Essen 2006: Italian Emotions Part II

Here I’m with the second part of this collection of Italian Emotions about the Essen 2006 fair.

In these Part II the feelings of one of the pioneers of designing games in Italy, Angelo Porazzi, together with the impressions of Acchitocca, at their first game, but which game! Also Alfredo Genovese (Bolide designer and producer) and Mario Sacchi (Post Scriptum).

I hope you enjoy this small window on Italian Emotions.

Angelo Porazzi
(Game Designer, Illustrator and Producer)

My third Essen Experience (first two were with great Andrea Ligabue:)) was a big, big satisfaction. My oldest game Warangel 10 Years Edition, sold out in two days.
The latest game WrestAngel was picked up by Nick Medinger of Funagain US and other retailers out of Italy.
The PhotoReport (I use to realize after each fair) of Essen 2006 is now published on my website, on SpielBox Online thanks to kind Knut MichaelWolf and on Hall 9000 thanks to friendly Frank Gartner.
Very happy for all Italian games I communicate in my PhotoReport thanks to Giro d’ Italia Ludico, excellent idea of Jost Schwi of Spielepizza.de, that was based and host at my booth, showing together lots of Italian games and authors. So...Wunderbar!;)
A Very HappyAngelo
(due HappyAnimals, is my next game with SilToys, presented at Essen06 as a prototype)!

Mario Sacchi
(Game Designer and Publisher)

Second year in Essen, for Post Scriptum, this time in stand together with Scribabs (co-producers of High Voltage).
For us it was absolutely a great experience: we got really a lot of contacts with distributors, retailers and press, and also the public liked the game very much. High Voltage was played by many people and everybody
seemed to enjoy it.
And then, this fair is always a great time to discover new games and see old friends.
At the end we were really tired, but satisfied!!

Flaminia – Acchittocca
(Game Designer)

To speak about the fair “in a generalized manner” is for me really difficult: for me it was a full immersion in “Leonardo da Vinci”! : My first game and to see it played in tens of tables at the same time was spectacular! And then was also spectacular to see as the Italian Game (for who does not live in Italy could be unnoticed the fact that in the last years many publishers and many authors have grown, and many good Italian games are been released and have been received with enthusiasm also to the foreign country… but for an Italian like me that fills up of pride!
And it was absolutely unforeseeable until few years ago. In fair I have had way to try a heap of new releases, some indeed really interesting: I have found some ideas absolutely new (like the timers of Space Dealer) and some small jewels (as it seems to me, from the only game that I have made, Notre Dame).

Virginio – Acchittocca
(Game Designer)

I think that for a player the first Essen seems like to be entered (how much appropriated) in the “Paese dei Balocchi”. See my own passion shared from many persons, above all living in Italy where when you speak about boardgames they watch to you like Martian, it is really nice; better see tens of persons at the same time and uninterruptedly play your game; the fact so many players has appreciated Leonardo, buying it, voting it, making us compliments quite and asking us to autograph their copies, has filled up us of joy and pride, having made us to swell the chests and repaying us of all the job made. We have then tried many interesting games of which some I liked a lot (Emira, Hermagor, Notre Dame), some pretty (Space Dealer, Arkadia, the pillars of the earth) and also others of which I could not speak well therefore I prefer to abstain. The only bad things was experience the little sport way in which Leonardo was pulled down from the first place in Fairplay where, without a sage operates of fake 5 and 6, widely would have been attested. We sadly discover that also the “Game World” is not safe by this kind of behaviours, but this is something else and doesn’t fit too much in this topic.

Stefano – Acchittocca
(Game Designer)

This have been my 5th time in Essen, so the “surprise effect” have been vanished a long time ago :)
However Essen is always a wonderful experience and this year I had the opportunity to see for the first time if people enjoy Leonardo. We worked hard on it for 4 years and seeing that every table available was full all the time was great!

Antonio – Acchittocca
(Game Designer)

This was my first Essen and after been there, a posteriori, I must admit that every player have to make this experience at least once in his life (better if more than once!). As all I was really happy from the result of our first published game and, altogether, for all the Italian games; to have 3 Italian’s games in the first 10 of Fairplay (Leonardo, Hermagor, Ur) was really an optimal result and index of the fact that the Italian authors are working well and with fruit. We hope to be able to continue in this way!

Alfredo Genovese
(Game Designer, Publisher & Distributor)

The first time of Ghenos games & Bolide at Essen!
Just a few words to describe our impressions:
1) Unforgettable! Essen fair gave us an impressive feeling regarding the games’ market: same level of professionalism as other markets (we came from other experiences before launching Ghenos games), but marked by a unique sense of friendship no other one has. Essen is an international fair and a relationships pot at the same time. People are focused on their own core business but they really love their products, they are not just interested in making money.
2) Sold out! We have finished the Bolide boxes. We were embaraced since we were not able to sell on Sunday...we did not believe in such a success…
3) Enthusiasm: Essen gave us an incredible push towards our targets. We are not tired, we are revitalized! See all of you next year with a new game!!!!!


Good play to all
Liga