I’m sure every designer of a thematically historical game dreams of leaving the modern world behind to walk the cobbled paths of a bygone age to let the past whisper its stories – and recently, I did just that. I stepped out of my modern life and into a medieval one, spending time inside the walls of Kryal Castle, a medieval-themed park nestled just outside of a town called Ballarat.
It’s not a theme park in the rollercoaster sense – there are no flashy rides or loud attractions – but rather a living museum, a lovingly constructed homage to the medieval world. Jousting tournaments roar to life beneath a grandstand. Children run past in knight helmets and flower crowns, and the air smells faintly of a menagerie. The castle itself was built by a medieval enthusiast using modern methods in 1974 – Within its stone walls are themed hotel rooms, an inn, blacksmith, stables, a Knights Tower, and more.
I stayed inside the castle walls for three nights with my family along for the journey – and crucially – I brought my trusty Nobles & Glory Notebook.
For the duration of the stay, I dressed as a medieval commonfolk. Roughspun shoulder bag, rugged shirt, and a credit card pouch. It wasn’t cosplay for laughs – it was a deliberate step into a different mindset. Walking the grounds in costume let me blend in among the reenactors and brought a strange clarity to the more complex sections of the rulebook I’d been struggling with.
There’s something about writing game rules about medieval justice, warfare, and royal court dynamics while sitting around the battery-powered candle-lit Throne Room that just… works. I found quiet corners – beneath the battlements, beside the chapel garden – and I wrote. It felt like I was consulting with ghosts of the past.
This trip was more than just thematic fun – it helped me finish some of the densest and most historically grounded parts of Nobles & Glory. I finalised text for several action types, refined the role descriptions, and even wrote the final drafts of most flavour sections that will help players see the medieval reality behind the mechanics.
More importantly, I reconnected with what Nobles & Glory is really about: not just cards and strategy, but legacy. The echoes of history. Getting time away from the modern rush to focus on family and creative work reminded me why I started this project in the first place. It’s not just a game – it’s a time capsule. One I hope players (and readers) will explore for generations.
This little retreat gave me a much-needed push, and the momentum hasn’t stopped. I’ve returned to my desk with a renewed vision for the rulebook’s final structure and the writing that remains. As always, progress is slow – but steady. And every step forward brings me closer to releasing something that feels worthy of the time and thought behind it.
So if you’ve ever wondered whether dressing up like a 14th-century peasant and spending a weekend in a mock castle can actually help design a game… the answer is, yes – it did for me.
– Jonathan
