Joe and Amy Alton are, by profession, a doctor and nurse practitioner who happen to be husband and wife. Lifelong board game enthusiasts, they are also specialists in disaster medical preparedness. As authors of the #1 Amazon bestseller in Survival Skills and Safety/First Aid “The Survival Medicine Handbook”, they have spoken in the U.S. and Europe on the topic of survival at numerous conferences and host a weekly podcast on all things survival on Blogtalk radio.
Their articles has been featured in leading survival magazines like Survival Quarterly, Survivalist, Self-Reliance Illustrated, and Backwoods Home, and their website at www.doomandbloom.net is one of the top survival websites on the internet. They are regular guests on radio and TV and have been featured in magazines from Mother Jones to Fortune. They have even been mentioned as “the real deal” in survival medicine in both non-fiction books (“The Simple Survival Smart Book” and “MAGS: The People Part of Prepping”) and apocalyptic fiction (“Expatriates” by James Wesley, Rawles).
Their online game experience goes all the way back to Ultima Online in the 1990s, and they are inveterate Magic the Gathering fans. They are thrilled to be able to combine their two passions, board games and survival preparedness, in one product that is both fun and challenging.
Jesse Stortini is a top Magic the Gathering Online player and has hosted his own gaming podcast. He is involved in various developing game projects and is proud to contribute to many of the game dynamic elements of Doom and Bloom™’s Survival!
ARTIST
Kurt Miller, our artist, graduated from Maryland Institute College of Art with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Visual Communication and with an Award of Merit for Outstanding Achievement in Illustration. He has been in the visual communication field since 1990, going back to the days before the 3D generation; 8 of those years Kurt spent illustrating in the gaming entertainment industry.
As an in house Lead Illustrator for Avalon Hill he was allowed full control to illustrate entire board game packages. His career has led him down many paths but none as rewarding as visual illustration. Later Kurt ventured into the computer world and went on board with a computer game company, Talonsoft. There he picked up on many types of software and developed some award winning titles. Computers and various programs have provided the tools to create unique visual perspectives, which help propel his clients to new levels of creative statement. His ability to conceptualize for these clients is highly regarded and allows them to focus on the written message while he explores the visual content.
He’s quite proud of the relationships he has developed over the years working with talented directors and marketing professionals who know the path to success. Computers give each of us instant access to an industry of resources which empower us to create beyond our own imaginations. Currently Kurt is a full time freelance Illustrator as the owner of KMI Studio, LLC in the town of York, Pennsylvania, and has recently been named Artist Guest of Honor for LibertyCon 27 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Kurt’s portfolio and list of (many) awards can be viewed at www.kmistudio.com
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Josh Cappel is a graphic designer and illustrator whose work has been featured in dozens of board and card games. (Including the award-winning Pandemic, Belfort, Endeavor, Wasabi, and 1960: The Making of the President.) His style is eclectic, varying from project to project according to the visual needs of the game. The most consistent feature of his work is that the visual design promotes clarity of understanding for the players; in board games form is function. Josh designs games so that their physical appearance makes the game easier to learn; smoother to play; and more immersive for the players, all resulting in a better gameplay experience in a beautiful package.
BACKSTORY
It’s the near future, and a SuperFlu which started in Asia rapidly spread to the rest of the world thanks to the miracle of air travel. When it arrived in your area, it hit it hard. 97% of the population succumbed to the virus and society completely destabilized. The “lucky” few who survived found themselves having to contend with a world in ruins. The grid is down and it all comes down to who was prepared and who can lead their people to safe haven. The lead characters all have some supplies based on their pre-apocalyptic professions, but they know they can’t make it on their own. They’ll search for more assets, more survivors, and a place where they can start over.
They’re not alone out there. Large areas are controlled by survivors who went to the dark side. These are the raiders, and they’ll attack anyone who ventures into their territory. This is bad, because you’re likely to run into them on your travels. There are mountains and rivers to cross, and supplies to be obtained in areas where no one survived.
Will you be the one that can stock up on resources, fight off attackers, scout locations, and find shelter before anyone else can? If you are, you have mastered Doom and Bloom™’s Survival!