Life Cycling

How to play:

This 2-6 player card game is about the Life Cycle of a forest. Players co-operatively play plants, animals and fungi into 4 quadrants of the forest to build it up. 

Throughout the in-game years of the forest natural distasters occur and life springs anew, both events contrubuting to the Life Cycle.  

When creatures pass on, they turn into nutrient points and are recycled back into the forest to feed the rest of the creatures within the Life Cycle. 

More information:

The story of my journey (so far) as the creator of Life Cycling:

My name is  Aariel Cooper. I am the creator of Life Cycling! My journey towards creating Life Cycling began in the middle of 2024. I wanted to create a beautiful, educational card game about the ecosystem of a forest. Specifically I wanted to focus on the life, death and everything in between that occurs in this environment and why it's an an important part of the life cycle. This goal drove me to roll up my sleeves, find some free place holder clip art, grab a pair of scissors, start up the printer and get to work.

With a very rough draft of my game in hand (at the time it was called: Food Chain. Later to be called Food Chain-Links of Life until I decided on this current name), I made a decision before I even did my first playtest. I wanted to make this game completely by myself as much as humanly possible. No publishers. No outsourcing of labor. No grants, loans or gifts of funds. And most of all NO AI.

Why? 

Because I take pride in my work? Absolutely I do. Because I didn't want anyone else telling me what to do with my project? That is a big part of it. Most of all I wanted to prove a point.

You don't need thousands of dollars or a big company backing you or anything like that to make a difference. You are capable of so much good, just as you. In my opinion you don't need anything but yourself and a passion for progress, in order to change the world we all live in for the better. 

I am proving it to you now. 

I am one person. I came up with all of the concepts for this game. The name, the artwork, the theme, the writing, what I want to achieve with it and even this campaign and what it stands for are all my creations.

Regardless of me doing all I can do to craft my project solo, I couldn't have done this completely alone. I have my small support system of friends, family, people in the Board Game Development Facebook group and countless play testers that have helped get this project of mine to where is is today.  Realistically I cannot make this game completely by hand either (though I can make the stickers and prints for this campaign at home in small quantities), so I must outsource my work to a manufacturing company. Due to this fact, I need funding. 

That is why I need your help. 

You can make a difference here to this small solo creator by spreading the word and helping fund this hand made, educational, conservation driven game. In doing so, not only would you be making a change in my life personally, but in the lives of other people and the environment as well.

What I will do with profits:

• I will be donating a total of 6% of profits from this campaign to the following organizations:

-Earth Justice (specifically for the "Save the Red Wolves" movement.)

-(More coming soon!)

• I will be planting one tree for every tier of support at "Basic Game" or higher.
• I will also be donating copies of my game to various National Parks, schools, nature conservation locations, etc. 

All of this is to do what is within my power to enact positive change in the world we live in.

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As you can see, I am making an impact how I am able to and so can you. "We must be the change we wish to see in the world." So what can we do together to make this world we live in a better place? Let's find out together, shall we?

Thank you all for reading this far and supporting my project. It means the world to me.

Your friend,

-Aariel Cooper

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Some extra notes:

• The current artwork for Life Cycling is in its draft form, it isn't final just yet!
• Some things will change for the campaign between now and our launch date April 10th, 2027.
  • Prices may change due to inflation, new manufacturer estimates, tariffs, etc. coming in the new year!
  • The list of people we are able to donate profits to may also grow.
  • More campaign benefits may be added.
  • More infographics and animations are coming soon.
  • More changes may come, but I will do my best to keep you updated!