In the beginning there was just a chaos of random Submission techniques.
There were all the standard guard, sweep, takedown, passes and control position cards – Lets not forget the Scramble cards so intergral to keeping play fluid.
Lets be honest it wasn’t Jiu-Jitsu but it was a start.
After many months of play, feed back and pitching the game to higher powers in the Tabletop world the feed back was clear – there needed to be more strategy elements to the game play, graphics needed an upgrade and there needed to be a clearer communication of structure in the game.
So that’s what I did, I rejigged the whole structure of the game to more closely emulate actual jiujitsu technique progression.
The Core Deck 72 cards represents White belt 9 The most basic level) and is enough of a game to satisfy most everyday players looking for a new fun game.
It doesn’t stop there as this represents a base that can be built upon with Blue, Purple, Brown and Black Belt expansions to come out over the next 12-18 months. Hmmmmm curious…
Flow Icons act to reward players for putting together organised attacks by giving cumilative strength to linked sequences using the matching Flow icons ( these function as a suit to strengthen play) The more flow icons played in linked sequences the stronger the attack. This tops out at a 10 strength attack for now when 4 of a kind is played in sequence. This power of attack will increase with the increase of skill level as the expansions add another layer to the game.
I also spent 12 months trying to teach myself how to use an ipad pro and Procreate app to make the game look the way I wished it could the first time around. If it were not for the idiot friendly Procreate and copious youtube tutorials I never would have got this thing to where it is now.
As a young impressionable kid who came up on TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Mario Bros and Street Fighter I really wanted my game to have some video game feels- and ultimately I will strive to see it realised in a digital form.
Remaking the game gave me a chance to think about how people learn jiu-jitsu and possibly how they are not being taught conceptually in the best way. Everyone learns differently but I believe if you have young children one of the best ways to teach them is through games.
BJJ is one of the hardest things to teach to adults let alone small kids but bearing that in mind with each expansion of JiuGo there is a gradual layering of technique and position just like you would teach a syllabus but it can be applied and learned in a gamified structure that rewards actual jiu-jitsu sequencing. The Flow icon Sequences are representative of actual movement sequences that occur on the mat in rolling, this enables someone to learn all the conceptual linking and combos that can be hard to decipher when you are having your chest crushed while being choked.
I know this is only the beginning and that there is much iterating to come but honestly I believe this could be a truly great game and can serve as a tool for Brazilian Jiu-jitsu advocacy. If people start jiu-jitsu because they played Jiugo then I will be happy with that. Let the games begin…
JT
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