Board games have become more and more popular recently, with businesses such as the Meeples and Milkshakes Board Game Cafe opening in Penticton, but a Kickstarter campaign hopes to put the nearby Naramata Bench wine region on the map. So to speak.
Naramata: A Game of Wine & Tourism invites players to take on the role of tour guide with the ultimate goal of making wine tourists happy explorers over a "virtual" three days of exploring this area of British Columbia wine country.
It's already almost halfway to its Kickstarter funding goal and if all goes well, game developer Chris Dias of Dias Ex Machina will be able to raise a glass or two in the summer of 2021, and officially toast its launch.
A former restaurant reviewer, Chris has judged chef competitions and made some interesting connections in the worlds of cuisine (check him out cooking, virtually, with Bob Blumer), so combining his wordsmithing and creativity with gaming, coupled with visits to BC wine country in 2014 and 2015 from his home in Prince George, led him down the road to Naramata -- and on one trip, to 60 wineries in eight days.
The game itself is described as "a medium-complexity board game involving point-to-point movement, set collection, time tracks, and variable player powers. Players will move across a game board representing an exaggerated depiction of the Naramata region, stopping at wineries to complete various actions to satisfy the tourists attached to their vehicle."
Board games that combine design and art with a real-life scenario attract much attention on Kickstarter, says Chris, who not only is building a wine collection, but has collected 250 board games himself.
"Naramata is associated with wine more than other regions," says Chris. "There are drinking games, and games about running a winery, but this is different."
Two dozen wineries are on board -- literally on the board game -- and the response has been enthusiastic. There's even a pledge option on Kickstarter to put yourself on a card.
We've all been invited to be virtual tourists this year, but soon this game will allow players to explore the Naramata Bench as a wine drinker or tour guide, from the comfort of home. Hopefully with as glass of wine in hand.
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