as generally I try not to think in those terms. A lot of my games employ a simple two-action per turn format. I think it is important to present players with simple choices that have complex consequences.
My aim has always been to blend the elegance of the Euro style of design with the thematic immersion that you find in American games. For me theme comes before mechanisms.
