| Finally take action against a Pandemic by playing | | | | that fostered cooperation and discussion amongst |
| this award-winning game. I had a chance to ask | | | | the players-something lacking from a lot of games |
| the game designer/creator some questions this | | | | today. I did try to include educational aspects |
| month. | | | | where I could: the cities in the game all come with |
| 1. How would you summarize the Pandemic game | | | | population statistics and the flags of their |
| for someone who hasn't played it before? | | | | countries, for example. I was delighted to hear |
| In Pandemic, players work together as a team to | | | | afterwards that friends of friends at the CDC |
| contain four deadly diseases that have broken out | | | | loved the game and that they started to offer it |
| across the globe. Players travel around the world, | | | | in the CDC gift shop. Although clearly it's not a |
| trying to keep the spread of infection in check | | | | cut-and-dry simulation, it works well enough for |
| long enough to discover the four cures needed to | | | | these folks. |
| win the game. Players each have a special role | | | | 4. What was your reasoning behind making it a |
| (including Medic, Researcher, Scientist, Operations | | | | co-operative game? |
| Expert, and Dispatcher) granting special abilities to | | | | Since I'm an independent game designer, I can |
| contribute to the team. If the players cooperate, | | | | design the games that I find the most interesting |
| play to their strengths, and manage their time | | | | and select the target audiences myself. In this |
| well, they can hope to rescue humanity. If not, | | | | case, my muse was my wife Donna. I set out to |
| the world will be overrun by disease and the | | | | design a game that I could play with her and our |
| players will all lose the game. | | | | friends where I wouldn't feel the need to |
| 2. What triggered the idea to come up with the | | | | apologize when explaining it (due to its complexity) |
| Pandemic game? | | | | and one in which we'd all feel good about after |
| I was interested to see if I could design a | | | | playing, win-or-lose. Cooperative games are great |
| cooperative game where the players would have | | | | in that regard: if the team wins, there's high-fives |
| to fight against the game instead of each other. | | | | all around but if the team loses, they can always |
| Diseases seemed like an ideal candidate for a | | | | play again. No egos are on the line and if a player |
| frightening and seemingly sentient opponent for | | | | is having trouble with the rules or with a strategy, |
| the players to battle. I came up with the seeds of | | | | the others can help him or her out since it's part |
| the idea while out on a walk with my daughter. | | | | of the game. |
| When I returned home, I cobbled together a | | | | The feedback on the game in this regard has |
| rough prototype with a few sharpies and a | | | | been overwhelmingly positive. Many people have |
| standard deck of cards. In the earliest versions, | | | | reported having really positive bonding |
| players could use cards to travel around the world | | | | experiences playing with their spouse, family, and |
| or could collect and meld cards to discover cures. | | | | friends. |
| Through experimentation, I discovered the rules | | | | 5. Do you find that sales or general game |
| for creating hotspots on the map and was | | | | awareness is increasing because of the H1N1 virus |
| hooked: I knew I had the seeds of a good game. | | | | outbreak? |
| 3. Did you study any real Pandemic plans to get | | | | Yes, I saw a definite bump in discussions about |
| any ideas? | | | | the game online after all the press over H1N1 and |
| I didn't. In previous games I've done research to | | | | I have to imagine that sales increased as a result. |
| inform the game play and thematic elements. For | | | | 6. What kind of response has your game had |
| Pandemic, I primarily concentrated on what was | | | | within the Business Continuity/Pandemic Planning |
| fun and what felt right. I then played it with | | | | community? |
| hundreds of players who helped contribute ideas | | | | I've been encouraged by reports from friends and |
| which helped me shape the game to fit common | | | | read session reports online about people in the |
| mental models of how diseases and players in a | | | | Pandemic Planning community enjoying the game. |
| game like this should operate. This was more | | | | In fact, I based the artwork for a new card (the |
| important to me than having a technically correct | | | | "Epidemiologist") on a photo of a CDC employee |
| simulation that didn't inspire play. | | | | who is a particular fan. The card will be in the |
| My primary goals were to create a game that | | | | game's expansion, "Pandemic: On the Brink" that |
| was easy to learn, approachable by non-gamers, | | | | will be out in August of 2009. |