The framing around the project: Sky Empire!
For a long time, I have dreamed of creating a board game. I tried a couple of times and failed, but in November 2023, I started working on this project, and I am confident that this will turn out to be a good game that will eventually be crowdfunded!
I hope to bring this project to Gamefound in 2025, and I aim for Q1 or Q2, but we will see how things go! I am still flabbergasted by how much of the work with a project like this is NOT game design, but everything surrounding the designing of the game, such as coordinating, graphic design, correcting the version on TTS, talking to collaborators, etc.
Also, I am quite surprised by how many expenses a board game like this will soak up! My initial budget was around $50,000, and I first thought that I could get everything I wanted for this budget, but I now see that I have to be smart about components, artists’ time and salaries, marketing, etc.
Still, the ambition is not to make money, but to build a community! Hopefully, I will get most of that initial investment back and start building a new game and expansions for this one!
So, you, reading this email, are one of the first bricks in the large wall that is hopefully Greymarsh Games and Sky Empire!
That was quite enough from me, and as I am not alone, I will introduce you to two of the main forces behind the game’s aesthetics!
Kino Scialabba
Kino is the artist responsible for all the illustrations for Sky Empire. His distinct style and varied takes on different airships are aspects I truly admire!
But let’s hear from the man himself!
“I grew up surrounded by creativity; my dad always drew cars and comics while working at Ford Motor Company. Inspired by his passion, I pursued industrial design with a focus on transportation. My love for comics eventually led me to become an art director and concept designer for film, TV, and games.
With over 20 years of experience in the industry, I’ve had the privilege of working on some incredible projects. You can check out my full portfolio on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/
I primarily use a range of tools for my artwork, including pencil sketches, Photoshop, ZBrush, Blender, Maya, and Unreal Engine. Creating art for the board game “Sky Empire” has been particularly challenging due to the need to design a variety of ships in a consistent style.
Some of my favorite board games, in terms of artwork, include “Warhammer 40K,” “Shadowrun,” and various “Dungeons & Dragons” games. I’m also excited about future projects, especially my own TV series based on my comic book, which you can learn more about at Tales of the Mausoleum”
Francesco Orrú
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Francesco is the artist responsible for all the 3D miniatures in this game. I also asked him for a brief bio: “My name is Francesco Orrù, and I’m from Italy—half from Sardinia and half from Bologna. After some computer science studies in Italy, I pursued a Master’s in Computer Animation at Kingston University in London, where my journey as a digital sculptor began. I have about 8 years of experience as a digital sculptor. I initially started in 3D printing in London, working for different studios like My Mini Factory. Eventually, I decided to go full-time freelancing and have been self-employed since 2018. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working on incredible projects like Dungeons and Dragons, Vampire: The Masquerade, NECA, CMON, and most recently, SIDESHOW. I’m particularly proud of joining companies like SIDESHOW and CMON. Working with all my clients has been a rewarding experience, and I’m always grateful for new opportunities. I primarily sculpt digitally in ZBrush and use KeyShot for rendering, along with Photoshop for minor corrections and enhancements. The most challenging aspect of creating models for this board game has been converting and translating 2D designs into 3D, constantly refining my techniques to improve workflow. Some of my favorite board games in terms of artwork and models are CMON games and Nemesis. I strive to shape the miniatures to the best of my ability. Looking ahead, I’m excited about future projects, particularly God of War: The Board Game and The Last of Us Board Game!” |
What you can do to help!
If you’re reading this without being subscribed to the newsletter, you can help me by subscribing! Hurry over to greymarshgames.com and do this right away!
Additionally, you can join our Discord and help with playtesting.
On BoardGameGeek, if you haven’t already, you can help expose the game by marking it as a fan, subscribing, or adding the game to your wishlist! You can also like and comment on pictures to help generate traffic for the game’s marketing.
To crowdfund, we need a crowd, and it’s best to have one from the start!
And perhaps most importantly:Tell your board game friends about the game! Bring them into the community through the above suggestions!
Together, as a crowd, we will realize the mission!
