Mississippi Monday | Feudum Board Game!
Today for Mississippi Monday we are so excited to bring you Feudum Board Game! Feudum is a collaboration of dreams between a Missouri college professor and a Mississippi illustrator! Five years ago, Mark Swanson was in an ice cream shop and saw a band poster illustrated by Justin Schultz. The drawings on the poster were the exact style he had envisioned for his board game! Creating a board game was a dream Mark had always wanted and now, that dream has come alive! See images below plus our interview with the creator and designer, Mark and Justin!
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What are your goals for your business/brand? Mark: Odd Bird wants to be known for making beautiful and atypical games with unique and elegant mechanics. This doesn’t mean ignoring cherished mechanics like resource management, area control or worker placement! But it does mean spicing things up with a dash of unusual, a pinch of the unexpected and a whole heaping of odd. What is your background? Mark: I am a life-long lover of games and a Professor of Strategic Communication at the Missouri School of Journalism. I am also the father of 3 splendidly precocious daughters. I have worked in the advertising industry most of my life. 
Where do you find inspiration? Mark: Inspiration can come from anywhere. A random thought, a beautiful picture, a green field. Often from art and literature including, books, movies, cartoons! Sometimes inspiration works like osmosis. Ideas creep into your mind through a backdoor. The more games you play, the more ideas begin to percolate. What do you like to do when you aren't "at the office"? Mark: Spend time with my three daughters! We like to goof off. Play minecraft. Watch Adventure Time (the cartoon). 
Justin, what are some of the reasons you call Mississippi home? Mark, what are some of the things you like about Mississippi (any particular places you visited, foods you ate, people you met, neighborhoods/landscapes)? Mark: The first time I visited, Justin introduced me to many of his friends in the artist community at one of Josh Hailey's Photamerica shows, followed by a tour of Midtown. We also had a drink at the Library at the Fairview Inn followed by Fondren Public! Justin: It was a whirlwind night! One of those classic Jackson nights when you get to see a lot of your friends in different places! That's one of my favorite parts about Jackson! 
How do you think what you are doing is helping to shape your community, as well as the image of Mississippi? Justin: Working on a board game is one of those projects that feels really special. It's one of those rare objects that actually brings positivity AND connection. It can bring people together. It allows people to lose themselves in a hectic world, flex their mind-muscles and have some fun! So hopefully it will only reflect positively on Mississippi. Are there any upcoming events, promotions, etc. that you'd like readers to know about? (e.g. your Kickstarter) The campaign ends at midnight on December 15th. Every week more and more “stretch goals” are unlocked that add extra goodies to the game like foil-stamped cards, specially carved pieces and other components that typically upgrade or add to the components in the game. 
How cool and awesome are these two dudes??! We can not wait to play Feudum!! Game night ASAP (including wine)!
Want to find out more about Feudum?
Follow along on their Kickstarter journey below!
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