From Sheep to Cards: The Woolly Tale of Our Latest Game

Ever wonder what happens when you combine a classic card game with sheep herding? No? Well, neither had we until we stumbled into creating "Black Sheep" (working title, but we're kind of attached to it now).

Picture this: We're sitting around brainstorming our next game project, and someone says, "You know what card games need more of? Sheep." After the laughter died down, we realized they might be onto something. Why not take the familiar mechanics of rummy and wrap them in wool?

Instead of the usual "books" and "runs" of traditional rummy, players in Black Sheep collect "flocks" of cards. But here's where things get interesting – we wanted to capture the actual drama of pastoral life. Yes, you read that right. Drama. In sheep farming. Stay with me here.

Think about it: You've got your peaceful flock of sheep grazing away, when suddenly a wolf appears! In our game, that's represented by a special card that can steal an entire flock. (We're pretty sure real wolves don't politely play cards before attacking, but we took some creative liberties.)

But fear not! We've included plenty of ways to protect your woolly friends. There's the faithful sheepdog, standing guard and protecting your flocks from those pesky wolves. The shepherd's apprentice, still learning the trade, has a special knack for managing smaller flocks – they can help you form a flock with just three sheep instead of the usual four. And of course, there's the trusty sheepfold, ready to corral any strays.

We even included the black sheep – those notorious troublemakers of the flock. In our game, they're loners who don't play well with others (literally – they don't form flocks but score points on their own). Every family has one, right?

The whole pastoral economy is represented too, from the shepherd's apprentice learning the ropes, to the skilled wool weaver turning raw wool into craft, all the way up to the wealthy wool merchant. Each character brings their own strategic element to the game, creating layers of strategy that unfold like... well, like a sheep's wool at shearing time.

Our goal was to create something that casual gamers could enjoy (who doesn't love cute sheep?) while including enough strategic depth to keep more experienced players engaged. Want to focus on building massive flocks? Go for it! Prefer to play defensively and protect your sheep from wolves? That's viable too. Feel like being the black sheep and going your own way? The pasture is your oyster! (Wait, wrong animal metaphor...)

This is just the beginning of our journey with Black Sheep. Like a shepherd counting sheep jumping over a fence, we'll be sharing our development stories one by one in the coming weeks.

Keep your crook at the ready and your sheepdog alert – there's more of this tale to be told!

P.S. No actual sheep were harmed in the making of this game. They're cards. They don't even need feeding.

Are you an artist with a fun and playful illustration style and what to be considered to illustrate our new game? Drop me an email with a couple of samples that show me what you can do.

Call for Art Submissions

Are you an artist with a fun and playful illustration style? Do you what to be considered to illustrate our new game? Drop us an email with a couple of samples that show me what you can do, and tell me why you would be the best choice to collaborate with our new game.