Game Data Cole Wehrle on Arcs, Root, Oath, and John Company
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Apr 30, 2025 In this engaging discussion, board game designer Cole Wehrle, known for hits like Root and Oath, dives into his creative journey at Leader Games. He shares insights on balancing game mechanics and leveraging data for design, including using Python for game simulations. Cole contrasts his approaches in Oath as a player-driven experience versus the handcrafted tactics in Root. He emphasizes the importance of narrative stakes in gameplay, while also reflecting on the lessons learned from digital adaptations and the future of board games.
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Studio-As-Software Mindset
- Leader Games treats design like a small software studio, initiating everything internally and incubating projects long-term.
- Cole focuses on a core audience and uses that trust to fund ambitious, unusual designs.
Start Design By Inspecting The "One"
- Analyze the "number one" in your game's math because it reveals core exchange assumptions and scaling limits.
- Avoid building systems that rely on fragile single-unit steps; prefer richer factors over 1-to-2 jumps.
Dev Diaries Built Trust
- Cole wrote weekly development diaries during the Root crowdfunding campaign to show backers the game's progress.
- The essays helped him refine design thinking and reveal his broader approach to audiences and themes.
