Q: Hi Paul, and nice to meet you.
You are the creator of the design of the Las Vegas edition of Hotel.
A: Yes I was the chief designer and illustrator on this wonderful game.
Q: I think your edition is so cool and so attractive, I've always loved it and it was a big step forward compared to previous versions which used a real photo of the game. First would you like to introduce yourself and the company Hot Frog Studio?
A: Thanks for inviting me, hi my name is Paul Morton. I own and run Hot Frog Graphics design and illustration studio in Barnsley, UK (www.hotfroggraphics.com)
Q: How many years have been in this field?
A: Wow that’s a good question! Many years now. In fact Hot Frog Graphics was first created when I left art college back in 1979
Q: How it happened that you have been involved in the design of the game Hotel?
A: I’ve had to look back in my archives to remember that it was a design company based in London called Optical Design that commissioned me.
I blogged about it at the time, scroll to the bottom of this link …
https://hotfroggraphics.blogspot.com/2006/07/
Q: When you were involved did you already know the game and the old editions?
A: No, I’d only ever played the more common Monopoly game. Having ‘real’ 3d hotels on the board was a brilliant invention.
Q: What have you been asked to design? Only the box or even other components?
A: This was the first of many games I’ve worked on but without doubt it was the very best. I had great freedom to design and then illustrate ALL components, except the game logo.
So all the hotel designs and each hotel card I designed and had great fun working on each. The cover of the box took the most time and I employed some 3d as I illustrated it in Photoshop. I remember trying to make the guy’s face on the banknotes anonymous so that it didn’t look like any one person in particular.
And I really enjoyed working on the game board itself.
Q: Could you explain what the design process was like?
A: I would sketch out my suggestions and send them to Optical for approval or for comments and for changing. It took quite a few weeks of works. Maybe 6 weeks.
Q: How much freedom of choice did you have? Have you been inspired by the design of the old editions
A: I never looked at older versions other than the one set that they sent me. So I still have that previous game from which I worked out all the new elements. And I was sent the brand new game when it was finished. That was a great feeling, unwrapping the game with my artwork on it.
Q: Would you like to say something to our fans?
A: Sure, I guess if you know the game so well there might be helpful suggestions and improvements that you would like to see?
Not that I have any connection with the game anymore.
I enjoyed ‘hiding' the dolphins swimming around the edge of the board, I cant remember which property now without checking. Did you spot them?
It’s quite a coincidence that you contacted me because only just before Christmas 2023 I took the game out and we had friends round to play the game. It was pleasantly nostalgic.
Thank you for inviting me to remember one of my favourite design and illustration jobs.
