Frequently Asked Questions
If this is a "Role-Playing Game" (RPG) does that mean someone will have to serve as the Game Master?
Not in this game. While Heroes of Feonora does implement some of the conventions of traditional RPGs (custom characters and roleplaying for example) it is first and foremost a board game. This means that every player gets to participate in the adventure. The only one with even the slightest advantage is the chosen 'Group Leader' for the game session, and once you've played through a few stories (especially with younger players or inexperienced players) you'll quickly realize why it was designed this way.
Not in this game. While Heroes of Feonora does implement some of the conventions of traditional RPGs (custom characters and roleplaying for example) it is first and foremost a board game. This means that every player gets to participate in the adventure. The only one with even the slightest advantage is the chosen 'Group Leader' for the game session, and once you've played through a few stories (especially with younger players or inexperienced players) you'll quickly realize why it was designed this way.
Is this a "kids" game?
Despite appearances, no. But we've tried to make it as accessible to children as possible, with the hope that board game loving parents (or RPG engaged families) will have an enjoyable, immersive experience they can enjoy with their kids. We estimate the appropriate age at about 10 years and up, circumstances may vary. For example, we have seen Khajathi as young as 8 & 9 play quite skillfully compared to a group of mature Elves. Although, we suspect that had something to do with the Elves' individual preoccupation with winning the Hero Award...
Despite appearances, no. But we've tried to make it as accessible to children as possible, with the hope that board game loving parents (or RPG engaged families) will have an enjoyable, immersive experience they can enjoy with their kids. We estimate the appropriate age at about 10 years and up, circumstances may vary. For example, we have seen Khajathi as young as 8 & 9 play quite skillfully compared to a group of mature Elves. Although, we suspect that had something to do with the Elves' individual preoccupation with winning the Hero Award...
Who is most likely to enjoy Heroes of Feonora?
That's difficult to say just now. The safe answer would be "Those who enjoy Roleplaying Games/Board Games, and are interested in something that blends the two." But there's a little more to it than that. The essential 'character' of this game - being lite, family friendly (and a little bit like a party game) - might not hold as much appeal to some, while for others, it may be just the sort of game they've been looking for. We imagine there are potentially several types of players who will enjoy Heroes of Feonora: Those who (like us) grew up playing video games, who also like some of the aspects of roleplaying games, but don't have the time or inclination to get involved with more traditional tabletop RPGs. Those who enjoy creating custom characters, roleplaying those characters within a distinct game world, and seeing them 'level up' and improve over time. Groups or Couples looking for a board game that emphasizes cooperation. People who enjoy working on crafting projects together, and coming up with their own creative ways of customizing the game set. RPG fans who enjoy a game that doesn't take itself too seriously, but is serious about being balanced & fun with attention to detail. Parents who enjoy RPGs and want something they can play with their children. Kids who enjoy RPGs and want something they can play with their parents. People who like story-driven content within the context of a lively imaginative world. And, we've found, Dwarves & Hauflins of all ages as they are particularly competitive with one another when it comes to board games. Although, they don't play with Goblins as much as they used to as game components too often seem to go missing halfway through the adventure.
That's difficult to say just now. The safe answer would be "Those who enjoy Roleplaying Games/Board Games, and are interested in something that blends the two." But there's a little more to it than that. The essential 'character' of this game - being lite, family friendly (and a little bit like a party game) - might not hold as much appeal to some, while for others, it may be just the sort of game they've been looking for. We imagine there are potentially several types of players who will enjoy Heroes of Feonora: Those who (like us) grew up playing video games, who also like some of the aspects of roleplaying games, but don't have the time or inclination to get involved with more traditional tabletop RPGs. Those who enjoy creating custom characters, roleplaying those characters within a distinct game world, and seeing them 'level up' and improve over time. Groups or Couples looking for a board game that emphasizes cooperation. People who enjoy working on crafting projects together, and coming up with their own creative ways of customizing the game set. RPG fans who enjoy a game that doesn't take itself too seriously, but is serious about being balanced & fun with attention to detail. Parents who enjoy RPGs and want something they can play with their children. Kids who enjoy RPGs and want something they can play with their parents. People who like story-driven content within the context of a lively imaginative world. And, we've found, Dwarves & Hauflins of all ages as they are particularly competitive with one another when it comes to board games. Although, they don't play with Goblins as much as they used to as game components too often seem to go missing halfway through the adventure.
Is the game really FREE? Or is this just a Demo? What's the deal?
Yes. The complete game is 100% free. The only catch is that you have to put it together yourself, which can actually be a fun process, especially if you think about it as a kind of arts & crafts project. It wasn't practical to put all of the game elements into PDF form so some of them will have to be creatively assembled using stuff that...you probably already have. This is where the Make It page comes in. There you'll find expanded tips on how to make a basic set of components - or come up with completely original versions of your own.
Yes. The complete game is 100% free. The only catch is that you have to put it together yourself, which can actually be a fun process, especially if you think about it as a kind of arts & crafts project. It wasn't practical to put all of the game elements into PDF form so some of them will have to be creatively assembled using stuff that...you probably already have. This is where the Make It page comes in. There you'll find expanded tips on how to make a basic set of components - or come up with completely original versions of your own.
How did the King become such an avid butterfly collector?
Ah, now there is a story. I shall have to share it some time, town at the tavern, when the fire is warm, the patrons are settled in and the mood is right for a tale of great adventure, heart wrenching tragedy, a close brush with fate, and...well you'll just have to wait and see how it turns out.
Ah, now there is a story. I shall have to share it some time, town at the tavern, when the fire is warm, the patrons are settled in and the mood is right for a tale of great adventure, heart wrenching tragedy, a close brush with fate, and...well you'll just have to wait and see how it turns out.
Why FREE? Is the game any good? Why not charge a small amount for the PDF Packs?
First, as you might have noticed, the last remaining element that's missing is artwork, in the form of Character Portraits and artwork for the cards (also referred to as "Card Art"). Don't let that fool you however as much focus has been placed on creative content, solid mechanics and balanced gameplay. Once assembled the game is 100% playable and (we hope you'll agree) packed with strategy, engaging cooperative gameplay and a good dose of roleplaying fun. But there's really more to the story...We've put a lot of time, energy and love into "Heroes of Feonora" (and this website) in the hopes of sharing it with others. This includes making it available, in complete playable form, to anyone with the time, resources and motivation to print and assemble the game at home. This allows players to discover and enjoy the game now, instead of having to wait several more years for the addition/integration of artwork. It also gives us a chance to begin connecting with people who enjoy the game enough to participate from time to time in a larger Feonora community. Similar to the 'Freeware' model of free software, we like the idea that people can play and enjoy the game, offering support only to the extent they feel it deserves. Depending on how things go we may at some point put up a PayPal button allowing players to offer a small gratuity and help support the game. At that stage money could go toward recouping some of the development costs, and other projects such as licensing artwork for future releases. In time we can hopefully push out small, incremental updates, featuring enhancements such as decks with new artwork or fill a few of the empty Character Portraits slots.
First, as you might have noticed, the last remaining element that's missing is artwork, in the form of Character Portraits and artwork for the cards (also referred to as "Card Art"). Don't let that fool you however as much focus has been placed on creative content, solid mechanics and balanced gameplay. Once assembled the game is 100% playable and (we hope you'll agree) packed with strategy, engaging cooperative gameplay and a good dose of roleplaying fun. But there's really more to the story...We've put a lot of time, energy and love into "Heroes of Feonora" (and this website) in the hopes of sharing it with others. This includes making it available, in complete playable form, to anyone with the time, resources and motivation to print and assemble the game at home. This allows players to discover and enjoy the game now, instead of having to wait several more years for the addition/integration of artwork. It also gives us a chance to begin connecting with people who enjoy the game enough to participate from time to time in a larger Feonora community. Similar to the 'Freeware' model of free software, we like the idea that people can play and enjoy the game, offering support only to the extent they feel it deserves. Depending on how things go we may at some point put up a PayPal button allowing players to offer a small gratuity and help support the game. At that stage money could go toward recouping some of the development costs, and other projects such as licensing artwork for future releases. In time we can hopefully push out small, incremental updates, featuring enhancements such as decks with new artwork or fill a few of the empty Character Portraits slots.
Putting it together at home sorta sounds like fun, but we just want to play the game. Is there any way to purchase a complete, pre-assembled Heroes of Feonora?
Unfortunately, for the moment, no. Time, money and resources prevent us from having complete game sets available. Although, there's no telling what the future may hold. For the time being however Heroes of Feonora is strictly a Print-and-Play style game, which means that putting it together at home is very much a part of the experience. Think of it as a kind of crafting project. The PDF Pack is the basic template, and it's up to you to bring the game to life. Here's a chance to get creative, work on it with a friend or family, and come up with a truly original set of components. Even Character Portraits offer a chance at a little creative artistry (or really shamefully but entertainingly bad artistry).
Unfortunately, for the moment, no. Time, money and resources prevent us from having complete game sets available. Although, there's no telling what the future may hold. For the time being however Heroes of Feonora is strictly a Print-and-Play style game, which means that putting it together at home is very much a part of the experience. Think of it as a kind of crafting project. The PDF Pack is the basic template, and it's up to you to bring the game to life. Here's a chance to get creative, work on it with a friend or family, and come up with a truly original set of components. Even Character Portraits offer a chance at a little creative artistry (or really shamefully but entertainingly bad artistry).
Why isn't there any artwork? Will artwork be available any time soon?
The short answer...we're not artists. And...probably not. It takes a lot of time to either create, or license and assemble artwork. When we do get to this stage we want to be sure the illustrations are a proper fit for the intended look and feel of the game. Our main focus for the first public release has been balance and playability, and we're fairly confident that once you give it a go you'll find the game to be quite playable (and fun), despite the lack of artwork. Try reading the card descriptions and letting your imagination paint a mental image...you may be surprised at how effectively this brings the inhabitants of Feonora to life. There are plans to slowly add art to the game through periodic incremental updates. But that will most likely happen some ways down the road, and it would probably be pushed out one deck at a time, over many months. In the meantime we're concentrating more on introducing the game to the public, building up a small community of players and, eventually, connecting with potential artists. If you are an artist (or an aspiring artist), and would like to talk about becoming part of the project, feel free to drop us a line.
The short answer...we're not artists. And...probably not. It takes a lot of time to either create, or license and assemble artwork. When we do get to this stage we want to be sure the illustrations are a proper fit for the intended look and feel of the game. Our main focus for the first public release has been balance and playability, and we're fairly confident that once you give it a go you'll find the game to be quite playable (and fun), despite the lack of artwork. Try reading the card descriptions and letting your imagination paint a mental image...you may be surprised at how effectively this brings the inhabitants of Feonora to life. There are plans to slowly add art to the game through periodic incremental updates. But that will most likely happen some ways down the road, and it would probably be pushed out one deck at a time, over many months. In the meantime we're concentrating more on introducing the game to the public, building up a small community of players and, eventually, connecting with potential artists. If you are an artist (or an aspiring artist), and would like to talk about becoming part of the project, feel free to drop us a line.
I'm an artist (or, out of curiosity), what kind of art are you looking for?
Feonora is a simple place, brimming with fun creatures, inhabitants and wildlife. Soft, illustrated line art, with minimal shading is very close to the style we envision. Photorealism and 'heavy art' not so much. The card descriptions provide, we think, a good amount of insight into the look and feel envisioned for the game. All of Feonora is lite and whimsical, but not over-the-top silly. In fact, some of the Character Portraits might even feature serious looking characters. The images posted below are here to provide a further glimpse into the future, general artistic direction for Feonora. All are copyright their respective owners (my apologies if the artist name is unavailable) and should not be considered part of 'Heroes of Feonora' the board game, nor the property of its creators - but we like them.
Feonora is a simple place, brimming with fun creatures, inhabitants and wildlife. Soft, illustrated line art, with minimal shading is very close to the style we envision. Photorealism and 'heavy art' not so much. The card descriptions provide, we think, a good amount of insight into the look and feel envisioned for the game. All of Feonora is lite and whimsical, but not over-the-top silly. In fact, some of the Character Portraits might even feature serious looking characters. The images posted below are here to provide a further glimpse into the future, general artistic direction for Feonora. All are copyright their respective owners (my apologies if the artist name is unavailable) and should not be considered part of 'Heroes of Feonora' the board game, nor the property of its creators - but we like them.
Card Art.
It is also worth noting that while many of Feonora's inhabitants might be thought of as 'attractive,' none of them are trying to be sexy (as is often the case with female RPG characters).
Character Portraits
Once you have it, how will the artwork be integrated with the game?
We have a few ideas about this, but no definitive answer (as several different scenarios could play out in the coming years). But, to give an example, here's one way we envision the integration of artwork. Once a new deck gets completely updated a new PDF for that deck would be created, and replace the older version in the PDF Pack. The new PDF Pack would then be uploaded, followed by an announcement on the blog. Right away new visitors will be able to download the complete PDF Pack containing the updated deck. For those who already have the game we would provide a link, within the blog post, to just the newly updated card deck. But again, this is just one of many possible scenarios for how artwork could be integrated. And, in the meantime, it's worth remembering that the game is fully playable right now. While the cards don't have artwork yet, we think the description text (along with a little imagination) can go a long way toward an enjoyable and engaging experience.
We have a few ideas about this, but no definitive answer (as several different scenarios could play out in the coming years). But, to give an example, here's one way we envision the integration of artwork. Once a new deck gets completely updated a new PDF for that deck would be created, and replace the older version in the PDF Pack. The new PDF Pack would then be uploaded, followed by an announcement on the blog. Right away new visitors will be able to download the complete PDF Pack containing the updated deck. For those who already have the game we would provide a link, within the blog post, to just the newly updated card deck. But again, this is just one of many possible scenarios for how artwork could be integrated. And, in the meantime, it's worth remembering that the game is fully playable right now. While the cards don't have artwork yet, we think the description text (along with a little imagination) can go a long way toward an enjoyable and engaging experience.
Are there plans for a commercial version?
Publishing a board game of this sort (or any sort) is a tricky thing. We have looked into this rather extensively. Let's just say that when the time is right, Heroes of Feonora will begin the long transition into a new chapter of its life. But, if the game seems interesting, and you're curious to give it a try, it might be best not to wait for a commercial release.
Publishing a board game of this sort (or any sort) is a tricky thing. We have looked into this rather extensively. Let's just say that when the time is right, Heroes of Feonora will begin the long transition into a new chapter of its life. But, if the game seems interesting, and you're curious to give it a try, it might be best not to wait for a commercial release.
What do you envision as the ultimate goal for this game?
The satisfaction of having created something. That people enjoy playing it.
The satisfaction of having created something. That people enjoy playing it.
If the game ever does get published, what would happen to the print-and-play version?
Regardless of what may ever come of the game, the one thing we hope for is that there will always be a free, officially endorsed, fully playable print/play version available.
Regardless of what may ever come of the game, the one thing we hope for is that there will always be a free, officially endorsed, fully playable print/play version available.
We like this game. Can I make a donation?
Yes; but not quite yet. Soon. Maybe. And Thank You. That would be greatly appreciated.
Yes; but not quite yet. Soon. Maybe. And Thank You. That would be greatly appreciated.
What in the heck is a "Hauflin?" Don't you mean "Halfling?"
The world of Feonora, so far as we know, doesn't have any sort of people called "Halflings." We can only tell you of what we've discovered in our own travels and those little folk most assuredly refer to themselves as "Hauflins."
It might be best to remember this, especially if you ever find yourself in the midst of a pickle popping festival.
The world of Feonora, so far as we know, doesn't have any sort of people called "Halflings." We can only tell you of what we've discovered in our own travels and those little folk most assuredly refer to themselves as "Hauflins."
It might be best to remember this, especially if you ever find yourself in the midst of a pickle popping festival.
Are these really Frequently Asked Questions?
Do Goblins have belly-buttons?
Do Goblins have belly-buttons?
Updated: 6/8/11
Rat Copyright © Tony Martin
