Cole Wehrle, designer of Oath and Root, discusses the upcoming game Oath, its design goals, and insights on Root. He also talks about his history with Twilight Imperium. The podcast covers Oath overview, Cole's interview on Oath, Root, and Twilight Imperium.
Oath focuses on consequential victory and player interaction, enhancing narrative depth and shaping future outcomes.
Oath's thematic design combines sword and sorcery with a unique aesthetic, inspired by diverse sources for immersive gameplay.
Efforts are made to optimize Oath's single-box approach for accessibility, with a focus on functional insert design.
Deep dives
Unique Gameplay Experience in Oath
Oath introduces a unique gameplay experience centered around consequential victory rather than judgmental outcomes. Players interact in a dynamic world where the story created transcends typical victory conditions. Kingmaking becomes a significant aspect adding depth and narrative richness to each game, allowing players to shape the future game outcomes based on their decisions.
Thematic Design of Oath
The thematic design of Oath combines sword and sorcery elements with a Jim Henson aesthetic, creating a visually engaging and immersive world. Anachronism and diversity within the setting allow for a broad range of thematic exploration, avoiding common fantasy tropes like standard races. The setting is inspired by works like the Perdain Chronicles and RuneScape, offering a Bronze Age feel that accommodates a diverse array of technologies and ideologies.
Expansion Strategy for Oath
While initially considering an expansion model, Oath is likely to follow a single-box approach similar to Gloomhaven, consolidating all content into one accessible package. The game will feature a neoprene scroll map within a Western Legends-sized box for portability and storage ease. A focus on usability and setup time reduction aims to enhance player accessibility and streamline the gaming experience.
Insert Design and Setup Efficiency
Efforts are being made to optimize the insert design for Oath, ensuring a quick and easy setup process estimated to be under three minutes. The emphasis on a seamless and functional insert aims to enhance organization and prevent setup barriers, addressing common player concerns related to complex rules and lengthy preparation times. The insert’s practicality and user-friendly design aim to enhance overall gameplay experience and encourage frequent play sessions.
Challenges in Developing Root Expansions
Designing expansions for Root presents challenges due to the game's intricate system ethos, such as no variance and the requirement for everything to work harmoniously. Each expansion demands exponentially more resources than the preceding one, making development complex. The dedication to balance necessitates extensive testing, including strategic breakout sessions for factions that may lag behind. The unique design philosophy of Root constrains the development of cheap expansions, emphasizing a meticulous approach to ensuring gameplay integrity.
Influences of Twilight Imperium on Game Development
The interview delves into the creator's personal history with Twilight Imperium and its significant impact on game design philosophy. The complex gameplay and emergent storytelling of Twilight Imperium inspired a deep appreciation for strategic games with player-driven narratives. The meticulous approach to refining and balancing game mechanics, showcased through variant rules and house-made progressions, reflects a constant strive for perfecting the gameplay experience. The content creation process for Twilight Imperium involves extensive playtesting and iterative adjustments to ensure a balanced and engaging gameplay.
We went to PAX Unplugged and all we got was the best episode of our show ever. We sat down with Cole Wehrle of Leder Games and discussed his upcoming work-in-progress, Oath. It’s a remarkable game that we can’t wait to sink our teeth into. We cover how to play, what kind of design Cole is trying to achieve, as well as some design insights into his last hit Root, and some notes on his history with Twilight Imperium.
5:47 - Oath Overview
33:18 - Cole Interview: Oath
51:20 - Cole Interview: Root
58:28 - Cole Interview: Twilight Imperium
Music provided by Ben Prunty. Find more at benpruntymusic.com or benprunty.bandcamp.com
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