Armistace Games is touted as the place “Where Adventures Begin”. Founded as a table top game design and development company back in 2010, I recently had the chance to sit down with the owner and operator of Armistace Games, Noble Vally for a rare interview about his games, his company and his design process.
Growing up in a large family that always played games, Noble has been designing his passion project and masterpiece RPG called The Realms of Armistace since he was 11. Now, with the rulebooks due out next year, after many years of tweaking and testing, he is excited to see his biggest game come to life.
But what makes Armistace Games the company that it is, and who is the master mind behind the table top game design company? Let’s find out together, shall we?
🎲 Creative Origins 🎲
What inspired you to start a table top game company? Was there a defining moment or an “aha” spark?
My inspiration grew from a passion for table top games growing up. The defining moment struck when I moved to California and married my closest and dearest friend. We realized there was a gap between kids games and adults games. Kids don’t have the attention span or possibly the maturity to handle adult games, and adults typically feel obligated to play kids games, often letting the kids win as a confidence booster. We wanted to bridge the gap to make games that were fun for all ages- both for kids and adults.
How did your first game idea come to life- and how much did it change from concept to final design?
Booty: The Great Silver Race (available here) was my first actual challenge to create a unique game of my own, and it became better as it evolved. It started out as an inspiration from watching the children’s show, “Jake and the Neverland Pirates” and took on a life all of its own.
Are there particular games, books or stories that influence your approach?
Basically, my approach is generated by an inspired idea and I shape it into a project. Influence isn’t really much of a factor compared to finding the spark of adventure. I get my “spark of adventure” comes from inspiration, which can literally come from anywhere. However, it is important to note that none of my inspiration sources are directly copied but become my own project inspired by the media of my choice.
🧠 Design Philosophy 🧠
What’s your process for developing a new game—from first sketch to playtest?
For me, it follows the following formula:
1. Idea Spark
2. Brainstorm Session
3. Map Out the Game/ 1st Sketch
4. Build the Initial Prototype
5. 1st (Alpha) Playtest
6. Tweak and Rework
7. 2nd Update and Playtest
8. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 Until Happy With the Product
How do you balance mechanics with narrative? Do theme and story come first, or gameplay systems?
When I build, I try to keep the narrative in my mind, which then influences the game mechanic and systems. Yet, it isn’t really until the first set of playtests that reveals how well those are balanced. For example, when I was creating Booty: The Great Silver Race, my inspiration was “Jake and the Neverland Pirates” so it was just counting coins. It was just known as Booty at first. After the playtest, we figured out it played rather slow, so we added elements from “Pirates of the Caribbean” with ideas like the Kraken and the Play Immediately cards which sped the game up tremendously and solidified the pirate theme, thus making it more appealing to both children and adults.
The playtest is the most important part because it shows you exactly what’s wrong and what needs tweaking. Flaws in attributes and details, no matter how small or big, get revealed during the initial alpha testing, and more during the beta testing. If it’s something in the main design, like a flaw in one of the major details of the game, you may have to go back and revamp the entire system. However, if it’s just a minor detail or a simpler change, for example a clarification to an established rule, it is a bit easier to implement, but then the game needs to be playtested again after that revamp to see how the change affects the game overall.
What makes a game memorable, in your opinion?
In my opinion, a memorable game consists of replayability, if the game was enjoyed by all that played it, if it created a perfect moment (the defining moment in any game that stands out long after the game is over, transforming it from a significant detail in the game being played to stories that are never tired of being retold), and also the question of if anyone would ever buy it for their own collection or the marketability of the game itself.
👥 Collaboration & Community 👥
Do you design with a team or solo? How do those dynamics shape the final product?
I primarily design solo, bouncing some ideas or threads off of my partner sometimes or a buyer if it is a commission piece. Me designing solo can create challenges for the final products sometimes, but it is more fun for me to design solo as it leaves me full creative control over the finished product. A couple of the challenges I face while designing solo is that due to a lack of team, I don’t really have others to bounce ideas off of while brainstorming, and because of that, I don’t always know if what I am creating will mesh together and flow like how I envisioned it to, until the first playtest, where the game play reveals what is amiss.
How has your community shaped your games—through feedback, fandom, or unexpected play styles?
My community has varying styles of game interests and game play styles. In some cases, this creates chaos while playing, yet in other times, I find genuine encouragement and support in various forms. For me, one of the most unexpected moments of gameplay that I have witnessed as a game designer is watching my players think their way through situations as they play through my games. The Realms of Armistace is a good example of unexpected thinking outside of the box. One of my players, for instance, killed a giant rat and then proceeded to successfully roll a critical success to use a bone from the rat to open a lock, despite having the key to the lock in their possession, just because they wanted to see if they could. It’s moments of unique ideas arising under equally unique blends of circumstances that I find rewarding to experience with my players.
Have you ever been surprised by how players interpret or roleplay your content?
I get surprised by my players all the time, which only serves to enhance my gaming and my designing in trade. I always encourage my players to create unique experiences.
Author’s note: One said unique experience happened with me while we were playtesting the Realms of Armistace. I was a statue for seemingly hundreds of years before another player freed me. My first action was then to exclaim that I needed to use the bathroom because I had been holding it for ages!
🌍 World-Building & Lore 🌍
For games with story elements or settings: How do you approach world-building in a game versus other media?
One of my biggest games with story elements and settings is The Realms of Armistace. I pride myself on never telling the same story twice, never running the same campaign twice. Hence, my story designs and world building vary based on the campaign or adventure that I am running, since it is a multi-time and multi-genre based system (encompassing fantasy, sci-fi, present, steampunk, future and even horror). So, it varies based on the game I’m running and the needs of my players as I build the world and the story for them to play in.
Are there Easter eggs, inside jokes, or hidden lore in your games that longtime players might recognize?
Oh yeah. Some of them are more subtle than others, but you will always be able to find hints and homages to things in my games if you play them long enough.
Do your games tackle real-world themes or causes, either directly or allegorically?
Some of my games do in some form or fashion. For instance, one of the upcoming games I am designing deals with recycling, and another is designed to cover orca captivity.
🛠️ Challenges & Triumphs 🛠️
What’s been your biggest design challenge so far—and how did you overcome it?
My biggest design challenge so far has been to bridge the age gap while creating a balanced game that is fun for all available ages to match. The solution that I have found that works best is to find different age groups and different demographics to playtest the games that meet the age level requirements. For example, I wouldn’t test a game that is 12+ with an 8 year old.
Have there been any near-misses or failed prototypes that taught you something crucial?
Yes, there have been. However, every failure is an opportunity to learn and grow as a designer, so the major lesson I have learned when things don’t go the way I expected them to is to follow my gut instinct when tweaking a game after the initial playtest. I always need to remember that at the end of the day, it’s my game and my dream, and as much as other people can suggest edits or tweaks, it is ultimately up to me what sticks and what doesn’t as I work to finalize a working product.
What are you most proud of in your game development journey?
I am most proud of my insights as I playtest any of my prototypes. I feel I can tell what I need to touch up or tweak after a playtest.
📦 Publishing & Promotion 📦
What’s the indie tabletop scene like from the inside?
Inside the walls of Armistace Games, we are always busy with the process of game design, testing and creation.
What advice would you give to creators trying to Kickstart or publish their first game?
Honestly, my best advice would be to research and learn exactly how the process of marketing and publishing through Kickstarter or an independent publisher would work before approaching them. Each company that works with game designers has their own criteria for what they are looking for, and it’s vital to follow that when submitting your proposal to them if you want to succeed and grow.
How do you balance creative fulfillment with business realities?
I find my balance by using time, strategy, patience, research and split second decisions to create opportunities and gain insight into both ends of creativity and business. In that respect, I am constantly learning new things and implementing new strategies to not only keep up with an ever-changing demand, but to get ahead of the curve and anticipate the needs of a growing and changing market.
🔮 Looking Ahead 🔮
What’s next for your studio—any new games, expansions, or wild ideas in development?
For Armistace Games, we have chance opportunities and new creations always in the works. You’ll just have to stay tuned to find out what they are!
Where do you see tabletop gaming evolving in the next five years, and how do you want to shape that space?
The industry of tabletop gaming isn’t going anywhere. Video game systems may come and go, but games like Monopoly, Chess, Checkers and Ludo have been around for decades and yet they still thrive. While you may have to replace a game system after two years for being obsolete, you never get that with the tabletop industry and that’s really one thing that sets us apart in this business. My goal is to add new games to that list, to have Armistace Games become a household name and to unlock my dream fully within that time frame.
What is your biggest treasure in working at Armistace Games?
As I learn and grow in my journey of being a tabletop game designer, I realized something:
I can never give up on my dream,
so I never will, no matter what.
Any parting words for our audience today?
I hope that this blog and its information grant insight into the topics posted and that it and the author are kindly received and met with positivity. I am happy to share and look forward to more additional blogs in the future of things.
If you felt inspired by Armistace Games and what it stands for, I invite you to go check them out at: https://www.armistacegames.com. They offer games, novels and merchandise. (As a note, I earn no commission from any sales here.) You may also find them roaming the grounds of local gaming and comic conventions near you!