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Kefka’s Tower is beside Swastika Public School

11/28/2016

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We were all born to create. And sometimes, the fuel for our creative mind may not even be noticed until years later, until new beginnings remind us of who we are all over again. More and more, my twin boys remind me of who I was before and during elementary school, where I went to a wonderful place of learning called Swastika Public School in the small town of Swastika, Ontario. 
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I remember this sign well, having passed it so many times.
​Yes, that’s actually the name of the town where I spent my youngest years. It’s an old mining town founded before its name would raise any eyebrows. While I haven’t been there in years, I’ve come to realize just how much growing up there has meant to me.
Let me say it straight: Swastika Public School was an amazing place to learn and play. ​
I know that playground games are an essential part of childhood, and at this small northern school, I had some unique opportunities. And like most Canadian stories, it all started with Hockey. 
Why? Probably because Northern Ontario is cold. I mean really cold. It was -50 on some days, so moving was the only way to keep even close to warm, even with double socks, double-toque, long underwear AND snowpants, well, you get the picture. 
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Rink boards went up every year, and hockey was essential to life.
Every kid got to be Staypuff Marshmallow Man ... in the colour scheme of their (parents’) choice. ​So, everyone played hockey, or froze. But there was much more than hockey, otherwise this wouldn’t be much of a story, now, would it?
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No caption necessary.
I’m still amazed to this day how well-equipped our school was. We had cutting-edge computers called the Unisys Icon, with all kinds of games. And a brand new playground with what felt like, at the time, such a perfect setup to imagine just about anything. Especially with such a well-connected structure, the way the elements worked together was either brilliant design, or an amazing fluke. 
This wasn’t just “Swas”, it was Kefka’s Tower and Runefaust and all kinds of other places. ​
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See the resemblance? Maybe you had to be there at the time.
​This probably sounds quite silly now, but put yourself in 8-year-old-you’s shoes. Wasn’t it just that much more fun to run and jump around when there was an exciting reason to do so?
If you have kids, you definitely know what I’m talking about – and especially for boys, bringing superheroes to life – i.e. pretending to be these fictional characters in all kinds of crossover battles (long before Hollywood figured out this would be fun), and of course, arguing over who was stronger. 
I was definitely outnumbered – but enjoyed it all the same. And years later, of course, I realize my friends were right. If you guys are reading this - I finally admit it!
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Shadow from Final Fantasy III (now called 6), and Balbazak from Shining Force.
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My favourite.
​And I think this is really where my passion for games began. Telling friends about new characters we found in our favourite games, and the arguments that ensued, was the start of what made me care about all the little details that brought these worlds to life. 
So in a sense, it wasn’t just Shining Force, my favourite game of all time, that inspired me to create Stratos. It was all the imagining and arguing and running and jumping and horseplay in those worlds that made it matter so much. 
​We were all made to create – and I really do hope you are doing some creating too, no matter how close or far you are now from where you grew up. Because no matter what we tell ourselves about who we think we are, our past selves are always a part of us. So whenever I’m in a creative rut, I try to remember why I’m doing this in the first place. 
How about you? Where did you grow up, and how did it inspire you to your calling? Tell me about what you love most and why it’s a part of your creative life. 
Sincerely, 
Jacob Chodoriwsky
Stratos Lead Designer, from Swastika, Ontario, Canada

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Dungeons and potholes: growing up (and leveling up) in sudbury, ontario

6/10/2016

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I grew up in a meteor crater full of dungeons and treasure. While there are no dragons there, the moose are every bit as fierce. Just try negotiating with one and you'll see what I mean.
Surprisingly, I hadn't really thought of Sudbury in these terms until recently, It was always just "home" to me, even after having moved away.  ​​
a Nickel Mine in Sudbury - Image Credits: City of Sudbury
Dungeon! Actually, it's a mine.

Creative Beginnings at Laurentian University

And yet, life in Sudbury gave me the space in-between other happenings. It sure feels like this time and space between events is where the creative spark most easily comes into being. 
The professors at Laurentian University always seemed, to me, to have a real intuitive understanding of the need to balance challenge with just enough time for reflection. Looking back on it now, I have come to really appreciate this measured approach, and it was during my time there that Stratos came to be.
Laurentian Sudbury Campus - Image Credit: Laurentian University
Laurentian University: not a dungeon, although it does have some spooky hallways.

Magic, Heroes, and Pickup Basketball

Co-designer David Gundrum and I both grew up here for a significant period in our lives. A bunch of us played pickup basketball at every available opportunity, and when we weren't doing that, we dove into our favourite games of the time that captured our collective imaginations.
Magic: the Gathering and Heroes of Might and Magic III were the top games of choice among our friends on Friday nights. 
Both of us loved the sense of adventure and surprise in Heroes III, along with the finely-tuned balance that kept everything tight and fair. ​
Heroes of Might and Magic III - Image Credit: Gamespot.com
Heroes III is a true classic.

From Creative Play to Something More

There was a definite thirst for more creative play, which is where Magic came in. We'd spend hours every weekend engrossed in figuring out new decks and new ways to use cards together for combos.
Jacob, K., and David at London Comic Con 2015. Image Credit: random bystander number 3651
Jacob, David, and an awesome Stratos fan.
And yet, no matter how creative we got within other games, it never really seemed to be quite enough as a full creative outlet. The dream of making our own tactical RPG stayed with us for as long as we can remember, but it was during our time in Sudbury that we followed through on the idea and first created, prototyped, and tested Stratos.

Reflections and the Irony of our Story

One can't help but enjoy the irony of having created an RPG-inspired board game in such a place. It has dungeons (mines), treasures (like The Big Nickel), and even traps (potholes)!
Beautiful Big Nickel - Image Credit Flickr User DeaShoot
The Big Nickel counts as treasure, right?
As we reflect upon our journey 10 years later, our number one observation is that creative ideas best emerge when we are fully present.
Thank you, Sudbury, for all you have given us. From our creative beginnings to having our game on the (reserve) shelf at Let's Scrabbalatte Board Game Cafe since the prototype days and more, we are proud to call Sudbury home. 
Interestingly enough, it now feels like our creative journey is really just beginning. Who's with us?
Lawrence and Erik at Scrabbalatte - Image Credits: Sudbury.com
Lawrence and Erik, owners of Scrabbalatte, try to recreate the Superstack out of Jenga blocks.
Sincerely, 
Jacob Chodoriwsky and David Gundrum
Original Co-Designers of Stratos

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    Author

    Jacob Chodoriwsky is the lead designer of Stratos and CEO/Co-Founder of Board and Tale Games Inc. He lives in Hamilton, ON with his wife Rebecca and twin sons Zechariah and Elijah.

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