Games designer who played his cards right
By Zhu Shenshen |
September 2, 2012, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AT homes and schools across the country, millions of Chinese sit down with friends and family and pit their wits against each other in board game "Sanguo Sha" - "Killers of the Three Kingdoms."
But few of the 100 million players of the game of strategy set among heroic, and not so heroic, figures of ancient China realize that the phenomenon was created by a student to amuse friends on campus.
Huang Kai, 26, who is better known by his nickname "Kayak," created "Sanguo Sha" six years ago. Now he is widely regarded as the top designer in the new board game sector and hailed "the god of 'Sanguo Sha'."
On his Sina weibo, which has more than 13,000 followers, Kayak prefers to describe himself more modestly as "a designer for people."
In an exclusive interview with Shanghai Daily, Kayak said that he's always seeking to improve on his work.
"It's dull to follow fixed game rules, even if it's a masterpiece title," he said. "I get great pleasure creating new rules and designing characters for the games."
Kayak's official title is co-founder and chief designer of Yoka Games. Yoka's revenue is expected to hit 200 million yuan (US$31.5m) this year, due in large part to the success of "Sanguo Sha."
And while concerns are being raised across society about computer games being played in isolation, "Sanguo Sha" is praised as a more social activity, as in the board game version four to 10 players battle it out face-to-face.
With the launch of a website and the latest update to the game just last month, the phenomenon, which attracts fans ranging from middle school students to venture capitalists, shows no sign of running out of steam.
"Sanguo Sha" was influenced by Italian game "Bang!" but with that game's Wild West figures replaced by Chinese characters and settings from the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220-280).
This is one of the most famous periods in Chinese history, known by most Chinese people and depicted in famous 14th century novel "Sanguo Yan Yi," - "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" - by Luo Guanzhong.
During his childhood, Kayak says he liked two things: electronic games and painting, and decided to become an artist when at middle school. While a student at the Communication University of China in Beijing, Kayak played board games in his spare time, including "Bang!," which features a sheriff and deputies, outlaws and renegades.
It helped give Kayak the idea of creating a board game with a Chinese background, but he denies that "Sanguo Sha" is a copy of "Bang!"
"I can't deny that I learned something from 'Bang!' in 'Sanguo Sha,' but its DNA is from China," he told Shanghai Daily.
In addition to the classic novel - which Kayak read several times - he also took inspiration from Three Kingdoms dramas on CCTV and Japanese video game "Dynasty Warriors," which is set in the same period.
Kayak created several dozen hero characters based on famous generals and military strategists from Three Kingdoms history.
Most famous among these is Zhuge Liang, often described as "the most intelligent person in Chinese history."
Kayak gave him two skills: talent with guanxing - watching stars, and kongcheng, literally, empty city. According to legend, Zhuge was skilled in astrology and psychology. The kongcheng name is based on tales that he would baffle enemies by leaving a city without defenses - an "empty city." They would be reluctant to attack, fearful that arch-strategist Zhuge was luring them into a trap.
Each character was drawn five to six times on average until Kayak was satisfied. It took him three months to complete the design of Sun Ce, a famous lord in the Three Kingdom, he told Shanghai Daily.
Kayak finished the game's design in 2006 and distributed it among classmates and friends, who gave positive feedback.
Two young players impressed by this early version of "Sanguo Sha" went into business with Kayak in 2008, founding Yoka with investment of 50,000 yuan.
They established an online store in auction website Taobao.com and created distribution channels.
Success grew, and since 2010, Yoka has sold a total five million "Sanguo Sha" cards.
Then Yoka was acquired by Bianfeng, a subsidiary of the game giant Shanda, which launched the online version of "Sanguo Sha."
Kayak has remained designer, contributing updates, features and functions for "Sanguo Sha," while at the same time working on new games for Yoka.
And in his spare time, Kayak's passions are still games and cartoons.
"I won't change my work for least in several years," said Kayak. "It give me great pleasure and satisfaction."
"My life seems to be connected with board games," he added.
Sanguo Sha Rules
Sanguo Sha, originally consisted of 108 cards for four to 10 players.
Users play one role from: Lord, Loyalist, Rebel and Spy. The Lord announces his role. The other players' roles remain secret.
The Lord and Loyalist's goal is to wipe out all Rebels and Spies while the Rebels are required to kill the Lord. The Spy has to survive with the Lord and finally kill him in order to win, which makes his strategy fluid.
Players can play heroes from the Three Kindgoms period such as Zhuge Liang and Cao Cao. Each has special skills.
A game involves four to 10 players and often takes from half an hour to two hours.
But few of the 100 million players of the game of strategy set among heroic, and not so heroic, figures of ancient China realize that the phenomenon was created by a student to amuse friends on campus.
Huang Kai, 26, who is better known by his nickname "Kayak," created "Sanguo Sha" six years ago. Now he is widely regarded as the top designer in the new board game sector and hailed "the god of 'Sanguo Sha'."
On his Sina weibo, which has more than 13,000 followers, Kayak prefers to describe himself more modestly as "a designer for people."
In an exclusive interview with Shanghai Daily, Kayak said that he's always seeking to improve on his work.
"It's dull to follow fixed game rules, even if it's a masterpiece title," he said. "I get great pleasure creating new rules and designing characters for the games."
Kayak's official title is co-founder and chief designer of Yoka Games. Yoka's revenue is expected to hit 200 million yuan (US$31.5m) this year, due in large part to the success of "Sanguo Sha."
And while concerns are being raised across society about computer games being played in isolation, "Sanguo Sha" is praised as a more social activity, as in the board game version four to 10 players battle it out face-to-face.
With the launch of a website and the latest update to the game just last month, the phenomenon, which attracts fans ranging from middle school students to venture capitalists, shows no sign of running out of steam.
"Sanguo Sha" was influenced by Italian game "Bang!" but with that game's Wild West figures replaced by Chinese characters and settings from the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220-280).
This is one of the most famous periods in Chinese history, known by most Chinese people and depicted in famous 14th century novel "Sanguo Yan Yi," - "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" - by Luo Guanzhong.
During his childhood, Kayak says he liked two things: electronic games and painting, and decided to become an artist when at middle school. While a student at the Communication University of China in Beijing, Kayak played board games in his spare time, including "Bang!," which features a sheriff and deputies, outlaws and renegades.
It helped give Kayak the idea of creating a board game with a Chinese background, but he denies that "Sanguo Sha" is a copy of "Bang!"
"I can't deny that I learned something from 'Bang!' in 'Sanguo Sha,' but its DNA is from China," he told Shanghai Daily.
In addition to the classic novel - which Kayak read several times - he also took inspiration from Three Kingdoms dramas on CCTV and Japanese video game "Dynasty Warriors," which is set in the same period.
Kayak created several dozen hero characters based on famous generals and military strategists from Three Kingdoms history.
Most famous among these is Zhuge Liang, often described as "the most intelligent person in Chinese history."
Kayak gave him two skills: talent with guanxing - watching stars, and kongcheng, literally, empty city. According to legend, Zhuge was skilled in astrology and psychology. The kongcheng name is based on tales that he would baffle enemies by leaving a city without defenses - an "empty city." They would be reluctant to attack, fearful that arch-strategist Zhuge was luring them into a trap.
Each character was drawn five to six times on average until Kayak was satisfied. It took him three months to complete the design of Sun Ce, a famous lord in the Three Kingdom, he told Shanghai Daily.
Kayak finished the game's design in 2006 and distributed it among classmates and friends, who gave positive feedback.
Two young players impressed by this early version of "Sanguo Sha" went into business with Kayak in 2008, founding Yoka with investment of 50,000 yuan.
They established an online store in auction website Taobao.com and created distribution channels.
Success grew, and since 2010, Yoka has sold a total five million "Sanguo Sha" cards.
Then Yoka was acquired by Bianfeng, a subsidiary of the game giant Shanda, which launched the online version of "Sanguo Sha."
Kayak has remained designer, contributing updates, features and functions for "Sanguo Sha," while at the same time working on new games for Yoka.
And in his spare time, Kayak's passions are still games and cartoons.
"I won't change my work for least in several years," said Kayak. "It give me great pleasure and satisfaction."
"My life seems to be connected with board games," he added.
Sanguo Sha Rules
Sanguo Sha, originally consisted of 108 cards for four to 10 players.
Users play one role from: Lord, Loyalist, Rebel and Spy. The Lord announces his role. The other players' roles remain secret.
The Lord and Loyalist's goal is to wipe out all Rebels and Spies while the Rebels are required to kill the Lord. The Spy has to survive with the Lord and finally kill him in order to win, which makes his strategy fluid.
Players can play heroes from the Three Kindgoms period such as Zhuge Liang and Cao Cao. Each has special skills.
A game involves four to 10 players and often takes from half an hour to two hours.
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