The comments below relate to The Dregs of Days, except where otherwise specified.
Testimonials
‘Witch Hunt 1649 is an outstanding game which meets a major need in the realm of historical games … I think this game is a very clever way to approach the topic and is as good (and probably better) than any other approach that could be taken. It is extremely accurate historically, brilliantly conveys many subtle truths about the time and place, and engages players in a fast moving and easy-to-learn game that can easily be incorporated into even a 50-minute class period.’ Prof. Eric Carlson, Gustavus Adolphus College / Central Michigan University
‘…the game is engaging enough that players asked for repeated plays … The game did a fantastic job of conveying its core message through the use of the teaching cards, which provide an evocative illustration of the history, coupled with historical text included on some cards … the interplay between allies was excellent … the gameplay structure promoted well-integrated thematic and mechanical interplay between players … the low level of complexity … allows for accessibility to a broad range of players which is further aided by the exceptional teaching cards.’ David Thompson, game designer, Digital Capricorn Studios
‘Witch Hunt 1649 is a fascinating exploration of the impact that witchcraft suspicions and accusations had on community life and interpersonal relationships in early modern Scotland … The game is cleverly designed to test alliances between players, which recreates the very real contemporary fear of becoming associated with an accused witch. … Witch Hunt 1649 allows players to engage with the historical context through quotes from sources which outline contemporary belief surrounding witchcraft and real life examples of Scottish witch trials. The cards are beautifully illustrated and the game is engaging, facilitating reflection on the phenomenon of the witch trials, and delivering a fun play session.’ Dr Imogen Knox, University of Warwick
‘Witch Hunt 1649 is an engaging example of applying analogue games design to address a challenging historical topic. It does this in an interesting and informative way. Players weigh up some of the social, cultural and economic factors at play in a face-to-face community in early modern Scotland. Inherent in the game are aspects like what sorts of historical sources survive to tell us about Scottish witch-hunting, and possible explanations for belief in witchcraft and for why some people suffered from accusation, torture, trial and execution.’ Prof. Jackson Armstrong, University of Aberdeen
‘The game was an immense success … We began with Dregs of Days and [the pupils] had great fun playing that. The game worked well exactly as per instructions and the class got a feel for the cards. We then moved on to Lying Lips … I had removed some of the cards so that the game was fully age appropriate and [pupils] used the cards to help them research someone accused of witchcraft in Scotland and stage a mock trial … When [the pupils] have free time on a Friday afternoon they will often ask to play the card games. It was a great way to introduce witch trials to the class and allowed them to go onto fully explore the history of these in Scotland finding lots of local connections.’ Viki Cameron, primary school teacher, Aberdeenshire
‘[Students] quickly grasped the rules as game-play progressed … students were clearly animated and enjoying themselves, taking time to read the primary source excerpts and embracing the cooperative (and competitive) aspects of the game … Although they had good fun with the game, they did not think it trivialized or sensationalized witch hunts in the way media often do – the game treaded this line well and the students cited this as a particular strength. Overall, the class seemed to find the game an engaging and thought-provoking way of grappling with the complex subject. It was often cited in verbal and written feedback as a highlight of the class, and students encouraged me to keep using it in future years.’ Dr Taylor Aucoin, University of Edinburgh
‘…students loved the game and the chance to use it as a tool for rethinking ideas about witchcraft and trials.’ Prof. Helen Parish, University of Reading (now University of Oxford)
Reviews on Etsy:
‘This is such a great game, fun and educational. We haven’t played lying lips yet but dregs of days is such fun and easy once you get the gist of it! Highly recommend if you or someone you know is interested in this area of history’. (5 stars)
‘A very engaging game for all the family’. (5 stars)
University student feedback:
‘It was brilliant! Fun to play and lots to learn.’
‘Really enjoyable way of doing group work.’
‘Certainly one of the most interactive classes that I’ve had.’
‘I loved how it looked. The cards looked just like they had come from pamphlets!’
‘We could imagine ourselves in the place of the accused witch.’
‘The quotes on the cards made it seem real.’
‘The stories were good and the characters seemed like real people.’
‘Playing the game brought the idea of witchcraft to life.’
‘It made us less sceptical about whether people in this period actually believed in witchcraft.’
‘Learned as much doing this as I would have done by reading by myself’.
‘Great way of applying what we had learned earlier in more structured classes.’
