tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83947278620682868142024-03-05T22:26:07.243-05:00Phantasio GamesPhiliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.comBlogger296125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-44292833303817298492023-03-06T16:54:00.004-05:002023-03-06T16:58:25.931-05:00Purim now on Kickstarter!<p>Check out my new game <b>Purim</b>! Save the Jewish people from Haman and his sons in this cooperative drafting game. <b>KS Link:</b> <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/funhill-games/purim-board-game">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/funhill-games/purim-board-game</a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvzifpjJ_wSuJ2S3f_EqOx63NJOVQNCNsgx-T5eTPyTunvMT8Dqmz6i0CEoiJ0uQtqplW1h1bE_GEOlwqGp5miqSk8jirFVN6rHUHWYToMbFZ4OC1fp8U_8urJZNnIGs2IQ9yCdfQmAwRR_FLNo1TNeKiXI0sKwBVs26r5ObQyNb9_tCrLY__wZga9Q/s500/12940256034924270253.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="500" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvzifpjJ_wSuJ2S3f_EqOx63NJOVQNCNsgx-T5eTPyTunvMT8Dqmz6i0CEoiJ0uQtqplW1h1bE_GEOlwqGp5miqSk8jirFVN6rHUHWYToMbFZ4OC1fp8U_8urJZNnIGs2IQ9yCdfQmAwRR_FLNo1TNeKiXI0sKwBVs26r5ObQyNb9_tCrLY__wZga9Q/w400-h209/12940256034924270253.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<a href="https://www.kicktraq.com/projects/funhill-games/purim-board-game/" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.kicktraq.com/projects/funhill-games/purim-board-game/minichart.png" alt="Purim Board Game -- Kicktraq Mini" title="Purim Board Game -- Kicktraq Mini"></a>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-3190584541438841322022-07-20T14:39:00.005-04:002022-07-20T14:41:31.044-04:00The Revolution Continues!<p>My first game, <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/34887/revolution" target="_blank"><b><i>Revolution!</i></b></a>, by Steve Jackson Games is now on Kickstarter! It has been out of print for a number of years, but we are hoping to fix that with this campaign. We'd love for you to take a look. It's got an exciting new theme, set in the Pathfinder universe, and includes the best of the original expansion material all in one box!<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sjgames/pathfinder-revolution-by-steve-jackson-games/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="680" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-VU5zwMy_9B_QjV_-dhw5PmuFihZ0X7A52vU_1CGkigXHSF76TPhWaUvITDFYGKh4VkCpZvCNhrgTjIGSDKoCV403Ex_v0lwkudkHnI7VM60E6UWU5qA8qEPzZOKBjV1gt3JQPCw3znLBNs7gKoiz2-mGPBbCE9Z1UnNRNt6zn-j9IK8-TUxZaQsWdg/w517-h291/852a913f0e6c8fd692a4761c9fc050f0_original.jpg" width="517" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><a href="https://www.kicktraq.com/projects/sjgames/pathfinder-revolution-by-steve-jackson-games/" target="_blank"><img alt="Pathfinder Revolution! by Steve Jackson Games -- Kicktraq Mini" src="https://www.kicktraq.com/projects/sjgames/pathfinder-revolution-by-steve-jackson-games/minichart.png" title="Pathfinder Revolution! by Steve Jackson Games -- Kicktraq Mini" /></a>
Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-31932759099682776242020-11-23T17:38:00.003-05:002020-11-24T09:31:31.035-05:00Get Square Meal Today!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVNoio82LE7qNK2uYcn0KDyd4gccorfonw4xIHi_ssQVpDrBudYxKsYli4TM1RViW2cGRCT4WW49XPpQFzFIVsGDs471eA-ravOeZ2xFoCc2ZjXYxtBat6sZgAw4Wy86Fw46nAxrBllu_/s1519/ad_xmas2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1519" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVNoio82LE7qNK2uYcn0KDyd4gccorfonw4xIHi_ssQVpDrBudYxKsYli4TM1RViW2cGRCT4WW49XPpQFzFIVsGDs471eA-ravOeZ2xFoCc2ZjXYxtBat6sZgAw4Wy86Fw46nAxrBllu_/w400-h316/ad_xmas2020.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://checkout.square.site/buy/O4W4QNRWYPSATT2DMPDOJ5ZI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="205" data-original-width="1519" height="54" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPirwgebkifTYUZX4Nh5oAC6D-2b1JVA687c3agLa0jQU_cBOPt0Q2GTasjRdHmBmPJkJd-jqiNTHXXWb_ZAV8ELTZH_tYPHIJPDRArbs1JmklFwcNkByKlFjkUpPfBKdIWduRX4qrDKw3/w400-h54/ad_xmas2020_buynow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Square Meal is a quick, puzzle-solving race for 1-8 players. In the
game, you will flip, rotate, and overlap your three ingredients cards
until they form the pattern on your challenge card. When you complete a
challenge card, you'll add it to your score pile and immediately begin
working on a new one. To win, have the highest score when the deck runs
out!<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b style="-moz-box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box;"> NOW INCLUDES TWO EXPANSIONS!</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b style="-moz-box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box;"></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="-moz-box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9PlG9YZUNPk2CenQLqtgFe0SRoCXBl950hQhc7HxACERu582cCD5E_pURto4VU866jzDb7Jvu3rpsFv7oxL43m8BrytJ9n3e3GWg3hKiNEDELUXWNIVT4ngFPKbtEhhAlxu8B4i7p_MW/s2048/sm_04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1277" data-original-width="2048" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9PlG9YZUNPk2CenQLqtgFe0SRoCXBl950hQhc7HxACERu582cCD5E_pURto4VU866jzDb7Jvu3rpsFv7oxL43m8BrytJ9n3e3GWg3hKiNEDELUXWNIVT4ngFPKbtEhhAlxu8B4i7p_MW/w400-h250/sm_04.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="-moz-box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box;"><br /> </b></span><p></p>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-67332100448155156942020-11-13T12:39:00.005-05:002020-11-23T16:30:58.425-05:00The Honest Kickstarter Timeline<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7q-HlZTTRLfqAcXy8inWd8qJq9ejgbIfJj4fwckPdfOXLxJ31llR6gJOQdyY0rc_VxOFXLb3NC4e4NmOQbm_xmS85hGVnvX5QP0lEWzyscB5fwfxRWQx99XfXDA_FOtf1267y9r6gvQTD/s1920/calendar-1990453_1920.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7q-HlZTTRLfqAcXy8inWd8qJq9ejgbIfJj4fwckPdfOXLxJ31llR6gJOQdyY0rc_VxOFXLb3NC4e4NmOQbm_xmS85hGVnvX5QP0lEWzyscB5fwfxRWQx99XfXDA_FOtf1267y9r6gvQTD/w400-h266/calendar-1990453_1920.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Now that my first Kickstarter is in the books, I wanted to compare my projected timeline to the actual timeline. I hope this look behind the curtains will help other creators plan and manage their campaigns. When setting up the campaign for Square Meal, I included a timeline for the project. Many other campaigns and creators do this, and it seems to help manage expectations. For the record, I added lots of buffer time (even more than normal, since the pandemic was in early days), and therefore was able to deliver the game ahead of schedule.</p><p></p><p>Here is the graphic I posted on the project page:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0gzzWZ54TOI2JwN0fjcK81dzul1I8f3ZTtaL2pDHlI7NqBTMi3CHvi6qElp4fWUL0SvnGPAuc9WMrP_ufUvX6qAyq55ngOEM60-wHCKnbiHwv-LhMCPRHMGT3FDdgy9hw00G4r6icidaG/s1132/ks_timeline2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="680" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0gzzWZ54TOI2JwN0fjcK81dzul1I8f3ZTtaL2pDHlI7NqBTMi3CHvi6qElp4fWUL0SvnGPAuc9WMrP_ufUvX6qAyq55ngOEM60-wHCKnbiHwv-LhMCPRHMGT3FDdgy9hw00G4r6icidaG/s320/ks_timeline2.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p>As you can see, I promised to deliver the game by December 2020. As of today, I am confident that 99% of the games have reached the backers. I am tracking no outstanding packages. Promising to deliver in December didn't really have a down side. You get your game by Christmas. Also, many other Kickstarters take loads of time to deliver--I didn't hear anyone complain about the projected wait. And the upside was getting to deliver "early."</p><p>So, here is how it all really went down. Feel free to ask questions in the comments.</p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Square Meal Kickstarter
Timeline</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"> circa 2008<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Designed
a game called Square Off</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">7-4-19<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Decided
to do a Kickstarter for a new version called Square Meal</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">7-18-19<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Art
completed</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">9-17-19<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Initial
graphic design completed</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">9-18-19<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Ordered
first prototype from The Gamecrafter</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Testing
and revisions</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">10-15-19<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ordered
second prototype and sent several preview copies from The Gamecrafter</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">10-22-19<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Started
Mailchimp mailing list</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Testing
and development of expansion material</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">11-4-19<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Ordered
expansion material and color tests from The Gamecrafter</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Manufacturing
and shipping quotes</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">12-6-19<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Began
constructing Kickstarter page</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Testing
and development of additional expansion material</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">1-7-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>First
Kickstarter launches</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">2-1-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>First
Kickstarter ends unsuccessfully (270 backers pledged $4528)</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">2-17-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Second
Kickstarter launches</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Additional
manufacturing and shipping quotes</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">3-12-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Square
Meal is funded!</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">3-15-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Second
Kickstarter ends successfully (489 backers pledged $8,632)</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">3-17-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Setup
preorder landing page</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Pandemic
lockdown in US</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">3-29-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Kickstarter
funds received</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">4-14-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Files
uploaded to Gameland</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">4-16-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Registered
Phantasio Games LLC</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">5-8-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>First
payment wired to Gameland</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">5-27-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Distribution
deal reached</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">6-3-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Box
size increased and file resubmitted</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">7-1-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Photos
of production samples sent</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Additional
shipping quotes gathered<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">7-27-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Overseas
shipping of distributor copies arranged with OTX</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">7-29-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Final
physical production samples delivered</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Payment
for distributor copies received</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">7-31-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Backer
shipping info downloaded and surveys locked</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">8-5-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Backer
copies supposedly sent to VFI Asia (the wrong project was sent)</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Typhoon
delays boat departure and VFI operations</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">8-6-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Second
payment wired to Gameland</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">8-8-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Boat
leaves the port in China</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">8-17-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Correct
backer copies arrive at VFI Asia</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">8-17-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Shipping
payment wired to VFI</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">8-24-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Cargo
reaches Los Angeles</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">8-27-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Shipping
notices sent out</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Australian
parcels stuck in China</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">9-3-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Cargo
reaches Chicago</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">9-9-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Backers
begin to receive their games</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">9-10-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Cargo
not loaded correctly</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">9-11-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Cargo
reaches Funagain warehouse in Indianapolis</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">9-13-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Australian
packages experience significant delays</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">9-15-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>OTX
paid via credit card</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">9-17-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Received
6 cases of Square Meal at my home</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">10-13-20<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Australian
games finally reach Sydney and are delivered</p>
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<![endif]--> <br /></p><p><br /></p>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-4520314422004749022020-05-29T16:56:00.005-04:002022-01-03T21:42:38.016-05:00Tiger Stripes Card Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluh-6mnWlXqiwLNc3WhKdWPWsdPwY7Mu_uRZfa6wzyjofg6XehvK8cyXDO746YhMTSwvu2zqkMLgOF3z7cVKNQmWJDCp1DgplRzF5I7UmCR49z0gF4ybALSV7EvDvaOk3rPRmf7CXapkp/s1600/ts_proto_image.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluh-6mnWlXqiwLNc3WhKdWPWsdPwY7Mu_uRZfa6wzyjofg6XehvK8cyXDO746YhMTSwvu2zqkMLgOF3z7cVKNQmWJDCp1DgplRzF5I7UmCR49z0gF4ybALSV7EvDvaOk3rPRmf7CXapkp/s400/ts_proto_image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">Good news! Isabel (my daughter) and I have created a new
card game based on Isabel's first board game design, Tiger Stripes. </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">It's only
54 cards and light on your printer ink. The game is still in its prototype stage,
but we feel like it's already pretty strong. Even so, we'd love some more
feedback. Tell us what you think. Got any ideas for making it better? What did
you love? What falls flat for you? We want to know. Thanks!</div>
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<![endif]-->Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-4968875655806471362020-03-17T15:38:00.003-04:002020-03-17T15:39:49.421-04:00Square Meal Funds on Kickstarter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyoGwXa9vhJLMfcwFFwCqZAH1pix2eZDO0T8vj6SdME-V_lIwRcRQFYvCkvyvWLXIaHnGGgxQJ1e_u97zSPimKKRRgVgAaAYaXWFCbmqg8wmvHgblgo1K4jottxORDnpN2CyekTMgjHXX/s1600/KS_relaunch_funded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1506" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyoGwXa9vhJLMfcwFFwCqZAH1pix2eZDO0T8vj6SdME-V_lIwRcRQFYvCkvyvWLXIaHnGGgxQJ1e_u97zSPimKKRRgVgAaAYaXWFCbmqg8wmvHgblgo1K4jottxORDnpN2CyekTMgjHXX/s400/KS_relaunch_funded.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Square Meal</b> funded! 489 backers helped make this game a reality. Now comes production and fulfillment. If you missed out on the campaign but still want a copy of the game, you're in luck! Click <b><a href="https://mailchi.mp/fe342de94d79/buysquaremeal">HERE</a></b> to preorder a copy of the game. This preorder window will be open until fulfillment begins later this year. Don't miss it again! Thanks to all the backer for their support!Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-3779140440479285472020-02-19T11:51:00.001-05:002020-02-19T11:51:19.535-05:00Square Meal is Back!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtQFejcS93Ho1MFIV5O0ClbN6_PXTrTPPV03t6G1VvdQAGhQlgtt1qskXGNs9BI4N9-r7tITfUKEIjKoGUMUcW8TWf0lkAkA1zSI3DWc3VAqty2CwIHMDtVsDyOGlwFC9Sj0Zva2YCzvn/s1600/new_cover02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtQFejcS93Ho1MFIV5O0ClbN6_PXTrTPPV03t6G1VvdQAGhQlgtt1qskXGNs9BI4N9-r7tITfUKEIjKoGUMUcW8TWf0lkAkA1zSI3DWc3VAqty2CwIHMDtVsDyOGlwFC9Sj0Zva2YCzvn/s200/new_cover02.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Square Meal is back on Kickstarter, and things are going much better this time around. We are nearing 50% after just two days! If you were sitting on the sidelines last campaign, consider jumping in this time. Thanks for taking a look!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.kicktraq.com/projects/phantasio/square-meal-a-fast-and-flavorful-card-game/" target="_blank"><img alt="Square Meal: A Fast and Flavorful Card Game -- Kicktraq Mini" src="https://www.kicktraq.com/projects/phantasio/square-meal-a-fast-and-flavorful-card-game/minichart.png" title="Square Meal: A Fast and Flavorful Card Game -- Kicktraq Mini" /></a>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-48073581168708854182020-02-10T09:38:00.000-05:002020-02-10T09:38:02.609-05:00Square Meal Relaunch Soon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbgKxbLNHplL7ihR_6oScNrXucpxQetY5TqFW48yjUGuxln4WfV9uSnwhIerKb__tOxie_bXr0nE97Mg7aVJ3LMl9T244AueQyb4HtIBrhrlO2s26vhg3SxRmAM11Hs9to24vD63E47LT/s1600/KS_project_image_relaunch01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbgKxbLNHplL7ihR_6oScNrXucpxQetY5TqFW48yjUGuxln4WfV9uSnwhIerKb__tOxie_bXr0nE97Mg7aVJ3LMl9T244AueQyb4HtIBrhrlO2s26vhg3SxRmAM11Hs9to24vD63E47LT/s400/KS_project_image_relaunch01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Square Meal</b> will be back February 17! <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/phantasio/square-meal-a-fast-and-flavorful-card-game"><b>CLICK HERE</b></a> to visit the pre-launch page and follow the project to be notified on launch day. We didn't reach our funding goal last time. However, we've made a number of tweaks to the project including a significantly lower goal! Check out <b>Square Meal</b> today!Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-54331518276562920342020-01-21T08:31:00.001-05:002020-01-21T08:31:59.361-05:00New Expansion for Square Meal!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxuwaI74wgvx7aLDH2cpSb-ZPeLMUFh8DuR5XGnWBEQBimI_ioZzBOzUBEijRCpeuirK6GACP6ckrl3Xm1IyQ-UISsEsQrQF5XY4tQ3l5sS1DNLz2SsiFIOxR_Fq3qe1iMe8R0QcAbmgl/s1600/ks_dinner_party_promo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="680" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxuwaI74wgvx7aLDH2cpSb-ZPeLMUFh8DuR5XGnWBEQBimI_ioZzBOzUBEijRCpeuirK6GACP6ckrl3Xm1IyQ-UISsEsQrQF5XY4tQ3l5sS1DNLz2SsiFIOxR_Fq3qe1iMe8R0QcAbmgl/s400/ks_dinner_party_promo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
We are about halfway through the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/phantasio/square-meal-a-tasteful-card-game-by-philip-dubarry"><b>Square Meal campaign</b></a> on Kickstarter. Originally, I had planned a few stretch goals in case funding was met early. However, due to a new manufacturing quote I recently received, I can now offer all the stretch goals immediately! Square Meal now includes TWO 21-card expansions and some component upgrades (better box and card quality). Find out more about the new Dinner Party expansion in the<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/phantasio/square-meal-a-tasteful-card-game-by-philip-dubarry/posts/2734801"><b> latest update</b></a>! Consider backing today!Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-44342688841119495652020-01-07T13:59:00.001-05:002020-01-07T13:59:58.456-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTJsVvh38hnu7eMNRAjjj459asb5xftP4Wu7s_1kiZU-ABVodUPFANMqF8ywzDin-hXdxH2pAuWeRK_dYJBYLAJYP9NS8Sr9xjmqvIkmKhk49p_zFmlHdo47M9Q0Yp3MkD6hODVsgKtSZ/s1600/KS_project_image02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTJsVvh38hnu7eMNRAjjj459asb5xftP4Wu7s_1kiZU-ABVodUPFANMqF8ywzDin-hXdxH2pAuWeRK_dYJBYLAJYP9NS8Sr9xjmqvIkmKhk49p_zFmlHdo47M9Q0Yp3MkD6hODVsgKtSZ/s400/KS_project_image02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Tuck in your napkin and grab your fork because <b>Square Meal</b> is now being served up on Kickstarter! <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/phantasio/square-meal-a-tasteful-card-game-by-philip-dubarry">CLICK HERE</a> to visit the project page and learn more about my latest game. Shipping is free to almost everywhere! Thanks for sampling this spicy little hors d'oeuvre!Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-78793916275595043512019-12-13T13:05:00.002-05:002019-12-13T13:06:29.759-05:00Square Meal Pre-Launch Page<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs3aRvEPeKjsEtDrVfxvqgK63WU1ohPV096pqfM3aSxBHHtqR2oVKwo3WtWtn07Am5IZzGz89pRr23VJAz1d2NrvdAvhGEzqqEd0HDktn6w3VIuQ01ioeIFw66KMZ5UYUCWk0HxkltPQ3r/s1600/product_image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs3aRvEPeKjsEtDrVfxvqgK63WU1ohPV096pqfM3aSxBHHtqR2oVKwo3WtWtn07Am5IZzGz89pRr23VJAz1d2NrvdAvhGEzqqEd0HDktn6w3VIuQ01ioeIFw66KMZ5UYUCWk0HxkltPQ3r/s400/product_image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The Kickstarter for Square Meal has been approved and is still on schedule for January 7. <b> </b><br />
<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/phantasio/square-meal-a-tasteful-card-game-by-philip-dubarry"><b>CLICK HERE</b></a> to see the pre-launch page and follow the project! Thanks for your support.Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-23391602425086478502019-11-19T16:38:00.000-05:002019-12-04T09:34:52.993-05:00Shelves are Small<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosGuaODWZTpmnXP_HIaYe69szAuvltaQdlKmLNTLdwS8POMb4KwHU5zb9JXi63pvW7MmAYH6lbh4oD9BJxKtn4ghWFooXNsH89STpZr6lKpFCxFvKJmUxevsCB_q4YnZsePE3s8ZwVoDd/s1600/board_game_shelf_card_games_analog_games_01-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="997" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosGuaODWZTpmnXP_HIaYe69szAuvltaQdlKmLNTLdwS8POMb4KwHU5zb9JXi63pvW7MmAYH6lbh4oD9BJxKtn4ghWFooXNsH89STpZr6lKpFCxFvKJmUxevsCB_q4YnZsePE3s8ZwVoDd/s320/board_game_shelf_card_games_analog_games_01-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from www.analoggames.com.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
This is the fourth article in my series for new game
designers. In previous articles I’ve discussed the use of <a href="http://www.phantasiogames.net/2019/10/rules-are-bad.html">rules</a>, <a href="http://www.phantasiogames.net/2019/11/time-is-precious.html">time</a>, and <a href="http://www.phantasiogames.net/2019/11/math-is-hard.html">math</a>
in games, and how to avoid common pitfalls. In this installment, I will address
the actual, physical space your game fills. In the age of Gloomhaven, Ogre, and
other massive Kickstarter-fueled beasts, you might need to give some sober
thought to the size of your game.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Observation #4—Shelves are Small</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The now commonplace “game shelfie” gives players an
opportunity to show off their vast collections. This might give one the
impression that storage space for games is vast and limitless. However, this is
far from the truth. For every hobbyist with a dedicated game room lined with
hundreds of games, there are many other gamers of more modest means. And even
these alpha-gamers face the cold reality of running out of space. The periodic
game purge has become as ubiquitous as the shelfie.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The situation for individual gamers represents only the
tip of the iceberg. Bright, colorful store shelves in game and big box stores
present a cheerful front but disguise a cut-throat struggle for the attention
of shoppers. Every inch of space must fight tooth and nail to earn its exalted
place before the eyes of consumers. Games that don’t sell are quickly shifted
to the bargain bin. And we have yet to mention the rows and rows of crates in
distributor warehouses across the world. With a thousand new games flooding the
market every year, finding a place on a shelf can be a real and ever-increasing
challenge.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
So what has all this got to do with designers? The bottom
line is that, generally speaking, your game needs to be as small as possible,
while still delivering your core experience. This is not to say you can’t make
a solid table-hog miniatures game in a boat-sized box. However, each and every
last component must pull its weight. Publishers, and ultimately, gamers, want
to get the best bang for their buck. Do everything you can to reduce the
production cost of your game while providing good value and matching the
expectations of players.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The best way to get a sense of this is by looking
carefully at published games. While games can come in nearly any shape
and size, the industry has a few standards. A tuck box card game (Uno) will
retail for around $10. This is expected to be fairly simple and last around
15-30 minutes. A more expansive card game (Exploding Kittens) will come in a
small two-piece box and sell for $20. This size game may only have cards, but
can also include a few small components. Players are still expecting a light,
quick experience. Next we have a slightly larger box (For Sale) selling for
$25-30. Now players are expecting a game that can last up to 45 minutes. This
brings us to the most popular board game size, the 12”x12” square box (Ticket
to Ride) retailing for $50-60 ($70 if there are extra components and the game
is longer). Players now want to see a board (or large shared play space), a
fair amount of additional components besides cards, and a play time of 45-60
minutes (or a bit more). Finally, we come to bigger boxes (Scythe, Eclipse,
Thunderstone Quest, Gloomhaven). We expect these games to cost $70-100 (the
price will go down if the game becomes popular enough to print in high
quantities). Often the “all-in” pledge on Kickstarter for these games will be
as high as $200-300 or more. Players expect many hours of content and session
times of 90-120 minutes or more. They will also accept longer rule books and
more convoluted mechanisms in games of this size.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
As you can see, there is a pretty close relationship
between the size of a game, its complexity, its play time, and its cost.
Designers would do well to stay within these bounds. Much like a wrestler might
need to shed a few pounds to qualify for a lower class, a game often needs to
be more condensed to hit the right note in the marketplace.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
It has taken me a while to learn this lesson. I once
designed a game with loads of cardboard hex-shaped tiles where players were
building and exploring a map in real time. The game would have needed a large
square box and a retail price of $50. The problem was that the game only lasted
about 15 minutes. While the game was fun, it was simply too big for the
experience it offered. Regrettably (and stubbornly), I repeated this mistake
with another real time train game a few years later.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
How can you decrease the size and component count of your
game? Here are a few ideas:</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b>First, consider the parts of your game that are not used
as much. </b>Maybe there are special tiles that only come into play during certain
times. These might need to be shrunk or eliminated. Often, the solution is to
combine the component with another part of the game. While you don’t want your
players to run out of a component such as cubes, many of those cubes will not
often come into play. Think about ways to alter the rules to allow a reduction
in the total number of cubes needed.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b>Second, think about the scoring system.</b> One common
solution is to replace money or tokens with a scoring track (often found around
the edge of the board). Some games solve this problem by using a dials built
into the player boards or the board itself (although this can also be
expensive). This method can also be used to track other stats in the
game—health, damage, morale, resources, etc.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b>Finally, cards are cheap.</b> Wooden, plastic, and metal
components look sharp, but they can add considerable expense (as can dice).
Figure out ways to use more cards and fewer of the other types. Cardboard is
also relatively inexpensive, but it can sometimes add too much weight or
command a larger box size to accommodate too many punch boards. Cards magically
provide loads of design space for a fraction of the cost. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
One final caveat: while it is vital to keep your
components to a minimum, you might want to keep an eye on table presence. A
game needs to look impressive and interesting once it’s set up on the table. It
needs to grab the attention of people walking by. The “toy factor” of a game
can be an important selling-point. In this case, extra material used in an
innovative way can pay dividends in a memorable player experience. Sometimes
more is more, if you do it thoughtfully.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I hope this has been helpful. It takes real creativity to
condense a prototype into a smaller and smaller size. The more you can do to
reduce the production cost for your game, the more attractive it becomes to
publishers and the more value players will enjoy. Thanks for checking out this series of articles. I may think of others from time to time, but this will conclude the series for now. </div>
Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-20473770979533868282019-11-13T11:31:00.000-05:002019-11-16T09:46:11.390-05:00Math is Hard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Thanks for checking out the next article in my series for
beginning game designers. If you missed them, the previous articles were <a href="http://www.phantasiogames.net/2019/10/rules-are-bad.html"><b>Rules are Bad</b></a> and <a href="http://www.phantasiogames.net/2019/11/time-is-precious.html"><b>Time is Precious</b></a>. Today I’ll be talking about math in games--specifically,
why you should have less of it. I’ve noticed quite a few games recently where
the amount of math required greatly detracts from the overall experience. If I
have to spend my turn adding and subtracting stats modifications (+1 strength,
-2 defense, resistance to spell damage of 4, plus the upgrade for being an elf
. . .), I can become overwhelmed. Instead of playing a fun game, I’m doing
math. This can be a problem in published games, but it seems especially rampant
in prototypes from new designers.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Observation #3: Math is Hard</b></span></div>
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As a game designer, you need to know some math. I spent
the first several years of my design career flying by the seat of my pants and mostly
getting through the math-intensive parts by instinct. I will concede that
instinct can take you surprisingly far—if something feels right, it’s probably
close enough. However, I decided it would be beneficial to spend some time
studying basic probability. This has helped me tremendously, cutting down the
amount of time it takes to get the right mix of components in my games. I
recommend that you do the same if you are a little fuzzy on the concept of
probability. Deep down, math is the bedrock of most games. That doesn’t mean
that your players should be forced to confront heaps of math to play your game.</div>
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The first big problem is that <b>people hate math.</b> Whether
due to bad classroom experiences or wider cultural biases, some people break
into a cold sweat just thinking about math. It’s a significant challenge for
math teachers, and as it happens, for game designers. If you are a game
designer, you probably aren’t as aware of this as the average person. I’m
guessing your tolerance of math is much higher, particularly if your background
is in computer science, engineering, or math education.</div>
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A few years ago, I was playtesting a new train-themed
dice game with a publisher. The game required players to roll
dice simultaneously, in real time, to collect enough money to win. The other
twist was that players had to keep track of how much money they had (in the
form of chips) so they would know when they had enough to claim victory. I had
played a number of times and thought the game was quick, simple, and reasonably
fun. The publisher burst my bubble by pointing out how difficult this game would be for
many casual gamers. Not only did the game force you to do math, but you had to
perform that math under intense time pressure! Needless to say, I had a
significant problem to fix.</div>
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Another challenge facing designers is <b>dealing with short
term memory</b>. Psychologists have found that most humans can store between 5 and
9 items in their short term memory (or working memory) at one time. We can keep
this information in our heads for about 15-30 seconds. This is why phone
numbers are seven digits long. The more information required, the more
difficult and prone to error the task becomes. A related concept is called
cognitive load. People can only pay attention to so many things at once. If you
require your players to consider too many options at one time, things will
grind to a halt and the dreaded analysis paralysis will set in.</div>
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One other problem is that <b>people just don’t understand
probability</b>. The human mind is simply not great at intuitively grasping the probabilities
of events. Instead, our brains pay too much attention to frightening events and
too little attention to harmful events hidden in the background. One person
recently had this advice: if you read about something in the news, you don’t
have to worry about it (plane crashes). If it’s not in the news, you do need to
worry about it (cancer). Games that require too much knowledge of probability
can become too difficult for most players. Instead of being fun, they will seem
arbitrary and opaque. </div>
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So must we remove all forms of math from our games? How
can this situation be addressed? Here are a few ideas for your next design:</div>
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First, try to remove as much math as possible. Instead of
using standard dice, consider using custom dice with symbols. Counting symbols
is easier than adding pips and then modifying based on other factors. In my
game Black Orchestra, I originally had players roll standard six-sided dice,
trying to hit a target number based on adding together two tracks of
information (Hitler’s military support plus his level of safety). This was
clunky and needlessly difficult. One of the developers encouraged me to change
the system to something using icons instead. In the final game, players simply
roll some custom dice and count the cross-hair icons. This works so much better.</div>
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Icons can also help with short term memory problems.
While it’s true that humans can only remember about seven things at once, there
isn’t as fixed of a limit on how big each “thing” can be. This is called
chunking. Sometimes one icon can represent several different factors or pieces
of information. Once players learn the icon-based language of your game (which
hopefully won’t be too taxing), they will be able to deal with more complex
information more easily.</div>
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<br /></div>
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If your game does still need a good bit of math, try to
push it all to the end of the game and provide players with a score sheet to
help tally everything up. Many popular games have used this technique to great
effect.</div>
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Finally, cognitive load can be decreased with solid
graphic design. You might notice that playing published games is easier and
more pleasant than playing prototypes. While much of this is due to the quality
of the game itself, a significant factor is the ease with which players can
identify and interact with all the components of the game. Generally, new
designers are advised to make the first version of their game as quickly as
possible. However, once the game begins to take shape, you would do well to
spend a bit more time thinking about the layout and accessibility of all the
various icons and text. You don’t want bad handwriting to affect people’s
perception and ability to perform well in the game.</div>
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So unless you are making the next Advanced Squad Leader,
try hard to get rid of the math in your game. Players just want to play your
game—they don’t like doing math. In the next article I’ll address the size of
your game. Thanks for following along!</div>
Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-68018296055957194772019-11-05T10:16:00.000-05:002019-11-05T10:25:36.949-05:00Time is Precious<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBUHcZ6TNuIgxW1uSNiuyx4fhtzyHdzHE0GTcc63xK9Dbfj2YY2yVNSuzB8Ng6RsqFIQrah07awX284KaZM6yp_A9FRUn5OTsM0i-UCb-5j_jcUhbFkZt8vY0TwFI7q4wJ9IViXufs4zJ/s1600/pocket-watch-3156771_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBUHcZ6TNuIgxW1uSNiuyx4fhtzyHdzHE0GTcc63xK9Dbfj2YY2yVNSuzB8Ng6RsqFIQrah07awX284KaZM6yp_A9FRUn5OTsM0i-UCb-5j_jcUhbFkZt8vY0TwFI7q4wJ9IViXufs4zJ/s320/pocket-watch-3156771_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Welcome back to my series of articles for new game
designers. In my last post, I talked about how <a href="http://www.phantasiogames.net/2019/10/rules-are-bad.html">rules are bad</a>. You should strive
to have as few rules as possible. In my work with new game designers, I’ve
noticed several common pitfalls. Today I will address another important
element.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Observation #2—Time is Precious</span></b></div>
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I recently played a published game where players needed
to first build up their characters and then start to attack powerful monsters
for rewards (good luck guessing what game that was!). The monster-attacking
part of the game was fun, but it took many turns to gain enough strength to
pull it off. We felt as if we were wasting our time at the beginning of the
game.</div>
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In game design as in life, time is precious. No one
enjoys sitting in traffic or waiting for a child to find her shoe. This is also
true of board games. Players don’t generally want to be sitting around waiting
for the fun part of the game to happen. New designers often lose sight of this.
First, they tend to overestimate how fun their game is—or at least certain
parts of it. Second, they tend to underestimate how long it will take to finish
the game. Then, I end up looking at a two-player card game with a playing time
of two hours. While it may be possible to design a successful two-player card
game that lasts this long, it’s not going to happen too often.</div>
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<b>Generally, your game should be as short as possible.</b> Time
is expensive, and game designers should use a little of it as they can. Does
this mean you can’t design that new three-hour dungeon crawl game? Not at all.
However, every bit of extra time must be painstakingly justified. My go-to advice
when looking at any new design is usually something about the need to
streamline. The operations in the game take too long to perform, serve no clear
purpose, or can be done in a more efficient and elegant manner. So how does one
go about cutting a game down to size? Here are three good places to start.</div>
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<b>First, does your game have player elimination?</b> Most of us
grew up playing classic games like Risk and Monopoly, so we understand the disappointment
of getting eliminated from a game before it is over. While player elimination
can sometimes be appropriate, especially in shorter games, modern games often
end the game at or before the moment any player would be eliminated. Many of
these games depend on victory points to determine the winner.</div>
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However, there is a fate worse than outright elimination:
essential elimination. A player might be so far behind, she might have no
realistic (or even mathematical) chance to catch up. And yet the game continues.
Instead of being able to watch TV or make a sandwich, the
essentially-eliminated player must sit at the board and struggle through to the
bitter end. The most common way to address this is to somehow obscure the score—usually
with some hidden points or endgame points based on the shifting board
position/game state. Even if your players are essentially eliminated, try to
keep them from knowing it!</div>
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<b>Second, consider downtime.</b> Downtime is any time where
players are not interacting with the game. The classic example of this is
waiting for your next turn. In a short game, this might only amount to a few
seconds. But in longer games, this could be several minutes—or even longer!
Downtime might be a factor from turn to turn, but some games have extra
downtime at various points along the way. For example, the game might enter a
state of downtime when two opponents have to resolve a battle that doesn’t
involve you. Sometimes players may even want some downtime in very complicated
games or real-time games. But, in most situations, you should try to reduce it
as much as possible.</div>
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There are several ways downtime can be minimized or
mitigated. Note how downtime is addressed in a game like Settlers of Catan. Players
have important considerations even when it is an opponent’s turn, in this case
watching to see if resources will be collected based on the opponent’s dice
roll. Card drafting games and games with simultaneous action selection also
eliminate nearly all downtime. If this does not apply to your game, there are
still a few things you can do. Even if there is nothing for me to do when it’s
not my turn, I might still want to strategize about my next turn. This will make the downtime more bearable. Do all you can
to help players do this. Have players draw new cards at the end of their turn
instead of at the beginning so they can think about how to use them during
downtime. Imagine how much worse Scrabble would be if you drew your tiles at
the beginning of your turn instead of at the end! Many wargames address
downtime during battles by making them interesting to watch. Even if I’m not in
the battle, I might still be interested in the outcome, especially if exciting
dice rolls are involved.</div>
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<b>Finally, your game might include too much busywork. </b>Busywork
is just like downtime (you are not really playing the game) but with actions.
Just like those worksheets you got when you had a substitute teacher in school,
busywork in a game can ruin your whole day. Busywork can include setting up the
game, replenishing resources at the start of a round, checking for endgame
conditions, and even tallying the score. But there are less-obvious (and more
troublesome) forms. Any action in the game where you don’t have a choice—or don’t
have a meaningful choice—is actually busywork. So if I can choose option A
(worth 5vp) or option B (worth 10vp), I will obviously choose B even time. This
is a form of busywork. I am going through the motions of a game but not really “playing”
it. This is a huge problem for beginning game designers.</div>
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The solution is mostly a matter of presenting your players
with meaningful choices—something at the very heart of game design. For more
obvious forms of busywork, try assigning the work to players who are already
experiencing downtime (perhaps because it’s not their turn). In the example I
talked about at the beginning of this article, the leveling up of my character
was actually busywork. Only when my character began to fight did the “game”
actually start.</div>
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This leads me to a last bit of advice. If you notice that
players always have to do X, Y, and Z at the start of every game before really
getting into the experience, consider removing X, Y, and Z. Instead, give the
players all the resources they would normally acquire during the boring part
and skip it altogether. Begin the game later. This also works at the end of the
game. You might notice the game slowing to a crawl at the end. The winner is
all-but-certain, yet the game lumbers on. Instead, cut off this tedious ending
portion of the game, and end the game sooner. In the best games, players often
feel like they needed just one more turn to complete their plans. Don’t let
your players do everything they want, or your game will lack tension.</div>
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Nobody wants to make a boring game. We want to make games
that have tension. The way to achieve this is to respect players’ time and use
as little time as possible while still maintaining your core experience. So
always be looking for ways to cut down the playing time of your game—your players
will appreciate it! Next time, I will talk about math in games.</div>
Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-15677321666601328482019-10-30T11:38:00.002-04:002019-11-05T15:20:15.728-05:00Rules are Bad<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8hyoZ8mCqcQ7J1ApbEWjXznaeFYdEualB5WgWdRLMUPJC5TdzweAVCQnKpD1revTSXhaJCQbSa2Rq8q2DSHUsgEhCC07jmYXgstmqrw-iH9UXDtRs74W9IAsAdn5bDvzIWBCYZDqXY-D/s1600/referee-1149014_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="1280" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8hyoZ8mCqcQ7J1ApbEWjXznaeFYdEualB5WgWdRLMUPJC5TdzweAVCQnKpD1revTSXhaJCQbSa2Rq8q2DSHUsgEhCC07jmYXgstmqrw-iH9UXDtRs74W9IAsAdn5bDvzIWBCYZDqXY-D/s320/referee-1149014_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time with new
designers. I teach an analog game design class at Northern Kentucky University,
as well as some classes for high school and middle school students at our
family’s homeschool co-op. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also serve
as a judge for the CinCityCon game design contest each October. Add that all
up, and I’ve seen quite a few new designs!</div>
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In all of that time, I’ve noticed some interesting
patterns—common pitfalls for new designers. If you are at the beginning of your
game design journey, or hoping to embark soon, I will be presenting some
important information for you in the next few posts. In this first article, we
will discuss rules.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Observation #1 – Rules are Bad</b></span></div>
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As game designers, we live and breathe rules. Our minds
seem to gravitate toward rule-making in games and in life. We want to bless the
world around us with order and elegance. We stand in line at the grocery store
thinking about better ways to organize store policies. We divide and distribute
the leftover brownies so that each person’s share is maximized. And, of course,
we can hardly play any game without second-guessing the rules and proposing
some sensible modifications. So it may come as something of a shock when I tell
you that rules are bad.</div>
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Now don’t get me wrong—rules are essential to any game
(and to any functioning society). Without them, games would be all but
impossible. So why are they bad?</div>
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<b>First, rules are difficult to learn.</b> You are a lover of
rules, so read that statement again. <i>Rules are difficult to learn.</i>
Most people do not enjoy learning rules. I would say even most board game
enthusiasts don’t enjoy learning rules. I know this because of the popularity
of video rules explanations. I know this because of the many times I have been
required to learn and explain rules to other players in my gaming sphere. Why
don’t other players learn the rules ahead of time? Because they don’t want to.</div>
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<b>Second, rules are difficult to remember. </b>Again, read that
slowly. Designers tend to have a strong bias in favor of remembering rules. We
have spent years slowly forming whole new categories for understanding and
retaining rules. Most people haven’t done this. You can assume that your “easy”
and “straight-forward” rules will be more difficult than you image.</div>
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<b>Third, rules get in the way of the fun.</b> How many times
have you heard the refrain, “I just want to play the game!”? Players have a
deep desire to somehow just intuitively grasp the situation and get on with the
fun of the game. Of course, we understand that this is practically impossible.
You have to have a basic understanding of the rules to begin playing.
Furthermore, players want to sail along in a game. They do not want to stop and
check the rulebook every five minutes. Nor do they want to engage in
complicated and tedious game operations just to get to the fun part. Rules can
spoil everything!</div>
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<br /></div>
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So how do we address these concerns? I have a few
suggestions.</div>
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The most important take-away here is this: <b>try to have as few
rules as possible while still maintaining your core experience.</b> In some cases,
there may still need to be quite a few rules. The trick is to have as few as
you can. You must be vigilant and ruthless! Consider every last rule in your
game. Is it absolutely necessary? Will the game work without it? Making your
game 5% less complicated—even if it makes your game 1% less cool/fun—will be worth
it. Many times, games will get more fun as you take away rules and systems. You
might even have to remove or limit your core rule—so be it.</div>
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It might also be worth noting here the difference between
first-order rules and second-order rules. First-order rules are those that must
be understood to begin playing. For example, you have to know how to buy cards
in Dominion before you can play. Second-order rules are all the other rules
that come into play later in the game. In Dominion, these would be the text on
all the various cards. It may help to know this information ahead of time, but
it isn’t strictly necessary. Generally speaking, you can get away with having
more second-order rules, but you should try especially hard to get rid of
first-order rules. This will help players “just play the game” as quickly as
possible.</div>
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If you notice that players often forget a rule during
playtesting, that can be a red flag. That rule might need to be changed or,
most-likely, deleted. It doesn’t really fit, and it’s not intuitive. It’s a
rough edge that needs to be smoothed out. Another red flag is any time you have
trouble fitting a rule on a card or tile. If the rule takes that much space to
explain, it’s probably too complicated to include. Find a better way to
accomplish the same goal.</div>
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Finally, theme can be a wonderful way to help players
through the arduous task of learning and remembering rules. In my game Spirits
of the Rice Paddy, I included many complicated rules (probably too many). There
are rules for constructing rice paddies, planting and harvesting rice, and
moving water from paddy to paddy. I was able to have such complicated rules
because of the theme. Telling players how all the parts worked together became
easier because they could image water flowing from place to place and what it
might be like to grow and harvest rice. Use your theme to inform your rules and
help them stick in players’ minds.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Rules are bad, but they are a necessary evil. I hope you
are able to reduce the number of rules in your next game. If you do, your
players will enjoy your game even more! Next time, I plan to discuss . . .
time (<a href="http://www.phantasiogames.net/2019/11/time-is-precious.html">which you can read HERE</a>).</div>
Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-87527264107215468632019-10-26T14:07:00.006-04:002019-10-26T14:07:54.302-04:00Square Meal Launches January 7My new game Square Meal will be launching on Kickstarter January 7. <a href="https://mailchi.mp/ef0bb8aaa8e1/squaremeal">If you sign up to get a reminder email, you can download the PnP version right now!</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJe2kW2lWE3cSa1i986wvveNOFS3aapW1c3CGyBBq_BFtldkgt7q1hPvmRTNrvFfh2PkxgH4cr9a3aLR0ZYuUnovebC20KWv_67QjcTIVAYeHl9Zg8UxNu_cn88x8MBhYNWh7N5SOfacvq/s1600/sm_cover_image_revised.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="1065" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJe2kW2lWE3cSa1i986wvveNOFS3aapW1c3CGyBBq_BFtldkgt7q1hPvmRTNrvFfh2PkxgH4cr9a3aLR0ZYuUnovebC20KWv_67QjcTIVAYeHl9Zg8UxNu_cn88x8MBhYNWh7N5SOfacvq/s320/sm_cover_image_revised.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-58932581588765222452019-10-02T12:24:00.003-04:002019-10-02T12:28:18.588-04:00Square MealWell, it's happened. I've finally decided to do a Kickstarter all on my own. First time flying solo. The game is called <a href="https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/290755/square-meal"><b>Square Meal</b></a>, and I'm planning to launch early January. The game is a quick, puzzle-solving, pattern-making race in real-time. It's for 2-6 players (although I'm including a solo variant), for ages 8+ and takes about 15-30 minutes to play. Another cool part is that I've brushed off my digital painting skills and done the art myself.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0Uvus4Eo5GCsas9LrrYA-Ed2E2o2pxLMdOoKPYvz5sYZonvWq2GWSt_RAxQIBUkGNjwjvktw001Djs-9XKGI9VLhzQcZqwBFjqLNgZqyXeY25sf_6ToLdLwV3HUFcnffDZyHuxtr6A2C/s1600/sm_cover_image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="1065" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0Uvus4Eo5GCsas9LrrYA-Ed2E2o2pxLMdOoKPYvz5sYZonvWq2GWSt_RAxQIBUkGNjwjvktw001Djs-9XKGI9VLhzQcZqwBFjqLNgZqyXeY25sf_6ToLdLwV3HUFcnffDZyHuxtr6A2C/s320/sm_cover_image.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0cO6_gmnESznKZDpNMT_i1A_L2QpgxKQ_xRjBtkDYwsL0qmdBZWQCBdvyY5rbQydVq_JfthoMFKJhtm10goRIo05VubzVjQioaiFw0i37HfTs9F3droYEYTfU4_3KudiYf_g2hyG_isk/s1600/card05.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1125" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0cO6_gmnESznKZDpNMT_i1A_L2QpgxKQ_xRjBtkDYwsL0qmdBZWQCBdvyY5rbQydVq_JfthoMFKJhtm10goRIo05VubzVjQioaiFw0i37HfTs9F3droYEYTfU4_3KudiYf_g2hyG_isk/s320/card05.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAtxwC05KvAb2AaWQh-XKpPQ_oYT6xGby3k7QJAwETAmPMW2Tzro3eMVLHRUrZi7Ax0g4uPtsbOV_4giXd8Htui37JR0Z3pircWBHNivNVFy2AEDfMHuAQvjvwhTPi1AxHh7Wjx6NrWjz/s1600/rules_card2_back.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1125" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAtxwC05KvAb2AaWQh-XKpPQ_oYT6xGby3k7QJAwETAmPMW2Tzro3eMVLHRUrZi7Ax0g4uPtsbOV_4giXd8Htui37JR0Z3pircWBHNivNVFy2AEDfMHuAQvjvwhTPi1AxHh7Wjx6NrWjz/s320/rules_card2_back.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you happen to be local to the Cincinnati area, I'll be attending <a href="https://cincitycon.com/">CinCityCon</a> next week (October 11-13) at the Sharonville Convention Center. I'll have a copy of Square Meal to show off and play. Wish me luck! Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-59575468684912653202019-07-12T09:41:00.001-04:002019-07-12T09:41:20.381-04:00Ready for Gen ConTime for another update on my current board game industry plans. This week I've shifted into Gen Con prep mode. I've been reaching out to publishers and setting up meetings. I plan to be there Thursday and Friday, and I have 4-5 games to show. If you'd like to meet, just send me an email or a message on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or BGG. I am @pdubarry on most of those.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhsRwIPQdbk3qAYPUlf5WXFjl_VkbOuE7fo4MWHwssmkMTOVfRCYoLEaqOZPA9kp24QHg10Hjjogfn3oqF_bmxMPTRNVnZ6amVabV619R9K9CsRJ1fb9xbe8_A9Fkq_K32UCxbqNrigOGK/s1600/f31d070c6bc5c07713f13a21831b1982_original.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="639" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhsRwIPQdbk3qAYPUlf5WXFjl_VkbOuE7fo4MWHwssmkMTOVfRCYoLEaqOZPA9kp24QHg10Hjjogfn3oqF_bmxMPTRNVnZ6amVabV619R9K9CsRJ1fb9xbe8_A9Fkq_K32UCxbqNrigOGK/s200/f31d070c6bc5c07713f13a21831b1982_original.png" width="168" /></a></div>
I'll also be demoing <a href="https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/247034/rice-dice">Rice Dice</a> at a few events and at the APE Games booth (#1739) at various times during the day.<br />
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My latest game, <a href="https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/244814/embark">Embark</a>, got some love at Origins and will be available again during Gen Con at the Tasty Minstrel booth (#1335). Come check it out!<br />
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Lance Myxter and I are continuing to work on our new adventure game. It's coming along really well. If you'd like to help us playtest, drop us a line. We'd love to give you a sneak peak!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6grsUF-tIvEpVqCO-qHAkDMPvyVKHYxGZ6xMi3vBxCs6fWz57HrgIUw8v07KWqLHGyORXP3xUoXI3yywQLsB1vfJ7LSa6yLphaTK-x-oUn8SVbIht1suNMqLRrObJ_kXak6kdMcFegdWH/s1600/embark_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="403" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6grsUF-tIvEpVqCO-qHAkDMPvyVKHYxGZ6xMi3vBxCs6fWz57HrgIUw8v07KWqLHGyORXP3xUoXI3yywQLsB1vfJ7LSa6yLphaTK-x-oUn8SVbIht1suNMqLRrObJ_kXak6kdMcFegdWH/s200/embark_cover.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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One more bit of news: I've just about talked myself into running a Kickstarter. I am currently putting the finishing touches on it. I plan to use The Game Crafter for manufacturing and fulfillment. I think that was the piece of the puzzle I had been missing. Those pictures of cars loaded up with packages for the post office send shivers down my spine. We'll see how it works out. Here is a teaser image of the art I'm doing (yes, I'm back into digital painting again!):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_zAcUG7tnfFDPgFAl_tvuAHPvvg7q8wLlDLnIktONSlQMeY1o_bTtFanZy2yc1z4NlSUNpEc9CK6_jPSEREtpWHd0uWqAr5a8QS4ZjBbILBUvhSobgEUZGalY1lAIpQtWjemdyKGyj9_/s1600/tomato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1036" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_zAcUG7tnfFDPgFAl_tvuAHPvvg7q8wLlDLnIktONSlQMeY1o_bTtFanZy2yc1z4NlSUNpEc9CK6_jPSEREtpWHd0uWqAr5a8QS4ZjBbILBUvhSobgEUZGalY1lAIpQtWjemdyKGyj9_/s400/tomato.jpg" width="385" /></a></div>
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This leads me to my final bit of news. I'm now a freelance graphic designer and artist as well as a game designer and developer. If you find yourself in need of extra help getting a game to the finish line, I can probably do the thing you need. If you are interested in learning more about me, <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/k9aozfca4ev292p/dubarry_game_industry_summary.pdf?dl=0">here is a summary of my work in the game industry</a> and <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/az8602p2hdkmbdv/duBarry_art_design_samples.pdf?dl=0">here is a sample of my art and graphic design work</a>. Thanks for taking a look.</div>
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See you at Gen Con 2019!</div>
<br />Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-818823875761577672018-12-11T11:03:00.001-05:002018-12-11T11:03:21.182-05:00Updating My Games ListAs the end of the year approaches, I thought it would be a good time to update my growing list of game designs. You can see the list <a href="http://www.phantasiogames.net/2007/08/my-games.html">HERE</a>. I am closing in on having nearly 15 games and expansions under my belt over my 10-year game design career. If you've played one of my games in the past decade, thanks!<br />
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Just a quick look at my plans for 2019: I just finished development for The Captain Is Dead 3 (AEG), and I'll be starting work on designing TCID 4 soon. In addition to a few games being considered by publishers, I am looking forward to a very special adventure game project co-designed with Lance Myxter. Wish us luck!<br />
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Hope your 2018 was great and that your 2019 is even better!Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-85174766626810610162018-06-06T23:43:00.000-04:002018-06-12T11:40:41.423-04:00Wisdom of SolomonJust a quick note: <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1134773245/wisdom-of-solomon-board-game">Wisdom of Solomon is now on Kickstarter!</a> And it's already funded!<br />
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<a href="https://www.kicktraq.com/projects/1134773245/wisdom-of-solomon-board-game/" target="_blank"><img alt="Wisdom of Solomon Board Game -- Kicktraq Mini" src="https://www.kicktraq.com/projects/1134773245/wisdom-of-solomon-board-game/minichart.png" title="Wisdom of Solomon Board Game -- Kicktraq Mini" /></a>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-70390295706976465362018-04-05T10:11:00.001-04:002018-04-05T10:11:23.659-04:00Rice Dice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLWZOAYoWbsAhyDLsCIqx-CBnAM4UJSTYZ9LCl3AlxwhxiAuz9huAiexLexX9gTC0H0iLkW3kimx1ybpfC2ThB8JvtRKgo90VQgHWvVGlgKTtr9MVStTdgKaXskwKCDJcB4L2c2FKHGg3U/s1600/f31d070c6bc5c07713f13a21831b1982_original.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="639" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLWZOAYoWbsAhyDLsCIqx-CBnAM4UJSTYZ9LCl3AlxwhxiAuz9huAiexLexX9gTC0H0iLkW3kimx1ybpfC2ThB8JvtRKgo90VQgHWvVGlgKTtr9MVStTdgKaXskwKCDJcB4L2c2FKHGg3U/s320/f31d070c6bc5c07713f13a21831b1982_original.png" width="271" /></a></div>
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Rice Dice is now on Kickstarter! It's a dice version of Spirits of the Rice Paddy. The campaign is also a chance to reprint the original game. So far, things are going well. Check it out <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/apegames/rice-dice-a-spirits-of-the-rice-paddy-dice-game-fo">HERE</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://www.kicktraq.com/projects/apegames/rice-dice-a-spirits-of-the-rice-paddy-dice-game-fo/" target="_blank"><img alt="Rice Dice - A Spirits of the Rice Paddy Dice Game for 1-5 -- Kicktraq Mini" src="https://www.kicktraq.com/projects/apegames/rice-dice-a-spirits-of-the-rice-paddy-dice-game-fo/minichart.png" title="Rice Dice - A Spirits of the Rice Paddy Dice Game for 1-5 -- Kicktraq Mini" /></a>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-75557451762498303352018-02-08T11:04:00.000-05:002018-02-08T11:04:38.263-05:00My Yearly Blog UpdateIt seems that my blog publishing schedule has now defaulted to once per year. Sad face. :( Part of this is due to the fact that I can't really talk about a lot of what's going on behind the scenes with specific games. But most of it is that I'm <strike>lazy</strike> busy. So without further apologies, here is an update on the current state of my board game work.<br />
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Topping the list is the near arrival of Black Orchestra, 2nd Ed. Copies will begin flowing out of warehouses and into the hands of unsuspecting Kickstarter backers in a matter of weeks. My advance copy is in the mail as we speak. Meanwhile, because the board game world is truly strange, the Spanish version of the game (Orquesta Negra) has already hit distribution. My Twitter feed is filled with Spanish praise and joy! <a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/acabamosconHitler?src=hash"><s>#</s><b>acabamosconHitler</b></a><br />
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Next, my overhaul of the 2011 <i>Kingdom of Solomon</i> will soon be heading to Kickstarter, probably before the summer, under the new-and-improved title, <i>Wisdom of Solomon</i>. We now have a BGG page, so please give some thumbs to the <a href="https://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/3963679/wisdom-solomon">cover image</a>! You can also play the game RIGHT NOW on <a href="https://tabletopia.com/games/wisdom-of-solomon">Tabletopia</a> for free! Please let us know what you think--there is still time to make final tweaks.</div>
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Other upcoming games include: Embark (Tasty Minstrel Games), Spaceways (Daily Magic Games), Spirits of the Rice: The Dice Game (might be called Rice Dice) (APE Games), and The Dark Crystal Card Game (Toy Vault, co-designed with Jason Kotarski). A few more titles are farther out--we'll hear about those next time (hopefully not next February, but you never know).<br />
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I'll end by letting you know that I'm also doing some development work for AEG, as well as some art direction! So far, this has been a really cool experience. So look forward to yet one more slick AEG title by the end of the year.<br />
Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-36177917538578360902017-02-28T10:37:00.000-05:002017-02-28T10:37:19.391-05:00Black Orchestra 2nd Printing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As I write this, Black Orchestra is finishing up an amazing Kickstarter campaign for its second printing. It has surpassed all my previous KS totals and continues to climb. The game has also been nominated for a Golden Geek award in the co-op category (a first for me as well).<br />
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A few other projects on the horizon:<br />
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I'm still working on the version of Kingdom of Solomon (now with a slightly new title soon to be announced). Art is nearly finished and final testing is underway. Expect a KS for that later this year.<br />
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Jason Kotarski and I just wrapped up work on a new Dark Crystal card game with Toy Vault. The art and graphic design should begin soon. I don't believe this will go to KS, and I'm not sure when it will be released.<br />
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I'm also working on a cool new game with the talented Daryl Andrews. We've made steady progress on the overall concept and are well on our way to producing the first prototype. It will be a worker placement+ game about the history of St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in the country.<br />
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As always, I have a number of other projects in various stages, and several prototypes being evaluated by publishers. I'll try to continue to update this space periodically, but following me on Twitter and Facebook is probably the best way to stay current.Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-60197167552377333422016-05-06T12:31:00.001-04:002016-05-06T12:31:52.014-04:00Join the Conspiracy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We are in the final stages of development for my first co-op game, <i>Black Orchestra</i> (previously called <i>Hitler Must Die</i>). Soon, elements of the art and components will be revealed. In the meantime, here is our teaser site: <a href="http://www.blackorchestra.com/">www.blackorchestra.com</a>. You can sign up to be notified when the pre-order site goes live in a few weeks.<br />
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That's right--no Kickstarter for this game.<br />
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Rather, we are doing a pre-order campaign. It was felt that this method will give us better control over the project. We will also be hosting a number of live demos on Tabletopia in the near future. Help us as we introduce this tense and realistic adventure to assassinate one of the most notorious tyrants in history. This one should pack a real punch!<br />
<br />Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8394727862068286814.post-39547580680827339682016-04-13T10:36:00.002-04:002016-04-13T10:36:23.043-04:00Upcoming Games & EventsOnce again, it's been many months since I updated this space. That means I have several items of interest to note. First off, new games updates:<br />
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Several of my outstanding Kickstarter projects are finally wrapping up. <b><i>Spirits of the Rice Paddy </i></b>has done well, selling out the first printing at the distribution level! More news about this game later. <b><i>Skyway Robbery</i></b> has shipped and is available for purchase in a number of places. <i><b>Eminent Domain: Battlecruisers</b></i> has also nearly finished shipping and is in limited distribution. Finally, we got our copy of Isabel's <i><b>Tiger Stripes</b></i>! It looks quite amazing! These should be shipping in the near future--sorry for the horribly long wait.<br />
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A couple of games are nearing the end of development and the start of the Kickstarter phase. Game Salute has revealed the cover of my new title for the Gaslight Empire line, <i><b>Chief Inspector</b></i>. This quick-playing card game features a deduction and memory element as players attempt to discover and arrest the most notorious criminal (flipping the table on some familiar faces from Skyway Robbery).</div>
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We are also almost finished with the final tweaks to Hitler Must Die, which will now be called <i><b>Black Orchestra</b></i> (my original title). This gritty co-op game about assassinating Hitler has really shaped up in the last few months and become even more tense and exciting!</div>
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Finally, I just signed <i><b>Kingdom of Solomon</b></i> with a new publisher! This is not really an official announcement, but note that the new version will be significantly updated, including all new art and great high-quality components. We expect this to hit Kickstarter towards the end of the year.</div>
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As usual, I have several more projects in the works, some of which are currently being considered for publication. Others are still in the testing and prototyping stage. That brings me to my summer plans.</div>
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I will be attending 2.5 conventions this year! I will again be making a quick 1-day appearance at Lexicon in Lexington, KY, on Saturday, April 23. I will also be going to Origins for 3 days and GenCon for 3 days. I plan on meeting lots of new people and lots more I already know! Will you be going to any of these cons? I'll post my specific plans in a few weeks, so maybe we can meet up!</div>
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This year is looking to be a good one for my games--hope to share more info soon! </div>
<br />Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01495446554716655197noreply@blogger.com0