In this captivating interview, we spoke with Vincent and Grace Velarde, the creative minds behind Arbitrary Absurdities. As a husband-and-wife team, Vincent and Grace have turned a shared love of games into a design journey that combines humor, strategy, and absurdity in equal measure. We discuss their creative process, challenges, and inspirations in an engaging look at how they balance strategic complexity and whimsical themes.
Among the current lineup, Battle Formation and Tavern Tumult showcase the Velardes' unique approach to game design. Battle Formation combines the precision of 18th-century tactics with modern strategic gameplay, while Tavern Tumult invites players into the lively chaos of a tavern filled with root beer-swilling gnomes ready for a rowdy brawl. These games not only entertain but embody the quirky, comedic charm that sets Arbitrary Absurdities apart.
INTERVIEW
Your website mentions that you and your wife turned a shared hobby into a creative pursuit. What inspired you both to take that leap into game design?
When we came up with the concept for our first game, Battle Formation, we had never heard of print-on-demand board game manufacturing. We started talking about the possibility of trying to put together a “professional looking” copy of our game idea, just for our own collection. In the process of researching how to do such a thing, we discovered The Game Crafter and realized we already had all the necessary skills/resources to develop the game for real. So we did… and the rest is history.
How has your background in graphic design influenced the way you approach creating games like Battle Formation and Tavern Tumult?
I guess it sort of helps and hinders at the same time. On the one hand, since I do all the artwork myself, we aren’t limited by anyone else’s style or opinion. On the other hand, since I do all the artwork myself, we are limited to things that fall within my limited skill set… For example… The artistic decision for the gnomes in Tavern Tumult not to have faces was born purely out of my inability to draw faces. The gnomes therefore have very large noses, very bushy beards, and hats pulled low over their heads.
Can you tell us more about how your childhood experiences, like making a board game on scratch paper, shaped your approach to game design today?
My wife and I had similar experiences in this regard. As children, we each attempted to make a simple board game alongside our younger brothers. I don’t know that this has really influenced our current process to any great extent, except that discussing those memories helped us learn that we had this shared interest.
What role has your partnership with your wife played in shaping the creative direction of Arbitrary Absurdities?
I guess our shared sense of humor, but differing interests have helped to form the overall… arbitrary… nature of the endeavor.
What has been the most unexpected challenge you’ve faced while running Arbitrary Absurdities, and how did you overcome it?
The crawling chaos, Nyarlathotep…
“Our shared sense of humor, but differing interests have helped to form the overall… arbitrary… nature of the endeavor.”
With Battle Formation focusing on precision strategy and Tavern Tumult being a light-hearted party game, how do you ensure both genres offer engaging experiences that fit the tone of your brand?
By having absolutely no discernable tone planned for our catalog. We approach each game as a completely discrete project. Attempting to learn about the genre and hopefully excel at it, with zero regard for the brand.
Humor and absurdity play a big role in your branding. How do you make sure these elements enhance the gameplay without overshadowing the core mechanics?
The brand doesn’t necessarily dictate the game lineup. If we’re developing an absurd or humorous game, like Tavern Tumult, then we lean into the humor of our brand. When we work on a more serious title, like Battle Formation, we focus on strategy.
When developing a game like Battle Formation, which emphasizes 18th-century warfare, how do you ensure historical elements are integrated with engaging gameplay?
The core combat mechanic of Battle Formation was the initial stroke of inspiration for the game and is based on the firing line formations of 18th-century warfare. We developed the game around this core mechanic, drawing many iterations of the game on a whiteboard and attempting quick play tests to see what worked and what didn’t. Once the game was evolved enough to be truly playable, we began playtesting and refining the rules until we reached a level of completeness and polish that we were happy with.
Tavern Tumult takes place in a whimsical tavern with root beer-drinking gnomes. Can you walk us through how you bring such lively themes into mechanics that reflect the chaos of a tavern brawl?
In Tavern Tumult, you draw a new hand of cards at the beginning of each turn. You never know what you’ll end up with. The cards capture the chaos. Deciding how you’re going to string together the movements and actions of your turn, and then playing it out, gives you a snapshot of the brawl. Almost like a cutscene in a video game. Your turn could literally be sprinting toward another gnome, throwing a haymaker, tripping over a table, poking another opponent with a fork, and then buying a round for the whole group!
Playtesting is often a key part of refining games. How do you manage the feedback you receive, and what’s your process for turning that feedback into game improvements?
I interrogate the play testers, my wife takes notes, then we ignore 87.3% of the advice… We then painstakingly implement roughly 12.4% of the advice… and the remaining 0.3% is placed into a secret folder and stashed in a safe for future use as part of a plan for world domination.
“Have the will to act. If you try to keep planning, preparing, dreaming, and talking about what you want to do forever… Then you’ll never do it.”
Tavern Tumult is a game full of lively and absurd characters. What inspired you to create a game centered around root beer-drinking gnomes?
I’m not really sure why, but I just spontaneously decided that it’s hilarious to imagine gnomes beating the living daylights out of each other… And the root beer makes it family-friendly…
How do you stay inspired to develop games that fit the unique absurdity and humor that defines Arbitrary Absurdities?
A long and illustrious career as a time-traveling raccoon.
With the current lineup of games, what can fans expect next from your studio? Are there any upcoming projects or expansions in the works that you’re particularly excited about?
We’ve got a few great projects in the works!
- We’re in the early brainstorming phase of an expansion pack for Tavern Tumult. The expansion will increase the max player count from 4 to 6, with the introduction of two new gnome characters as well as including an entirely new deck of action cards.
- We’re finishing up the playtesting phase of a game about mountain-climbing llamas. Players move their llamas, stack terrain pieces, and shove the other llamas around in an effort to reach the highest peak.
- We’re in the conceptual phase of a possible tank battling game themed as a retro arcade game.
“Not sure where to start? It doesn’t matter, just start… Not sure how to do it? Doesn’t matter, just start trying and you’ll figure it out along the way.”
As a husband-and-wife team, what advice would you give to other couples looking to collaborate on creative projects?
I think the most important thing is just finding a hobby/project where both parties will engage and participate. Working together is a great way to spend quality time together. A shared hobby can strengthen and deepen the friendship that should exist in any couple. Have fun with it, enjoy your time together, and make sure to engage.
Many independent designers struggle with balancing the creative aspects of game design with the logistics of marketing and publishing. How have you navigated that balance as an independent studio on The Game Crafter platform?
We’re still learning how to navigate that struggle. We’ve made a handful of sales of each of our games, we’re trying to build an audience on social media, we’re trying to come up with ideas for expanding our website, and we’re brainstorming lots of new game ideas.
What one piece of advice would you offer to aspiring game designers who are just starting out in this field?
Have the will to act. It’s one of the great lessons one must learn in life. If you try to keep planning, preparing, dreaming, and talking about what you want to do forever… Then you’ll never do it. The only way to start is just to dig in and start. Not sure where to start? It doesn’t matter, just start. Not sure how to do it? Doesn’t matter, just start trying and you’ll figure it out along the way. Worried about failing? Don’t be. Who cares about failure; it just means you’ve got to try again. To be honest, we’re still “just starting out in this field.” It’s all still new to us, we’re still learning, and we’ve only made a handful of sales. We’re figuring it out as we go, and you know what? We’re having a blast.
From gnome tavern brawls to strategic battles, each project embodies creativity and passion, making their titles stand out as both fun and memorable experiences. If you’re a fan of unique, well-crafted games, check out their lineup and consider supporting this indie studio.
For me, as someone who also designs games with my wife at Headbonk Games, their philosophy hits home—“Working together is a great way to spend quality time together. A shared hobby can strengthen and deepen the friendship that should exist in any couple.” This sentiment is at the core of what we do, and it’s inspiring to see others building their dreams with the same foundation.
Add comment
Comments