Many board games introduce their own world. But why should it stay with a game in one universe? That's exactly what Valerio and Paolo from Twoid Games thought. After realizing their first idea for the Legends of Void board game during the Corona pandemic, the game's universe quickly took on a life of its own. There was still a lot to tell from the world in which “nothing” has spread.
The novelty fall of lumens continues the story that Legends of Void was started. Aside from the theme, the game offers new game mechanics approaches. Now here is a more complex deck and tableau building game with worker movement element. We spoke to Valerio from Twoid Games about the development of the game, how the story has progressed and also what to expect in the upcoming Kickstarter.
The images used in the article show digital prototypes of the game. Individual aspects can still change before the game is finished.
A world is threatened by nothing
The story and the big "villain", the nothing (Void), have similarities to Michael Ende's "The Neverending Story". The "nothing" manifests itself in Legends of Void in the seraphs. The players' common goal is to defeat these godlike creatures that are slowly stripping the Outer Lands of their beauty and replacing everything beautiful with nihil.
Inspiration can be drawn from a single template Legends of Void but not restrict. Map names, the structure of the world and other components of the game are based on a variety of influences such as comics, manga, series, other literary works and various mythologies.
Regardless of this common goal, only one person will win in the end. Everyone takes on the role of a hero, leading their own faction. It is important to secure the favor of the Eternals from the flying city of Lumen. The Eternals have power over all known and unknown lands. They provide the heroes with the scrolls but otherwise largely stay out of the events on the ground.
Exactly this keeping out is now their undoing.
Sabotage the Flying City
Many years have passed since the battles against the Seraphs. The Outer Lands are far from their former glory after years of fighting. People are ready to rebuild their old lives. However, there are some who do not want the presence of the Flying City of Lumen and do not accept the Eternals' indifference.
The players take on the role of heroes again. Now they want to ensure that the flying city is literally brought to the ground. For this they want to infiltrate guardians there who sabotage the city. The Guardians were among those in power before the arrival of the Eternals. They have been banished.
But they can go back through the changes that the “nothing” causes. The aim is to bring as many guardians back into the world as possible and then smuggle them into the flying city.
You meet a lot of familiar faces Legends of Void again. The factions no longer have such an important role. They are rather passive as they cannot openly mess with the Eternals. Nevertheless, they offer important support to the heroes.
The game universe dictates the story
Legends of Void was initially nothing more than a project started for the fun of it. Rather than a "own" (more complex) version of Terraforming Mars it shouldn't be until the corona pandemic. But with the lockdowns, the time that you had to deal with this game more seriously grew. The imaginative game world grew and grew, factions developed, heroes got a face and in the countless test games they developed a life of their own. This life of its own was the cornerstone for fall of lumens.
It was important to Paolo and Valerio that the theme and the world exist and then the game mechanics, which are dictated by the world, are brought into the world. Their games are supposed to get you out of “here” and kidnap you into the strange world that is threatened by “nothing”.
It was clear that the new game would not only take different paths thematically, even if the world is the same. games like The Lost Ruins of Arnak or Burgraves of West Francia and her deck building brought the game mechanics inspiration here. The world, the heroes and the flying city provide further mechanisms such as the worker movement.
The many experiences from the development of the first game were very valuable here. Since the two of them are in charge of everything themselves, they can look at and solve problems from both a production and a playful point of view.
There were no really big challenges or fundamental changes. There was an idea to build the games similar to the "Pax" series, but since the two themselves prefer something different, this idea was quickly rejected.
What was also particularly valuable is the mutually stimulating collaboration between Valerio and Paolo. Valerio he is the man for the numbers, while Paolo mainly takes care of the artistic. The work of one always determines the work of the other.
The game went through a "classic" creation process. After working out the first version, rough adjustments were made. Each future version then remained the most up-to-date for longer and longer and the adjustments became more and more fine and it was about balancing.
In a few weeks the game will go into “external” playtesting. First with playgroups in Italy and then in the summer with printed prototypes to be sent all over the world to people who are already at Legends of Void supported with feedback.
The serious work on fall of lumens started about a year and a half ago. With the intensive playtesting still pending, the game is expected to start crowdfunding in September/October.
How do you bring Lumen down?
Compared to Legends of Void will be the new game fall of lumens be a little more compact. In terms of complexity, it will still be in the 3s (BGG rating). The central mechanism is now deck building. There is also tableau building (followers and trinkets) and area movement (heroes)
The aim of the game is also clear: it is important to infiltrate guardians in Lumen so that they can sabotage the flying city. Each Guardian who is in Lumen at the end of the game earns points. Since it is not hidden to oppose the Eternals, there are patrols whose capture also brings a few more points. Minus points are awarded for each Lumen's Eye card that is still in your deck at the end of the game. Fortunately, there is no confusing point salad here.
In each of the seven rounds, the players have five hand cards at their disposal. Moves are played in turn until everyone has passed. When it is your turn, you can carry out one main action and any number of free actions.
Executing the main actions often depends on the position of your own hero. For example, you can collect. There are a total of five resources and five skills in the game. At the markets you can buy new cards that either go into your own play area or into your hand and improve your deck there.
In the total of eight regions on the field there are also challenges that you can fulfill with your hero. However, such a major challenge draws the Eternals' attention to you, and a patrol is added to the region.
You can capture a patrol for paying one of three possible costs. Such actions allow you to open a chest, but also collect bounty. If you have three bounty tokens, add a Lumen's Eye card to your deck.
Ultimately, the most important action for victory points is infiltrating Lumen. If your hero is in the region of the flying city, guardians can be smuggled in there. The costs here depend on the respective region and any agents that may be available.
Another main action is playing cards. Some provide a non-free effect, so count as a main action when activated. Your hero may also travel between regions for a contribution.
Free actions include exchanging resources, discarding cards from your hand, or exhausting cards in order to gain their skill.
If they all fit, the lumen phase follows. Here the Flying City moves to a new region, adding new patrols. In addition, other effects can be carried out, which are specified by the Lumen Deck card.
Once the actions of the flying city have been resolved, everyone prepares for the next round.
There will also be a solo mode. This one will offer a slightly different challenge than the multiplayer game. There are objectives here that are made up of certain combinations of Guardians in Lumens, the fulfillment of which is crucial for defeating the Flying City.
Lumen is a more direct opponent here, limiting you with unpredictable actions, challenging you to find creative solutions despite more limited options.
The crowdfunding
A fixed date has not yet been set. According to the current plan, Paolo and Valerio plan to play the game in September or October this year Crowdfunding bring to. Delivery is planned for summer 2024 if the financing is successful.
The open approach to the campaign is refreshing. There won't be a confusing barrage of stretch goals that add cards or unlock more heroes or factions. Everything that the game has and that was playtested will also be available from the start.
Stretch goals are mainly limited to "cosmetic" improvements, such as better material or better shipping options. There will be no "gimmicks" like miniatures. As with its predecessor, the two limit themselves to things they love in games and don't add anything just to have "more".
If you want to make a note of the project now so that you don't miss the start, you can do so here when Kickstarter do.
Something that hasn't taken concrete form yet, but could still be tackled as a small dream in the future, is an illustrated storybook about the Outer Lands. This would be more of a side project. When it could be realized and whether it might be possible Kickstarter zu fall of lumens emerges remains to be seen.
About Fall of Lumens
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Number of people: 1 – 4 people Game idea and illustrations: Paolo and Valerio Link to Kickstarter-Campaign: Link |
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Pegasus Spiele Swindler (Edition Playground), medium* | 10,83 EUR |
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