Andrea “Liga” Ligabue: Cosa Bolle in Pentola ? #16 - Alessandro Zucchini

Hi gamers

for this interview I’m gone to catch Alessandro Zucchini, one of the new Italian’s game designers. Alessandro is not only from my town (Modena) but he is living just at the end of the road where my house is! A lot of time I have had (and, luckily, still have) the opportunity to play with him and play-test his games at Club TreEmme in Modena. But now I have to stop talking and let Alessandro say something ...

[Liga] Hi Alex! here we are probably for our first meeting far away from a game table. Please, tell us something about you!

[Alex] Hello Liga and hello to all. 
I am from Modena and I’m 41 years old, married, with two children and since my first day of life, I’ve always been crazy for game.  Thanks to this passion I never stopped playing games, although the studies, the work, the marriage and the sons.  I never missed my evening game-meeting with friends.  I passed from Subbuteo to traditional card games, from the RPG to the war-games until the recent discovery of German games, that primed myself the desire to invent games.  Desire that became reality, thanks to meeting with Carlo A. Rossi.  He encouraged mee in this adventure of ‘game designer’.  I published with daVinci Games (that I thank a lot) two games, Palatinus and Lucca Città (winner of the competition of Lucca 2004), I participated, entering in the top 10, to the prize Archimede 2004 with the game ‘ The Vikings’.  The past year with Carlo and Alfredo Berni, we constituted a company of game development, called Cogito Studio, recently integrated into StudioGiochi-Venice Connection

[Liga] Really a good visiting card for one that is few years involved in designing games. But now, cosa bolle in pentola ?

[Alex] The true news of 2006 is just the acquisition by Studiogiochi of ‘Cogito Studio’. With this operation we will try to increase the job of development of games, ours and from other Italian authors, with the hope to get published most possible and to consolidate the truth of the Italian game. I use consolidate in optimistic way, because, although the Italian market is modest, several Italian authors have demonstrated of being to the height of the German masters or Americans. My (first) experience in Nuremberg has confirmed me this impression, this esteem by the German market towards the Italian authors. Great merit of that must be attributed to Leo Colovini and Dario De Toffoli, authentic pioneers and experts of field.

[Liga] Great! I was hoping in some scoop and in some title ... anyway, projects for the future ?

[Alex] The future has begun in the sign of the union with Studiogiochi. As said before, we are working to various plans, some of which already to good level. The things to do are really a lot, unfortunately is time that lacks, since me and the others of ‘Cogito Studio’ have jobs. Personally the hope is that the adventure of game designer can be transformed in the future, in true job.

[Liga] I hope for you (and also for gamers) because I have seen you have a lot of good ideas. Finally, the 10 games you like to play most

[Alex] Here is the list of games that, beyond appealing to me, have marked important game moments in my life:

1- Subbuteo, the first real and deep passion for a game
2- Third Reich, the first real war game. Played really a lot of times
3- Auerstadt (clash of arms) one of the most beautiful games of the Napoleonic age
4- ASL. A true monument.
5- Paths of glory. the best mix between cards and war games
6- El grande! wonderful! El Castillo then.....
7- Tigris and the Euphrates. Knizia’s jewel
8- L’or des Dragons: simple and brilliant
9- Settlers (basic version played in 4). For me the best family game
10- DnD. I have intentionally left it for last because it deserves a speech to part. It is undoubtly the game that more than every other has made me spend moments of real enjoyment. I have always made the master and I wanna thanks all the persons who, since the 1983, have taken part to the endless game sessions.

[Liga] Thank you Alex. good play and good luck and we will meet again at TreEmme play-testing your games!

Next week ... Alfredo Genovese

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