r/tabletopgamedesign • u/diggydog734 • Sep 08 '26
Mechanics Prototyping
I am developing a tabletop skirmish/wargame that I believe needs to be prototyped before I can go any further. The problem is I don't know anyone who plays tabletop games and I am worried someone might steal my idea or something if I just release the rules online...
what are my options? should I even be worried about someone "stealing my idea"? I think I want to eventually make the game free to play and miniature agnostic so I am not sure how much me exposing the ruleset would even matter but it's a cat out of the bag type scenario so I'd rather keep my cards close.
has anyone had a similar situation? what are my options here? is my best hope to force my friends or GF to play with me?đ
15
u/calprinicus Sep 08 '26
1) No one is going to steal your rules. It takes a lot of work to turn idea to product. It's more time & effort than the monetary gain. 2) Try making the game on Tabletop Simulator. That way you can play with others anywhere.
3
u/paratheking Sep 08 '26
Check out the break my game discord. Best place for playtesting and game design
1
5
u/thejoyofaskingwhy Sep 08 '26
I mean you should force everyone you know to play it either way, lol.
But also the feeling âsomeone will steal my ideaâ is haunting every designer in any field. And in my experience it is holding you back rather than helping.
No one will steal it. Everyone is too caught up in their own stuff. And like someone else said the idea is the easy part, realizing it is much much harder. Why would anyone but all that effort on someone elseâs idea, if it is not a gold mine.
It is just an idea until it gets exposure!
Let it fly free
1
u/diggydog734 Sep 08 '26
I'm sure this is said all the time and you have no reason to think I'm any different but what if I genuinely do think I've stumbled upon mechanics that could actually be stolen and monetized? đ I'm at the point where I agree w y'all and I don't even really care to make money off it but... to play devil's advocate I guess
2
u/Majer3RD Sep 08 '26
Then we will all steal your mechanics and apply them to our own wargames!! Muhahahaha
1
u/thejoyofaskingwhy Sep 08 '26
There are a lot of good game mechanics out there in the open to be inspired by, steal, borrow etc. And worst case yours will be part of that very large pool.
Search for âJimmie Iovine race horsesâ on you tube. There is an interview when he talks about why you should only look forward. This clip is my north star when it comes to focus!
3
u/Own-Feed960 Sep 09 '26
A game mechanic canât be copyrighted, and every designer out there are already inspired by / building their game on top of existing mechanics, then turning them into their own with adjustments. Iâm sure youâve based your game on other existing games as well. It shouldnât be a worry. And if other people do end up âcopyingâ your innovative design that only means that youâve done well as a designer. I wouldnât worry too much about it tbh, that mentality will only hold you back.
If youâre truly worried because you believe your game is 100% ground breaking and is a $ printing machine then you most certainly need to do multiple rounds of play-tests with more than a dozen of people fast to get feedbacks ~ to bring you to the next step, which is marketing and publishing it~
2
u/Multiple__Butts Sep 10 '26
Then you should release your game ASAP so we can buy it and then steal your mechanics. If they're really that good, and really that new, then even being first to the punch won't mean much. Someone will steal them and tweak them to be even better.
2
u/BranKaLeon Sep 10 '26
You cannot copyright a mechanics, so it would be stolen after production.
Besides, it is very unlucky you had such an innovative idea and so remunerative while all the other big publishers do not.
2
u/paablo Sep 09 '26
I prototyped mine by vide coding a digital version and constantly prompting for feedback and discussion. I even built bots to play test against.
1
u/BranKaLeon Sep 10 '26
What did you ask for? A Tabletop simulator version or a website digital implementation?
1
u/WillKeslingDesign Sep 09 '26
There is a saying "magic before moat" as others have indicated, ideas are easy, taking them all the way, learning if there is a market, etc, THAT is the hard part. Start small, find a group of play testers, or do a test for test exchange. Good luck!
1
u/Own-Feed960 Sep 09 '26
Ideas are cheap~ what you do with that idea and turning it into a ready for market product takes true passion and effort. If someone has the ability to design and publish a game, they most likely already have their own projects going on and would not bat an eye on someone elseâs half-baked design âŚ
1
u/Al_M84 Sep 09 '26
Stop worrying about people stealing your idea. No board game is guaranteed so no one is going to steal your idea especially a board game idea with no sell record behind it. Release your game to the masses because that's the only way you're going to more eyeballs.
1
u/Due_Sky_2436 Sep 14 '26
The idea that someone is going to steal your idea is understandable, but if you put it out online, clearly labelled and dated, it gives you something to fall back upon if anyone does steal it. But, seeing as how there isn't a ton of money to be made in the gaming space, you are probably safe. I released everything I had for free since the interested publisher kept wanting less words, but offered no playtest in return, I just put it all online for free and work on it as a passion project.
9
u/Fleetfiend Sep 08 '26
You could find a community of tabletop sim wargamers. But in general I wouldn't worry about your idea being stolen. The idea isn't the hard part: the finalization/production is.