Hi! Thanks for watching my video! This was my VERY FIRST video for RUclips and while I stand by the content, I do acknowledge that the editing, audio and video quality are *not great.* The quality of my videos has improved A LOT since this one 😅 Check out my latest videos to see what I mean and hopefully you will consider subscribing 🙌 Thanks for watching! :)
Enjoyed your video. It can’t be overstated that there’s a big difference between thinking a game through in your head vs. play testing. How many times while thinking on my drive to work, or in the shower, and believing I’ve finally solved the problem that’s been plaguing my game. Then I play test the idea solo and go “How did convince myself THAT would work? It broke on its first contact with reality.”
I do this all the time too! I know there's a good chance it won't work, but I let myself enjoy feeling like I've solved it in my head before getting it to the table 😆
As a guy working on my "perfect" game in my free time for the last couple of months, playtesting it only with my friends, this was very insightful. It confirmed some stuff I thought about but needed someone else to tell it to me straight, and also gave me some new pointers as to where to go from here. Thanks a lot!
Yup, I am that guy who tried to make it perfect in my head... I am trying to keep it simple, but I get bogged down into details and then I worry it will be too complex and inaccessible. I also don't have a lot of opportunities for play testing, so that is also a bit of an issue. Anyway, thank you for posting this... it helped me to feel like I am not alone in my struggles. :)
I’m glad this helped! Designing games on your own can be a very solitary thing so it’s good to remember that others are going through the same struggles. I have to remind myself of that quite often. And the best ways I have found playtesters has been through local meet up groups as well as online playtesting groups. There’s a really good one called Seattle Tabletop Game Designers (but ppl outside Seattle can join), they meet on Discord every week.
Good to hear that first one. I often times have Creative Seasons and just go without finishing. Only having 1 game can make rejection or majority negative reception feel so much worse than knowing you have more and need to tweak/scrap that one.
Wow! Excellent video, I'm subscribed. Every point was so on target, especially the first one. I feel like I don't hear that one emphasizes enough. My first published game was like the 20th game I designed.
Hi, I'm glad I came across your channel. I been involved with gaming and conventions for a very long time now and have modified/written rules for games in the past. I have finally gotten to the point I am working on my first "original" game and there is just so much to consider and learn about the process that it's overwhelming. Hopefully I will find some inspiration in your channel to go beyond making one copy and taking it to local cons and game stores.
Thanks for the tips. I loved your prototype board. I enjoy that creative process, too. I;m definitely guilty of trying to complete a game in my head and put out a nice prototype and thinking I can bring it to the table already 90% ready. it never works. Cheers!
Awesome lessons to learn! I just want to repeat what you said that need an emphasis, "Enjoy making the game!" If you lost the fun, I bet the player will too. The two are interconnected
Thank you. That was great! My hobby is more software game design but your ideas apply in that arena as well. I'm going to subscribe and I look forward to your future posts.
Im not making a board game but im currently in the works making a Video Game. over all my research in making Video/Computer games ive come across the same advice That you gave. Subbed. 👍
@@TheVisualDigitalArts awesome! Welcome 👋 I am also working on making a mobile game and have taken video game dev courses. A lot of what I talk about here is relevant to video game designers too, so I’m glad you’re here 🙌
It depends on the game, but I usually go off “feel.” I’ll try a game out and see how it goes and if something feels over/underpowered, then I’ll adjust and test again.
Thanks for this! I'm in the midst of making a prototype (my first game concept to make it to this stage!), but I must admit I've been stuck in the loop of trying to make it better but without putting it out in front of other people. I *did* sign up for my first playtesting event a few months from now though, so hopefully that will help me get over this and get testing done before then! I just need to shake off that perfectionist mindset. Cheers!
Good for you for signing up for a playtesting event! I like giving myself deadlines like that, so I HAVE to get the game to the table one way or another. Hopefully you get some good feedback!
@@PamWallsGameDesign Thank you so much!! Yes, deadlines and limitations both definitely help me get things done, so I'm looking forward to making and testing something I'm proud of.
@@michaelcavalry8379 Yes! It was at Unpub, back in May. I'm so glad I went. They were the loveliest group of people I've ever met! I got incredibly useful feedback, met many awesome designers, spoke to a couple publishers, and stayed up late playing other people's prototypes. It was such a blast!! Highly recommend if you're in the Baltimore area. I was really scared to show off my prototype, but it was truly an invaluable experience. I didn't really get around to playtesting beforehand, but the event was perfect for it because there were many types of prototype games there, from polished and fancy ones down to games basically scribbled down on a napkin right before the event. That really helped me feel at ease. Thanks for asking! ^^
@@devinmarshall6091 Amazing! Thanks for sharing. Glad to hear the experience was great and you had a good time. I'll see if I can find some kind of similar group in my area. I live across the world so sadly not around there, but will do with what I have.
Great advice. I agree with all your points. I have broken one of your rules big time though. My first and main prototype has been in the works for 36 years. I'm a pro procrastinator. I think it's finally finished. Trying to get a publisher interested now.
Everything you said was spot-on, and thanks for your video. One question I never see covered is the jeopardy one puts one's self in when playtesting without first having IP protection such as a design patent for the mechanics, a copyright on the instructions, and a trademark for the name. I know it's a chicken-and-egg problem because all three of these items are in flux, but doesn't this subject warrant some manner of proper discussion on a video with a legal expert in the IP space?
Thank you for this, for the past 7 months I’ve been working on a game and it’s my first one ever. It started off as a hobby but I’ve fallen in love with it and would love to actually do this for work. My biggest issue so far has been not knowing how, so coming across this video is a huge help. I’ve been play testing it since day one with as many different people I can get my hands on and I finally feel like it’s in a good spot so I wanted to make it as pretty as possible to show to production companies cause I figured that’s what they wanted. I am a decent artist, but by no means professional, and I really can’t afford to pay an artist or to pay for a fully fleshed out high production copy. Hearing that that isn’t really important and that the gameplay is what really matters is a huge weight off my shoulders. I also hadn’t thought of/didn’t know that conferences were a thing and that I can get my game out there to more people to test which is super exciting! I’m confident in the game I’ve made and I wanna make it the best it can be, so these videos will be a huge help going towards that goal!
Thanks for sharing this! I’m glad you’ve found the wonderful world of board game design 🙌 There are some speed pitch events coming up you might want to sign up for if you think your game is ready to pitch. Go to the Unpub website to see their list of upcoming speed pitch events, I also list them in my weekly newsletter (sign up here: eepurl.com/iyakps). Best of luck with your designs and remember the more games you make, the better designer you’ll be! 🙌
Great Advice. Thank you for sharing. :) My problem is... not getting any game completed except for one... which I keep on making too big of a board for it, so _none_ would want to play, rofl. >.
7:20 Appreciated you showing your board design. This is a little trap I fell into as well,. However, it was very fun! I surprised by your first suggestion with having more games/projects. That’s what happened to me with my first game. I got burned out and decided “screw it, I’m gonna make another game.” That being said, I be publishing the second game for a long time, but I was able to take a much needed break.
Yes it’s good to have a few projects on the go, so you’re not too hyper focused on just one game, and taking breaks are good too! You can come back to your first game with fresh eyes and decide if you want to keep working on it or archive it. Best of luck 🙌
I’m saying this from a place of love, but your first minute should have been your last minute. If you have credentials, start with them, but if not, launch straight into number one and let the advice stand on its own merit. Spend words like they cost money. See if you can pack the same amount of information into a shorter video. Or not. If this is just your hobby and you’re having fun, I apologise for ruining your fun after you gave me something for nothing. But if you are hoping for hundreds of subscribers, try to increase the number of useful facts per minute.
Thanks for the feedback! I am still figuring things out and trying to be concise. Since this was my first video for RUclips rather than Patreon, I added the preamble at the beginning about that. So future videos will launch right into it! Thanks for watching 👍
@@PamWallsGameDesign oh, the first video must be even more concise! If Shut Up and Sit Down ramble on for 5 minutes, I’ll watch it because I know it will get good eventually. But someone I don’t know? Maybe 10 seconds give or take. Your first video must be pure solid gold.
Hello, I feel like this first game I've designed might be the one I will end up publishing! I hope I am exception to the rule. Thanks for the tips :) I haven't spent too much time on it, but I feel like i've been lucky in the sense that it's come together better than expected.
If you’re getting positive, enthusiastic feedback from playtesters then it’s very possible it could get published! Just remember that the more games you make, the better designer you will be! Best of luck :)
Nice video Pam. These are probably a good plan also for making computer games too. Keep it super simple to start with to get the game idea playable and then see how people interact with it. Especially for new ideas.
Yes 1000%! I am currently learning more about video game development and these same principles definitely translate. A lot of video game developers will focus on the look of the game before seeing if the mechanics work/are interesting for playtesters.
To add to #4 is rinse and repeat. Try it, then tweak it, until you think it is done. Then put it on a shelf, and come back later to try it again with fresh eyes, and maybe tweak some more. Again, put it on a shelf, and maybe when you look at it later it will be finished, or need something more (or less). It's the same process as problem-solving. Be slow to answer the question, and sleep on it if possible. Time adds value and reveals problems and imperfections. Spend 20% of the time on getting it to the table, then 80% "more" time letting it mature. And don't pretend your rulebook makes perfect sense. AFTER the game is ready, have as many new* people read the rulebook as possible. (*Not the same people who have played the game, or seen it played.) If one person doesn't understand a section, that is one too many. A perfect game will get unfavorable reactions, and lower ratings / plays / sales if the rules can't be cleared up quickly in the middle of a game.
as a hobby game designer, your videos do give good advices. My favorit game mechanic is deck building, and health points. My games is always about to kill each other x'D :D
I tried to visualize the mechanics working in my head before actually making a prototype. I feel that when you put it on paper that it puts a limit on what you can change within the mechanics. So its balance between what you want to keep if something doesn't work; The game board or a certain mechanic.
Try to not get too attached to things you put down on paper, they should be just as easily changed as the ideas in your head! But getting your ideas out of your head and onto the table and having people try your ideas out will almost always move the game along more quickly than trying to figure it all out in your head.
Once you have an idea and you know what kind of game you want it to be (resource management vs deck builder for ex) how do you go about determining mechanics?
Yes it is definitely easier if you have a group you can easily test with. I found a group in my city thought Meetup.com and there are also groups who test games online, like the Seattle Tabletop Game Designers who can be found on FB and Discord. You could also check out your local board game cafe/store and see if they have any designer/playtesting events you could test at. Or sign up to playtest your game at a local convention.
I think there’s a balance between developing a game and play testing early. I want feedback on the game but only after I’ve fully developed it, but fully developing it takes a very long time. So I potentially waste time in development because it’s not being play tested. But if I play test too early you’ll critic things I plan to change anyway.
You can’t develop a game without playtesting it. How you think a game will go in your head will be completely different once you get others to play it 99.9% of the time. Getting other people’s feedback as soon as possible is crucial.
Wow. working on one game per year. i am working on a symple card game and I am already working on 5 games at tge time and I have only spent a month on thinking about it.
Amazing video Pam. Thanks for the feedback. I'd like a video on creative blocks during development. Obviously, sometimes we'll be stuck here and there and the creative process is circuitous at time, but any tips on how to expedite and make the process more efficient would be helpful. Thank you!
Thanks David! I highly recommend watching this video about creativity by designer Erica Hayes Bouyouris, she was the keynote speaker at a board game convention I used to organize called ProtoTO: ruclips.net/video/Ty7K0IHfQKE/видео.html
Laughing at the part about having more than 1 game in the oven. I thought doing 3 different games on and off was a mistake. I guess having a Space adventure, Superhero Romp, and Fantasy Battler was a bad idea.
Hey Pam, an addition to your first point: It realy depends on your goal, right? Because I for myself dont have the goal to maximize income with my boardgame but to create my childhood dream. I'm 5 years in - and I will approxamatly be for another 4 years occupied with it. It's a completly crazy project I started with zero experience and absolut naivity. But it's super fun and I dont plan on creating other games after this one (while of course I got plenty of ideas while working on this one).
For sure! If you’re designing purely for fun then you can really do whatever you want 😆 But my videos are targeted to people who want to get their games published. Best of luck with your game, sounds like you are enjoying the journey and that’s what really matters!
QQ for a game that involves cards and a board, how do you quickly create card options? do you use templates or just list out the various card options at their most basic point etc. this is currently my hold up. I have a board with very basic art, i now need to produce my cards but there are a great many of them and this feels somewhat overwhelming
Most of my games don’t have a ton of cards, so I just lay them out in Google Draw, and update as needed. But for games with a lot of cards, I’d recommend Dextrous which you can sync with google sheets and the cards automatically update with any changes you make. Some designers also use Nandeck but I’ve heard there is a pretty steep learning curve for that one.
I agree with the family and friends thing. When I create a game I almost always test it with complete strangers who NEVER met me before. On the thing with gameplay. To me gameplay supercedes graphics. If something is not fun to play, the beautiful artwork will never keep a person engaged to play a game because it's NOT FUN.
I just came across this video. I have subscribed. I live in a very remote location in Ontario and it's difficult to design games. I have many ideas in my mind, but never seem to get anything accomplished due to the sheer logistics of it all. Do you have any tips on using online playtesting for games? I tried to use BGG forums once, but very little came of it all.
Thanks for your support Darryl! For online playtesting, I use Tabletop Simulator on Steam (I believe it’s a one time $20 payment) or figure out a way to play it over zoom (move everyone’s pieces for them, have a second camera showing the board). There’s a really good online playtesting group called Seattle Tabletop Game Designers (but ppl outside Seattle can join), they meet on Discord every week. And every time you visit friends or family (or they visit you) be sure to have a prototype ready to play if they’re willing!
Agree with #3, but now that AI art is free, it has really revolutionized and influenced my design process and prototypes. Let's be honest, with a nice looking prototype, you garner more interest from external playtesters.
I agree with this. And honestly every game designer tips say "Don't worry about the art" Then they say, "Well, I went ahead and did it, but don't make the same mistake!" It's clearly a beneficial part of the process for game designers. In my opinion, it brings the game from being purely theoretical and from the aether, into reality where this could actually be something real. Everything in moderation of course, but I enjoyed the month I spent in using ai art and designing layouts and cards. That process in itself cracked open some really good things for my game.
I'm the one who spends too much time prototyping. (Or at least I was. I'm hoping I learned my lesson.) I'd get excited, design the board, and send it out to be printed on a fancy neoprene mat, only to realize I needed to make huge rule change which scrambled the whole board. Prototype cheap and ugly!
Go to a local board game store/cafe and see who publishes games similar to yours. Then go to their websites/social media platforms to see if they are accepting submissions for new game ideas or if they’ll be at any upcoming conventions or speed pitching events, and then go to those events (in person or virtually if that’s an option) and pitch your game.
Good points. Some thoughts: - have an introduction that sets the mood. Follow rulebook conventions and version everything. - if you don’t have a rulebook the game doesn’t exist. - I always see new designers creating a single tiered deck. For events, tiles, everything. It looks impressive and revolutionary and smart. But it’s not. Always split your cards and dice into several distinct tiers. If you want proof do some counting on bgg. All single tiered deck games fall into mediocrity. Don’t do it. Think about how stuff moves from game part to other part. - finally right after prototype think about the box organization. Game needs to be shipped, you know. When opening a box what do consumers find, and in what order? Follow that order in your rulebook section. I had to step in at least a dozen times on Kickstarter projects that had potential but suffered from a bad rulebook.
Thanks. All obvious mistakes. I find myself here because since a year I have been getting ideas for games. Just out of the blue. I don't even like to play games very much. But the ideas keep coming. I don't really know other people who would like to test or play with. I don't know anything about this business at all. I am a graphic designer by profession and to be honest I find most games very ugly.
@@WD40forthemind quickly make one of the games in your head and play it yourself and see if it’s any fun/if you enjoyed the process! If you did, make more of the ideas in your head and get other people to play them (find board game groups on Meetup.com or see if your local board game cafe has designer meetups or get a friend/family member to try it out). Good luck! 🙌
no matter what creative thing you do, you either get a thick skin or go back to your corner of the yard since you don't belong on the porch with the big dogs. to you it's your brain child and masterpiece, to the customer it's entertainment amongst a hundred other diversions, to the company it's a product. the goal is the customer having a great experience. just like in 'art,' pander to the audience's expectations, and your artistic visions are secondary. after all, you're creating a game for someone else, not for you, and i feel as if that's really the first rule to remember. actually, no, the first rule to remember is if the player doesn't flip the board over when they've lost, then you've failed as a game maker person thingie.
Yes, having a thick skin is probably the most helpful thing a designer can have. I agreed with your sentiment so much I included it as the “comment of the week” in my newsletter today! 🙌
Hi, I have created 5 board games (party games to property game) and 2 cards games we played with friends and at open market. I'm from Namibia, Africa I'm struggling to get my games to the right market or to get a publisher, I have a catalog if you want to see and help I will send you all the details. Thanks in advance.
Hi there, congrats on making so many games! You’re welcome to book a meeting with me here and I can answer your questions: calendly.com/pwgamedesign/45-minute-session-with-pam But just fyi, I’m not an agent and won’t be able to connect you to a publisher directly, but I can tell you how you could potentially get your games published.
Being “bi-polar”is a great environment for designing games lol B-P’s start lots of projects only to jump from one project to another. Thus multiple games are being developed in parallel whether we like it or not 😩🤪😆👍
Hi! Thanks for watching my video! This was my VERY FIRST video for RUclips and while I stand by the content, I do acknowledge that the editing, audio and video quality are *not great.* The quality of my videos has improved A LOT since this one 😅 Check out my latest videos to see what I mean and hopefully you will consider subscribing 🙌 Thanks for watching! :)
1 game for too long 1:27
Play testers 3:34
Aesthetic vs game flow 5:16
Getting game out there ASAP 8:51
Handling feedback 10:34
Enjoyed your video. It can’t be overstated that there’s a big difference between thinking a game through in your head vs. play testing. How many times while thinking on my drive to work, or in the shower, and believing I’ve finally solved the problem that’s been plaguing my game. Then I play test the idea solo and go “How did convince myself THAT would work? It broke on its first contact with reality.”
I do this all the time too! I know there's a good chance it won't work, but I let myself enjoy feeling like I've solved it in my head before getting it to the table 😆
As a guy working on my "perfect" game in my free time for the last couple of months, playtesting it only with my friends, this was very insightful. It confirmed some stuff I thought about but needed someone else to tell it to me straight, and also gave me some new pointers as to where to go from here. Thanks a lot!
I’m so glad this was helpful for you! Keep me updated on your playtesting progress 💪
This video has stood the test of time. Thanks for sharing your insight. I've jotted down all five points on an index card for ongoing reference. 🤗
Pam, this was wonderful! As a published board game developer, I have shared all of these tips with clients and friends over the years. Well done!
Thanks so much Joseph! 🤗
Yup, I am that guy who tried to make it perfect in my head... I am trying to keep it simple, but I get bogged down into details and then I worry it will be too complex and inaccessible. I also don't have a lot of opportunities for play testing, so that is also a bit of an issue.
Anyway, thank you for posting this... it helped me to feel like I am not alone in my struggles. :)
I’m glad this helped! Designing games on your own can be a very solitary thing so it’s good to remember that others are going through the same struggles. I have to remind myself of that quite often. And the best ways I have found playtesters has been through local meet up groups as well as online playtesting groups. There’s a really good one called Seattle Tabletop Game Designers (but ppl outside Seattle can join), they meet on Discord every week.
Good to hear that first one. I often times have Creative Seasons and just go without finishing. Only having 1 game can make rejection or majority negative reception feel so much worse than knowing you have more and need to tweak/scrap that one.
Yes I agree with this 100%! If you’ve got a few games on the go, you aren’t putting all the pressure on a single game.
Wow! Excellent video, I'm subscribed.
Every point was so on target, especially the first one. I feel like I don't hear that one emphasizes enough. My first published game was like the 20th game I designed.
Yes, me too! It’s easy to not push yourself to keep making more games when you feel like you’ve made “the one.”
Hi, I'm glad I came across your channel. I been involved with gaming and conventions for a very long time now and have modified/written rules for games in the past. I have finally gotten to the point I am working on my first "original" game and there is just so much to consider and learn about the process that it's overwhelming. Hopefully I will find some inspiration in your channel to go beyond making one copy and taking it to local cons and game stores.
@@xTheWolfman that is very exciting! Best of luck on your game design journey and feel free to book a 1:1 session with me if you have any questions 🙌
Thanks for the tips. I loved your prototype board. I enjoy that creative process, too. I;m definitely guilty of trying to complete a game in my head and put out a nice prototype and thinking I can bring it to the table already 90% ready. it never works. Cheers!
I definitely still do that too, if only real playtests went as well as my imaginary ones do!
"think a game to perfection."
I definitely did this too, and still do it sometimes! I’m just more aware of it now and try to catch it early. Thanks for watching!
I love the quick little appearance by Leon The Professional! 😉
Awesome lessons to learn!
I just want to repeat what you said that need an emphasis, "Enjoy making the game!"
If you lost the fun, I bet the player will too. The two are interconnected
So true 💯 Thanks for watching!
Thank you. That was great! My hobby is more software game design but your ideas apply in that arena as well.
I'm going to subscribe and I look forward to your future posts.
Thanks Joe! I’m glad it was helpful for you :)
Im not making a board game but im currently in the works making a Video Game. over all my research in making Video/Computer games ive come across the same advice That you gave.
Subbed.
👍
@@TheVisualDigitalArts awesome! Welcome 👋 I am also working on making a mobile game and have taken video game dev courses. A lot of what I talk about here is relevant to video game designers too, so I’m glad you’re here 🙌
Excellent points all around.
Thanks John!
Good tips! One topic I’m curious about is how you go about balancing your game. What are some good exercises for tuning game balance?
It depends on the game, but I usually go off “feel.” I’ll try a game out and see how it goes and if something feels over/underpowered, then I’ll adjust and test again.
Thanks for this! I'm in the midst of making a prototype (my first game concept to make it to this stage!), but I must admit I've been stuck in the loop of trying to make it better but without putting it out in front of other people. I *did* sign up for my first playtesting event a few months from now though, so hopefully that will help me get over this and get testing done before then! I just need to shake off that perfectionist mindset. Cheers!
Good for you for signing up for a playtesting event! I like giving myself deadlines like that, so I HAVE to get the game to the table one way or another. Hopefully you get some good feedback!
@@PamWallsGameDesign Thank you so much!! Yes, deadlines and limitations both definitely help me get things done, so I'm looking forward to making and testing something I'm proud of.
Hello! Did you go yet? I'd love to hear how it went
@@michaelcavalry8379 Yes! It was at Unpub, back in May. I'm so glad I went. They were the loveliest group of people I've ever met! I got incredibly useful feedback, met many awesome designers, spoke to a couple publishers, and stayed up late playing other people's prototypes. It was such a blast!! Highly recommend if you're in the Baltimore area. I was really scared to show off my prototype, but it was truly an invaluable experience. I didn't really get around to playtesting beforehand, but the event was perfect for it because there were many types of prototype games there, from polished and fancy ones down to games basically scribbled down on a napkin right before the event. That really helped me feel at ease. Thanks for asking! ^^
@@devinmarshall6091 Amazing! Thanks for sharing. Glad to hear the experience was great and you had a good time. I'll see if I can find some kind of similar group in my area. I live across the world so sadly not around there, but will do with what I have.
Great advice. I agree with all your points. I have broken one of your rules big time though. My first and main prototype has been in the works for 36 years. I'm a pro procrastinator. I think it's finally finished. Trying to get a publisher interested now.
😮 😮 😮
Best of luck with the pitching process! If this one doesn’t work out tho, maybe give yourself a few months deadline to make the next one! 😂
Maybe wait 20 more years, to perfect that masterpiece, lol.
Thank You...great heads up before playtesting.
You’re welcome! I’m glad it was helpful for you. Good luck with playtesting!
Everything you said was spot-on, and thanks for your video. One question I never see covered is the jeopardy one puts one's self in when playtesting without first having IP protection such as a design patent for the mechanics, a copyright on the instructions, and a trademark for the name. I know it's a chicken-and-egg problem because all three of these items are in flux, but doesn't this subject warrant some manner of proper discussion on a video with a legal expert in the IP space?
Very good video. I really need to find some scrap A4 and stick it together. Cereal packets shall know no safety!
Thank you for this, for the past 7 months I’ve been working on a game and it’s my first one ever. It started off as a hobby but I’ve fallen in love with it and would love to actually do this for work. My biggest issue so far has been not knowing how, so coming across this video is a huge help. I’ve been play testing it since day one with as many different people I can get my hands on and I finally feel like it’s in a good spot so I wanted to make it as pretty as possible to show to production companies cause I figured that’s what they wanted. I am a decent artist, but by no means professional, and I really can’t afford to pay an artist or to pay for a fully fleshed out high production copy. Hearing that that isn’t really important and that the gameplay is what really matters is a huge weight off my shoulders. I also hadn’t thought of/didn’t know that conferences were a thing and that I can get my game out there to more people to test which is super exciting! I’m confident in the game I’ve made and I wanna make it the best it can be, so these videos will be a huge help going towards that goal!
Thanks for sharing this! I’m glad you’ve found the wonderful world of board game design 🙌 There are some speed pitch events coming up you might want to sign up for if you think your game is ready to pitch. Go to the Unpub website to see their list of upcoming speed pitch events, I also list them in my weekly newsletter (sign up here: eepurl.com/iyakps). Best of luck with your designs and remember the more games you make, the better designer you’ll be! 🙌
Great Advice. Thank you for sharing. :)
My problem is... not getting any game completed except for one... which I keep on making too big of a board for it, so _none_ would want to play, rofl. >.
Hey you never know! Try it out and see if people bring up the board being too big without you mentioning it first.
7:20
Appreciated you showing your board design. This is a little trap I fell into as well,. However, it was very fun!
I surprised by your first suggestion with having more games/projects. That’s what happened to me with my first game. I got burned out and decided “screw it, I’m gonna make another game.”
That being said, I be publishing the second game for a long time, but I was able to take a much needed break.
Yes it’s good to have a few projects on the go, so you’re not too hyper focused on just one game, and taking breaks are good too! You can come back to your first game with fresh eyes and decide if you want to keep working on it or archive it. Best of luck 🙌
I’m saying this from a place of love, but your first minute should have been your last minute.
If you have credentials, start with them, but if not, launch straight into number one and let the advice stand on its own merit.
Spend words like they cost money. See if you can pack the same amount of information into a shorter video.
Or not. If this is just your hobby and you’re having fun, I apologise for ruining your fun after you gave me something for nothing.
But if you are hoping for hundreds of subscribers, try to increase the number of useful facts per minute.
Thanks for the feedback! I am still figuring things out and trying to be concise. Since this was my first video for RUclips rather than Patreon, I added the preamble at the beginning about that. So future videos will launch right into it! Thanks for watching 👍
@@PamWallsGameDesign oh, the first video must be even more concise!
If Shut Up and Sit Down ramble on for 5 minutes, I’ll watch it because I know it will get good eventually. But someone I don’t know? Maybe 10 seconds give or take. Your first video must be pure solid gold.
Hello, I feel like this first game I've designed might be the one I will end up publishing! I hope I am exception to the rule. Thanks for the tips :) I haven't spent too much time on it, but I feel like i've been lucky in the sense that it's come together better than expected.
If you’re getting positive, enthusiastic feedback from playtesters then it’s very possible it could get published! Just remember that the more games you make, the better designer you will be! Best of luck :)
How'd you get on?
true. what will be your highest rated design in bgg top?
Nice video Pam. These are probably a good plan also for making computer games too. Keep it super simple to start with to get the game idea playable and then see how people interact with it. Especially for new ideas.
Yes 1000%! I am currently learning more about video game development and these same principles definitely translate. A lot of video game developers will focus on the look of the game before seeing if the mechanics work/are interesting for playtesters.
To add to #4 is rinse and repeat. Try it, then tweak it, until you think it is done. Then put it on a shelf, and come back later to try it again with fresh eyes, and maybe tweak some more. Again, put it on a shelf, and maybe when you look at it later it will be finished, or need something more (or less). It's the same process as problem-solving. Be slow to answer the question, and sleep on it if possible. Time adds value and reveals problems and imperfections. Spend 20% of the time on getting it to the table, then 80% "more" time letting it mature. And don't pretend your rulebook makes perfect sense. AFTER the game is ready, have as many new* people read the rulebook as possible. (*Not the same people who have played the game, or seen it played.) If one person doesn't understand a section, that is one too many. A perfect game will get unfavorable reactions, and lower ratings / plays / sales if the rules can't be cleared up quickly in the middle of a game.
💯
as a hobby game designer, your videos do give good advices.
My favorit game mechanic is deck building, and health points.
My games is always about to kill each other x'D :D
Thank you! And thanks for watching, good luck with your designs 🙌
Really Fantastic to see the new design Games,We are Board Game Manufacture,Good at produce printed nice box,board,rules,brochures,wooden pawns,dice...
Excellent list.
I am inclined to add... nothing. I think you hit the nail on the head.
😆 thank you!! Glad you enjoyed it :)
Thanks for sharing this. I really enjoyed a look at your prototype. A picture can say more than a thousand words, they say ;-)
That is true! Thanks so much for watching :)
I tried to visualize the mechanics working in my head before actually making a prototype. I feel that when you put it on paper that it puts a limit on what you can change within the mechanics. So its balance between what you want to keep if something doesn't work; The game board or a certain mechanic.
Try to not get too attached to things you put down on paper, they should be just as easily changed as the ideas in your head! But getting your ideas out of your head and onto the table and having people try your ideas out will almost always move the game along more quickly than trying to figure it all out in your head.
Once you have an idea and you know what kind of game you want it to be (resource management vs deck builder for ex) how do you go about determining mechanics?
Thanks for the tips. My problem is that I don't have friends to test it where i live as most of my friends live in a different country.
Yes it is definitely easier if you have a group you can easily test with. I found a group in my city thought Meetup.com and there are also groups who test games online, like the Seattle Tabletop Game Designers who can be found on FB and Discord. You could also check out your local board game cafe/store and see if they have any designer/playtesting events you could test at. Or sign up to playtest your game at a local convention.
This was really good advice, thank you!
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching 🤗
I think there’s a balance between developing a game and play testing early. I want feedback on the game but only after I’ve fully developed it, but fully developing it takes a very long time. So I potentially waste time in development because it’s not being play tested. But if I play test too early you’ll critic things I plan to change anyway.
You can’t develop a game without playtesting it. How you think a game will go in your head will be completely different once you get others to play it 99.9% of the time. Getting other people’s feedback as soon as possible is crucial.
Wow. working on one game per year. i am working on a symple card game and I am already working on 5 games at tge time and I have only spent a month on thinking about it.
Great stuff Pam, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching! :)
Amazing video Pam. Thanks for the feedback. I'd like a video on creative blocks during development. Obviously, sometimes we'll be stuck here and there and the creative process is circuitous at time, but any tips on how to expedite and make the process more efficient would be helpful. Thank you!
Thanks David! I highly recommend watching this video about creativity by designer Erica Hayes Bouyouris, she was the keynote speaker at a board game convention I used to organize called ProtoTO: ruclips.net/video/Ty7K0IHfQKE/видео.html
Laughing at the part about having more than 1 game in the oven. I thought doing 3 different games on and off was a mistake. I guess having a Space adventure, Superhero Romp, and Fantasy Battler was a bad idea.
Hey Pam, an addition to your first point:
It realy depends on your goal, right? Because I for myself dont have the goal to maximize income with my boardgame but to create my childhood dream. I'm 5 years in - and I will approxamatly be for another 4 years occupied with it. It's a completly crazy project I started with zero experience and absolut naivity. But it's super fun and I dont plan on creating other games after this one (while of course I got plenty of ideas while working on this one).
For sure! If you’re designing purely for fun then you can really do whatever you want 😆 But my videos are targeted to people who want to get their games published. Best of luck with your game, sounds like you are enjoying the journey and that’s what really matters!
QQ
for a game that involves cards and a board, how do you quickly create card options?
do you use templates or just list out the various card options at their most basic point etc.
this is currently my hold up.
I have a board with very basic art, i now need to produce my cards but there are a great many of them and this feels somewhat overwhelming
Most of my games don’t have a ton of cards, so I just lay them out in Google Draw, and update as needed. But for games with a lot of cards, I’d recommend Dextrous which you can sync with google sheets and the cards automatically update with any changes you make. Some designers also use Nandeck but I’ve heard there is a pretty steep learning curve for that one.
Great video and great advice! 💪
@@MistformAB thanks so much, Alex! :)
The time is a good idea i am curious if you solutions for reaching out to new play testers
Great video!
I think we all made these mistakes, and it's probably not a bad thing we made them. It's just part of the learning process.
Definitely :)
"You try to think a game to perfection."
Guilty.
Me too 🙋♀️😂
How do you get? Where do you get test groups? How is this information important to the people you are selling the game to?
I would add on that i have a habit of wanting to overcompicate games with some intricate details that really dont work within the game idea
Yes I usually have to cut my games down after adding a bunch of things! But you never know what will work, so try it all out and then trim it down.
I agree with the family and friends thing. When I create a game I almost always test it with complete strangers who NEVER met me before. On the thing with gameplay. To me gameplay supercedes graphics. If something is not fun to play, the beautiful artwork will never keep a person engaged to play a game because it's NOT FUN.
Yes I agree 💯 Best to focus on how the game plays rather than how it looks.
Thank you for your insights!
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching 🙌
Great vid, you've got my follow
Thanks Ernst!
Thanks for the his video. It's helpful to me
I just came across this video. I have subscribed. I live in a very remote location in Ontario and it's difficult to design games. I have many ideas in my mind, but never seem to get anything accomplished due to the sheer logistics of it all. Do you have any tips on using online playtesting for games? I tried to use BGG forums once, but very little came of it all.
Thanks for your support Darryl! For online playtesting, I use Tabletop Simulator on Steam (I believe it’s a one time $20 payment) or figure out a way to play it over zoom (move everyone’s pieces for them, have a second camera showing the board). There’s a really good online playtesting group called Seattle Tabletop Game Designers (but ppl outside Seattle can join), they meet on Discord every week. And every time you visit friends or family (or they visit you) be sure to have a prototype ready to play if they’re willing!
Thanks!
You’re welcome :) Thanks for watching! 🙌
The lean start up
I feel very guaranteed :D But in all seriousness this was a good first video and I have done all of the mistakes you list.
Thanks Kim! (I’ve definitely done them all too 😆)
Agree with #3, but now that AI art is free, it has really revolutionized and influenced my design process and prototypes. Let's be honest, with a nice looking prototype, you garner more interest from external playtesters.
It's all good to have a nice looking prototype, as long as you aren't spending much money on it or much time making it look perfect.
I agree with this. And honestly every game designer tips say "Don't worry about the art" Then they say, "Well, I went ahead and did it, but don't make the same mistake!"
It's clearly a beneficial part of the process for game designers. In my opinion, it brings the game from being purely theoretical and from the aether, into reality where this could actually be something real.
Everything in moderation of course, but I enjoyed the month I spent in using ai art and designing layouts and cards. That process in itself cracked open some really good things for my game.
Good advice!
Thank you! I’m glad it was helpful for you :)
Interesting but please avoid repeating the same thing in different ways. This could have been half the length. Still, a worthwhile listen.
I'm the one who spends too much time prototyping. (Or at least I was. I'm hoping I learned my lesson.) I'd get excited, design the board, and send it out to be printed on a fancy neoprene mat, only to realize I needed to make huge rule change which scrambled the whole board. Prototype cheap and ugly!
Yes 100%! 🙌
Nice vid!
Thanks for watching! :)
How can I get your help on getting the best publisher?
Go to a local board game store/cafe and see who publishes games similar to yours. Then go to their websites/social media platforms to see if they are accepting submissions for new game ideas or if they’ll be at any upcoming conventions or speed pitching events, and then go to those events (in person or virtually if that’s an option) and pitch your game.
I suggest to keep your Patreon videos in Patreon and make public videos public.
Good points. Some thoughts:
- have an introduction that sets the mood. Follow rulebook conventions and version everything.
- if you don’t have a rulebook the game doesn’t exist.
- I always see new designers creating a single tiered deck. For events, tiles, everything. It looks impressive and revolutionary and smart. But it’s not. Always split your cards and dice into several distinct tiers. If you want proof do some counting on bgg. All single tiered deck games fall into mediocrity. Don’t do it. Think about how stuff moves from game part to other part.
- finally right after prototype think about the box organization. Game needs to be shipped, you know. When opening a box what do consumers find, and in what order? Follow that order in your rulebook section.
I had to step in at least a dozen times on Kickstarter projects that had potential but suffered from a bad rulebook.
Thanks. All obvious mistakes.
I find myself here because since a year I have been getting ideas for games. Just out of the blue. I don't even like to play games very much. But the ideas keep coming. I don't really know other people who would like to test or play with.
I don't know anything about this business at all. I am a graphic designer by profession and to be honest I find most games very ugly.
@@WD40forthemind quickly make one of the games in your head and play it yourself and see if it’s any fun/if you enjoyed the process! If you did, make more of the ideas in your head and get other people to play them (find board game groups on Meetup.com or see if your local board game cafe has designer meetups or get a friend/family member to try it out). Good luck! 🙌
no matter what creative thing you do, you either get a thick skin or go back to your corner of the yard since you don't belong on the porch with the big dogs. to you it's your brain child and masterpiece, to the customer it's entertainment amongst a hundred other diversions, to the company it's a product.
the goal is the customer having a great experience. just like in 'art,' pander to the audience's expectations, and your artistic visions are secondary. after all, you're creating a game for someone else, not for you, and i feel as if that's really the first rule to remember.
actually, no, the first rule to remember is if the player doesn't flip the board over when they've lost, then you've failed as a game maker person thingie.
Yes, having a thick skin is probably the most helpful thing a designer can have. I agreed with your sentiment so much I included it as the “comment of the week” in my newsletter today! 🙌
@@PamWallsGameDesign lol, that's awesome.
Hi, I have created 5 board games (party games to property game) and 2 cards games we played with friends and at open market. I'm from Namibia, Africa I'm struggling to get my games to the right market or to get a publisher, I have a catalog if you want to see and help I will send you all the details. Thanks in advance.
Hi there, congrats on making so many games! You’re welcome to book a meeting with me here and I can answer your questions: calendly.com/pwgamedesign/45-minute-session-with-pam
But just fyi, I’m not an agent and won’t be able to connect you to a publisher directly, but I can tell you how you could potentially get your games published.
Being “bi-polar”is a great environment for designing games lol
B-P’s start lots of projects only to jump from one project to another. Thus multiple games are being developed in parallel whether we like it or not 😩🤪😆👍
I really needed this video. Thanks! Here is a comment, like, and subscribe in the hopes that RUclips pays you that sweet, sweet cash.
I’m glad it helped and thank you for the support! 🙌
-10/20/2023 @ 0343-
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