Making a Game
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What is ‘Skulls & Whisps’
Skulls & Whisps is a role-playing game that uses cards and a game board to create a complex combat experience. The game centers around a group of creatures known as Whisps, and their unmatched obsession with obtaining fortunes known as ‘Boons.’
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How it all Began
Skulls & Whisps began as a cluster of doodles, drawn lazily on the back of a Dungeons & Dragons character sheet. At the time, these sketches were just little ghostly beings with haunting, and often comical, skull-like masks that were worn to cover their faces. These masks have now become their most iconic feature.
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What Inspired the Project
Skulls & Whisps was inspired by a video game called Inscription. Inscription is a rogue-like deck-building game with elements of psychological horror. Many of the designs, choices and themes of Skulls & Whisps were inspired by Inscriptions unique combat and gameplay.
Games Pieces and Elements
The game of Skulls and Whisps is played with standard 2.25” x 3.25” cards of two varieties: ‘Whisps’ cards and ‘Conjure’ cards. These two kinds of cards have different properties, utilities, and methods for obtaining them. The cards are littered with symbols, each representing their own element in the game. Some cards have special properties unique to them, but it’s up to the player to determine the best way to use those abilities in combat.
Making a Unique Design
Once I decided on the aesthetic of the board game, I knew that I wanted to create something fresh and otherworldly. Card games are very popular, but—unfortunately—due to the nature of the game, the playing cards used to experiences the world are often cluttered with lines and lines of text as can be seen in such games as Yugioh and Bakugan. In some cases, card complexity can even be overwhelming for a new player, which might turn them away from the game entirely. I sought to make a simple design that could help players more easily visualize the card and thus enjoy the game and its mechanics.
