How did you come up with the idea for Ship of Treasures?
Olivia: Brynna and I came up with the idea during our Advanced Learning Program for Students (ALPS) program at school.
Brynna: We originally designed it as a scavenger hunt with dinosaur characters but changed it to a pirate-themed board game later. We like pirates – the way they dress and talk.
How did Pressman Toy discover Ship of Treasures?
Olivia: We learned about a toy and game event called ChiTAG through the ALSP program. We entered our game into their Young Inventor Challenge. Jeff Pinsker from Pressman Toy was a judge at the event and we talked to him when he came to our table to see our game.
How did it feel to win the Young Inventor Challenge?
Olivia: Well, Jeff came by to see our game a bunch of times. I said to Brynna, “Oh my gosh, Jeff really likes our game.” There were a lot of really good entries to the Challenge. We tried to stay positive about our chances of winning.
Brynna: Jeff came by to see us a couple of times to talk about the game. We got really excited because we thought he liked it and that maybe we had a chance at winning the Challenge. When they called our names at the awards, I just hugged Olivia and we ran onto the stage. I was excited. I think Olivia was a bit speechless. It was fun.
Why do you think it’s important to play board games in an increasingly digital world?
Olivia: It’s nice to have something that the whole family can play together rather than just sitting alone on the computer.
What advice do you have for other game inventors?
Brynna: Have fun with it and try your best. And test-play over and over again before you put it out there.
Olivia: Don’t do a flat board game; try to make it different. There are too many flat games already.
Learn more about Ship of Treasures on the Pressman Toys website. You can learn about ChiTAG – the event that started it all – on their website.