Update 8.0 The startups are launching!
about 2 years ago – Tue, Apr 26, 2022 at 10:03:54 PM

Hey everyone!

From the entire team at Grail Games we wanted to say thank you for being so supportive of Grail and specifically Silicon Valley! Because of all ______ backers, Silicon Valley is now a reality and we can’t thank you all enough!

If you haven’t done so be sure to vote for the BGG POLL of which cover you want to see!

We want to thank the BGG community for voicing their opinions and feedback and all of you in the comments, thank you for molding the game to what it is today! 

Don't forget the message shared with us by the designer of Silicon Valley himself, Scott Almes!

Scott also has been listening to everyone's feedback and has a new solution for the "too many points" win condition for 2 players! 

"10x" rule for Two Players:

In a two-player game, the 10x rule applies as an additional way to win. If at the end of a round, a player has over 10x the valuation of the player, then that player declares victory and the game ends early. For example, if player A has a valuation of 9M, and Player B has a valuation of 100M, then player B would be able to declare victory! But, Player B would not be able to declare if they only had 90M in valuation, as it has to be greater than the 10x multiplier.

 
What’s Next: 

We will work hard to get the pledge manager open where each backer will finalize their address and information and in the meantime, we’ll work on sending the files to print so we can get started on our fulfillment timeline! 

Thank you all again, we’ll see you soon! Have a great week!

Grail Games Team

Update 7.0 Pre Closing summary of stretch goals
about 2 years ago – Mon, Apr 25, 2022 at 08:37:24 PM

Hi everyone!

As Silicon Valley wraps up soon, we wanted to touch base and recap all we’ve unlocked, and the next steps for the campaign.

SG Summary

Over the course of the campaign, we have unlocked new employee artwork that’s unique and diverse. We have unlocked new project cards that will offer more variability. Some cosmetic upgrades have been made including spot UV and increased quality game boards as well as a double-layered solo board to make laying those cards down even smoother! Take a look at all we’ve unlocked for this campaign!

 Thank you all for helping us unlock all of what we had to offer for Silicon Valley! We will share more final production pieces as they arrive from the factory so stay tuned! 

- Grail Games 

UPDATE 6.0 Banknotes, ALL Stretch Goals UNLOCKED & Artist Chat with Kerri!
about 2 years ago – Sun, Apr 24, 2022 at 03:19:57 AM

Hey everyone!

For this update, we want to show you a closer look at the banknotes being designed by Kerri Aitken! We thought of the humor behind the “bitcoins” being actual coins, but the banknotes will have a feel to them that looks great on the table as well as easier to collect!

All stetch Goals unlocked !

We are very glad to announce that all our objectives are achieved thanks to you!

BGG Poll

Don’t forget to vote for which cover you want to see! Voting will be closed when the campaign ends :) Check it out below!

We had the opportunity to chat with Kerri Aitken, the artist for Silicon Valley, as well as other Grail titles such as The Gardens, Hibachi, and the Boomerang series! Check out our interview with Kerri below! 

I really love the rich colors and diversity this game's artwork has. What were your inspirations when it came to the cover for Silicon Valley?

• Stylistically, starting out with this project I looked to a lot of big tech illustrations for inspiration, a style often referred to as 'Corporate Memphis'. It's the flat, colorful, geometric aesthetic you always see tech companies like Google and Microsoft using. Love it or hate it, it's become nearly synonymous with the tech sector so I tried doing something reminiscent of that, blended with my own style of course. The idea for the box cover came from David, who suggested a young entrepreneur on her phone in front of a building. Diversity and inclusivity are so important, not just in games but in the workforce too, so I hoped to reflect that as well in the game's employees, especially since the real Silicon Valley has been notoriously lacking in this department. Bringing together diverse ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives should be absolutely vital in any creative industry!

I’m always fascinated by how many steps a lot of our community may not know goes into a final design. What is your favorite “step” when fulfilling a design for board game publishers?

• For me, the hardest part of the creative process is just starting out, the idea phase. Coming up with the overall look for everything and making sure it all meshes together cohesively is the biggest challenge, especially when there are so many parts, so I'd say that it's that moment when everything starts coming together and you can see a clear path forward and start working on the final art is probably my favorite part.

How long have you been designing and drawing and do you have any design tips for beginner artists?

• I've been drawing and doing art my entire life, and even as a young child, I knew I wanted to pursue it as a career, though it took a pretty long time to figure out exactly what I wanted to do. The only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted my art to be used in entertainment. When I first started college I majored in video game design, then later animation, then finally landed on doing illustration which I eventually got my degree in. Professionally I've been doing art for around 8 years or so, and even now it still feels like I have a long way to improve! If there’s any advice I have for beginners, it’s to just practice every day and don’t be afraid to fail. Mistakes are your greatest teacher. Just have fun and go for it!

That’s all for now, but we’ll be back soon with a pre-closing update as we near the end of the campaign!

Update 5.0 New art & Tips from Scott Almes
about 2 years ago – Tue, Apr 19, 2022 at 07:42:29 PM

Hello everyone !

Kerri is always so reactive and this is examples of what she sent us in her exploration of new designs for the game's employees! As you can see, we really want to focus on accessorization and even more diversity!

What better way to learn the game than to hear from the designer itself? 

Get ready for a serie of tips coming from our very own Scott Almes!

Update 4.0 Silicon Valley Stretch Goal Recap
about 2 years ago – Fri, Apr 15, 2022 at 03:03:08 PM

Hey everyone

Thank you for your continued support for Silicon Valley! Today's update is a recap on all the new items we’ve unlocked that will be featured in every Kickstarter copy of the game!

Here are all the unlocked Stretch goals

AND WE ARE NOT DONE YET!

Here’s a sneak peek at the next 2 stretch goals that are next in line to unlock!  Keep supporting

this campaign and sharing the page with your friends!

That’s all for now, but we’ll be back soon with another exciting update!