St Annes game maker shows card games are big deal

Tristan Hall’s dark gothic fantasy, Gloom of Kilforth, is in line for a second print run and he is now set to launch his second game after a kickstarter on-line fund-raising drive smashed its target total.

The former St Bede’s student is this time setting his game in British history with a two-person game based around the Battle of Hastings.

Called 1066, Tears to a Thousand Mothers, it is currently in production after games fans online contributed more than £75,000.

Tristan said: “The first run of Gloom of Kilforth – 2,000 copies – sold out. In fact the distributors over-sold it, so we are going to have to do a reprint once we raise the funds.

“They want another 500 copies and the US wants 500. I am also in talks with someone in Australia. The reviews of the first game have been great so we will be looking at funding a second print soon.”

Tristan, who has worked as a video producer on shows such as Life on Mars and Shameless as a former in house editor at The Sound House Manchester, teamed up with his wife Francesca to start his games business.

He said: “Our kickstarter campaign for the new game 1066, Tears to a Thousand Mothers has been amazing, we smashed our original target so have added extras to the game.

“I was concerned it might not do as well, after all 1066 and all that is ingrained in British history, but not significant in other countries.

“But we raised £75,366. I think it is because it is a cheaper game, £25 as compared to Gloom’s £50, and is a shorter game which you can dip into and play in around half an hour. It is also a game you can play by yourself, as Gloom was, solo play is very important.”

The first game featured detailed artwork from Polish artist Ania Kryczkowska and she has produced the cards and designs for the second game too.

He said: “She has done another fantastic job. She has really brought some of the historical characters to life.”

He said the game features real individuals from the Domesday Book, written in the years after William the Conqueror’s victory over Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings.

“As a game it is obviously not going to be 100 per cent historically accurate, after all it is possible for Harold to win, but we have drawn heavily on history. The importance of the historical characters is reflected in the game.

“The Normans, as you would expect have lots of cavalry, while the Saxons have battle axes and berserkers.”

He said the game, due to go on sale early next year, was the result of five years research and play testing.