by Ferran Renalias Zueras

Hi, everyone! We are David Bernal and Ferran Renalias, the designers of Kilauea, our new game published by Combo Games.

Kilauea is the result of ideas we've been refining and shaping over time, and today we want to share some of the changes and decisions that have defined its design.

An Unexpected Message

Ferran: I met David at a Protos y Tipos event many years ago, and from the start, he struck me as a serious and intelligent person with a crystal-clear vision when it came to designing games. Moreover, I loved the games of his that I had played: Petris (a minority control game), Tholos (a simple, yet elegant two-player abstract game), and Salton Sea (which I had the honor of playtesting and of which I remain one of its biggest fans).

I have always enjoyed designing in a team, so I try to start projects with different people. I thought, "David could be a great option to create something cool together." So...

David: When Ferran wrote to me in August 2022, I thought it was a joke. I know he is used to co-designing, but for me, it was something new, and I wasn't sure whether I could really do it. His proposal was straightforward: a board game with simple rules, agile gameplay, a stacking disc mechanism, and, if possible, direct player interaction.

We had known each other for a while, had tested our prototypes together, and knew what we liked, so I thought...why not?

Finding a Theme

Ferran: From the beginning, we wanted to find a thematic foundation that would help us shape the game. We considered ideas such as pagodas, dolmens, pyramids, and obelisks, looking for a concept that could serve as a starting point to define the game's actions and mechanisms.

David: Establishing the first ideas for a game is always challenging. We spent a lot of time exploring different possibilities until, little by little, we found something that excited us: the construction of a series of pagodas. The mechanisms started to take shape with a pawn moving around the board, collecting materials from different forests to carry out the construction.

First sketches of the game: a board with five distinct areas, a rondel where a pawn moves, and various locations to gather resources
Building the Structure

David: During the 2022 holiday season, the project gained new momentum. We began considering the possibility of including personal boards with different markers that would function as a scoring system. For me, understanding how to win in a game is fundamental; once that aspect is resolved, many other mechanisms fall into place naturally. Until that point, the scoring system wasn't clear, but the ideas were starting to take shape.


Ferran: By February 2023, we had something playable. The pagodas of different colors were stacked on the central board, which was divided into six areas. Meanwhile, on the personal board, these spaces were reduced to five, allowing for play with four colors. In my mind, the mantra 4-5-6 kept resonating, creating an instability that, in turn, generated movement and tension in the game.

David and I worked as a team, each focusing on different aspects of the game, with complementary visions that enriched the design.

4-5-6 in progress!
The Breakthrough at Protos y Tipos

Ferran: And so March arrived, the month of the most important in-person prototype event: Protos y Tipos. It was there that David and I were able to meet and physically work on the game together. Although we usually create prototypes using Tabletop Simulator, those three days in person made a huge difference, and progress was much faster.

David: A key idea emerged: a pentagonal quarry from which players could obtain resources, materialized in a secondary board parallel to the main game board. With this, the 4-5-6 concept was discarded as the new approach was much more fluid and cohesive.

Naturally, after a couple of iterations, everything merged into a single board, with the quarries surrounding the main rondel, along with improvements to the personal boards...yet I still had a nagging thought in the back of my mind, searching for ways to refine the scoring system and game flow.

Ferran: It was inevitable that tiles with special actions or abilities would soon appear as I love playing with asymmetry and variability. Additionally, the different quarries around the main rondel could have different configurations in each game, adding even more replayability and dynamism.

The additional pentagonal quarry next to the game board
First configurations of the quarry around the main board
The game is starting to look like the final version!
Last prototype before signing the game.
Lots of Combos & Lots of Games

Ferran: After many playtests, changes, and trials, in the summer of 2023, we had our first contact with Combo Games. We were grateful to Antonio and Kortes, two of their members, as they had been tireless playtesters for several of our games: Lacrimosa, 1998 ISS, Salton Sea...

David: Although we had known each other for a while, the publisher was still forming, and we had never had an author-publisher relationship. They were already familiar with the game from previous playtests, which encouraged them to try it out in a more professional setting. The decision to work with them was clear, and we made it without hesitation.

The game was officially signed in March 2024, and the final development process was left in the hands of the publisher.

Surrounded by the Combo team — there was no escape! (David is third from left, Ferran fourth)
Editorial Development — That Great Friend Who Wants to Help

Ferran: Editorial development is an invisible job that often doesn't receive the attention it deserves. In this case, Combo Games played a crucial role in transforming the game into what it is today, providing a fresh and refined perspective. They took the game as it was and reworked several aspects that didn't quite fit, both mechanically and thematically.

David: First, the original theme was changed, shifting the action to the Hawaiian islands, specifically Kīlauea volcano. This change not only gave the game a more exotic feel, but also allowed for the integration of interesting cultural elements, such as the guardian spirits, the Mo'o, which became a central part of the game's narrative.

Additionally, the action tile system was thoroughly reworked to enhance its impact on gameplay. They did such a great job that the tiles now shape the game experience, creating chain reactions — fitting, given that the publisher is called Combo!

Ferran: Removing the marine animals system was another key decision as it was considered not impactful enough on the game's flow and didn't integrate well with the other mechanisms.

The stacking system was also completely redesigned; the idea of creating a separate pile for each color was introduced, preventing towers from becoming too tall and unbalanced. This adjustment not only improved gameplay, but also contributed to greater visual and strategic clarity.

David: Finally, one of the most notable aspects of the editorial work was the focus on the game's arc. The beginning was made more dynamic, and tension in the final phase was increased, keeping players engaged from start to finish.

Changing pagodas to tikis
Testing the game with advanced art
The final art of the central board
Sailing toward Essen

David & Ferran: After such a long journey and so much work, we can't help but feel excited knowing that soon we will be able to see and hold the finished game with all the final changes.

We are eagerly looking forward to presenting it at SPIEL Essen 25 in Essen at the end of October — an essential event for any board game. Sharing it with the public and seeing their reactions in person is something we're truly looking forward to.