Matthew Johnston of MJG has been nice enough to take some time out of his
schedule to talk to me about his company's CCG Anime Madness. It took some
time to get the questions to him, and I have talked to him quite a few
times before. Thanks Matt for your patience.

I have been asked by people like do interviews? The reason is a desire to
get the word out about some of the smaller companies and games that do not
get the press that the larger ones do. Matt's comments were insightful and
well thought out for a 19 year-old. He even took the time to look over his
replies before print. This is why I do interviews.


Craig Janssen


> Q.      Can you tell us about yourself?
> 
> Lemme see... I'm 19 (born 5/24/77), and an English major at the University
> of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon.  I'm a music nut (listening and playing), and
> enjoy writing fiction/poetry quite a bit, though I'm not published in that
> capacity.
> 
> I love watching anime (Japanese animation), especially the titles that
> never make it to America.  I belong to NOVA (Northern Oregon/Vancouver
> Anime), where I owe quite a bit in back-logged dues (chuckle...)
> 
> Q.      Can you tell us about your Gaming industry background? (How you
>         got started in the field etc.)
> 
> I've played Magic: The Gathering since right after Revised came out.  Back
> then, it was either that or Spellfire, and nobody I knew played Spellfire
> (chuckle...).  I thought about collecting Star Trek: TNG when it came out,
> but I never had the money.
> 
> The third week in August, Jeff Milburn (then the president of NOVA)
> half-jokingly said, "I'd let people play card games here if there was an
> anime card game out there.  Why don't you make one?"  At that time, people
> were wandering in, not paying dues, making noise and a mess, and playing
> Magic.  It was really distracting.
> 
> I was with Erik Weswig at the time, and we both got to thinking.  The next
> week, Erik approached me with an idea called "MegaCorp," a game in which
> players play various "MegaCorps" in the Bubblegum Crisis universe, each
> trying to destroy the other.
> 
> I told him the idea was cool, but it should be for all anime.  Everywhere.
> And "I'd be the one to do the impossible -- to bring all the anime
> companies together in harmony!!!"  (chuckle...)  Back then, nobody cared
> about licenses or anything.  Fansubs were everywhere, and the CCG market
> was nothing.  People wanted to play games.  We wanted to make them...
> 
> Q.      Who else was involved in the design of Anime Madness?
> 
> Well, Erik Weswig got the ball rolling.  He would have helped even more,
> but unfortunately he passed away on March 5, 1995.  At that time, the game
> was at a serious turning point, and because of his death, plans were put
> on hold until that summer...
> 
> Devin Higgins, a very good friend of mine, was right there to help with
> playtesting and spot-checking (of the rules and such).
> 
> Alex Rajeff, my roommate, helped with rules as well, and designed the
> maneuver concept in AM.
> 
> My father (Jim Johnston) was my legal advisor -- he was the man who got
> the licenses from AnimEigo.  He made all the deals and such so I didn't
> have to worry about the legal stuff.
> 
> My mom was drafted as the lone desk worker -- she was shipping clerk,
> secretary, moneyperson, basically every position between the creative and
> the legal.
> 
> Bob Crummett (Advanced Graphics) did the typesetting.
> 
> The rest of the work (graphic design, layout, manual, card text, etc.) was
> mine.
> 
> Q.     Where do you think the Gaming industry will go in 1997? (ie
>        Predictions for 1997 posted on Usenet News)
> 
> Tough question.  1997 has seen the rise of big games, and the downfall of
> smaller ones.  When I go to the newsgroups, there's always some guy
> saying, "I can make a CCG!"  While that enthusiasm is great, the market is
> at a stage where the big games are getting bigger, and the rest of the
> games are disappearing.  People are tired of the mediocre games that came
> out in 1995 and 1996, and they just aren't buying.  It's a risk thing --
> if you aren't absoultely 100% sure of a game's quality (in all areas), the
> investment of buying boxes for a collection, or just a deck for casual
> play isn't worth it.
> 
> The movement, in my mind, is in the non-collectable games.  On the
> business end, they're a one-time investment, and usually 1/3 smaller than
> normal -- 100 cards compared to 300-400 in your average CCG Basic Set.
> Plus, the investment on the consumer's part is shifted: they invest once.
> They know they'll invest just once, and they know they'll have as
> competitive a "deck" as the other guys.  Plus, many new non-collectable
> card games have all the supplies for 2 or more players, making the chore
> of finding others with your game easier.  You can tie up your friends
> and make them play -- they won't have an excuse anymore!  (chuckle...)
> 
> Q.      Why was Anime picked to use as a basis for a CCG? 
> 
> Anime has always been a dynamic and action-packed medium (at least the
> titles that make it to America).  There's a lot happening.  The material
> is there for a number of goal-based games.  Plus, each frame is a work of
> art in and of itself.  With animaton, people work a frame at a time, and
> it shows when you capture a still from video.  Anime stays dynamic in the
> still, just as much as it does in motion.
> 
> Also, the market for anime (in 1994, when Anime Madness was conceived) was
> a growing market with a ton of potential.  There were companies as small
> as Matthew Johnston Games dealing with anime titles for small amounts of
> money.  Businesses could deal with these small investments.  Now it's to
> the point where the market for everything anime is flooded, and you have
> huge companies like Pioneer and Columbia House distributing titles -- it's
> pretty faceless now.
> 
> Q.      Can you go into process of licensing Anime material for us?
> 
> Well, in summer of 1995, we decided to go public with the game.  So we
> printed a set of "alpha" show cards (using my color printer for the
> masters, and Kinko's for the cardstock copies).  These were made into
> playable decks. (Looking back, the cards still look pretty cool)  The
> decks were taken to Anime America '95 (or was it Anime Expo?  I can't
> remember exactly.  One of those two cons) where representatives  (from
> NOVA) played the game and approached the companies.  At the same time, my
> father sent out e-mails to all the companies telling them to take a look.
> Two companies' interests were piqued (US Manga Corps and AnimEigo).  We
> sent them non-disclosure agreements.  AnimEigo accepted the agreement, and
> so we then sent them decks with rules (printed on 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of
> paper).  After they reviewed the game (they were also looking at
> Ani-Mayhem at the time, then called Scavenger Wars), they said they'd like
> to license out the anime
> titles for a percentage of gross profit and  some $ up front.  We wrote the
> checks, signed the contract, and got rights to the titles.  That was in
> January of 1996.  So it took about 6 months to get the negotiations done.
> 
> Q.      Being a co-designer of Anime Madness, can you enlighten us on the
>         development of Anime Madness? What insight(s) would you like to
>         pass along to future designers?
> 
> Anime Madness started out as an underground expansion to Magic.  All I
> concentrated on in the beginning was graphic design.  It became readily
> apparent the AM would become it's own card game.
> 
> I wanted it to be for the anime fans -- very laid back and a lot of fun.
> The first card was called the "Ugliness Compensator" which said basically
> that if your opponent is ugly, you don't have to look at him.
> (chuckle...)  It was going to have a lot of cards like that, just to play
> with the players more than the characters.  It was originally about fandom
> in general.
> 
> Over the course of two years, it evolved into what it is now in a steady
> fashion -- I'd redesign the graphics just about every week (using my SE/30
> and Photoshop 2.5.1), and the rules took on their own identity.
> 
> This process drained me because I had to do school, an after-school job
> and this.  My biggest tip is, if you have the world's best CCG in your
> head and you want to produce it, set a couple of months aside during the
> summer or something and just do it.  And be sure to sleep!  (chuckle...)
> 
> I could say more, but I'm sure there are limits on space here...
> 
> Q.      Seeing Johnston Games is an upstart company. What impact did that
>         have on the design/marketing process of Anime Madness?
> 
> Well, there wasn't much of a marketing process -- a few thousand flyers at
> the last anime con in Cali, some internet ads, and one ad in InQuest.
> That's about it.  The impact that non-marketting had was phenominal.  We
> were beat to the punch by Pioneer.
> 
> Q.      How well has Anime Madness been received in the market?
> 
> Like I said before, we were beat to the punch.  Originally, there was a
> lot of interest in Anime Madness.  Unfortunately, Pioneer changed the name
> of their game (originally created by Josh Ritter) from "Scavenger Wars" to
> Ani-Mayhem".  In that month's Previews, the subtitle under Ani-Mayhem's
> title was "Anime Madness Comes To America!"  You can see where this went.
> Pioneer was very clever (if unethical) in their strategy.  They let me to
> the dirty work, and sell their game for them.  The next month, when Anime
> Madness was in Previews -- nothing.  4 boxes.  Sorry if I'm a bit bitter,
> but I thought that was a dirty move.  I think my game could have been more
> of a success if that had not happened.
> 
>  Q.      What future expansions can we expect to see for Anime Madness?
> 
> Good question.  Due to the mediocre response by retailers, expansions will
> be handled a bit differently.  
> 
>  Q.      Can you tell us what effect Internet has had on your company? I
>          know that you are activate on the Internet. Can you tell
>          us why that is?  
> 
> The Internet was my prime source of orders.  The greatest thing about the
> various elements of the Internet (the usenet newsgroups, the www, etc.) is
> that they're very personal, and somewhat interactive.  The Anime Madness
> site (www.teleport.com/~jim4075/animemad/main/) has quite a bit of info on
> the game -- full rules, images, ordering info, even an order form.  People
> can do it all without having to move from their chairs.
> 
> Plus, I'm a computer geek.  I love the interactivity of the Usenet.  You
> can survey and get results instantly (almost!).  A lot of market research
> can be done there, but you *do* have to take it with a grain of salt.
> 
> Q.      Where do you think the industry is heading in the future? What
>         part will Matthew Johntson Games play?
> 
> The industry is quickly becoming an oligarchy, kinda like comics in the
> 1970's and early '80s.  It was just DC and Marvel making the sales.  All
> the indies were struggling.  It's kinda grim, but that's where I see it
> all going.  It's going to be Magic, and various hot properties.  And the
> properties are getting bigger and bigger (but the games aren't getting any
> better -- they're actually becoming derivative of themselves).  Look at
> the sale of TSR to WotC.  It's moving closer to a monopoly every day...
> 
> Matthew Johnston Games will not be taking a part in this.  Not until the
> market purges itself.  After that, we'll probably be back.  I have a ton
> of ideas, but today's market won't bear them.  That's almost guaranteed.
> 
> Q.      A lot of ppl think that the Gaming industry is in trouble. That
>         Collectible Card Games and declining sales will change the
>         industry as we know it. What do you think? Do you agree or
>         disagree?
> 
> I agree completely.  You can see that by now, though, eh?  (chuckle...)
> 
> Q.      Do you feel that the Internet will play a bigger part in the
>         Gaming industry in the future? If so, how?
> 
> I'm not sure.  A lot of companies are using the Internet as their eratta
> and q&a place, so, in that respect, yeah, it'll probably have a bigger
> role.  I'm not really very good at spotting trends.  I tend to be a year
> or two late (chuckle...)
> 
>  Q.      What part has Internet played in the development of AnimeMadness
>          and your company?
> 
> My company is based almost completely in "cyberspace" (I hate that term,
> yet I use it, strangely fascinated -- chuckle...).  We work out of my dorm
> room and my parents' house, so a good www prescence is vital.
>
> Anime Madness took some advantage of the Usenet surveys during
> development, and we (MJGames) used the Usenet for advertising (to the
> appropriate groups, of course!). So the "internet" was fairly crucial to
> AM's development.  All the license negotiation was done through e-mail.
> We never even met Robert Woodhead (AnimEigo). The only piece of paper we
> saw was the contract itself!  That was pretty neat...
> 
> Q.      What impact do you feel that Collectible Card Games have made on
>         the Gaming industry? What impact will Anime Madness have?
> 
> Headier games like Vampire (TES) and Arcadia are trying to merge RPGs and
> CCGs, with some success.  I don't see many more crossovers, as profit
> margins are getting lower and lower, and a willing audience is getting
> smaller.  People are just getting jaded to these sorts of things.
> 
> I'm not sure what imapct AM will have.  It had impact in that it was the
> pioneer of the anime CCG genre (it was the first created by months, but
> the second produced by a month).  Beyond that, I'm not sure.  We're just
> another stone in the water.  We make a few waves, but our circle of
> influence is limited.
> 
> Q.      Do you feel that your CCG has found a niche in the marketplace?
> >
> 
> I hope so.  We're big in Ohio!  (chuckles...)


Thank you, Matthew Johnston, for your time and comments.