Name:
Justin Gary
Social Media:
Twitter – @Justin_Gary
Age:
32
Family:
3 Brothers, 2 Sisters
Education:
Dartmouth College- BA in Philosophy
What would you say…you do here?:
Whatever needs doing! I love working on designing new games like Ascension and Solforge, though these days I spend a lot of time on the logistics and business side of running a game company.
Started working at Stone Blade:
I crossed the blurry line between being unemployed thinking of game ideas and starting a company about 3 years ago
Previous job(s):
Game Designer and Brand Manager at Upper Deck Entertainment. I lead designed the Vs. System Infinite Crisis Expansion and the World of Warcraft Miniatures game. Prior to that I was in law school for one year before quitting to become a game designer. This was likely the best decision I ever made.
How you got your job here:
It is easy to get a job when you found the company. Convincing other people to come along was the tricky part.
Favorite part of your job:
I absolutely love working with really talented people to make awesome games. Coming into work every day I continue to be amazed at how great a team we have both in terms of talent and attitude. As far as parts of the job in particular, I most love the initial engine design on a brand new game and when you first get to watch players enjoy a finished product.
Non-Stone Blade Games you play:
Magic: the Gathering; Civilization; I tend to sample a lot of games (most recently Walking Dead and Bard’s Tale on iPad) but most of my time is spent playing Stone Blade games and Magic.
Favorite SolForge Faction and why:
I like the Alloyin. I’ve always loved the idea of a tech based faction in a fantasy world (as you can see with the Mechana in Ascension). In addition, the Alloyin play around with some of the core resources of the game (leveling cards, bonus card plays, etc.)and my style as a player always favored finding ways to get bonus resources and “cheat” the restrictions of the game.
How you spend your spare time:
What is this “spare time” thing you speak of? 
If I’m not working on games, then I’m probably at the gym, listening to music, or spending time with friends and family.
Something you want SolForge fans to know:
SolForge is the culmination of lifetime playing and developing games. Working with Richard Garfield and the rest of the team here has been a dream come true and I can’t wait to unveil all the new card ideas and features we have planned. The only thing I may be more excited about is the next game we’ve begun brewing up for 2015…
How much of a role does the computer play when you design games? Do you run simulations with different parameters or do you rely on personal feel?
Personally as a TCG addict, I find it refreshing to have a good looking DCG come out. Keep up the awesome work!!
Tristan- we do a lot of testing based on our own experiences and feel. Equations and simulations help inform the process, but game design is really more art than science. At the end of the day, our job is to create the best possible experience for our players.
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