Interview: Tom Jolly

Unknown Stranger: Tom Jolly, of Jolly Games. This isn't really enough to make a living, so I also work at Lockheed as an electrical engineer. Games are great, but I also love puzzles, physics, propulsion systems, Mars, books, and lots of other stuff.

GG: Did you ever have a job before Gaming? What was it?

TJ: That would be Lockheed, where I've been for 15 years.

GG: I believe a list of your gaming industry creds will be required, kind sir!

TJ: Wiz-War, GOOTMU, Knots, Programmer's Nightmare, Villages, playtester for Roborally, ran a few conventions (with others, of course), and, of course, lots of games that haven't been published yet. But those don't count, do they?

GG: Not yet!

How did you come up with the idea for DISKWARS?

TJ: Funny you should ask. The idea of flipping disks for movement...I don't know what midnight pizza made me think of that...kind of obvious in retrospect, but most ideas are. The original game that I showed to FFG was called XenoPod, and each player had a group of Aliens that was their "Pod", with which to attack and eat all the other players. Lots of tokens and life-record keeping was involved. Christian liked the concept, tore its guts out and stuck it in his version of the game, with lots of very astute simplifications that made the game a lot more playable. My main input from there, along with critiquing and adding to the rules as he produced them, was to write about 100 of the disks from the first set and about 120 of the disks from the second set (he didn't use all the ones I wrote, to his credit...some of them were pretty lame).

GG: Diskwars rocks, and I thank you for coming up with the idea, but WIZ WAR was--and still is-- a fabulous game. Any chance of it making a comeback, maybe with the help of Fantasy Flight Games?

TJ: Chessex just bought the rights again, after their first 10 year contract expired. They still intend to do a deluxe version with real playing cards, along with finally printing the 1st and 2nd expansions, and introducing a 3rd. FFG does have one of my other games, tentatively "Dragon's Vault", that they will probably get out by Christmas. I consider it one of my best efforts. My criteria for a "good design" is one that I can play 50 times and still enjoy. This is one of them.

GG: What great news! WIZ WAR is making a comeback! Hoody Hoo!

How did SPAM (the lunchmeat of kings) become invented?

TJ: Is that a game?

GG: No.

TJ: Unless you're talking about the canned food, in which case I don't have a clue.

GG: That's what I am talking about. Give a wild guess!

TJ: Doesn't it stand for "Some Parts Are Meat?". (oddly, however, I love the stuff, especially mixed with scrambled eggs, or better yet, on a grilled cheese sandwich).

GG: YUCK!

What's the best thing about this Gaming Industry?

TJ: "This" as opposed to some other one? How many are there?

GG: Sorry, I lapsed into Southern Speak--won't happen again.

TJ: I think the best thing about the current state of the industry is that there is a big flux of German games coming into the market, and quite a few American games going over there. The Germans have a totally different idea about what makes a "good game", but there sure are some great ones coming out of Deutschland.

There's a much more international market for games than there ever has been, so there's also a great transfer of ideas happening. I think a lot of good, new gaming concepts are going to come out of that.

GG: What's the worst thing about the Real World?

TJ: Politicians and the idea that they think they know what's best for everyone, and the fact most elections are won by whoever has the most money. Okay...maybe that's not the worst, but it's near the top of the list.

Generally, I think the world is great...but I also believe that everyone pretty much controls their own life, or should be allowed to.

GG: What's your favorite game?

TJ: Ooooo....tough question. "Top Ten" might be easier. Depends on what I'm in the mood for; Risk, Pinochle, Set, Boggle..yeah, Boggle is probably my favorite.

GG: Which is better--Pizza or Spaghetti?

TJ: Pizza.

GG: Time for a Food Fight--CELEBRITY DEATHMATCH style!

Waiting in the ring is Chris Adams, writer of the CONTINUUM RPG! his opponent is none other than JEFF DIAMOND of the ORBIT RPG!

Only one will leave the ring...and the other will leave the ring after being declared the victor, but who will it be, and how?

TJ: Huh? Unfortunately, the extent of my RPG knowledge stops at AD&D, GURPS, and TFT. And maybe Cthulhu and Paranoia. I'm unfamiliar with Chris or Jeff (Sorry), so I guess they'd just mutually self-destruct With identical Attack/Defend/Toughness Stats.

GG: Cool!

DISKWARS is here to stay--my evidence is the forthcoming Star Trek: RED ALERT--so what's next for this phenomenon?

TJ: I haven't mentioned it to Chris yet, but I'm working on...oh, I probably shouldn't say...hmmmm...but it is based on DiskWars-type movement, and has asteroids. Don't know what else Christian has planned.

GG: Any last words before I sent you back to the DISKWARS universe?

TJ: Nope.

GG: Thanks so much for your time!

TJ: You're welcome.