Gendy AlimurungGame designer James Taylor now has a website for his independent board game, The Gentlemen of the South Sandwiche Islands. I profiled him last week in our print edition. We weren't able to get the web address into the print piece, so I'd like to share it with you now. (Click here to visit it.)
In the game, two gentlemen compete for the attentions of one woman, Lady Ashley. I haven't yet had the chance to play the game, but it looks pretty neat. The Victorian theme is, strangely enough, timely. The artwork has a vaguely Lewis Carroll feel. There is a lovely little octopus, which squats in the middle of the board, its tentacles curling around a building. Probably the best thing about The Gentlemen of the South Sandwiche Islands, aside from its wacky surreality, is the thought and care that went into its creation. That, and the layer upon layer of meaning infused into it.
James even invented an entire “history” for his game by photoshopping it into old-timey photographs. See?
Credit: All photos courtesy of James Taylor
He has been writing “letters” to accompany each copy of the game and crumpling the letters to give them an aged appearance. One of the letters is written in the voice of a weathered 18th century British ship's captain. In order to get the accent right, James read Moby Dick. If that isn't love, then I don't know what is.
To read more about the game or to order your own copy, visit the official site at www.southsandwiche.com. Be sure to ask James about the octopus.
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