From FPS Arena to Tabletop: How Quake Inspired Our Board Game

You sprint into the arena. Heavy footsteps of an Enemy approach from the next room. A split second to make a decision. An Easy choice. You know the map, a Rocket Launcher is waiting around the corner. You snatch it, spin around, adrenaline rushing, and pull the trigger. BOOM!!!!

That relentless tension and speed is exactly what we wanted to capture in Quake: The Board Game.

Early Revolution

Quake didn't change the first-person shooter genre... it revolutionised it! Introducing true 3D environments, multiplayer deathmatches, and a heavy atmosphere, it left the whole gaming world shocked. Today, the borders of digital and tabletop worlds are fading more than ever. Many universes are making the jump to cardboard. However, capturing the essence of those universes is not easy. To translate Quake's fast-paced, split-second tactical decisions into a board game was quite a monumental task.

Speed and Power

Quake is all about movement. We captured this through Action Cards and Slamming mechanics. At the beginning of every round, players use their Action cards to plan all of their moves for the incoming round. That approach speeds up the decision process because all players think simultaneously. Executing all the preplanned actions is lightning quick. What is also important is that cards at the beginning of the chain boost those played later, so placing them in the right order allows you to string together devastating combos!

But what about that split-second decision? I hear you ask. Well, that's where the Slam mechanics kick in. Whenever a player executes an action, they can "Slam" cards from their hand to perform additional free actions. Those aren’t as powerful as their regular variants, but they allow you to correct a move when a situation changes.

Ok, so can you slam as many cards as you want? What's stopping you from slamming them all at once? Another excellent question! The problem is the number of cards in your deck, because once you run out of cards, you start lagging, and after a while, you are disconnected from the server (Yes, we added lag to the game. No early internet multiplayer experience would be complete without lag). Luckily, you can gather new cards during the mission. All you have to do is gather power-ups or destroy enemies. In other words, to stay in play, you must play quickly. If you stop for too long, you stop fraging or gathering pick-ups, you're out.

Map Control & Verticality

True 3D means fighting on different elevations. Our map tiles feature high ground and low ground. Reaching a higher position isn’t easy. Some Action cards allow you to perform a jump; in some places of the map, you can find classic Jump Pads, but when you need them the most, they often are unavailable. And you really want to get on that high ground, as it allows you to reach inaccessible parts of the map, where the most powerful Power-Ups are often hidden. The Railgun, the devastating BFG10K, and of course, the legendary Quad Damage buff - they can all be yours! And before you ask, yes, you can use rocket jumps to reach higher ground.

Legacy of Quake

The raw, visceral combat, the strategic resource control (like timing your run for that Megahealth!), and the unforgiving arena gameplay inspired us to create this board game. We wanted you to feel the exact same tension of rounding a corridor and coming face-to-face with a Super Tank. We drew heavily from the rich, diverse legacy of the franchise.

You'll be facing the cybernetic, biomechanical horrors of the Quake 2 and Quake 4 eras, squaring off against Gunners, Berserkers, Tanks, and the towering Makron. But we haven't forgotten the gothic, Lovecraftian roots of Quake 1, bringing in terrifying foes like Fiends and Shamblers through our expansions.

If you decide that you have had enough of teaming up against the horde in the Co-op Campaign, we also have you covered. You can frag your friends in classic PvP and Team Deathmatch modes, just like you did years ago in Quake 3.

There Will Be More!

This is just the beginning of our journey. In upcoming posts, we’ll take a closer look at the core mechanics, dive into the production process, and unveil the gruesome details of our bestiary.

Want to be first in line when the arena opens? Keep your eyes peeled and follow the project if you want to see how the absolute classic of FPS games is evolving into the tabletop! Follow our Gamefound campaign today!