toad.social

RobAt the recent UK Games Expo I had several conversations with new board game designers who wanted advice on getting started and aiming to be at the Playtest Zone next year. I summarised some of the points in those conversations in a blog post in the hope that it might be of interest to someone... <a href="https://firsttakesomedice.blogspot.com/2025/07/getting-in-zone.html" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://firsttakesomedice.blogspot.com/2025/07/getting-in-zone.html</a><a href="https://tabletop.vip/tags/BoardGameDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BoardGameDesign</a>

SibachianI made some minor refinement of the rules and tossed them into <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/chatgpt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#chatgpt</a>, running around 100,000 different simulations of my game.Conclusively, the win rate for each player playing a perfect game is as follows: • Black 48.46% • Red 47.12% • Draw 4.42%edit: new rule source link! <a href="https://playcrowns.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://playcrowns.wordpress.com</a><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/crowns" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#crowns</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/playingcards" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#playingcards</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/cardgames" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#cardgames</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/boardgames" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgames</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/folkgames" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#folkgames</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/boardgamedesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgamedesign</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/mtg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#mtg</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/cardgamedesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#cardgamedesign</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/standard52" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#standard52</a>

Malcolm StielowAfter receiving some online encouragement, I've shown Moto GO! to a few people over the last few weeks. So far, the response has been really positive, and people have further pushed me to publish. I've never published a full physical copy of a board game, so the question has to be asked... how? I'm working on a second prototype that will look closer to how I imagine the final version. Acrylic dice, playmat board, 3d printed bikes of I can swing it. I'm refining the rules and finding people to playtest. The design part makes sense to me. It's the stuff after that that gets a bit arcane. I don't think I have any unique obstacles, just things that are new to me. Such as what's the best way to show off a board game to a publisher when you live in north-central Alberta and can't afford to travel? Do I want to self-publish? At what point does a self-published game count as published? <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/design?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#design</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/boardgames?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgames</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/boardgamedesign?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgamedesign</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/logodesign?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#logodesign</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/logo?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#logo</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/gamedesign?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#gamedesign</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/publish?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#publish</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/publishing?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#publishing</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/graphicdesign?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#graphicdesign</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/sticker?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#sticker</a>

RobSo a couple of weekends ago was UK Games Expo, where I spent my days volunteering at the Playtest Zone. I wrote a blog with some reflections on it... <a href="https://firsttakesomedice.blogspot.com/2025/06/so-that-was-expo.html" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://firsttakesomedice.blogspot.com/2025/06/so-that-was-expo.html</a><a href="https://tabletop.vip/tags/UKGamesExpo" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#UKGamesExpo</a> <a href="https://tabletop.vip/tags/BoardGames" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BoardGames</a> <a href="https://tabletop.vip/tags/BoardGameDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BoardGameDesign</a>

Malcolm StielowAre you normal, or did you not have a gift for your niece's birthday, so you conceived, designed, prototyped, and packaged a board game from scratch in a week? So anyway, let me introduce Moto GO! A <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/motorcycle?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#motorcycle</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/racing?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#racing</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/game?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#game</a> for 2-6 people. <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/boardgames?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgames</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/boardgamedesign?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgamedesign</a> <a href="https://pixelfed.social/discover/tags/gamedesign?src=hash" class="u-url hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#gamedesign</a>

BenHeads up to any <a href="https://aus.social/tags/boardGameDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardGameDesign</a> -ers in Perth: The upcoming <a href="https://swancon.com.au/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://swancon.com.au/</a> has some space set aside for play tests and demo games. Ask them to put you in touch with Wez who will send you a form to register.

Scott Starkey<a href="https://hoosier.social/tags/ProtospielIndy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#ProtospielIndy</a> is in full swing! Come have fun with us!<a href="https://hoosier.social/tags/boardGameDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardGameDesign</a> <a href="https://hoosier.social/tags/GameDev" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#GameDev</a> <a href="https://hoosier.social/tags/Protospiel" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Protospiel</a> <a href="https://hoosier.social/tags/Indiana" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Indiana</a> <a href="https://hoosier.social/tags/HoosierMast" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#HoosierMast</a>

ParasightΣτο μεταξύ, έχει μπει αρκετό νερό στο αυλάκι τους τελευταίους μήνες και το playtest verson μας έχει πάρει μία ωραία μορφή, ενώ τα playtests γίνονται πια τακτικά στη Θεσσαλονίκη. Όποιος θέλει να το δοκιμάσει (καθώς και άλλα παιχνίδια σε στάδιο playtesting από άλλους ντόπιους designers) μπορεί να έρθει και να συμμετέχει δωρεάν στη μηνιαία συνάντηση των game designers στο Efantasy στη Θεσσαλονίκη! Η επόμενη συνάντηση θα είναι μέσα στο Μάιο και θα ενημερώσω εγκαίρως για όσα ενδιαφέρονται! <a href="https://electricrequiem.com/tags/diyprojects" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#diyprojects</a> <a href="https://electricrequiem.com/tags/boardgamedesign" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgamedesign</a> <a href="https://electricrequiem.com/tags/boardgames" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgames</a> <a href="https://electricrequiem.com/tags/newboardgame" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#newboardgame</a>

martinCurrently if I want to print custom cards for an RPG or board game I just use my home printer and a guillotine, and it's slow and inaccurate. Is there a way to automate this process short of getting a full die-cutting machine (like a cricut)? It seems like overkill just to cut out rectangles of paper.<a href="https://dice.camp/tags/making" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#making</a> <a href="https://dice.camp/tags/papercraft" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#papercraft</a> <a href="https://dice.camp/tags/boardgamedesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgamedesign</a> <a href="https://dice.camp/tags/cricut" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#cricut</a>

Ev DelenWhat would a board game based on how trade and tariffs really work look like?Can it be made as simple as monopoly?Map of the world like Risk, trade flows like the roads in Settlers of Catan, little walls representing tariffs like houses and hotels in Monopoly, whenever "trade" occurs the buyer has to pay "tariffs" to the owner of that little tariff wall.The reg version'd only let you place walls on your own borders, kids could place them anywhere.<a href="https://mstdn.ca/tags/boardgame" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgame</a> <a href="https://mstdn.ca/tags/boardgames" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgames</a> <a href="https://mstdn.ca/tags/boardgamedesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgamedesign</a>

skua<a href="https://mastodon.social/@lonespur" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@lonespur</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/FloodTheZoneWithShit" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#FloodTheZoneWithShit</a> on a global scale using the resources of the federal US government.Someone should make a co-operative boardgame where players attempt to stop this.<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Boardgame" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Boardgame</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BoardgameDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BoardgameDesign</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/CooperativeBoardgame" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#CooperativeBoardgame</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/ReducedLifeExpectancy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#ReducedLifeExpectancy</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/EconomicChaos" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#EconomicChaos</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/SocialChaos" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#SocialChaos</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/StopScience" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#StopScience</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MightIsRight" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#MightIsRight</a>

lachlan slowly taming rustOh, this is far more promising. 80% of games in bankruptcy still seems high maybe? But 40% in div 2 means there's a hump, but there's space to play in.There's other number changes so far - but big thing is that bonds don't charge interest in the very first dividend round only. It's a bit of a kludge, I admit. But, TMLC is still not incentivised to go to Hobart almost at all, compared against going for the resources on the side.<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/CubeRails" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#CubeRails</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BoardgameDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BoardgameDesign</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Boardgames" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Boardgames</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/EmuBayRailwayCompany" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#EmuBayRailwayCompany</a>

lachlan slowly taming rustEvidently, changing the deferred bonds is the killer either way. I really wanted to get the bankruptcies to about 1/3 games. Getting the bonds right is going to be a while.The outliers of cash seem to show a bit too much going around, but the quartiles and medians seem to show that generally, most games are a bit more sensible.This is going to take time.<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BoardgameDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BoardgameDesign</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BoardGames" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BoardGames</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/CubeRails" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#CubeRails</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/EmuBayRailwayCompany" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#EmuBayRailwayCompany</a>

lachlan slowly taming rustTried to fix no bankruptcies and make it 'some bankruptcies'.Result: in 1000000 simulations... 90+% of them ended in bankruptcies, and more than half after the first dividend payment.I may have changed too much at once. But iteration is nice and speedy!<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BoardgameDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BoardgameDesign</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Boardgames" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Boardgames</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Cuberails" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Cuberails</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/EmuBayRailwayCompany" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#EmuBayRailwayCompany</a>

lachlan slowly taming rustHi - I'm Lachlan, and my latest nerd-snipe has cost like 6 months and counting. I struggle having contiguous periods of time that I can play test, but get little blocks of it. So, I've built an implementation of MCTS in <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Rust" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Rust</a> that can play various games. (I also learned Rust). The main reason is that I wanted to run simulations on Emu Bay Railway Company so I would hopefully be able to make it not broken and interesting.<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BoardgameDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BoardgameDesign</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Boardgames" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Boardgames</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Traingames" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Traingames</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Cuberails" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Cuberails</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/EmuBayRailwayCompany" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#EmuBayRailwayCompany</a>

BenAny <a href="https://aus.social/tags/boardGameDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardGameDesign</a> folks in <a href="https://aus.social/tags/Singapore" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Singapore</a> here? I might have an opportunity to be there for a few days later this year.

ZeeIf I were to <a href="https://sfba.social/tags/SolarPunk" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#SolarPunk</a> remix <a href="https://sfba.social/tags/Hayflower" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Hayflower</a> the <a href="https://sfba.social/tags/BoardGame" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BoardGame</a>:- you’re a representative at a space station which runs on a liquid democracy - ships bring specialists, food, goods, and materials (suits for workers)- tiles are space station habitats that generate artistic beauty, scientific intelligence, or spiritual wisdom when the “workers” are placed on them.<a href="https://sfba.social/tags/BoardGameDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BoardGameDesign</a> <a href="https://sfba.social/tags/GameDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#GameDesign</a>

MondriterAyer fui a comprar las planchas para crear el prototipo del Tesela de "piscina". - Metacrilato Tabaco 3mm DinA5. (3,6€) - Metacrilato reciclado Flúor Naranja 3mm DinA4 (6,05€) - Metacrilato reciclado Azul transparente 3mm DinA4 (6,35€) - Metacrilato reciclado Rojo transparente 3mm DinA4 (5,05€) - Metacrilato reciclado Amarillo transparente 3mm DinA4 (5,05€) - Metacrilato reciclado Flúor Verde 3mm DinA4 (6€) Total 32,10€¡Mañana a cortar!<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Tesela" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Tesela</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/DIY" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#DIY</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/boardgames" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgames</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BoardGameDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BoardGameDesign</a>

Dave Dawkins (D. Harrigon)What <a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/boardgames" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgames</a> should every designer play, from an understanding of mechanics standpoint, through to understanding theme and storytelling?<a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/BGDev" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BGDev</a> <a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/BoardGameDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BoardGameDesign</a> <a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/GameDev" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#GameDev</a> <a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/TabletopGames" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TabletopGames</a>

Isaac LeFeverNew game I worked on just hit stores!This is the 4th game I've done design/illo for and I'm already working on another card game that should be coming out later in 2025. Oh and an expansion for one of the previous games I worked on.Been really cool breaking into table top game design over the last few years. I certainly hope to keep doing more of this, both for clients and also eventually myself (cue suspenseful music).<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/boardgame" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgame</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/tabletop" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#tabletop</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/tabletopgaming" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#tabletopgaming</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/gamedesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#gamedesign</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/boardgamedesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#boardgamedesign</a>

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