Q & A session with the creator of Telepathy

Question: When did you start to become creative?

Answer: When I was growing up, I had two older sisters. When I was in grade school they were in college, so I had to find ways to amuse myself since I had no one to play with. So I just started creating different ways to amuse myself when I was alone.

Question: What kind of a student were you?

Answer: Just average, I think I had a slight case of ADD back then. Of course there was no name back then for those who had a short attention span. I had a hard time listening to teachers. I always wanted to do something else while the teachers were lecturing. I remember playing games in class – piggly, ghost, penny football, pencil hockey. I always preferred having fun instead of studying.

Question: So how did the game Telepathy happen?

Answer: It started on Christmas day of 2007. One of my friends gave me a board game for a present. I set the game up and just stared at it for about five minutes. Then I told myself that I could do something like this. For the next several weeks I created about six games but after trying a couple on my friends, they weren’t impressed. One night while watching TV, I came up with this game involving colors and shapes on a board. I had a friend who was a math major and he created the board that I wanted. I started to try out the game on anybody that I ran into. I got some positive response and several asked if I was going to market the game. By the end of March I decided to go for it. Through a friend of a friend, I found Funhub Creative, who guided me through the whole process from beginning to end. We started in May and the units were in my possession in November.

Question: What did you do before entering the games business?

Answer: I was in the banking business for almost thirty years with the last fifteen in upper management. I retired in 2003. Before that I graduated with a business degree from the University of Washington in the early 1970’s.

Question: Is there anything else about you that some people don’t know about. Any interest in other subjects or any hidden talents?

Answer: I’m somewhat musically inclined. I can write music and I can play by ear. I tried getting some music published in the early 1980’s.

Question: I heard that’s a hard field to get into?

Answer: Yes. I got a few nibbles on my songs, but nothing was ever published. I think if I would have taken some intensive music courses in Southern California, I would have had a better shot at it.

Question: I wouldn’t know where to begin trying to write a song let along try to play by ear?

Answer: Many people can’t even grasp the concept of writing music or playing by ear. I feel very privileged to be able to do that.

Question: What other hobbies do you have?

Answer: My biggest hobby is sportscards. I started that in the mid 1980’s after I stopped writing music and I’m still involved in it. It was a lot of fun back then and still holds my interest.

Question: What’s next for LMD Enterprises?

Answer: I have a final prototype for a deluxe version of Telepathy. I’m also working on a single version of Telepathy where one person can play or a group of people can play. If you have eight game boards you can have eight people play at once. But we’ll have to see how Telepathy does before I decide to go forward on the next generation of Telepathy. I have some other games in the works and my five year plan is to produce one game a year for the next five years.

Question: I played Telepathy and I like the game because it makes you think. This would be great for the AARP market.

Answer: Frankly, I will be trying to penetrate that market. I can visualize some of these active retirement centers having a weekly Telepathy night to enjoy the game and keep their minds sharp.

Question: Is there anything else you wish to add?

Answer: A lot of people helped me along the way and here are some people I would like to acknowledge:

• Funhub Creative – many thanks to Brian, Jim, Karen and Steve for guiding me through the whole process from start to finish.
• Jason Barber – math major who helped me develop the grid and spent many hours on prototypes for many of my games.
• John Arima – longtime friend who loves playing games and consulted with me in my development of games.
• Gordon Fong, Alison Shigaki, Enrico DiSalvo and Krista Ann Kelly – game tester enthusiasts who contributed greatly with candid feedback.
• Jamie Marra – it was through his friend that I found Funhub. If I had to pick the biggest fan of Telepathy, Jamie would be that person.

Question: Derek I wish you luck on Telepathy and any future games that you produce.

Answer: Thank you.

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