60 Second Interview: Peter-Jan van der Veek & Robin Stokkel

Following a holiday which involved walking the 100+ miles of the West Highland way, Robin and Peter Jan were inspired to create the Monsters of Loch Lomond. We at Kaioss Games love this game and of course being based in Scotland we just had to grill the guys behind the game.

Was there a specific game or type of game that inspired you to get into game creation?

I think our origin story is as follows: The publisher for Monsters of Loch Lomond is Key Card Games. This is owned by us, Robin and Peter Jan. We both share a strong passion for hiking. During our summer trip in 2022, we tackled the famous West Highland Way, a 100-mile hiking trail that starts in Glasgow and ends in the Scottish Highlands. The beauty of Loch Lomond left an indelible mark on us and in a traditional inn by the lake, we came up with the idea of creating a card game that would capture the wild landscape and legendary stories surrounding the mystic Loch Lomond. That’s how our first successful game, Monsters of Loch Lomond, came to life.

What’s the thing you love most about being a game designer?

I love how it provides an outlet for creativity. Having the mind of a game designer ensures you get inspired all the time, by all kinds of things you see or encounter in daily life. It could be a film or it could be another game that you’ve played. It could all serve as inspiration for your next game.

What has been your most challenging project and why?

Monsters of Loch Lomond was our first project. We decided to go the crowdfunding route and publish it ourselves. All of this was very challenging, since we had to figure out everything: from how to do graphic design for the game, how to write and structure proper rules, how to market a crowdfunding campaign, how it works with distribution and retail, how it works with localisation partners, and many many other things.

If you could have been responsible for any game, what would it have been?

Not sure which one, but I’d love to create a cooperative TCG some time.

Are there any upcoming or new releases that you are excited about?

I am personally working on a new game called River Rats. It’s my only focus at the moment, so I am very excited that we’re almost there and it will soon be launching on Kickstarter. 

What snack should always be by the gaming table?

I’m a sucker for crisps. Any flavour, really.

Are you a Dungeon Crawler, Resource Hoarder or a Deck Builder?

I am definitely a deck builder. I have been playing Magic the Gathering for a long time, so crafting decks is something I really enjoy.

What was your favourite game growing up?

Klaverjassen and Canasta (both can be played with a deck of playing cards).

Which game brings out your competitiveness the most?

Poker probably. Cause the stakes can really get to you!

If you got stuck on a desert island with a few friends, what’s the one game you’d love to wash up on shore.

Well probably a large campaign-based game, which takes 100s of hours to play and finish. It must have a lot of player interaction though! But I generally never play such games. 

Monsters of Loch Lomond is the first game from Robin & Peter Jan. Get your copy from Kaioss Games today!