Wolfgang Kramer
Wolfgang Kramer was Germany's first full-time professional game-designer. For many years, Kramer and Michael Kiesling worked on games together by telephone and fax correspondence despite never having met. They are still producing games together, as of 2012, with their Essen 2012 release, The Palaces of Carrara. Kramer is now in his seventies, and Kiesling in his fifties.
Kramer has often collaborated with other authors. His collaboration with Richard Ulrich has given him two of his most notable successes, El Grande, and The Princes of Florence. Kramer has won the German "Spiel Des Jahres" prize a record five times.
There does not seem to be a common theme throughout Kramer's work, which ranges from family games, through to high-strategy titles. What is evident in his games is the sheer wealth of experience Kramer and his collaborators carry.
Abridged List of Notable Games
1995 El Grande (with Richard Ulrich)
1999 Tikal, and later Mask Trilogy games (with Michael Kiesling)
2000 The Princes of Florence (with Richard Ulrich)
2007 Colosseum (with Markus Lübke)
Interviews
Interviews by an Optimist # 73 - Wolfgang Kramer (El Grande)
See the weblinks module for more interviews.
It is said that Kramer's Heimlich & Co. was the first to use a victory point track going around the board (known among German gamers as a Kramerleiste). (See westpark-gamers.de interview.)
Wolfgang Kramer Fan
Kramer Freak
Sebagai designer di boardgame
Cuzco
[2018]
Cuzco is a new 2018 edition of Java from French publisher Super Meeple that moves the action to South America, which is in line with the other titles in the Mask Trilogy as well as the authors' original plans for the design.
Source: http...
Downforce
[2017]
High-stakes bidding on million-dollar race cars. Frantic bets placed in secret even as the cars race around the track. And to the victor, the biggest purse of all. But in the world of motor racing, the margin between victory and defeat can be a singl...
Adventure Land
[2015]
Description from the publisher:
In Adventure Land, King Agamis rules from his castle. Rich cities, vast forests and rugged mountain ranges dominate the country. The large river is known to be lined with gold and the forests filled with medic...
Porta Nigra
[2015]
The largest Roman city north of the Alps in the late Roman Empire was Augusta Treverorum. Founded in the times of Caesar Augustus and built up by generations of Roman architects, this was the Emperor's residence and a world city during this period. T...
Linko!
[2014]
In Linko! (a.k.a. Abluxxen), you take turns playing number cards, and the more cards of the same number you play, the better as cards score points at the end of the game. If someone else plays the same amount of cards with a higher number, however, y...
Asara
[2010]
In Asara, you take on the role of a wealthy builder competing to bring the most prestige to your name through constructing the largest and most ornate towers in the city. The game is played over 4 rounds (years), during which you will be acquiring ...
Colosseum
[2007]
In Colosseum each player is a Roman impresario - producing great spectacles in his or her arena in the hopes of attracting the most spectators. Players earn wealth and glory for each event run, using it to create ever more ambitious events. They will...
El Grande Decennial Edition
[2006]
Players take on the roles of Grandes in medieval Spain. The king's power is flagging, and these powerful lords are vying for control of the various regions. To that end, you draft caballeros (knights in the form of colored cubes) into your court and ...
Mexica
[2002]
Mexica plots the development of the city of Tenochtitlan on an island in lake Texcoco. Players attempt to partition it into districts, place buildings, and construct canals.
Districts are formed by completely surrounding areas of the island ...
The Princes of Florence
[2000]
Players attract artists and scholars trying to become the most prestigious family in Florence. Each player is given a palace grid and reference chart and attempts to gain the most victory points after seven rounds. Scoring victory points can be done ...
Cuzco
[2000]
Alternate Names: Java
Java is a fascinating island with great potential for development — especially the undeveloped area of central Java with its fertile soil and rich natural resources. These riches are much desired by the rulers of the regions ...
Tikal
[1999]
Tikal is a game of exploration within the Central American jungles in search of lost temples and the treasures within. Players send their team of explorers into the jungle, exposing more and more of the terrain. Along the way, you find temples that ...
El Grande
[1995]
In this award-winning game, players take on the roles of Grandes in medieval Spain. The king's power is flagging, and these powerful lords are vying for control of the various regions. To that end, you draft caballeros (knights in the form of color...
6 nimmt!
[1994]
In 6 nimmt!, a.k.a. Category 5 and many other names, you want to score as few points as possible.
To play the game, you shuffle the 104 number cards, lay out four cards face-up to start the four rows, then deal ten cards to each player. Each...