They’re turning Don’t Starve into a board game — here’s how

polygon.com:

Glass Cannon Unplugged, a publisher known for board game adaptations of video games such as Frostpunk, Dying Light, and Apex Legends, has ambitious plans for its next crowdfunding project. This time the Polish studio is tackling Klei Entertainment’s breakout hit from the 2010s with Don’t Starve: The Board Game. But what does a roguelike survival game even look like on the tabletop? Polygon recently spoke with both teams of creatives about defining the board game’s relationship to the original and exploring the mechanics that will help bring this physical object to life.

Don’t Starve is a multi-platform, third-person video game first published in 2013. In it, players take on the role of a wild-haired scientist named Wilson who gets trapped in a dim, parallel dimension known as the Constant. They explore bizarre landscapes; craft weapons, tools, and structures; and make food in hopes of keeping Wilson alive and his sanity intact. Drawing from disparate influences such asMinecraft and Tim Burton films, the game has a steep learning curve spiced with permanent character death. But it developed a rabid following nonetheless, thanks in part to a rich narrative layer.

Don’t Starve: The Board Game is a highly modular design with many interlocking systems. The most basic is the map itself, which — like much of the game assets — will feature original art created by Klei. Players will explore that map hunting for resources, and eventually attempt to flee from it in the game’s final rounds. The current build uses rectangular playing cards to represent different biomes, which are then laid out onto a hexagonal grid to create the map. The result is a landmass with unique paths and chokepoints — the perfect environment for a tense exploration game.

Players control their characters from a sideboard, which tracks their health, hunger, and sanity. They also have an inventory, which includes items worn on the body, items held in the hands, and items stuffed inside a small backpack.