SURVIVORS: Expanding the Cities of Venus Universe – Interview with the Creators
The Cities of Venus universe has already captivated sci-fi and board game enthusiasts with its rich storytelling and immersive mechanics. Now, the saga continues with SURVIVORS, a new standalone game that builds upon the world introduced in LOST CONTACT while introducing fresh mechanics and challenges.
In this exclusive interview, we speak with James Staley from Tin Robot Games to explore how SURVIVORS expands the lore, its innovative gameplay mechanics, and what’s next for this ever-growing sci-fi board game franchise.
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Expanding the Cities of Venus Universe
Michael (GizmoCrowd): Cities of Venus has already established a rich sci-fi world. What makes SURVIVORS a unique addition to this universe, and how does it expand the storyline and gameplay mechanics?
James Staley: SURVIVORS expands on the lore. In the first game, LOST CONTACT, players try to establish a thriving city in the Venusian clouds before losing contact with Earth. Part of that game has you sending Mining Mechs to the surface to mine the valuable V-nite resource.
In SURVIVORS, the story begins with one of those miners losing their ascent thrusters on the way down, so it is a one-way trip. However, once on the surface, they realize some of the cryostasis pods (again, a story element from the first game) landed intact on the surface.
This game’s mission is to operate your Mech (with dice manipulation) to explore the topographical surface (by placing unlocked polyomino tiles), searching for parts to fix your Mech and survivors to help you operate it to get everyone home. While the story universe is the same, it is a standalone game with entirely different gameplay mechanics.
Innovative Gameplay Mechanics
Michael: SURVIVORS features dice manipulation, polyomino placement, and mech exploration. Can you explain how these mechanics work together and what makes the gameplay experience both engaging and strategic?
James Staley: We are one of the first to combine these mechanics. They work really well together. The iconography on our player boards (the Mech console) is intuitive, so the game-teach is fast. Our goal is to immerse players in our universe so that gameplay is not only fun but feels like you are part of the story.
The design of all of the games in the Cities of Venus universe is predicated on multiple paths to victory. If a player happens to trigger something first or take an upgrade before you, there is always another path to take.
We also wanted to ensure that players always have a chance of winning right up until the end. I am not a fan of games where, halfway into the game, you know who is going to win, and you are now just along for the ride.
With SURVIVORS, you can rush the end but won’t have a strong Mech team to help you, decreasing your odds in the final Launch Sequence. Winning in this game is about balance.
Simultaneous Play & Player Interaction
Michael: Unlike many turn-based board games, SURVIVORS allows simultaneous turns to reduce downtime. How does this system enhance player engagement and create a fast-paced, immersive experience?
James Staley: To be clear, players CAN take turns if they wish and watch each other manipulate their rolls. Likewise, if a novice gamer is playing, others can watch and help.
However, much like Fantastic Factories, once everyone knows what they are doing, you can ramp up the game speed and reduce overall playtime by everyone working on their exploration simultaneously.
It keeps things moving, and there is no point where you are just sitting there. To keep track of where people were, we recognized early that we needed an end-turn marker to ensure no one got ahead in turns.
Each player has a marker that is pink on one side and blue on the other. When a player has completed their turn, they flip their marker. Once everyone has the same color showing, you know you are good to reset and start the next round.
Production Quality & No Stretch Goals Approach
Michael: Many Kickstarter campaigns rely on stretch goals, but SURVIVORS is designed to be high-quality from day one. Why did you decide on this approach, and how does it ensure backers get the best possible version of the game?
James Staley: This is now my eighth campaign. I used to do stretch goals but stopped doing them four campaigns ago. I realized that two things were happening in the industry:
- Publishers were taking things out, just to put them back in as stretch goals (i.e., inside lid printing, linen finish, etc.).
- The classic “help us unlock the next stretch goal” rally wasn’t actually bringing in new people. It was just rewarding those already in and encouraging others to hold off to see what you finish with.
It is way more efficient to have your ducks in a row on manufacturing before you even launch. You will have a better handle on your final cost and how that box will be configured.
The core Cities of Venus Chronicles are exclusive to Kickstarter. I turned down dozens of retailers on the first game and have already turned down four in the past week on this game.
That gives me more margin to put as much cool stuff into the game as possible from Day 1:
✔ Premium dice (and lots of them)
✔ Linen finish, spot UV, inside lid and base printing
✔ Organization tray
✔ Ultra-premium presentation box (for the 6-player edition)
This doesn’t mean we won’t keep adding stuff. When the first campaign concluded, we found this super cool presentation box at Essen with a metal medallion on the front. We upgraded everyone for free. Same with the first-player ink-washed mini marker—we just added it.
The Future of Cities of Venus
Michael: With Chronicle III: Cities of Venus – Civil War already in development, what’s next for the Cities of Venus universe? How do you see this series evolving in terms of gameplay, storytelling, and world-building?
James Staley: Our objective on this game series is concise:
✔ Every game must be completely different in its game style, mechanics, etc. It has to be STAND-ALONE.
✔ There must be connective tissue between all games (e.g., V-nite gems must be the same in each game, V-naut meeples must be consistent).
✔ We want to expand the story as much as possible.
We currently have four games in this universe:
- Cities of Venus: Lost Contact
- Time Splicers (the event that caused us to lose contact with Earth)
- Cities of Venus: Survivors
- DUST: Reclamation (the trick-taking game Miners play between shifts)
We have two more in development:
- Cities of Venus: Civil War (A skirmish-style game set 100 years in the future)
- Cities of Venus: Architects (A roll-and-write set 100 years in the past)
If people want to check out the universe, our plans, and our stories, they can go to CitiesofVenus.com.
Michael: Thank you to James Staley for sharing insights into SURVIVORS! It’s exciting to see a game that expands both gameplay and storytelling in such an immersive way. Wishing you the best as you continue to grow the Cities of Venus universe!
Cities of Venus: SURVIVORS – A Kickstarter campaign by TIN ROBOT GAMES
The Cities of Venus universe continues to evolve, and SURVIVORS is a testament to its depth and innovation. With its unique combination of dice manipulation, polyomino placement, and mech exploration, it offers a fresh experience while staying true to the core lore.
As Cities of Venus expands with upcoming titles like Civil War and Architects, fans can look forward to more immersive storytelling and innovative mechanics. If you’re ready to dive into this expanding sci-fi world, SURVIVORS is a must-play!
About Tin Robot Games
Tin Robot Games is the publisher of 7 successful board Game Kickstarters. The owner of Tin Robot Games, James Staley, is a designer, developer and the host and creator of the Board Game Binge Podcast, a short-format podcast dedicated to showcasing the personalities and professionals from across the board game/tabletop industry.
