Hello, everyone!
I'm Toni! I've been collecting CCGs since I was a kid and I began collecting miniatures as a teenager. I'm new to the world of board games and I'm learning as I go what my tastes are and where my interests lie in this hobby.
Theme isn't at the top of the list of things that draw me to a game, although a theme that doesn't interest me will keep me from looking twice at a game, regardless of hype or positive reviews. Mechanics, for me, need to be simple enough to teach quickly and without too much trouble, but deep enough to allow for decent strategy, and distinct enough to separate a game from others in the same genre.
I'd have to say that time is the biggest factor that defines the games I play. Having little time to play regularly, I like to experience as much variation as I can when I get the chance to play (not to say that I'm a "quantity over quality" by any means!). As such, I'm not interested in games that require an investment of more than an hour to setup and play through to completion. Some of the games that I've picked up recently and am enjoying immensely are Tsuro, Kittens in a Blender, Rune Age, and Hive.
As far as board game design goes, ever since I first started playing games, I've always wanted to make my own. I was an avid creator of home-made fan expansions and singles for the CCGs that I played when I was younger. One of my favourite activities later on was transforming an established game into something new for my friends and I to play. Something like taking an existing CCG property and making a miniatures game out of it (I did this with Magi-Nation Duel), or making a card game out of a book series (I did this with Brian Jacques' "Redwall" series).
Lately, though, I've just recovered my spare hard-drive containing all of my game ideas (defunct or active)! So I went looking for somewhere to seek help and feedback when I eventually bring these ideas back into focus. I have a game that I'm working on currently that I'd love to get some initial first impressions for the theme and see if it sounds like something that would be worth developing further, if anyone is interested!
I'm very glad to be a part of this forum and I'm excited, not only to have my own ideas expanded on by the members here at BGDF, but to do the same for everyone else when I can!
Thanks for the warm welcome, guys!
@BlueRift
I hope I can be of help to others here at BGDF! I may be a greenhorn with dozens of ideas laying around in various states of non-completion, but I'd love to help others iron out their games into something great!
I think I may put my two cents in around some other users' ideas before I dive into threading my own. I'd like to make friends and assist others before I start worrying about myself!
@hotsoup
I definitely think that the Redwall series is suited to some sort of game, be it a non-collectible card game or a board game. Unfortunately, if I remember correctly, Brian Jacques has personally stated in an interview that he despises games and would never allow his books to be made into one!