PAX AUS Indie Showcase 2024 - Glade
The PAX AUS Indie Showcase is a chance to see some of the best new and upcoming titles from the ANZ digital and tabletop development scene, with past winners including such celebrated games as Unpacking, Copycat, Yum Cha, Kingless and many more. The 2024 Indie Showcase is shaping up to be another highlight of the event and Player2 encourages visitors to PAX AUS to make their way to the PAX Rising area and check out the following title, as well as the many other excellent indies on display.
Glade comes from Teafrog Games, founded by designer and artist Liam Cantwell. As his first commercial game project, Glade features a distinctive art style that immediately grabs attention, surely a factor that saw it take out a spot in the PAX AUS 2024 Indie Showcase. Player2 spoke to Liam about his work on Glade and where Teafrog Games might go next.
Player2: Hi Liam, thanks for giving some of your time to Player2! What first got you into game design, and how did that journey lead you to Glade?
Liam Cantwell: I have enjoyed games all my life (both digital and physical) although only recently have begun to fall in love with the process and intricacies of board game design. This includes not only illustration, but user experience and the general feel of “flow” that board games provide.
This admiration for game design came to me when me and a few friends decided to try the game Gloomhaven, a much more mechanically intense board game than we were used to at the time. Through playing the game we slowly but surely began to feel the experience that had been crafted for us using nothing but game systems and artwork until we were entirely engrossed by the game and the world. Even more impressive was the fact that Gloomhaven was designed almost entirely by a single person! Seeing this made me realise that there was nothing stopping me from attempting to design my own board game.
P2: Where were you when you found out Glade had won a spot in the Indie Showcase for 2024?
LC: I was at my home in Sydney, just waking up and checking my phone. It was an amazing feeling to have what started as a small project recognised by such an impressive body and I’m thrilled to be a part of PAX this year.
P2: Glade has an incredibly striking art style, what influenced this aesthetic?
LC: Thank you! A lot of inspiration was taken from games like Carcassonne which involve placing small pieces together to create a cohesive and flowing ‘map’. The colours and unique patterns of each card came about naturally through a design choice to enhance visual clarity.
P2: Will Glade be going to crowdfunding or available as a retail product?
LC: I am excited to see what opportunities could arise for Glade, whether this be publishing through an established brand, creating a digital version or crowdfunding its production. The end goal in any case will be to have retail copies of the game available for people to enjoy.
P2: Card games in small boxes are my kryptonite, do you have any standout games in that space that you love? What were some of the biggest influences on the design of Glade and were there any memorable changes or compromises made during design and testing?
LC: I’m also a fan of small-box card games, especially when they’re designed elegantly and efficiently. One game that springs to mind I’ve enjoyed is Hanabi, a simple but effective game about bringing a fireworks show to life.
Glade has coincidentally become one such game through the design process of streamlining the experience! While I initially intended the game to include a board and tokens to feed into the aesthetic of gardening, I found that by making the game entirely card-based the game felt more intuitive to play and there was less setup required to begin a game. This was perhaps the biggest compromise, although I feel it has helped Glade become a more enjoyable game overall.
P2: What can PAX AUS attendees look forward to at the Glade booth?
LC: The Glade booth will feature demos and playtests of the game with the full set of cards including plants and decors. I will be there to explain the rules and give folks a feel for the game.
P2: Are there any other titles in the works from Teafrog Games just yet?
LC: Not at the moment! Right now all my attention is focused on publishing Glade and following that journey. I’m sure there will be more to come in the future however.
P2: Thanks again Liam, looking forward to trying out Glade at the show!
PAX AUS Attendees can find the Glade booth in the PAX AUS Indie Showcase section of PAX AUS from October 10-13. Check out Glade in more detail at the official website here.
