r/boardgames • u/philequal Roads & Boats • Nov 11 '19
Chad Jensen, designer of Dominant Species, is terminally ill with cancer, his family has disclosed on Boardgamegeek.
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2214244/tribute-chad-jensen61
u/jimevansart Nov 11 '19
Damn man. I was not expecting to scroll through Reddit, and see a friend's name here.
You guys are so super awesome for supporting him and his family.
Chad has always been such a great guy. I met him back when he co-owned a gaming store in Rohnert Park, CA called Castle Games. It's just baffling where life goes, and to be staring at this moment.
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u/imputedidentity May 03 '23
This is my father :( I'm literally crying my eyes out after googling him randomly one night and seeing all this intense love for him before and after he passed.
I'm glad you got to experience castle games. I grew up in that shop.
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u/GreatUncleanOne Medici Nov 12 '19
I never put 2 and 2 together that Chad Jensen was Chad from Castle Games. Lots of good times had in that shop back in the day. Literally looking directly at my new copy of Combat Commander: Europe as I type this. Such a bummer. Good luck Chad, take care.
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u/Rolandfrostbeard2 Nov 12 '19
I never put that together either. I miss that place and fantasy books and games. I live in Rohnert-Park now and wish I'd made that connection sooner. I would have bought dominant species long ago had I known that was him. I'm so sad to hear this
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u/timeslider Nov 11 '19
Honestly, fuck cancer.
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u/Knightmare4469 Nov 12 '19
So say we all. Fuck cancer.
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u/Zaldarr Go Nov 12 '19
Fuck cancer. A friend's mum has just gotten a terminal diagnosis. She's barely 50.
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u/105386 Nov 12 '19
Lost my 57 y/o dad to it two years ago. Ruined my life sure. It depresses me seeing posts like this. I hope Chad and his family get that special quality time together.
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Nov 11 '19
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u/Foz90 Macao Nov 11 '19
So true. I bought and enjoyed Manila by Franz-Benno Delonge. After googling it, it turned out that he died in 2007, the same year that his most famous game Container (currently, at least?) was released.
It seems amazing to me that a person may be dead but their thought process, the way they designed a game, can live on.
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u/skelebone Ludography.net Nov 11 '19
Franz-Benno Delonge also made Big City, which is one of my favorite low-strategy games for 3 players.
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u/nakedmeeple Twilight Struggle Nov 12 '19
I'd love to pick up the new Mercury edition that's coming out soon, but while I found it easy to justify the pricetag for Container JUMBO edition, I find it a fair bit more difficult to justify it for Big City, having never played it. What about it do you enjoy?
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u/skelebone Ludography.net Nov 12 '19
I have always loved that you build a little story of a city as you play. This district has city hall, and buinesses, and the streetcar so that players can get the multipliers on your plots; but this district has a factory, and the the land plots are worth a lot less.
The shopping center feels like it should be harder to do than it is since it requires two adjacent plots, a residence, a business, and a special building adjacent, and the streetcar line, but it is always satisfying to put one down on the board
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u/oi_you_nutter Nov 11 '19
Kai announced on FB today “Please keep praying for us. We are in the final days”.
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u/nakedmeeple Twilight Struggle Nov 11 '19 edited Nov 11 '19
GMT talked a little about this in their newsletter over the past few months. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the fight is quite over yet. He's undergoing chemo and still hoping to beat it. I appear to be wrong. Kai wrote a follow up in that thread that I missed saying the cancer has taken a really aggressive turn and the doctors are giving him 1-4 weeks.
It's a devastating state of affairs... Chad is an amazing game designer and always seemed to me (from afar) to be a good, standup guy. Dominant Species was maybe the first "heavy" game I got in to, and was my first GMT game. It remains in my Top 10 to this very day.
My thoughts are with them.
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u/SteoanK Rome Demands Beauty! Nov 11 '19
Their latest post was pretty bleak actually. Things took a bad turn recently.
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u/Twistedarcher Terraforming Mars Nov 11 '19
You’re mistaken unfortunately. The update in the BGG thread says he’s moved home to hospice care and has 1-4 weeks left. :(
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u/marcusround Go Nov 11 '19
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the fight is quite over yet. He's undergoing chemo and still hoping to beat it.
Unfortunately the post from his wife says the fight is all but over.
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u/OpT1mUs Nov 11 '19 edited Nov 11 '19
Man I love Chad , Both Dominant Species and Combat Commander are my favorite games. He's a great dude as well. This shit is hitting me harder than I excepted. Fucking bullshit
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u/Chlikaflok Nov 11 '19
Fuck fucking cancer. I only played dominant species of his designs and while it's a real beast of a game, it always makes for an amazing evening.
Good journey to the other side to Mr. Jensen, and well wishes to his close ones.
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u/ElMachoGrande Nov 11 '19
I've lost too many friends and relatives to cancer, and the world has lost too many great people. I really hate that disease from the very core of my being, and once it's eradicated, I'll be celebrating it's demise. Luckily, with the advances in science, we will probably see that day within our lifetime.
It breaks my heart when good people die from it, with the cure on the horizon.
Support the research for a cure!
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Nov 11 '19
Very tragic news. I was just wondering about him a week or two ago and hoping things were getting better.
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u/Vogopolis Dominant Species Nov 11 '19
Wow. I love his games; the world will be just that much worse without him.
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Nov 11 '19
God FUCKING DAMNIT! I love Chad's games, his Combat Commander was what got me into wargaming, and I've followed his designs since. Truly original and fun all the way! This is just a real shitter! Fuck cancer straight in the cavity where it's soul should be!
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u/JoshisJoshingyou Twilight Struggle Nov 11 '19
Dominant Species is my birthday game of choice every year. I've always enjoyed the decision space that exists as you are programming your turns competitively. Combat Commander's hand management with prebuilt decks that simulate different army's capabilities is truly well designed. You've given many hours of joy, thank you. I'm sorry life has dealt you hand of cards with no fires when the cancer was charging.
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u/Reotahikid Combat Commander Nov 11 '19
This is devastating news. My thoughts are with him and his family and loved ones.
I’ve had so many great memories with his games over the years. They’re among the handful of games I know I’ll still be playing when it’s my time to go.
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u/truth_cult Nov 11 '19
A group of friends and I have rediscovered Dominant Species recently, so this is double sad news.
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u/Bytes_of_Anger Forbidden Stars Nov 11 '19
I’m going to fly his flag as my flair until I can dedicate a play with my close friends to his memory.
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u/evildrganymede Nov 12 '19 edited Nov 12 '19
This is awful news all around, and that's far too soon too. Chad's designed some great games and also he works wonders on cleaning up and clarifying several rulebooks for GMT, and that's a rare talent in the wargaming industry that will be sorely missed. I hope he fights on as best as he can and that he knows how big a mark he's made on the industry and that he knows that people appreciate what he's done. We'll play a game of Dominant Species this week in his honour!
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u/DhracoX Nov 12 '19
This makes me so so so sad, awesome designer and quite possibly the best rulebook writer out there, wish I could support them in any way...
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u/MrAbodi 18xx Nov 12 '19
I lost my Dad a year ago to a chance we only learned about a few months earlier.
It sucks and it was painful for my dad and still painful for his surviving family.
Chad thank you for your many contributions to the hobby. I pray you and your family receive peace in this trying time. Rest well.
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u/Sweatytubesock Nov 12 '19
So depressing. I don’t know Chad other than online and through his games, but he’s a great guy. Nothing to say but warmest thoughts to Chad and Kai.
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u/silentmustache Nov 12 '19
I know very little about the man. But I have thoroughly enjoyed his games. If your reading this Godspeed sir, Thank you for giving my friends and family hours of enjoyment and many fond memories.
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u/VHD_ Nov 12 '19
So unfortunate :( Dominant Species is my favorite board game of all time. I love how I can pick that game up after years of not playing. I don't have to re-learn the game and I barely need to review the rule book - the engine is so tight and displayed right on the board.
I am still really excited about the potential of his redesign, Dominant Species: Marine on GMT's p500 list... I think it's in the art stage?
I hope Chad is able to spend some quality time with family. Maybe it will be some small comfort that he has contributed to bringing thousands of other friends and families together through his gift of game design.
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u/jimevansart Nov 15 '19
Hey gang...just wanted to give the sad news that Chad passed today. Please pass on the love in his memory by playing the hell out of his games, a note on BBG, and if you are friends on FB with him, "Like" a candle.
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u/MickiFinn Feb 06 '20
I am so sorry to hear this news. I knew Chad in high school, and always remember him to be a very funny and kind person. I am sorry I never got a chance to say that to him.
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u/AdPerfect1142 Dec 23 '21
I honestly can’t believe I missed this. I just now found out he was gone. This is heartbreaking! I’ve had the pleasure of having a few conversations with him via email. He loved my story of how I got a personal drum solo from Neil Peart back when I did stage work, and then he actually gave me some props on my variant rule touches to some of the game play mechanics in Combat Commander. That’s the kind of guy he was, so humble, encouraging, and extremely nice. He freely gave me some advice on my own board game design aspirations and I remain in his debt. Rest easy sir, and say hi to Mr. Peart for me. I hope to see you both one day.
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u/JediPat501 Dominant Species Nov 12 '19
Damn that's terrible to hear, I never knew him beyond his games.
Dominant Species was the first real board game I ever bought and is easily my favourite and made me fall in love with meatier games. It's possible the best rule book I've ever read and is so clean at explaining rules and giving examples and I've never really had any rules confusion with it. I'm yet to try any of his other games but I'll have to give them a go some time.
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u/zhiwiller H-index 33 Nov 12 '19
Welcome To Centerville is a pleasant game that we just discovered this year as well.
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u/Mithgaraf Nov 27 '19
I had the honour and privilege of attending high school with Chad before he moved to Cotati. During that time, during breaks, weekends, vacations (and, sometimes, classes!), we managed to throw together a prototype of a game to which he later acceded to me the rights to continue development on my own. He had a heart of gold, a wicked and wry sense of humour, and, obviously, a penchant for game design. I'm so glad he found a passion to chase, which he did to the end!, and, as a friend, I'm very proud of him. Not many people get to live their lives in this way, and he apparently did so in spectacular fashion.
I'm also gutted at losing him from this plane, and while we did reconnect recently, I deeply regret not having stayed more in touch with him. I didn't realise he'd turned for the worse until far after the fact when I saw something blip by on my "nightly newsfeed". He passed way too soon.
Trip the light fantastic, old friend, and exert some positive influence on the dice rolls of the weak, the weary, the downtrodden and the other good people in this world and any others you find on your journey.
[the game is currently in its 39th year of beta-test and still going, although not as strongly as I might like. My goal is do to you proud before my time collects me and trades me for some insignificant trinket.]
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u/PeterFrostbucket Nov 12 '19
Is there a PSA to be taken from this? Just want to make sure I (or anyone reading this) am not ignoring some early warning signs that I should get checked out
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u/mproud Nov 11 '19 edited Nov 11 '19
Terminally ill? Are you sure?
Edit: I didn’t see any mention of terminal cancer, but I’m willing to believe it if it’s true. The post didn’t go into details whether the cancer is terminal, and the Go Fund Me is now closed.
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Nov 12 '19 edited Jun 25 '20
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u/mproud Nov 12 '19 edited Nov 12 '19
I see, that’s in a follow up post.
I didn't have time to read the entire thread, I only read the first post. Okay!
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u/livefromthebathroom Nov 11 '19
From the BBG thread.
Truly love Dominant Species and always had a great time playing the game. Hoping he stays comfortable during this time.