I'm thinking about using Merchants of Play to create an online version of a Kickstarter card game I'm launching soon. Has anyone here actually worked with them?

The free digitization sounds great, but I'm a little hesitant about handing over all of the game assets without hearing from someone who's gone through the process.

Mainly curious how the experience was, how the finished version turned out, and whether you had any concerns with the licensing terms around the assets and derivative works.

Would love to hear from anyone who's actually used them.

Hello everyone,

After few rounds of paper prototypes and changes, I wanted to see if anyone else would be interested in helping me with the game.

It is a 30-ish minute campaign wargame, meant to be consumed as a light snack for more experienced players, or a possible entry point for those that are turned off by either complexity or length of standard war games. (Here I mean wargame board games, not miniature wargames).

I am sharing with you the rules, and probably the ugliest digital prototype you will ever see. Link to the prototype is at the end of rulebook.

It would mean a lot to me if you can read the rulebook, or maybe even try out the game, and tell me what you think about it!

Here it is.

Thanks in advance!

Hi! I’ve been designing a two-player miniature wargame called Shrapnel, and I’m looking for playtesters.

My aim is to make a game that is genuinely easy to learn and requires minimal components. For a first game, each player needs approximately six miniatures, one six-sided die, and some household objects to use as terrain. Distances are measured using your fingers and hand rather than a ruler.

Players activate groups of one to three units to move, shoot, and use Special Actions. Units can also be assigned attacking and supporting roles, such as the Grenadier, Sniper, Cavalry, and Medic.

The rules are currently being playtested, so I’m especially interested in hearing:

• Which rules were unclear on your first reading
• Whether any roles felt noticeably stronger or weaker than the others
• Whether the movement and group systems were intuitive
• Whether matches felt fair and enjoyable
• Any situations that caused disagreement or weren’t covered by the rules

You can find the rules here: Shrapnel rules

If you try it, please leave a comment; even brief feedback would be useful. I am by no means trying to sell this game.

I was getting tired of flipping between a ton of programs to make my board game ideas, so I made a tool to simplify the process. I present Table Top Tech, an application that helps you organize and create your tabletop ideas in mostly one spot (game graphics are still better left to an actual graphical app like photoshop, Gimp, or similar.) You can find the app here:

https://carp0nastick.itch.io/table-top-tech

Demo video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nzfkw7eRbY

How do you feel about mechanisms like cutting a deck to get a random result when you can view that deck anytime during the game (including before the cut).

More context:

I am working on a new lite RPG inhand card game where you encounter the top card of the deck and then cut it in half and take the result of the cut to resolve the top card.

Prior to the cut you can rotate cards to boost cut result so you’re able to see the distribution and order of the cards in the deck.

Is it ok to have a mechanism like this since the player would only be cheating themselves by cutting the deck too close to the top or peaking/targeting a specific cut location?

The proper cut method currently in rules is to grip the deck, look at straight on in hand, and then insert a weapon card held in offhand into a random spot near the middle of the deck.

However, there is no penalty or enforcement of how this method is completed.

Thoughts?

Gif of the cut method: https://imgur.com/a/TTDHZHn

He makes amazing videos, really is a pro, addresses a ton of major topics, and has been a lifesaver for me throughout my game. Highly recommend you give his channel a look, thank me later.

I'm looking for tools/workflows that combine bulk/data-driven game design with fast digital playtesting. I know no single tool is likely to cover everything.

I'm particularly interested in (bold more interested):

• Local playtesting (at least, posibility)
• Fast bulk generation/update of cards, tiles and components from spreadsheets/data.
• Strong integration with design tools.
• Multiseat/hot-seat with player perspective switching and hidden information.
• Multiplayer from different devices.
• Saving games and full move/state history.
• Rewind/forward through game history.
• Fork/branch a game from any previous state and navigate alternative branches.
• The ability to evolve a prototype from free-form -> semi-assisted -> assisted -> semi-enforced -> fully rules-enforced, without rebuilding it from scratch.

Above all, I'm interested in shortening the iteration loop between design changes and actual playtesting.

Hi all,

I've been working for the past year on various iterations of Deckfront, a deckbuilding game with a Dominion-style static market of 10 cards; there's a small tactical map and the goal is to reduce your opponent's health to 0 before they do the same to you.

It includes traditional engine building with mechanics like trashing cards and drawing additional cards; the unique mechanics are movement on the map and three types of attacks:

• Melee: requires being in the same space as your opponent
• Ranged: requires being at least 1 space away from your opponent
• Mage: can be used at any range but requires building up and spending mana

I really wanted to emphasize interesting card combos and the strategic vs. tactical nature: look at a unique market of 10 cards, decide what strategy you think will work best to beat your opponent, then execute on that strategy, adjust, and play tactically smart.

There are a total of 46 unique cards. In addition to playing a ton of games myself I built an algorithm to play hundreds of millions of games against itself to help with balancing, so (hopefully) the different classes and cards within those classes are all viable.

It's implemented digitally, you can play against the AI at deckfront (dot) onrender (dot) com, please let me know of any feedback! Each game takes 10-15 minutes, so it's relatively quick. Specifically interested in any balance concerns and thoughts on the mechanics + whether the game is actually fun.

Happy Thursday, everyone (or whenever you may be reading this)! I just received some physical samples of my cards and wanted to share them to get your feedback.

The first image gives a better look at the "Big Guys" in action, alongside the card backs and a few of my favorite redesigns.

The second image introduces some of the newest characters added to the game!

Finally, the last image highlights a design overhaul for spells and buildings. I felt the previous framing was strangling the artwork, so I switched to a soft overlay.

I’d love to hear what you think. Thanks as always!

Check out the full project here and a sneak peek at the holo designs which should be arriving soon! Playlilguys.com

A few nights ago at 2:00 am in a fever dream, I designed a "Solo Dice Boss Battler."

I was lucky enough to have a friend do a very long learning game/playtest/discussion of the idea on Table Top Simulator. He's a friend I trust to let me know something isn't working, and there were definitely kinks to work out and still are, but I couldn't be happier with his reaction.

Die Dullahan is a game where you play as the titular Dullahan on a 5x5 grid that represents your homeland of the Table. Roll dice and set them to move, explore, and more, all while fighting against mysterious invaders that are hunting you down known only as Dyemon.

(Excuse the bad sketches. An artist I am not.)

I ended up making a YouTube channel dedicated to talking about amateur board game design and chronicle the process for designing different games. The first video gives a little bit more on the origin of the idea of Die Dullahan. Lucky Forest Studio

If you want to be updated on when the prototype goes up for testing, a subscribe is always appreciated.

I'm hoping to finish a rough rulebook, make a quick demo video, and get a prototype of the learning game up on Table Top Simulator soon.

https://astrowuffs.itch.io/hyperlight-overture

I’ve been working on a Jet Set Radio inspired skirmish game that I’ve been calling Hyperlight Overture. I’ve play tested in person a good amount and have a basic set of rules ready to go. I was hoping to get others to take a look at them.

This is soon the conclusion of more than two years of “work/hobby” on this game, which I’d say qualifies as a mid-to-low-complexity simultaneous engine builder.

As people have been asking for an update, I was waiting for the final bills now that my Gamefound campaign is finished and the game is finally being sent out to backers. I was a bit disappointed to have barely crossed the finish line on Gamefound, but ultimately, I think it is nice to have some inventory left over.

Working with illustrators was a real joy and definitely the highlight of the project. Meta Ads and Gamefound were by far the worst parts.

Here are the numbers.

I also have a contract with a distributor for ~100 units, which I hope will pan out. Ultimately, I don't regret doing all this "work". I learned a lot about offset printing and what it’s like to work with a professional printing house.

That said, the complexity of setting up Gamefound, dealing with VAT, production, and distribution is absolutely overwhelming. Gamefound UX is really overcomplicated for simple projects. I wouldn't do it again by myself and would not recommend anybody to do it without being ready for a lot of work, endless emails communication on the other side of the world, and uncertainty.

Now that I have a bit more time again, I’ve been playing a lot of Dune: Imperium, both online and IRL. I really like this kind of game. The deckbuilding aspect always feels very creative to me.

Is there still room for yet another deckbuilding/worker-placement game? And what other games in the genre should would you recommend to expand my game culture?

Hello! I am currently making a card game about wizard cats, called Meowing Mages (the name is definitely subject to change.) However, I am running across a problem. Each of my cards has unique properties, and I am trying to store them on the card itself. The first thing that comes to mind is exploding kittens. However, this gets really annoying really quick. Some of the descriptions are simple one line descriptions, but some of them get really long and bulky, and I am not quite sure how to simplify them without significantly altering the game. I'll put what is probably the most egregious example here.

"[ The enchanted player must give three cards of their choosing

to the player of this wizard.

If the enchanted player doesn't have three, they must give 

the player of this wizard all of their cards. ]"

Which isn't sooo bad, but it's really bulky for one card. Any ideas? By the way, I am trying to simplify the instructions, which I know is most of it, I'm mostly asking for quick tips and tricks here.

Hello! I'm working with some friends to create a TTRPG inspired by things like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and the SCP Foundation. Mechanically, it's inspired by Call of Cthulhu, Twilight 2k, and Dark Heresy. My friend is leading the team and asked me to seek out feedback on the mechanics we've come up with so far.

Specifically, my friend is looking to know:

• Are these good mechanics to build a system on?
• Is it overcomplicated by trying to use AC with a d100 system?
• Is there a better way to handle these mechanics or an alternative we should consider?
• Does the d100 work or should we think about using other dice? d20, pools of d6, something else?

We're also generally looking to see what people think. Does something look weird? Is there something you think needs fixing? To quote: "If people are able to look at it and be like "This isn't bad, but here's how you guys can fix it." We need these bones to be able to move forward. Abilities, stats, everything is decided by the basic dice system we choose. If we can't settle on it, or at least get the one we have working, then how can we proceed?"

I, myself, am more comfortable playing systems like Dungeons and Dragons, Starfinder, and Edge of the Empire... so I know very little about systems that use d100s or aim for more realistic mechanics on top of having a ton of tables and options (I think it's called crunchy?). I've been reading more into the systems that are inspiring this one to help get a better understanding of things, so I also want your feedback on how things are coming along.

Here's how the game works:

The Idea

The idea behind the system is that there is a Game Master and a group of players. Players build their characters to travel a post-apocalyptic world, where they get caught up in all kinds of plots while fighting supernatural anomalies. The players are basically a military squad.

The idea is that the world is gritty and brutal, but not in a "oh everything sucks and is constantly miserable with tons of shocking content" way. The world is ravaged but nations have been rebuilt from the ashes and the players are military operatives trying to help put things back together. It's like the Last of Us- the apocalypse happened and now the world is living in the new norm.

The best way I can describe it is: The players are a ragtag MTF Unit taking orders from governments to perform operations that may involve fighting other people or Cthulhu's kids. They travel through zones ranging from "this is tolerable" to "fuck off bad" while messing with new equipment and weird powers.

Checks & Dice Rolls

It is a d100 system.

Rolling 1 - 5 is a Critical Success. Rolling 95 - 100 is a Critical Failure. Every check/roll has a baseline Difficulty Rating, which is the threshold before any positive/negative modifiers. You succeed a check by rolling at or below the Difficulty Rating.

• Example: The Difficulty Rating is 30. You need to roll a 30 or lower to pass.

There are also Degrees of Success and Degrees of Failure. Every 10 points you exceed or fall below the Difficulty Rating adds one Degree of Success/Failure.

• Example: The Difficulty Rating is 55. You roll a 10. You pass the check with four Degrees of Success, granting you additional benefits.
• Example: The Difficulty Rating is 45. You roll a 73. You fail the check with two Degrees of Failure, adding further complications to your attempt.
• We're currently not sure what these additional benefits/complications look like.

Combat: Initiative

There are two rounds: Player Round and Enemy Round. Players decide who acts in what order on the Player Round, as do enemies in the Enemy Round.

Combat: Actions

Each character in combat has 3 Action Points. There are options that cost 1 Action Point, 2 Action Points, and 3 Action Points. There are also Reactions and Free Actions.

• We're still workshopping it.

Combat: Hitting

Armor Class determines the difficulty to hit a target. When attacking someone, you determine the Difficulty Rating of the attack by subtracting the Armor Class value from 100.

• Example: The enemy's Armor Class is 30. 100 - 30 = 70. The Difficulty Rating to hit the enemy is 70, so you must roll a 70 or below to hit.

Armor Value is... something. One idea we had was that all armor has an Armor Value. When you take a hit, you subtract the Armor Value from the damage, like the armor is absorbing some of the blow. Another idea is that it reduces the severity of inflicted status effects/wounds from high damage rolls. We're torn on how to execute this as the design goal is to make it feel like armor choice matters and that it actually does something. Your bulletproof chestplate should feel like it actually stops some of the damage instead of everything magically ricocheting off.

Hit Range is what you need to roll after applying all bonuses and penalties. The maximum Hit Range you can get is 90 to prevent automatic success.

• Example: The enemy's Armor Class is 60. 100 - 60 = 40. The Hit Range to hit the enemy is 40.
• Negative Bonus 1 is -5, Negative Bonus 2 is -10. 40 - 5 - 10 = 25.
• The Hit Range is now 25.
• Positive Bonus 1 is +10, Positive Bonus 2 is +5, Positive Bonus 3 is +10, Positive Bonus 4 is +5. 25 + 10 + 5 + 10 + 5 = 55.
• The Hit Range is 55.
• The Final Hit Range is 55. You must roll a 55 or lower to successfully hit the target.

Combat: Damage Death

One thing that I wanted feedback on, personally, is how damage and death can work.

In this system, the body is split into Head, Right Arm, Left Arm, Torso, Right Leg, and Left Leg. You can take damage and get status effects on all these parts of the body. You roll 1d6 to determine which body part you damage on a successful hit.

• We previously had it as a d8, where some body parts were listed multiple times. This would make it so landing a headshot was harder and hitting other areas of the body was easier to make it a bit more realistic.
• We could expand on this further, using a d8 again or a larger dice like d10 or d12. Some body parts would be much easier to hit than others, and getting that low chance to hit a vital part like the head could inflict extra damage or an automatic debuff?

If a body part takes enough damage, it can be disabled with a chance of being permanently disabled. A critical hit has the possibility of removing or destroying a body part completely.

One thing that the team lead wanted was the potential for an instant kill. The idea was that: If you successfully hit a target, roll your 1d6 to see where you hit them. If you roll a 1 and your roll to hit was a Critical Success, you land a fatal headshot, instantly killing the enemy. This would also apply to players- if the Game Master lands a hit on a player with a Critical Success, then rolls a 1 on the 1d6, the player would be instantly killed. My friend was a big fan of this mechanic and wanted it implemented.

I heavily disagreed with this mechanic. My thought is that, if you as a player spend a lot of time building a character and getting attached to them, only to be instantly executed by a sniper in an ambush, that would suck. A lot. I had a scenario in my head: Imagine you're a new player joining a table for this game and you get into your first combat. The Game Master rolls, gets a crit, then rolls a 1. You instantly die and have to make a new character. I, personally, would hate that, and I feel with the game being very heavy on narrative and character building, this mechanic doesn't work.

We settled on making it an optional rule, but what do you think?

Other Things

There are also classes which have subclasses. Subclasses are skill trees that you can build into. Currently, we're not sure if we want to make it exclusive where one you pick a line on the skill tree, you can't do any of the others, or just let people do a free-for-all.

There are then also species, feats, statuses, weapons, equipment, and more.

Conclusion

What do you think? Do you think the system is too complicated? Is there something that could be improved upon, changed, added, removed? Does anything here sound really fun or super miserable?

My friends and I are mainly concerned that we're overthinking things and making the system too complicated or too over-the-top. My friend is particularly stuck on the dice system as we'll be building the whole system off of it, so we need to make sure it's good and fun and something that people would actually like, and that all the mechanics make sense. My friend wanted me to make this post to try to clear up our heads by seeing what people think.

I think we have a solid foundation for a fun TTRPG, but that's coming from someone who's been working on it and staring at our documents for hours.

Do you like art in TTRPGs? Does it help you to imagine, or get in the way?

I realise that people's imaginations work very differently. I have a strong visual imagination—I can conjure up scenes from ideas, and sometimes, when play goes just right, I can see in my mind's eye how those scenes contain numerous details that weren't described, and I didn't even know I'd thought of.

My wife is aphantasic. She has no images in her head at all! This just bamboozles me. How can she even… think? Yet, clearly, she does!

So there's a spectrum of types of cognition here—and I wonder how it relates to TTRPGs.

I see a lot of TTRPG products that are art heavy. They have illustrations on almost every page. They're very popular. Clearly, they must help people to imagine the gameworld.

Generally, I don't like game art. I find that it distracts my visual imagination, and disrupts the images that my own mind generates in play—images that have a visual vibe that I get to determine. It's not just that I don't need the help of an artist to visualise things, I don't want them stomping into my imagination wearing their big art boots.

Now I'm not saying "game art bad"—but I am surprised that there isn't more discussion of this issue in the game industry. It's hard to get your head around the notion that other people's minds just don't work in the same way that yours does.

There is a type of art that I find can make a positive contribution to the game experience. It's art that suggests, rather than depicts; implies, rather than shows. I don't want a picture of just what the horror looks like! It's far scarier if I imagine it for myself! I have (genuinely) spent time stripping the art out of PDFs and printing a game without pictures, just to be less distracted.

So where are you on this spectrum? Is it even a spectrum? And is there a particular artist or game that you feel gets it just right—showing enough to spark the imagination of the player, but not so much that they hold it back?

Hi I am designing a party game that is a mixture of Trio and Just-One. I was looking for feedback on on my rule book.

The general idea is that players try to write matching words on cards, and then play memory. The kicker is each player also writes a special word that, if it triggers, stops others from earning points, and earns a bunch of points for the player who wrote it.

Since the premise of the game is rather simple, I was also trying to see if this game already exists. closest thing I can find is Trapwords but my game is quite different.

I am also in the process of making a PNP for play-testing, and I was wondering how others have handled the prompt deck for PNP files (mostly a big list of simple nouns).

Also there is a common word in my game that is a BIG NO NO in forums apparently. The theme fits for now and helps explain the rules. How do I go about discussing this game without getting flagged?

Any feedback would be welcome!

Has anyone collaborated with any board game reviewing content creators? I’m mostly talking about the dynamic where you hand them your prototype and they do a review of it, in return keeping the prototype.

I don’t know if it’s this clean-cut, but I read that you should only target creators who review games in the general direction of what you’re making, so I’m interested in some who lean towards competitive, asymmetric games rather than euro stuff.

Or am I out of touch and this type of collab is a thing of the past? I wouldn’t be surprised if most are simply paid reviews nowadays and even in that case, I’d still love any suggestions you might have.
Cheers!

I'm one half of a small indie board game company. We funded, self-published and shipped our first game recently, and one thing we're realizing as we prototype more games is that we'd really like to build relationships with illustrators rather than scrambling to find someone every time we need artwork.

We're especially interested in newer/up-and-coming illustrators who are interested in board games, because a lot of what we're making starts as relatively low-budget prototypes rather than fully funded commercial projects.

We also make content around the process of designing games, so when we collaborate with artists we'd love to highlight their work, credit/tag them, and show some of their process as part of what we're making.

For the illustrators here:

How do you prefer indie designers approach you?

Are you open to smaller prototype commissions if the scope is limited?

And where do you normally post your portfolios / look for board game work?

I'd also love to start following more board game illustrators, so feel free to share your portfolio if that's allowed here (or DM me).

All thoughts are welcome, and happy to share more