Nature is Calling
The Nature board game launches on Kickstarter in September, but you can play it right now!
Want to learn more? Keep reading as game designer Dominic Crapuchettes takes you on a journey into the creation of Nature.
Discover the Wonders of Nature
Hello! I'm Dominic, the designer of Nature and founder of NorthStar Game Studio. I'm here today to share a huge project I’ve been dreaming up for the past decade.
Nature combines lessons from my days as a pro-Magic player and everything I’ve learned from 12 years as lead designer of the award-winning Evolution series. It’s an interactive strategy game that manages to be gentle despite the player interaction.
The Theme of Nature
In Nature, you adapt species in a shared ecosystem. Each species has a specific size and unique attributes that help it survive. Your species need to adapt to the changing environment to grow their population and thrive.
Like in real life, they need to eat, but they also need to avoid being eaten.
The Nature Modular System
Nature is a modular game system that allows you to build and explore a unique ecosystem each time you play.
The core of Nature takes 45 minutes to play, but you can add modules to increase the complexity and length of the game. Modules add new cards and mechanics, dramatically changing the game, needing less than 5 minutes to set up and teach. My favorite part is that each module is designed to appeal to a different type of gamer. Let me tell you more about them.
Return to an Age of Giants
Add the Jurassic module to stomp around the world with gigantic creatures.
Jurassic creates a more aggressive ecosystem in which apex predators can assert dominance even while smaller species flourish in overlooked hidden crevices. The Jurassic module appeals to people who like fighting games (it’s my son’s favorite module).
Soar to the Skies
Add the Flight module to experience the freedom of flight!
Flight allows you to evade predators by soaring high into the sky and migrating to a safe haven breeding ground. The Flight module creates a less aggressive ecosystem for people who don’t like direct conflict in their games.
Witness the Power of Mother Nature
Add the Natural Disasters module for jaw-dropping events that will generate memorable stories.
Natural Disasters creates a more chaotic ecosystem that levels the playing field, forcing experienced players to adapt and reminding people they are not in full control of their destinies. The Natural Disasters module is for gamers who care more about the stories that get shared than who wins.
Journey to the Edge of the Livable World
Add the Arctic Tundra module to experience life at the fringes of the habitable world.
In Arctic Tundra, animals struggle to maintain a healthy population in a harsh environment where the bitter cold conspires against every living thing. The Arctic Tundra module appeals to gamers who like a brutal challenge in their games.
Discover the Mysteries of the Rainforest
Add the Rainforest module to discover the mysteries of the rainforest, where surprises are concealed behind every leaf in the canopy.
Rainforest creates an ecosystem bursting with population. It also introduces hidden card play, reflecting the uncertainty that lurks behind every leaf. The Rainforest module is for players who enjoy mystery, deduction, and bluffing in their games.
Nature Offers Endless Possibilities
Each module brings a unique experience to the table, but it’s the diversity of these experiences that makes mixing and matching the modules so fascinating to me. Every combination gives you a unique world to explore!
The Future of Nature
We will release 1 - 2 modules each year for the next decade. The Climate module and the Disease module will be released in 2026. Other modules in the pipeline include the Sahara Desert, Insects & Bugs, the Nocturnal World, Rivers & Lakes, and Fire Breathing Dragons.
Although the Nature game system will mostly focus on the natural world, the possibilities are endless. Let us know which concepts appeal to you or suggest another exciting concept to add to our list!
Evolution Has Evolved
Nature started as random insights in a sketchbook filled with ideas for Evolution expansions.
These insights were about improving Evolution based on sticking points expressed in forums. However, most of these insights couldn’t be implemented within the Evolution game structure and instead became the seeds that slowly blossomed into the Nature game system.
- Nature is much less aggressive than Evolution.
- The traits in Nature are better balanced than Evolution.
- The core game of Nature is simple enough to teach less seasoned gamers for a more welcoming introduction.
- Unlike Evolution, in Nature you can combine modules to create exciting new combinations of cards and mechanics.
The core game of Nature is a simple and inviting gateway, but the game system provides an explosion of content when you start mixing and matching the modules. Each new module provides an exponential number of combinations. When the 6th module is released, instead of providing one new experience, it will provide 15 new experiences, and the 7th module will provide 34 additional ways to play!
Nature allows you to create a unique experience built specifically for your friends. With so much control built into the system, getting a game off the shelf and to the table has never been easier.
Be the First to Play Nature
Nature will launch on Kickstarter in Sept 2024 with a worldwide release in 2025, but you can play it right now.
- Play on Tabletop Simulator (TTS)
- Play on iOS, Android, or on your computer
Join the NorthStar discord community to answer rules questions, get the PnP files, and chat with the community about Nature.
We’re Looking for a Few Good Playtesters
We’re building an official Nature playtesting team to help refine the balance of the Nature game system over the next decade. Although we’ve done extensive testing of each module, we are still discovering powerful new strategies by combining modules. We need a dedicated playtesting team to work with the NorthStar development team. Let’s polish this fledgling into a powerful blockbuster!
Facebook Live & Reddit AMA
Join Ross and I on Facebook live at 12:00 EST on Wednesday 10th April to answer questions and share more about this blog. Or join me on Thursday at 2 pm for a Board Game Reddit AMA where you can ask me anything.
The NorthStar Blog Series
In my last blog, I talked about the rise and fall of North Star Games: how we sold over 4.5 million games, grew to 30 employees, and then imploded. And how NorthStar Studios is rising out of the ashes like a phoenix with a new vision for the future.
Next month, we will explore one of the Nature modules. Let us know which module you want to hear about next!
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