“The Baddest Man in Gaming” comes to the Monsterpocalypse!

April 7, 2008 on 9:50 am | In Monsterpocalypse |

First a little about the “Baddest Man in Gaming”. I hail from Southern California originally, I received the name Erik-Jason Yaple at birth, and I have worked in the game industry in one way or another since the age of 16. I had my first publication at the age of 17 and began working in the legendary game store All Star Game in Diamond Bar, California at the age of 18 (this is where I first worked with Matt Wilson). At the age of 22, I began my professional gaming career with the Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG). During my tenure at AEG, I worked on Legend of the Five Rings, Deadlands: Doomtown, and headed up the development and brand management duties of 7th Sea and Warlord: Saga of the Storm until Sabertooth Games hired me on. During my stay with STG, I took on the role of Head of Product Development where I oversaw the development and production of WarCry the Warhammer CCG, various incarnations of the Warhammer 40,000 CCG, the Lord of the Rings TMG, and the UFS CCG until the recent sale of STG to Fantasy Flight Games.

Now I have joined a crew that fits my rough and tumble style better than anywhere else. During my time in the game industry, I have worked in every genre of gaming and with more licenses than I can remember. I love most video games with rocket launchers, sci-fi fantasy movies, and kick-ass tabletop gaming.

Monsterpocalypse is my new game, and I want it to be your new game as well!

I now have one week under my belt with Privateer Press. Having come in with absolutely no idea of what to expect from Monsterpocalypse, I have been enlightened and pleasantly surprised. The visuals for this game are second to none. There are giant robots of various flavors, aliens sent to destroy and conquer, and even great beasts and demons from the earth and beyond!

To be honest, I am a bit new to the kaiju genre of films, but the more I watch the more I love it! Since the announcement of Monsterpocalypse, I have noticed a few commercials featuring over-sized monsters/people/who-knows-what stomping through cities. Big monsters are getting bigger, and Monsterpocalypse is leading the way. Anyone into Big Monster action, professional wrestling, or just great gaming action will be a prime candidate to love Monsterpocalypse.

The rules represent the kaiju genre really well without getting bogged down in details that do not alter the game’s experience. The game can be played as casually and quickly as you like, or you can take some extra time and plunge into some deep strategy. You can really picture yourself charging across the city to body slam your foe inside the big rubber suit with that “rubber suit waddle”.

The majority of my first week has been spent getting acquainted with Monsterpocalypse and attempting to master the game, while taking my lumps from the other guys in the design department, Jason, Rob, and Kevin. I have not lost all of my games, but my wins are fewer than my losses. I am learning, though, and the guys had better watch out, as I am dedicating myself to become the grand master of all that is Monsterpocalypse!

One of the aspects of the game that really surprised me was the “power attacks”. These special moves allow you to address your opponent’s models in a plethora of unique ways. You can throw your opponent’s monster through buildings and into vats of radioactive material or knock buildings over onto your opponent’s models to crush them. While power attacks are the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae of awesomeness that is Monsterpocalypse, there is a lot to master. The game has a depth and brilliance in that regard that is to be celebrated from Seattle, Washington to Asmara, Eritrea to Tokyo, Japan!

As the new head of Monsterpocalypse development, I will bring you a few posts every week regarding the game’s progress and upcoming release, or maybe just some cool kaiju links now and then, so check back often. Bookmark the page now, or you might forget. You will want to stop by now and then to roll around in all that is Monsterpocalypse; this site is your doorway to internet bliss! “The Baddest Man in Gaming” and Monsterpocalypse – two great tastes that taste great together!

Hey, the web developer here tells me that a new Monsterpocalypse preview site is in the works and is almost finished. I’ll be sure to tell you when it’s live – that will be the place to get all of your need to know Monsterpocalypse information. In the mean time I’ll be bringing you the insider’s look here at monsterinsider.net!

15 Comments »

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  1. Nice Big-O sort of semi-art-deco look to the new G.U.A.R.D. image. Is there a releasable name yet for his crabby opponent?

    Comment by Dave Van Domelen — April 7, 2008 #

  2. Nice blog you have here. Looking forward to learning more.

    Comment by Larkin Vain — April 7, 2008 #

  3. ERIC!!! I knew you were gonna take over MonCon. Hope to see you at Gen=Con this year.

    Comment by Edward Farkhiev — April 7, 2008 #

  4. Erik,

    Hey congratulations you hooked up with a great company. Glad to see you are on the case.

    Love,
    Your favorite little Jew Buddy

    Comment by David Margowsky — April 7, 2008 #

  5. Looking forward to this. Keep up the good work.

    Comment by Colin Goodman — April 7, 2008 #

  6. Dude, Eric! Hey, long time no see man. Doubt you remember me, went by KKND on the STG forums. I helped kick off DM at GenCon and all that. Good to see you’re still around and kicking anyway, because this game looks awesome, and I just got a lot more interested in it!

    Comment by Elijah "KKND" Kautzman — April 7, 2008 #

  7. Its good to see that Privateer got someone that seems to enjoy the Giant Monster genre, and will take good care of this games’ development. I have been a Gtant Monster fan for over 37 years. Being a Giant Monster Nerd, I also have a massive collection of monster related items, including many games devoted to Giant Monsters. I have been waiting for many years now for a game company to release a serious attempt at a great giant monster game, and Monsterpocalypse looks like it is gearing up to be that game. I can barely wait for its release! Please keep up the good work.

    Comment by Kevin deAntonio — April 7, 2008 #

  8. Bring on the giant, city-wreckin’ critters! Been lookin’ forward to this one for a while now, rock on…

    Comment by Mik — April 8, 2008 #

  9. WOW!! I can’t believe I will finally have a game my whole family can get behind.

    Comment by Kuzican — April 8, 2008 #

  10. awesome blog man.

    Comment by Emporikos — April 9, 2008 #

  11. People - respect the ‘k’

    Erik, I was wondering where you were going to land, my connections at FFG didn’t have any insight.
    Blog would be perfect with a phot of you in a big rubber suit. Yes, you know it to be true.

    And here I was going to try and down-size my massive pile of gaming stuff. Now I have to add Giant Monsters? Thanks a lot buddy.

    Comment by Richard Carter — April 9, 2008 #

  12. You know, I was totally interested in this game until I heard Erik Yaple was involved.

    NAH! I’m just kidding, big guy! I’m even more stoked now. Nothing but love for my old AEG crew members! I look forward to seeing you at the cons. First drink’s on me, man!

    Comment by Shawn Carman — April 22, 2008 #

  13. Hey Erik,
    Glad to see you survived the Tooth.

    Best of luck with your new game! It sounds pretty kick @$$!

    Ben “The Nicest Man In Gaming” Misenar

    Comment by Ben — May 8, 2008 #

  14. Erik,

    I was intrigued when I saw a game about giant monsters. When I saw you were signed up for it, that boosts mt interest even further. I was a bog 7th sea player, back in the day, so I know you do good stuff.

    Comment by Tony K — May 18, 2008 #

  15. Just wanted to say awesome looking game from the pictures, giant creatures and monsters galore!!! i prefer the G.U.A.R.D. FACTION BUT ALL THE FACTIONS LOOK SUPER!!!!!!!! CAN’T WAIT FOR THE RELEASE!!!!

    Comment by mark j. — July 17, 2008 #

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