| Breakthrough - 8x8 Game Design Winner | |
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by Erik Arneson
After several thorough rounds of judging, the winner of the 2001 8x8 Game Design Competition is Breakthrough, designed by Dan Troyka.
Troyka's creation featured elegantly simple rules and the possibility for deep strategy, a combination which proved to be popular with our panel of judges.
For entering his award-winning game in the competition, Troyka will receive a trophy, a one-year membership in the Strategy Gaming Society, and a one-year subscription to Abstract Games.
Breakthrough also will be submitted to a variety of game publishing companies for their consideration.
The second-place game, Magneton by Luca Cerrato, also will be submitted to game publishers.
Major congratulations to Dan and Luca!
Their designs were judged to be the best two from a field of more than 50 candidates, an accomplishment that deserves praise. I hope both contribute more game designs in the future, either in upcoming 8x8 Game Design Competitions or through other outlets.
Many thanks go out to the team of judges:
David Dunbar is a chess enthusiast who has a day job working for the Canadian government as a lawyer. He maintains About's chess site.
Stephen Glenn works as an English teacher for Norfolk Public High Schools. He is married with two small children, Alexander, 7 and Valori, 5. Stephen is the founder of Spielfrieks, a German game enthusiast mailing list, and PBEMESIS, a mailing list for those who enjoy German gaming via e-mail. He will also be hosting the first annual Protospiele this summer, a small convention of amateur board and card game designers.
Kerry Handscomb is a life-long game enthusiast who finally realised a dream by starting publication of Abstract Games magazine with wife Connie in 1999. He believes that abstract games are a competitive art form.
David Pritchard was the editor of Games & Puzzles from 1972-1981, and he is former Games Director of the Mind Sports Olympiad. David is currently a games consultant and author.
Stephen Tavener -- When not actually playing games, Stephen can be found trading games on the Internet (http://www.scat.demon.co.uk/), writing for games journals, or practising Tai Chi Chuan, at which he hopes to become competent in another 30 or years or so.
I also served as a judge. I live with my wife, Elizabeth, and our four cats. Beth is great at games, but the cats seem to rely more on chaos than strategy when they play with us.
The 2001 8x8 Game Design Competition was co-sponsored by this site, the Strategy Gaming Society, and Abstract Games magazine. Many thanks to Greg Schloesser (president of the SGS) and Kerry Handscomb (editor of AG) for their help in making it a success.
