Can you read my BGG diary?

It needs to be submitted in 5 hrs.

(before I go to Cambodia)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SsvJmb3HDTCWcDW0--Gv1dJSSUCZ3CQfBAIbLNlmKnU/edit?usp=sharing

Honestly I think I'm happy with it so don't want to do any major restructuring or editing for style, because it feel like a personal thing in my personal voice.

But if you see a janky sentence/paragraph, or see any small bits that should be cut, or even notice any typos/English mistakes, please comment. ❤️

#designerDiary #gameDesign #boardgameDesign #DrawnTogetherGame #boardgames #tabletop.

Pondering #drawnTogetherGame. A snippet from my designer diary. Thoughts welcome. 🙂

=====================================================================
Making a game - you need to do three things.
=====================================================================

I think that when you make a commercial game, three things are important.

You've got your design/development (the functional rules, including any map layout or card distribution).

You've got your art/illustration/graphic design. And in a game like this (or Dixit, or a speed-matching game, or AGA--CATTITASMN) the visuals directly impact your strategic decision process so arguably become part of the design/development.

You've got your writing - the rules, or maybe flavour text, or maybe the templating of how card effects are written.

And that's all the first thing: game creation.

The second thing is logistics/distribution: making it possible for folk to buy the game.

The third thing is marketing: making folk aware that the game exists and encouragingf them to buy.

By making this game PNP-only, it helps reduce the effort of distribution. KS backers get access to a google drive and I put gamesheets there. No postage required.

But marketing is still probably the most important bit of the three, in terms of selling a bunch.

#boardgames #gamedesign #designerdiary

Talking about #DrawnTogetherGame stretch goals.

Validation and data is the main reason I tied my stretch goals to finished sheets.

For each sheet that is shared 10+ times before September, I will ponder/draw/test/share another gamesheet.

And when a gamesheet is shared 20/30/40/etc times I'll take some time to look at all the data available and improve it if I can - tweaking or redrawing it if there are any imperfections I think I can solve.

Because, whilst nothing is perfect, I will keep trying to improve stuff. As long as there is demand, and as long as I have ideas on how to improve it.

And of course, I could continue pondering this game whilst wandering around Bangkok (my new home). I'll be pondering other stuff too. Maybe a game about learning Thai. Or a game about actually drinking beer, but in a stupidly beauruacratic way. Or a game about building an engine to dominate the board with area majorities. Or any number of other games that I'm actually pondering. I would struggle to work on just one thing at a time.

And sometimes I can't help but think about something. In any creative process, I think it's important to follow some of your whims.

But when I'm able, of course I'll focus on what will help me reach more people.

#boardgames #colouringIn #DesignerDiary

The start of a #designerDiary I'm writing for BGG. Comments welcome.

================

I want to make games that no-one else would make. I want to make people experience things they might have never otherwise encountered. Sometimes I try to make people feel things, whether that's a new source of joy, contemplation, or whatever. Sometimes I just want to make fresh systems and hopefully it'll turn into something worthwhile.

#DrawnTogetherGame started when I wondered what a game would be like if it was 'really' about colouring in.

I've seen a few games that involve colouring in - [Color It, examples from my blog, Jess Metheringham's thing, Sagrada Artisans, Sacksons' games named after artists] and I'd recently played a prototype from Ellie Dix that had a wonderful simple joy in every decision.

But none of these seemed to really be about colouring in. You were trying to get colours to be next to each other. Or in particular locations. But the colours could be replaced with different shades and make no difference (as long as they can be distinguished). Or even replaced by patterns!

For a game to be about colouring in, I felt like it would have to be about aesthetics. I pretty much had to create a new style of gaming.

So far, from those who've given it a go, response has been positive.

#boardgames #boardgaming #colouringIn #experimentalGames #boardgameDesign #gameDesign