A Beautiful Game

Us, bury the lead? Never! The Tak Kickstarter is live! But now that it’s unburied, we have opinions to opine.

Worldbuilders is a charity started by author Pat Rothfuss. We’re all on board with that, right? Those of us who work here are very passionate about Worldbuilders itself, as well as the programs and aid provided by our partners, Heifer International, Mercy Corps, and First Book, and all the awesome folks (like you, and all our sponsors in the list below) who support us.

While we usually downplay it, we’re also fans of Pat’s books. We’ve all (with one exception, *ahem**cough*MARIA*cough*) read and enjoyed the Kingkiller chronicles. Some of us casually, like Jeff, and some voraciously, like Amanda, who probably knows more about his books than Pat does. So let’s talk, one group of fans to another…

We love love LOVE it when something from Pat’s books makes it into the real world, like when Badali Jewelry designed Denna’s ring exactly as Pat imagined it. Or when Shire Post Mint made actual Cealdish currency we could hold in our hand. Or when James Ernest at Cheapass Games brought Pairs, an easy-to-learn, addicting pub game, out of the barroom at Anker’s and into our world complete with Kingkiller themes and rule variants.

James is at it again. The game Bredon teaches Kvothe while he’s staying on in Maer Alveron’s court is going to be a reality–the Tak Kickstarter is on!

In The Wise Man’s Fear, Kvothe describes Tak, a complex strategy game with a deceptively simple mechanic. Bredon is obsessed with it, focusing more on playing a “beautiful game” than actually winning (even though he always wins). For over a year now, James and Pat have been collaborating on bringing Tak to life exactly as it’s described in the book: simple, easy, and elegant, with a deep strategy element that provides a lifetime of enjoyment out of a truly beautiful game that fits into a coinpurse. You can play it on a 5×5 grid. You don’t even need a board.

Want to play it before you take a leap on the Kickstarter? You can download the rules from Cheapass Games and take it for a spin.

Want to see it in action? Watch Pat and James explain how it works (you know, after the ads):

We’re stoked. Amanda backed the Kickstarter as soon as it launched. As the Kickstarter goes on, there will be some sweet unlockable upgrades and stretch goals.

So. Big question: Are you ready for a beautiful game?