September 29, 2019 – Carbondale, IL –  Hailey Winkleman, a student at SIU Carbondale, is proud to announce that she launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the production of her card game Good Gods! on September 28, 2019. The campaign will run through October 27.

Developed during a Graphic Design I class with Professor Aaron Scott, the game’s style and mechanics are based on ancient Greek art, architecture, and mythology. Players act as one of six of the Greek pantheon of gods including Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera, and they collect resource cards to build temples and place offerings inside. Due to the subject matter, the artwork is heavily inspired by real ancient art objects, structures, and everyday use items.

“I’m both a Communication Design and Art History major at SIUC, and I wanted to combine these two passions into one project,” said Winkleman, regarding the class assignment. “When I started brainstorming, finding inspiration in Greek art and mythology just made sense.”

A focus of the game is that it is easy to learn and fun for all ages.

“I feel that kids are really interested in mythology, but there aren’t a lot of games out there that are appropriate for younger players,” said Winkleman. “This game is easy enough for kids to pick up quickly, and it’s absolutely a blast with older players, as well.”

To test the game and prepare it for launch, the SIU Classics Club repeatedly played Good Gods! over the past year. The club is advised by Dr. Mont Allen, an associate professor in Art History and Classics at SIU.

“We invited [Hailey] to give a preliminary half-hour PowerPoint presentation on the game’s development process and design decisions, and then teach us the rules,” said Allen about the first play session with the club. “It was a SMASHING success…and then we began playing…which yielded two hours of raucous, impassioned, intensely involved play. This thing has GOT to be Kickstarted!”

Winkleman thanks everyone who has supported her along the way and those that will support her during the next month. For more information or to support Goods Gods! on Kickstarter, please visit www.goodgods.info.