[Q&A] Diane Sauer (Legends and Lies)

[20:01] <+DianeSauer> My name is Diane Sauer, long, long time gamer, in fact been gaming since around 1980.
[20:03] <+DianeSauer> I've played all sorts of games, starting off with many years of D&D, board games, card games and a role playing system I co-wrote and played for over ten years
[20:03] <+DianeSauer> My game is called Legends and Lies.
[20:03] <+DianeSauer> Legends and Lies is a card game where each player takes on the role of a cryptozoologist who mounts various expeditions to prove the likes of Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, The Jersey Devil, etc.
[20:04] <+DianeSauer> Now,  each cryptozoologist does not really like seeing any other cryptozoologist be more successful than they are so, what better way to discredit them than to leak wild stories to the Tabloid press.
[20:05] <+DianeSauer> While a card game, it was definitely done in the spirit of the Eon game Hoax! Though that depends a lot on the group playing it.
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[20:06] <+DianeSauer> Many play it as a straight card game though others, like my group, like to embellish as we play.
[20:06] <+DianeSauer> DONE
[20:06] <~Dan> Thanks, Diane!
[20:06] <~Dan> The floor is open to questions!
[20:07] <~Dan> Can you describe how gameplay works?
[20:07] <+DianeSauer> The game is a type of melding/rummy game with lots of twists.
[20:08] <+DianeSauer> 2-3 players and a 4 player partnership game.
[20:08] <+DianeSauer> There are Expedition cards that you use to help prove the various creatures.
[20:09] <+Capricious> Thank you for making this game, Diane. It should appeal to the inner cryptozoologist in us all. Serious question: Are you using OneBookShelf's new print-on-demand card printing service for this game, or going traditional print, or a mix of both? Not-so-serious question: Have you considered doing an "Honest Politician" card as a possible target for sightings/tabloid speculation?
[20:09] <+DianeSauer> Also, there are Anomaly cards, that you are limited to one per turn, that do various things.
[20:09] <+DianeSauer> The have names like Fish Falls, ESP, Proof!
[20:10] <+DianeSauer> Oh and of course Hoax!
[20:10] <+DianeSauer> We are printing the card in the US via Gamecrafters.
[20:11] <+DianeSauer> I have toyed with other themes that I will be looking at down the road and like the political suggestion!
[20:12] <+DianeSauer> DONE (I think)
[20:12] <~Dan> Are aliens among the creatures you might seek out?
[20:14] <+DianeSauer> Yes, in fact there is a shutout rule involving them.  If you can prove aliens exist and are the person that goes out.  The aliens land and appoint you Earth ambassador causing none of your opponents to score.
[20:15] <+DianeSauer> They will be very jealous and bitter.
[20:15] <~Dan> Heh. Clever. :)
[20:15] <+DianeSauer> Done
[20:15] <~Dan> How do you establish proof?
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[20:17] <+DianeSauer> Well, by mounting expeditions (melding) of the various creatures. The creatures that have lots of sightings and believers like Big/Yeti have more cards in the deck while known hoaxes like Piltdown man have few.
[20:18] <+DianeSauer> Also, there a Anomaly cards called Proof! for each of the easier to prove creatures
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[20:19] <+BlasterKyubey210> So let's see this in action for a bit
[20:19] <+DianeSauer> They are only for that creature for instance Bigfoot/Yeti has a footprint cast, Jersey Devil has a Broken Horn, etcs.
[20:19] <+DianeSauer> Also
[20:20] <+DianeSauer> There is a wild Proof! card called...Blurry Photo....
[20:20] <+DianeSauer> Done
[20:20] <+Capricious> Can you please tell us a little about the history of the game, how it came to be (development history), and perhaps why you chose this subject for a card game?
[20:21] <~Dan> Do the monsters pose any sort of threat as you seek them out?
[20:21] <~Dan> (Question pause.)
[20:22] <+DianeSauer> To see the game in action, there is my boring husband explaining the rules :;) Also there is a longer video of me playing though a hand.
[20:22] <~Dan> (Which reminds me: Please feel free to post any relevant links! :) )
[20:22] <+DianeSauer> I started on the game in around 2000-2001
[20:24] <+DianeSauer> I created a crappy Power point version and started playing and testing and coming up with angles to tie the theme to the game.  I feel that's critical and I was super please with myself when I came up with the idea to use the discard as the Tabloid press.
[20:24] <+Capricious> It's appropriate! :)
[20:25] <+DianeSauer> I have been a fan of cryptozoology, aliens, strange phenomenon going back to In Search of with Leonard Nimoy and the movie "Chariots of the Gods"
[20:26] <+DianeSauer> The monsters do not cause any threat, it's the other cryptozoologists you need to watch out for!
[20:26] <+DianeSauer> I think I got them all DONE
[20:27] <~Dan> How do you win the game?
[20:28] <+DianeSauer> In the 2-3 player game the first to 100 points wins...4 player partners game it's first team to 150 wins.
[20:29] <~Dan> And do you gain points by proving creatures exist?
[20:29] <+DianeSauer> You keep playing and scoring hands till someone crosses the point threshold. Usually 30 mins to and hours.
[20:30] <~Dan> Sounds like a pretty fast-paced game.
[20:31] <+DianeSauer> Yes, anything less than ten points ON THE TABLE and the create is not proven.  If it reaches 10, it's considered prove and the points for that creature doubles.
[20:31] <+DianeSauer> The reason I say on the table is
[20:32] <+DianeSauer> That no matter who plays them, they count towards proving the creature, So, you don't want to get stuck with cards, but you also don't want to help others too much.  It''s a balancing act.
[20:33] <+DianeSauer> Done
[20:33] <+Capricious> In the Kickstarter ((Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1919693711/legends-and-lies-a-unique-card-game-for-2-4-player)https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1919693711/legends-and-lies-a-unique-card-game-for-2-4-player), there are two stretch goals for mini-expansions. Can you please give us a summary of these? I'm curious what the Skeptic marker does! And do you have plans for more expansions past these, if that's not giving too much away! ;)
[20:34] <+DianeSauer> The Skeptic, which we are like $200 from unlocking, so I think is a safe bet to happen, adds a new role to the game.
[20:34] <~Dan> I find that hard to believe.
[20:34] <+BrentNewhall> *snrk*
[20:35] <~Dan> (I was wondering if you were awake, Brent. ;) )
[20:35] <+Capricious> ./Fish Falls on Dan
[20:35] <~Dan> :D
[20:35] <+DianeSauer> Each player takes a turn as the Skeptic (and gets the coolo marker) and during that hand rather than try and proven anything, they get points for discrediting the cryptozoologists.
[20:35] <+BrentNewhall> (I'm in the middle of some evening projects, so checking in and out, so to speak.)
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[20:36] <+DianeSauer> If the Skeptic manages to prevent all creatures from being proven (and doubling) his score doubles instead.
[20:37] <~Dan> (Howdy, Serami!)
[20:37] <+DianeSauer> Mysterious Locations, gives each player/team a home base of sorts that grants them some type of bonus or power.
[20:38] <+DianeSauer> Oh, I almost forgot
[20:38] <+DianeSauer> The Skeptic expansion allows for a non-partnership four player game too.
[20:39] <+DianeSauer> As for futures, for sure though not ready with those just yet.
[20:39] <+DianeSauer> Done
[20:39] <~Dan> Can you give an example of a Mysterious Location?
[20:39] <+BrentNewhall> What is the Kickstarter specifically funding?
[20:40] <+DianeSauer> Sure, Bermuda Triangle, Area 51, 112 Ocean Ave. Amittyville NY
[20:40] <+DianeSauer> Did you want an example of what they do?
[20:40] <~Dan> 112 Ocean Ave.?
[20:40] <~Dan> And sure!
[20:41] <+DianeSauer> Heard of the Amittyville Horror?
[20:41] <~Dan> (Oh, that was the... yeah.)
[20:43] <+DianeSauer> For example, The Lost City of Atlantis adds point to all the water based creatures you have in play. Feegee Mermaid, Loch Ness Monster and Giant Squid, "Wait, Diane there is no Giant Squid in the game"
[20:43] <+DianeSauer> It's in The Skeptic expansion.
[20:44] <+DianeSauer> That's some insider info :)
[20:44] <~Dan> Ooooo!
[20:44] <~Dan> :)
[20:44] <+DianeSauer> Done
[20:44] <~Dan> (I've got a follow-up, but I'll wait until you answer Brent's question first.)
[20:45] <+DianeSauer> Can you repeat it please
[20:45] <~Dan> [20:39] <+BrentNewhall> What is the Kickstarter specifically funding?
[20:45] <+DianeSauer> I must have missed it
[20:45] <+BrentNewhall> (As in: What is it paying for, specifically? Always curious to see cost breakdowns. :-) )
[20:46] <+DianeSauer> The printing of the game. The arts been paid for and I did not factor that into the cost as I feel that's something that I hopefully will eventually recover long term with future sales.
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[20:47] <~Dan> (Howdy, KJ!)
[20:48] <+DianeSauer> So, the printing of rules, cards, box, markers, shipping, KS and Amazon fees and other stuff I may be forgetting at the moment. That's most of it though I think.
[20:48] <+DianeSauer> Done
[20:49] <+DianeSauer> Shrink wrapping...forgot that
[20:49] <~Dan> You mentioned a player having creatures in play. What does that mean, exactly?
[20:50] <+DianeSauer> Expeditions you have melded in front of you along with any associated Anomaly cards.
[20:51] <~Dan> And how do Anomaly cards work? How does Fish Fall affect the game, for example?
[20:51] <+DianeSauer> You also can layoff on other players Expeditions, though you have to weigh how much you are helping them.
[20:52] <+DianeSauer> Anomaly cards are only one per turn. Fish Falls specifically, allows you to discard 1,2 or 3 cards and draw that many from the Unknown.  A great way to bury other players expeditions!
[20:53] <~Dan> And balance the scales, so to speak?
[20:53] <+DianeSauer> There are several types of Anomaly cards.
[20:53] <+Capricious> (groan)
[20:53] <+DianeSauer> Yes...there are ways to get things out of the Tabloids too
[20:55] <+DianeSauer> Basically 0 point Anomaly cards are used and go into Tabloids and anything with points stays in front of you.
[20:55] <+DianeSauer> Done
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[20:56] <~Dan> Are supernatural creatures like ghosts among the monsters?
[20:57] <+DianeSauer> No, the supernatural stuff is in the Anomaly cards.
[20:57] * ~Dan nods
[20:57] <+DianeSauer> Like ESP and Resurrection.
[20:58] <+DianeSauer> Done
[20:59] <~Dan> Hmm... Not really being a card game guy, I confess that I'm having trouble coming up with more questions. Is there something we haven't covered so far that you'd like to bring up?
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[21:00] <~Dan> (Howdy, Jetrauben!)
[21:00] <+Jetrauben> Hiya all!
[21:01] <+BrentNewhall> Do you write about any sort of role-playing-style "embellishments" in the rules?
[21:01] <+DianeSauer> I think you covered most of the bases with it and there is more info on the KS and on the Shoot Again Games Facebook page and website.
[21:03] <+DianeSauer> Very minor, but very apparent in play for example, we like sometimes making up a story that is going in to the Tabloids when you put a creature in there like "I had Bigfoot's Baby!"
[21:04] <~Dan> :)
[21:04] <+DianeSauer> Also, we like mocking the other player's expeditions when we Hoax! (Deatbed Confession) them.
[21:04] <+DianeSauer> Looking forward to using the new Hoax!
[21:04] <+DianeSauer> Government Coverup!
[21:05] <+DianeSauer> Another insider bit there.....
[21:05] <+DianeSauer> Done
[21:06] <~Dan> Cool. :)
[21:06] <+DianeSauer> I just want to say thank you for having me here and giving me a chance to talk about Legends and Lies. I very much appreciate it!
[21:07] <~Dan> You're very welcome! And I should apologize: Ordinarily, our sessions are 2 hours, but I really am kinda tapped out on questions. *sheepish*
[21:07] <+DianeSauer> If there are any questions people think of later, just hit me up on the facbook page or comment on the KS.
[21:07] <+Capricious> Thanks Diane!
[21:08] <+DianeSauer> Oh, that's perfectly OK, I'm old and fading...past my bed time! :)
[21:08] <~Dan> Yes, thanks very much!
[21:08] <~Dan> If you can hang on just a sec, I'll get you the link to the chat log. :)
[21:08] <+DianeSauer> Thank you again all and goodnight!