Help me make my dream of publishing this game come true.

Day of Independence is a world domination strategy game, set in a steampunky alternative future-past, where humans fight amongst themselves for world domination. However, at some random point in the game Aliens arrive in a huge Mothership. I mean, it is huge: It’s a mother of a ship!

Will you stop fighting each other and join together to resist the Alien invasion, or will you suck up to the Aliens to try to get them to help you defeat your human foes… or will you and the rest of the players keep bickering, be outsmarted, and ultimately be exterminated by the Aliens.

The world map contains 25 region/nations, with a metallic steam-punk feel. Each player starts with one region, and by using their influence, tactics, and military might, attempts to capture enough regions to be declared the ruler of the world… until the Aliens arrive… and then everything changes. New victory condition are added, and being the biggest empire is no longer the only way to win.

 But why have the Aliens come?

But before you answer, remember this: you don’t know exactly why the Aliens are here. Perhaps they are here to kill you all, or perhaps they want you all as slaves (you know, to do their laundry and walk their space-dogs when they are busy), or maybe they just want to steal the Earth’s resources. All of which is bad… but maybe if you help them they will reward you… just saying. But then again, maybe they are just boldly going where none have gone before, and they mean us no harm. Or even better, maybe they are here to trade their awesome technology with us. You just don’t know for sure… until it is too late.

With a unique game mechanic that tracks and slowly reveals the true Alien Goals, and multiple win conditions (and even more lose conditions) Day of Independence is a competitive-cooperative game that allows players to pick which side they are on.

Your relationship with the Aliens is determined not through words, but through actions – if you sell captured opponent’s troops to the Aliens, you are definitely a Collaborator, and they are likely to help you, but if you invite the Aliens to visit your country and then slaughter them… you are definitely a Resistance fighter. However, you better be correct about the Aliens’ true purpose, if you slaughter friendly Aliens you are unlikely to win, and if you help Aliens who are bent on wiping out the human race… you’re gonna lose. And once you have picked your side, those on the other side are rewarded for killing you. So, that’s how that friendships ends.

You can all lose. You can all win. You and your Resistance compatriots can win together. Or, best of all, you can win by yourself, and all your friends can lose.

The Aliens’ true intent is revealed slowly over time, with 5 Goal tracks tracking the Alien’s mood. These are affected by random Alien Goal cards, and certain player actions.

The possible winning scenarios depend on what the Aliens are really here for. If they are here to kill all humanity, killing them will give you a win… but if they are here to just boldly go where none have gone before, being friendly and helpful to them could earn you a win. If they are here to steal people or resources, you need to decide if you help them, or hinder them. And as always, taking over the entire world will get you a win.

The game is a ‘competitive co-operative’ game, where co-operation is possible, often necessary, but the risk of being stabbed in the back is always there. As the Aliens’ true goals become apparent, each player may be tempted to drop or change alliances, rethink their co-operation with (or resistance to) the Aliens, and go for a win on their own. 

Actions determine which side you are on. Fight the Aliens or help them. The people of the Earth and/or the Aliens will reward/punish you depending upon what you choose and what the Aliens are up to. Choose to back the wrong side and the other players are given incentive to destroy you…if they didn’t already have enough. 

The game includes a large Main Map; 5 Player Decision Boards; an Alien Action Board; a ton of cards; resource and mining tokens;  player markers for 5 players, dice, tanks, and Alien Buildings; and, a terrifying Mothership. Oh, and the rules.

This game has been in development for several years now, with lots of play-testing and revisions. And it is ready for the world! And the consensus is: this game is really fun, and no two plays are the same.

In fact, with the multiple win conditions, and the differing Aliens Goals, this game has proven to be one of the most varied games I, or any of my play-testers, have ever played. 

I have hired artists to do 2D art for the box, and 3D models for the plastic pieces, invested hundreds of hours (like HUNDREDS… like as much as I would spend playing a video game! YES, that much) developing the rules and personally designing the game icons and cards, and even read the terms and conditions of Kickstarter! So I am determined to get this project finished!

Also, I am putting together a comprehensive rules video that explains the game to newbies, so it is possible to get the game up and running without having to have everyone read every delicious word of the rule book.

I designed this game to be ‘something I would wanna play’. My gaming friends enjoy all types of games… including co-operative games. But generally I do not. So rather than complain and gripe about how much I hate co-op games, I challenged myself to design a co-op game I wouldn’t hate. And this is it: it’s a fairly-deep strategy game that can be co-op, but doesn’t have to be. And even if it is, the usual pit-falls of co-op games (one person just telling everyone else what to do, for example), is completely eliminated by the fact that at any time, any player may see an opportunity to go for an individual victory, and screw everyone else over. Just like life!

This game, in my opinion (and supported by the opinions of many of my game-testers), is a good simulation of the dynamics of international politics (i.e. human self-interest vs. the interest of the group). Would India and Pakistan stop fighting over Kashmir and work together if a huge Alien ship landed in it one day? And if they did, would they still keep a contingency plan active to defend themselves against each other? Would Russia and the US dial back the rhetoric if a technologically superior Alien race arrived on their doorsteps and messed with both their elections? Would Canada and whoever hates Canada stop fighting over who is the nicest if the Aliens came for our maple syrup? And what about the UK? Would they rejoin Europe to show an invading space force that a referendum is our most powerful, destructive weapon?

I wanna see this game on gamers’ shelves, and spread out on gamers’ tables. I wanna see this game filling gamers’ backpacks for their bike ride over to their friend’s place (’cause their parents are away for the weekend, and we can play for 48 hours solid.) I wanna have people I have never met, and never will meet, playing this game and thinking: “Next time we play, I’m going to side with the Aliens,” and then playing it again and regretting their decision.

I want this game published. Please help that happen.

And if we ever play together, I’m red… it’s in the rules. 

 The stretch goals I have envisioned are epic. Imagine a huge (like 15cm) Mothership that stands on three laser-beam legs over the location where the Mothership is hovering in the game. The first stretch will be a cardboard model version, the second stretch goal a plastic model.

Custom designed Influence Markers that will make you proud to be a world conqueror. 

I am really looking forward to seeing these items, and the game go into full production. Thank you for your support, and please continue to help by sharing this project around so others can get involved too.

 Logistics is a nightmare. Here are the estimated shipping costs and do not include freight or customs charges. Using one of the best fulfillment companies, responsible for successfully delivering other great Kickstarter board game projects, and a world -class pledge manager, I am confident that we will be able to deliver this project in a timely manner. Prices below are in US$, by the way.