George Evans and David Chatman really love board games. So much so that when David had an important question to ask, he knew exactly how to do it. “We were having wines on our deck, playing Kingdomino – a cute game, not too heavy – and I proposed to George,” David recalls.

The Brisbane/Magandjin couple have since formed a game design studio, Bimini Board Games, and are creating their very own game, Cultured Swines. The game, designed by George and developed by David, was inspired by a social interaction.

“I was out for drinks with a couple of friends and there was a couple at the table having a playful debate about something subjective,” George says. “This idea stuck with me – whether you could align with someone on something that was entirely subjective.”

Impostor syndrome also influenced the game’s premise. George, a theatre major, went on to practise law but felt like he didn’t fit into corporate spaces. “I wanted to explore that in the context of the game,” he says. “The idea of who we are, relative to what we present to the world.”

 

 

 

 

 

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A social strategy game for between four and eight players, Cultured Swines focuses on the art of schmoozing and transports players to the fictional Pork Springs, circa 1960s. You play in pairs as you mingle, dine and dazzle influential guests, outwit rival pairs and claim your rightful place among the Cultured Swines. The aim of the game is for you and your plus-one to present a united front, as you need to stay perfectly in sync with your partner to succeed. Wagers also play a part in the game, as you bet on which card options you think you and your partner will match on.

A game that explores the art of conversation and how you present yourself in the world, relative to your partner, wasn’t super-common in the existing gaming space. So, George and David were faced with a two-year learning curve, filled with lots of research and several iterations of the game.

The duo knew what it would take to make a compelling game, though – George played chess competitively throughout high school and university, and David grew up in a family who often whipped out Scattergories and card games at the dining table. They intentionally chose to make a board game that doesn’t feel like a game – and doesn’t require a PhD to understand the rules. Replayability is another important factor: “It feels good to play the game multiple times and get a new experience each time you play,” George says.

The couple have played Cultured Swines hundreds of times to refine it, and enlisted more than 200 play testers to dive into the ritzy world of Pork Springs. “We’ve leant heavily on friends and family to help us bring the game to where it is now,” David says.

Bimini Board Games plan to launch a Kickstarter by the end of the year to help fund the game. In the meantime, David and George have been busy exhibiting Cultured Swines at board game conventions in Sydney/Warrane and Melbourne/Naarm. The game will first become available via Kickstarter, with plans for a Bimini Board Games online store and sales through distributors to follow.

 

 

 

 

 

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Cultured Swines has already gained a following, partly thanks to its eclectic artwork. From its cover to the playing cards within, the art was commissioned from artists in Australia and The Bahamas. “Given that I’m from The Bahamas, I wanted that DNA to be in the game, and I wanted to present different voices that you don’t typically hear from in the board game space,” George says. “The industry is definitely moving in the right direction, but as a queer person of colour, I didn’t often see myself in games. We really wanted the game to be a space where everyone felt invited to the table.”

The bougie pigs on the cover were brought to life by Ballarat/Ballaarat-based illustrator Heidi Monsant. “David and I both had this image of pigs in turtlenecks, staring at a painting on the wall. It’s kind of what we feel like we’re doing in the game,” George says.

While you can partner up with anyone in the game, sparks can fly when it’s someone you’re especially close to. “You’ve got to try and get into your partner’s head about what they’re going to be thinking,” David says. “When real-life partners play the game, the banter back and forth is hilarious. There are definitely a lot of laughs. It’s a really fun game to play; people don’t walk away from it upset.”

“We live in a world where, increasingly, it’s difficult for people to converse about things which they can’t agree about,” George adds. “It’s really polarising, so we wanted to create a game where the questions are not controversial or political. We want people to be able to engage in fun banter and think about things from someone else’s perspective.”

And if someone wants to use the game to propose, would that be the ultimate compliment? “Definitely,” says David. “I can see how you could do it, too – you could make your own custom card to have in the game. I think that would be really cool, actually.”

This lovely story comes straight from the pages of issue 127. To get your mitts on a copy, swing past the frankie shop, subscribe or visit one of our lovely stockists.