"The game had to be beautiful as well as fun to play. People should get enjoyment just by taking it out of the box."

In a London flat, graphic designer Ken Duffield listened as Cinematique’s creators described their game and stressed the importance of the game’s design. By the time he left the meeting, he knew he was faced with a unique opportunity to exercise his creative skills. Back in the flat, the creators felt relieved that they had found a designer who could not only translate their vision, but bring a vision of his own to the game’s design. The melding of those visions has resulted in a game that is truly a piece of Art.

Some early decisions were made which directed the development of the design:

• The design had to avoid the usual cliches, such as film cameras, film reels, clapper boards and other over-used film symbols.
• The design had to be derived from Art Deco but it had to be a strong, contemporary interpretation of Art Deco.
• The core design elements had to reinforce the fundamental concept of the game that film is as much about shared experience and memory as it is about plot and visuals.

Ken has guided every aspect of the game’s design, from translating the creators’ crude sketches into recognisable figures, to undertaking the packaging design and overseeing the whole of the production process. Cinematique would not be the game it is without the creators’ belief in the importance of the design, nor without Ken’s creativity and dedication.

We have detailed some of the key decisions and elements which have made Cinematique not only a game to enjoy but also a pleasure to look at.