Today's Interview is with:
Mikael Lyck
Interviewed on: 2/17/2020
This week's interview is with Mikael Lyck, who is planning on Kickstarting his card game based on the comic book hero The Phantom this week! He has a number of other projects in the works as well. Keep reading to learn more about Mikael!
Some Basics
Tell me a bit about yourself.
How long have you been designing tabletop games?
Two to five years.
Why did you start designing tabletop games?
It started with a thought about how I would do a game if I got the chance, I could not get the thought out of my head so I had to write the rules and a deck of cards. I realized that I love the process of designing games and figuring out how to do things in the best possible way.
What game or games are you currently working on?
The Phantom the Card Game
Have you designed any games that have been published?
Not yet
What is your day job?
Developer
Your Gaming Tastes
My readers would like to know more about you as a gamer.
Where do you prefer to play games?
At home or flgs
Who do you normally game with?
Friends and family
If you were to invite a few friends together for game night tonight, what games would you play?
Dominion, 7 wonders and lately these exit games have been a blast.
And what snacks would you eat?
Potato crisps and loose candy
Do you like to have music playing while you play games? If so, what kind?
Depends on the game, fantasy games are ok with some ambient music, but I prefer no music since it can be distracting.
What's your favorite FLGS?
Dragons Lair here in Stockholm
What is your current favorite game? Least favorite that you still enjoy? Worst game you ever played?
Dominion has been my favorite for years that gets played, I might love Hansa Teutonica more, but have a hard time convincing people to play it with me… The worst game for me is Uno and memory, I didn't enjoy them that much a few years ago and after that my kids have made me play them quite more than I like.
What is your favorite game mechanic? How about your least favorite?
Love drafting and my least favourite must be rolling dice, it can be so frustrating. It works in some games but kill other games for me, like x-wing
What's your favorite game that you just can't ever seem to get to the table?
Oh that would be Hansa Teutonica that I mentioned earlier.
What styles of games do you play?
I like to play Board Games, Card Games, Miniatures Games, Video Games
Do you design different styles of games than what you play?
I like to design Board Games, Card Games
OK, here's a pretty polarizing game. Do you like and play Cards Against Humanity?
No
You as a Designer
OK, now the bit that sets you apart from the typical gamer. Let's find out about you as a game designer.
When you design games, do you come up with a theme first and build the mechanics around that? Or do you come up with mechanics and then add a theme? Or something else?
It is either theme or mechanic first, but it is important to me that they work together.
Have you ever entered or won a game design competition?
Haven't entered but looked at a few and gotten inspiration on design ideas from the different rules.
Do you have a current favorite game designer or idol?
A few, nobody mentioned, nobody forgotten.
Where or when or how do you get your inspiration or come up with your best ideas?
When I try to sleep is most common, that and in the shower.
How do you go about playtesting your games?
Start out with close friends and family, after that with a great game design community in my hometown. First tests can be a disaster, where I look for what is fun and memorable in the game, usually I have over designed and need to cut away a lot of things after each playtests.
Do you like to work alone or as part of a team? Co-designers, artists, etc.?
I have help from a few great friends, Dejan have done the wonderful graphical design and Johan have helps me with contracts and deals
What do you feel is your biggest challenge as a game designer?
Second guessing myself about most of the steps I take.
If you could design a game within any IP, what would it be?
The IP that my game already is. If I get the chance my next IP would be Masters of the Universe.
What do you wish someone had told you a long time ago about designing games?
That I should reach out more online. There are so many nice people that are willing to help, and it is great. It also works both ways, it is quite fun to help others too!
What advice would you like to share about designing games?
Have fun! And focus on the fun things in game. Even if the fun part of the game you are designing is backstabbing or getting thinking so hard your brain hurts.
Would you like to tell my readers what games you're working on and how far along they are?
I'm planning to crowdfund: The Phantom the Card Game
Games that I'm playtesting are: Craft a Raft
Games that are in the early stages of development and beta testing are: Do My Bidding, Roll and Paint
And games that are still in the very early idea phase are: Motu fighting game, King of the Junk Hill
Are you a member of any Facebook or other design groups? (Game Maker's Lab, Card and Board Game Developers Guild, etc.)
Yes on most I can find, with my personal account
And the oddly personal, but harmless stuff…
OK, enough of the game stuff, let's find out what really makes you tick! These are the questions that I'm sure are on everyone's minds!
Star Trek or Star Wars? Coke or Pepsi? VHS or Betamax?
I am both a trekkie and a Star wars nerd, but if I had to choose it would be Star wars, named my kids Lucas and Leia after the Star wars characters. Pepsi max, I drink it too much… Growing up we had both, but haven't used a betamax for over 30 years.
What hobbies do you have besides tabletop games?
Video games, movies and comic books
What is something you learned in the last week?
I learn stuff all the time, last week I learned how to play wingspan
Favorite type of music? Books? Movies?
Listen to all kinds of music, punk, classic rock, pop mostly though. Am a sucker for Young adult books, fantasy and science fiction. I love the pretentious stuff, like Oscars winners.
What was the last book you read?
The latest book in the Magic 2.0 series, Out of sight out of mind if I recall correctly
Do you play any musical instruments?
The latest book in the Magic 2.0 series, "Out of Sight Out of Mind" if I recall correctly
Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise people.
I am quite a good chef and enjoy making advanced dishes
Tell us about something crazy that you once did.
Quit my job to live on playing poker.
Biggest accident that turned out awesome?
Some old fungus was left unattended and antibiotics were discovered.
Who is your idol?
I try to not idolize people. But there are a lot of great people that I respect very much.
What would you do if you had a time machine?
I wouldn't use it, it seems very dangerous in the Back to the Future movies.
Are you an extrovert or introvert?
Depending on the day
If you could be any superhero, which one would you be?
Easy, The Phantom of course
Have any pets?
Nope, I am allergic to all cute furry animals.
When the next asteroid hits Earth, causing the Yellowstone caldera to explode, California to fall into the ocean, the sea levels to rise, and the next ice age to set in, what current games or other pastimes do you think (or hope) will survive into the next era of human civilization? What do you hope is underneath that asteroid to be wiped out of the human consciousness forever?
I hope compassion and love survives and hate and wars would be wiped out. "violins playing"
If you'd like to send a shout out to anyone, anyone at all, here's your chance (I can't guarantee they'll read this though):
Hi kids, hi wife and hi mom!
Thanks for answering all my crazy questions!
Thank you for reading this
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