IDW's The X-Files board game will soon be available to Philes everywhere. On Wednesday, creator Kevin Wilson took to twitter with us to talk about what went into creating the exciting new game. Kevin shared insight about the gameplay that will intrigue old and new fans of the series. If you weren't able to tweet along, here's what you missed. You can find Kevin Wilson @KevinWilson42, and of course we are @XFilesNews.
Read more after the jump.
X-Files News: How did you get involved with the project?
Kevin Wilson: IDW came to me because I've worked with a lot of licenses, including Doom, Sid Meier's Civ, and A Game of Thrones
X-Files News: What's your previous experience with The X-Files?
Kevin Wilson: I was a big X-Phile back in the day, and used to watch The X-Files and the Simpsons with my Dad every week. It was a nice time for us to bond over a shared interest. I have a lot of fond memories of those nights.
X-Files News: How did you approach immersing yourself in this universe for the sake of the production of The X-Files board game?
Kevin Wilson: I re-watched a ton of episodes from seasons 1-3 on Netflix and pored through some of the fan wikis online.
X-Files News: What did you find interesting or fascinating or what stood out for you when imagining the characters?
Kevin Wilson: I loved seeing the chemistry between Mulder and Scully all these years later, now it has new significance for me. Also, I hadn't remembered what a smart-ass Mulder is at all! His zingers were consistently terrific.
X-Files News: What are your favorite characters from the current expansion and even later on in the show?
Kevin Wilson: Obviously I love Mulder and Scully, as they're such rich characters, but my favorites are the Lone Gunmen. It was so hard then to find any positive portrayals of anyone even a little nerdy or geeky on TV. When the Gunmen showed up, I said "These are my people!" It was great that they weren't trashed on all the time. They're heroes as much as Mulder and Scully are! #NerdPower!
X-Files News: The 1st game expansion will cover Seasons 1-3, what are the most interesting storylines of these seasons for you?
Kevin Wilson: Hmm, there are so many really excellent stories. I think my single favorite from S1-3 is Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose. But I also loved many others: Squeeze and Tooms, The Host, One Breath, Beyond the Sea, the Erlenmeyer Flask, etc.
X-Files News: Having created other very successful games, what are the challenges when approaching a franchise such as XF?
Kevin Wilson: The key is distilling the show down to a core repeated experience that resonates with fans but is accessible for non-fans. In the case of X-Files, the agents go out and solve bizarre mysteries, but a shadowy organization opposes them. This is the core simplified kernel that I worked from when designing the board game. Everything flows from there.
X-Files News: What have you found most rewarding? Any surprises along the way?
Kevin Wilson: Coming back to the X-Files, I found a depth to the show and characters that I couldn't see when I was younger. It's always really nice when something you love and are nostalgic about still holds up when you go back to it. Also, Dean Haglund @dhaglund showed up at a con this year to support the game! The photo of that is a proud geek badge for me!
X-Files News: Have you spoken to the creators of the show or crew related to X-Files products like the older card game developed in the '90s?
Kevin Wilson: No, sadly, licensed board games generally go through approvals people rather than the actual creatives involved. But hey, if Chris Carter wants me to work anything into an expansion, all he's got to do is ask!
X-Files News: What makes this game different and exciting for the old X-Phile and the new X-Phile?
Kevin Wilson: I really focused the design on the head games that go on between the agents and the Syndicate in the show. The agents are trying to gather up evidence to uncover the Syndicate, but they have to second-guess the Syndicate player. I like my games to take place "above the table", focusing on the strengths of face-to-face gaming. Bluffing, mental jousting. Even the Agents figuring out how to best cooperate with each other can be an interesting challenge. The elements of The X-Files are all in place, but it's the players who are telling the story with each other.
X-Files News: What do you hope will be the set of features that will hook us to this game and make us play it over and over again?
Kevin Wilson: The gameplay is very simple and easy to pick up, but it creates both a strong feeling of teamwork between the agents as well as a fun, challenging competition between the agents and the Syndicate player. The interaction of cards also creates a good amount of variety and fun X-Files stories for players.
X-Files News: Do you think it would be a good idea to have interaction between @IDWGames and @IDWPublishing XF products?
Kevin Wilson: I'm certainly game! I think there's a lot of exciting things we could do in that regards as we move forward.
Then we opened up the chat for fan questions.
From @writeonliz: Do people play board games much anymore?
Kevin Wilson: There's been a real resurgence in board games the last 5-10 years. Folks are looking for face-to-face activities. It's a nice activity families can do together. Today's board games are a good entertainment value.
From @KevinM2: Did you have free reign in designing the gameplay/mechanics or did Fox/Chris Carter have a say?
Kevin Wilson: They liked my initial proposal and let me run wild. FOX had some art comments but no gameplay changes.
From: @CardcoreGamer: Have you encountered this yet? "Monster of the Week: The Complete Cartoon X-Files. By Shaenon K. Garrity." http://www.shaenon.com/monsteroftheweek/2012/06/29/06292012/
Kevin Wilson: Of course! I love Monster of the Week! Mulder Christmas is the best! Fans should check it out.
From @KevinM2: Speaking of artwork. Did you purposefully set out to make High Quality components?
Kevin Wilson: Looks like I'm running low on sunflower seeds, so I better wrap it up after this question. I've been making board games for about 11 years now, so I had a strong image of what I wanted X-Files to look like. Happily, IDW pulled off that image without any trouble. I can't wait to hold a copy in my hands!
X-Files News: On that note, @KevinWilson42 - We know from @IDWGames that the game is completely finished and on its way to the states. Though, delays are expected due to the Long Beach Port issues.
Kevin Wilson: It's a Conspiracy!
Kevin Wilson: I'd like to thank @XFilesNews and everyone for 'stopping by' this evening and chatting. Remember, the Truth is Out There!
Thanks again to Kevin Wilson, creator of The X-Files Board Game, for talking with us about what's in store for fans when the game hits the shelves. We'll share more information about the game's release as soon as we get it.