10 Production Secrets for Tabletop Games
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- Опубликовано: 26 июл 2024
- In this week’s video, I’m going to go through this recently revised list of tips, tricks, and secrets for production step by step: stonemaiergames.com/a-few-man...
1. Easy-peel shrinkwrapped decks
2. No glossy boards, cards, or mats
3. Add air holes in plastic bags
4. Consider symmetrical card backs
5. Linen embossing
6. Rulebook size/composition are flexible
7. Double-stitched cloth bags
8. Wood trumps plastic for meeples/tokens
9. Name and core specs all over the box
10. Test everything
Bonus: Make non-printed components first
Caroline Black also posted some helpful insights after watching this video: boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/13...
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podcast link: stonemaiergames.com/about/pod...
Intro animation by Jeff Payne vimeo.com/jaaronpayne and video proofing by Cody Simonsen 
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As part of the included box information (age, time, player count, etc.), I’d like to see board games include the estimated table space. It can be extremely frustrating to set up a game and realize that my table is not nearly big enough. Also, Jamey, I can’t get over how generous you are for speaking openly of your mistakes and warning others. I know you’ve been doing it for years, but it’s seriously such a blessing.
That's a great point, Thomas. We've done that for some of our games, but we really should do it for all of them.
Great idea. Never thought of it. I will add this to the game i am making. Thanks for the tip. I like it.
Agreed. I like this guy's attitude. Not ego. He screwed up. And he admits it. Most people don't like saying they were wrong or I'm sorry. I loved how he didn't mind pointing out mistakes. Professionalism is making your mistakes in private. However, I love the openness of this man to help other understand his profession.
@@chriscockrell9495 This guy appreciates your comment, Chris!
Table Space requirement. Wow, that's a great idea. That info should at least be on BGG.
Yes to little airholes in baggies, I definitely appreciate it a lot! Yes to linen finish, yes to key information printed all over the box, yes to everything! As a gamer, I appreciate all of these things very much!
As a player I love asymmetrical card backs, I love knowing which side is up at all times. Ark Nova is a recent example where I really appreciate that.
Yes, please, publishers - make rule books smaller so they are more manageable at the table!
Especially since there's such a long history of sizes already. Comic book sizes are nice.
Dune Imperium needs to learn this!
100% this!
Unsettled has a great sized manual. Those giant, box-sized square manuals are so unwieldy! Also.. use the back page as a quick look cheat sheet! x
Looking at you Nemesis, Red Rising, Tainted Grail!
Yesss!!! Also... Please please please, publishers, don't make lines longer than 90 characters. Long lines are so illegible! The huge square rulebooks are prone to that... At least break the text in a few columns.
Completely agree with smaller rulebooks. The new Libertalia rules were so easy to keep handy, compared to the larger format.
Nothing feels better than a concise, well-designed, error-free player aid. It should also include how to set up the game,so I don't need to rely on the rulebook.
Great pointers! Your tip on box printing is especially important, it’s such an obvious oversight if box-edge information is not considered thoughtfully, once you place the game on the shelf.
Also-in a retail setting, the EDGE of your box is the way customers will likely see your game. Really consider edge art as your first customer interaction.
Another also 😅
The back of the box is often how a customer (or FLGS store employee) learns more details about how the game plays. A mini commercial, if you will. Showing components, describing game play/experience, etc.
I love your attention to details, especially when it comes to usability from how different people store games on the shelves to their ability to read things during the game.
Some of these probably should be best practices that the manufacturer should suggest when making any choices around components to help people not make mistakes or just oversights due to being busy.
Thanks for the tip with the rule books.
Two vertical faces (on opposite sides) and two horizontal faces on the sides of the box would be ideal. Thats because those who like their boxes vertical like all the boxes facing one way, either to the right or to the left.
It's very satisfying to see an editor so committed and involved in making a better product. I think that in the end, this is part of the secret to Stonemaier Games' success.
Thanks! I feel like there's always room for improvement so I can better serve our fans, and I'm committed to that improvement in every product. :)
I am aware this isn’t always possible, but whenever it is, make boxes for expansions the same size as the base game, especially if the base game box will not be able to fit the expansions! I like keeping my games with their expansions (naturally) and it’s something that can truly affect the experience of storing those expansions.
Also, I love games that have a box storage layout printed inside (i.e. Wingspan). It also serves the double purpose of letting me know I’m putting the lid the right way up.
Or make expansions like tuck boxes that fit inside the base game. Considering the modularity of future content integration is a huge quality of life improvement for players.
Kinda love this. Even as a player and not a creator. I love hearing about all the things you do to improve user experience! Would love to see a video dedicated to that too!
I super appreciate your attention to detail as a publisher. Your games feel like an experience and really increase my enjoyment of them.
This type of know-how is invaluable! Thank you so much, Jamie, for sharing that with the community!
Your breadth and depth of production knowledge never ceases to amaze me, thank you or sharing!
The rule book segment in particular intrigued me, and my curiosity in writing a rule book is getting the better of me. I've heard you mention something of a formula you have for Stonemaier books, but I'd love to know more. I haven't come across any videos of yours focusing on dos/don'ts etc, interesting things, or "best ofs" for rulebooks specifically.
Might be a dry subject for some, but could be an interesting rabbit hole others.
Thanks for asking! Check out the articles under "Level Up Your Design Skills" on this page (multiple links at "How to Write a Rulebook (also this and this and this and this and this)"): stonemaiergames.com/kickstarter/how-to-design-a-tabletop-game/
Thank You....great information to follow and keep in mind when I get to that point. Really appreciate you sharing!
Love the namedrop for Jack at The Cardboard Herald. One of my favorite channels! Thanks for doing this video, I learned a lot.
I'll have to look that up.
ruclips.net/user/TheCardboardHeraldvideos
Great topic for me personally. Even the talk about box size standards came up last week. Thanks!
Trekking the world. Best insert I’ve ever seen in a base game. It’s a work of art.
This video was the most helpful video I’ve seen all year, thank you Jamey so much for sharing all of your knowledge!!! 😊😊
Quite a wonderful episode! Really fun to learn from your experience. Very nuanced and considerate insights, kudos!
I received a game without air holes punched in the plastic bags once. The meeples had suffocated.
This is an awesome video! Going straight into my board game design playlist so I can keep coming back to it. Thank you!
Symmetric Card Backs are so awesome. Thank you for putting this out there.
Excellent feedback! Thanks for sharing!
Great tips there, Jamey, thanks for sharing to help avoid mistakes - like the popular carpenter's adage goes - "measure twice, cut once!"
While I generally agree with your points made, I'd like to add:
7) Symmetry - probably works best when BOTH the card front and back are symmetrical (e.g.standard playing cards), otherwise both asymmetrical is best?
6) Yes, Linen board/cards/tiles are great, BUT for those of us who are 'neurotic' card sleevers :), we lose the benefit of the nice touch due to the glare and smooth sleeves :)
5) Rules booklet - Yes, moderate/narrower page width is better - I would like the quality newspaper companies (New York Times etc) to adopt page dimensions more in line with the tabloids.
3) Wood - yes for meeples and cubes, but I feel, depending on the game, "tiles" may look aesthetically better when they are Azul/Libertalia WOGC like.
2) Name & Specs - should one vertical, one horizontal be enough for the game shelf? Box dimensions, I feel, should have an upper limit - I was gifted "Ticket to Ride Europe, deluxe edition" and I have to put it on the top of my game cabinet, out of place with the shelved collection.
Another advantage to symmetrical card backs is they're never "marked" (based on which way they're oriented) in a face-down deck.
That's right!
Great list, Jamey! Thanks for the pointers. It’s great to get videos like this and learn from your invaluable experience.
Thanks! I look forward to seeing the clever components in Bark Avenue. :)
Awesome video, thanks a lot for sharing!
At this point Stonemaier is my benchmark for how I like my components in games. I essentially have it broken down into five tiers:
1) Mass Market. Thin paper, default dice, bad trifold boards, basic player pawns or standees that’ll get destroyed after a few uses, paper money, etc. basically what we all grew up with and most things from Hasbro. Most boxes are Monopoly style and have underwritten rules with a lot of needing to house rule for edge cases or realize how much was left out. Current hobby example of this: Vegas Showdown. It’s baffling to me the way that game screams for good components and a decade later, despite staying in print, it doesn’t have that.
2) Standard Hobby. Average 52 card deck style cards, maybe glossy maybe not, better quality boards that are quad fold or single piece dependent on size, better quality standees or possibly very basic minis, cardboard tokens for coins, etc. There might be a few more custom pieces like better dice but ultimately the focus is on price over functionality to keep things both cheaper and more replaceable without being punishing for it. Current hobby example: King of Tokyo. Everything holds up well, the rules are well written, they refuse to upgrade into minis but have amazing dice. If a copy of KoT gets ruined, it also doesn’t hurt as much to replace it.
3) Premium tier. This is where I put Stonemaier. Better quality cards, lots of linen finishes or some kind of stronger core cardboard, more likely to have multiple card sizes, custom components, well written rules with possibly an appendix booklet or one for other play modes, boards are much better quality (maybe dual layered, double sided, wrapped edges, more unique sizes or shapes). MAYBE some metal components (coins) or at least an option for them. You’re paying a higher price but everything is made to be a deeply pleasing experience without gouging pocketbooks for it. I know that these products are going to hold up for a very long time and are unlikely to have severe mistakes or component issues in them. More likely to have minis than standees but if standees they are more likely to be acrylic or have cardboard bases instead of plastic clips to keep them intact better. Current hobby example: On Mars (or most Eagle Gryphon productions of Vita Lacerda’s games). Custom wooden bits, dual layer boards, excellent storage insert, screen printed wooden tokens, unique items for each player and each game. Extra solo components and multiple rulebooks.
4) Luxury. Yes gaming as a hobby is a luxury anyway, but these games prove it. If it can be upgraded, it will be. Can it be plastic? Great - it’s now metal. Neoprene everywhere. Everything is custom. Standees never appear here - it’s only minis or more minis.arguably more stuff in these boxes than is what’s needed but there is a justification to be made for all of it. Current hobby example: you’re getting two here because one of them fits at the Standard price but luxury stuff: Radlands Deluxe. How that stays at $50-$60 is insane to me. Generally though you’re looking at an Awakened Realms game though like Nemesis. Tons of stuff, nothing is default, and nothing truly extraneous in the boxes. You’re looking around the $100-$150 price range here.
5) Ultra Luxury. The realm of overblown Kickstarters and lifestyle games. Take everything from tier 4 and just multiply it. Can the game fit in one box at tier 4? Great now you’ve got twelve instead. You’ll never use all this content but it’s there to say it’s there. You can’t leave this game out without specialized equipment or a lack of children. This tier frankly shouldn’t exist but people ignore their editors all the time. Current hobby example: most Mythic Games productions. Consider Joan of Arc - the game has a need for a 3x2 Kallax on its own. Terrain that could just be tokens or printed on the board is instead minis. Basically the game breaches wargame territory without committing to it. If you’re paying less than $200 for this tier it’s only due to clearance sales.
Thanks for being willing to share!
thank you for that video. love especialy no. 9.
the game are really needs to look good at the shelf no matter the side we put it and also easy to at the store. 🙏
Great tips! 100% agree on the rulebook. Usability > page count
love these production deep dives
Thanks for the the great advice! Much appreciated!
Great video, even if you probably wont desgin or manufacture a board game in yout life.
I loved the points about the smaller rulebooks and the inclusion of the player count/game name in all sides of the box.
I would also like that every game included a quick refference sheet and/or card
100% agree about the rulebook. It's tough if I'm trying to set up a game and use the rulebook, but the rulebook takes up so much space that I can't see the components
Great video, thanks for sharing your thoughts! One thing about the box size that I have started to put more thought into lately, especially now that the shipping cost has increased, is how to optimize the box for containers and pallets. For one of our games we made some very small adjustments and went from 216 per pallet to 252.
That's awesome!
I very much enjoy the feel of the rulebooks from Stonemaier Games.
Thank you! :)
These are great insights
Thanks for considering the colourblind. That app isn't perfect but at least it helps normal sighted people understand.
Another great video, Jamey. Thanks. Can you comment on the additional costs of printing on or in some other way using the interior of the box top and box bottom? Tiny Epic Galaxies, for instance, uses the inside of the lid as both a player aid and a makeshift rolling tray. It is one of the reasons why that little sucker has survived so many of my game shelf purges over the years. I feel like the inside of the lid is another opportunity for utility, surprise, or delight.
I agree! Particularly for smaller games, the inside of the box lid is a great place to print gameplay content--it does not add a big cost. I also like the idea of printing icon reminders on the side of the box, as done in Land vs Sea.
Yea for compostable packaging!
Great video... thanks for the excellent info. Not planning on making my own game, but I do value the thinking behind some of these decisions. One comment however... your video was flickering quite a bit. Not sure what was going on there but thought you would want to know!
Great episode, Jamey. Thanks for your generosity in sharing your lessons learned. I was wondering if you do on-site press checks for your games? I would love to hear your thoughts on maintaining color consistency, especially with card backs for expansions vs. a base game.
Definitely, we get PPCs (pre-production copies) and MPCs (mass-production copies) of all new products to review, and we also get MPCs for reprints of any product. We do check for color consistency, but sometimes it's impossible to perfectly match a previous color. Fortunately, it's exceptionally rare that this matter, as there are very few games where (a) you can garner an advantage by seeing different card backs in an opponent's hand, (b) you can garner an advantage or even any information by simply seeing the back of the top card of a deck, and (c) the game is played at such a competitive level that such an advantage matters in any meaningful sense.
For dice, I would also suggest looking into using D12 dice even if you only need 6 (or fewer) values as they roll better and feel a little more special/premium. Root uses D12 dice for 0-3 values for example.
I completely agree--I love how d12 dice roll (see the dice in Tapestry). However, I wouldn't recommend them as a replacement for d6, as you can have much bigger icons on a d6 die than a d12.
I love how Root uses D12 instead of D4. Rolling D4 just does not feel right.
now that you said it, I realised d12 can replace both d6 and d4. I wanted to have both in a game I am designing but maybe I should really only use D12
I enjoyed hearing the thought going into game components.
Do you have any videos about games, their categories, the game archetypes and categories, and sorts of games?
I don't have any videos about how to categorize games, if that's what you're asking. But many of my top 10 videos categorize games by core mechanism.
A1 tips!
My personal preference in regards to #9, I like 2 clean sides with just artwork and the game title. I think it looks more clean and nice without a lot of symbols/icons on the side of the box showing, but I know some sides need that info to show on store shelves.
I'm never interested in have collaborators and corporate names all over the box. As a game store, I find it interesting how store care so much about who makes what, what is the new game by their favorite game makers, and even organize the store by producers. Honestly, the public doesn't care about these things, just a very small and segment group of less than 1% of humans care about the producers details. The public wants the feel of the game (complex, simple, or in the middle) or any themes, the players counts, the time to play.
For #9 its surprising how many game boxes dont have the two different orientations for (horizonal/vertical) display. For #10 I wish more would use Kallax as the standard, either make it stubbier to allow one box on top in horizontal position (on top of vertically aligned boxes), or make it skinnier but longer to take up entire vertical/horizontal space but allow more games to fit. It would be nice if someone at some point in the future figured out how to make boxes slide in/out of a shelf without damaging the art (rubbing).
12:20
Hello, Jamey, in non-English speaking countries people print rulebooks more often, than you think . I’m from Ukraine. Ukrainian localizations appeared only in the last several years. I have games in English, French, Polish, Czech. That’s why we have to print rules, written in the language that our gaming group knows.
Thanks for sharing this! That makes sense, and we'll continue to make all of our rulebooks available to print.
Jamie, I think at the time of Tapestry you stated something about importing wood tokens into Australia requiring extra treatment as a precaution against the possibility of wood boring insects or something?
That no longer seems to be an issue. :)
I love this video and I am not even a designer or involved in publishing. I was saying yes to all your points and now I am going to be more critical to companies that fall short of these BASIC component issues. And triple yes to the "shake test/packing test" please oh please publishers look at this... Your game is basically done, the last thing you should consider for your customers is how they are going to receive your game. If they open it up and if you didn't do a good job making sure components stay in place or you did not pack the box with the game in it for shipping well, your customers will have a negative experience before they even start playing the game. I know I am probably a bit crazy but even at my FLGS I look all around the edges of the game box and do a slight "shake test" and if the corners are too much bent or crushed and/or I hear too many components loose around in the box, I will not buy that game that day and may find that game at a different store or not buy the game altogether (I know a bit crazy right).
If I may make a suggestion, instead of increasing how critical you are of companies that make different choices, why not elevate publishers that make choices you adore?
I always assumed the hole punch was a side effect of manufacturing: can fit thousands of bagged tokens in a much smaller space if air isn’t trapped. All the heavier weight plastic bags I’ve seen included as storage bags don’t feature. I’ve even used it as and indicator myself, “ oh they don’t intend me to keep this bag because it’s fewer mils and punched”.
Hello Mr. Stegmaier. Thank you for the video, it was informative. It's funny how with every video or podcast I listen to, there are new details the other ones do not mention.
I would like to ask about your experiences with card and deck sizes. In an old Ludology episode (thank you for recommending this podcast in another video btw.), they interviewed the owner of Panda manufacturing. He mentioned, that in the standard card size, 54 cards fit on one print sheet. Therefore, to optimize costs, card decks of this size. What are your experiences with card and deck sizes please?
There are a variety of standard card sizes; the smaller the card, the more you can fit on a card sheet (though I'd recommend only using small sizes for icon-only cards). Here are a card sizes we've used:
44x67mm (Viticulture)
57x87mm (Wingspan)
63x88mm (that's the size you see in most deckbuilding games, 54 cards per sheet)
59x91mm (Euphoria)
63x63mm (square cards in Pendulum)
65x100 (Red Rising)
70x110 (Scythe encounters)
@@jameystegmaier Thanks! Is there a way to find out how many cards of a certain size fit on a card sheet?
@@Ih8appls I'll let you know know at the quantities I mentioned; beyond that, just ask your manufacturer. :)
44x67mm: 84 per sheet
57x87mm: 60 per sheet
63x88mm: 54 per sheet
59x91mm: 54 per sheet
63x63mm: I don't know exactly, but I know that 70x70mm (Power Grid) fits 64 per sheet
65x100: 40 per sheet
70x110: 32 per sheet
@@jameystegmaier Thank you very much again :)
Any size box…that fits in a Kallax.
Is there somewhere I can find recommended colors for colorblindness? For example- if I want 5 unique/distinct colors, what would be standard ones to choose from? I have looked and had trouble finding help with this.
Does this app you mentioned provide this information?
Colorblind Pal doesn't do that, but it is really helpful for looking at colors through the lens of different types of colorblindness.
Funny I see compostable bags because I just opened Wingspan today and for the first time I saw such bags in board games.
Not all compostable/biodegradable bags are as visibly compostable as those in Wingspan.
Glad to hear that linen is cheap, I like it but assumed it would be costly. Do any card manufacturers offer the option to provide matching sleeves?
Manufacturers do indeed offer the option to provide sleeves, with a range of customization options.
@@jameystegmaier Thankyou Jamey, I was thinking of using some double sided cards but they need sleeves to work. 😅
Using the biodegradable plastic bags is admirable. However, in my experience, you can open those bags exactly twice before they rip, tear, or split open and become completely useless.
This happened to me last night when I opened The Wind Gambit for the first time and already lost two bags this way.
Are these clear plastic bags or the opaque bags?
What is the website of panda, your manufacturing company that you mentioned?
pandagm.com/
Publishers please put an accurate player count on the box.
Sometimes a box will say that it's 2-4 players, and there will be no mention that it has a solo variant. Or it will mention the solo variant on the back where I may not see it.
Or a co-op game will say 1-4 players and not make it clear to play it solo you have to play 2 characters. Gloomhaven is not a 1 player game but it says it is on the box.
I love the texture of your rule books, and the holes in the bags. Not a huge fan of the non transparent bags.
In relation to the wood/plastic, I thought you had mentioned at the time (or perhaps it was another publisher about that time) that one of the issues is the extra complication of importing wood into certain countries (eg. Australia, where it needs to be declared at least). I know someone mentioned it at that time :-)
Also, what about wood as an option of dice as more envionmentally friendly than plastic? (probably only practical for D6 I would think)
Apparently that's no longer a concern for Australia, as far as I know.
I like wooden d6 for the reason you mentioned, but not all manufacturers will make them, as they're more likely to be unbalanced.
There should be no problem importing treated wood to Australia.
@@NateCochrane Yep, although is there (or was there in the past perhaps) paperwork required to certify that it was treated? Anyway, seems it's no longer an issue now.
@@odgregg an importer/3PL partner would know best but there’s no problem with things such as wood meeples AFAIK.
Jamey, thanks for this video! Can you comment on why might we not see tarot-sized cards as more common components in boardgames? You chose to include some in Scythe, and I've seen them in Jamaica and Parks. But not much else.
Citadels has been printed many times in many versions. In one of the versions they made the character cards Tarot sized and the building cards were, I think, poker sized. This simple production change was so useful. I first learned Citadels in a version where all the cards were the same size, and it was confusing.
Indeed, Scythe has 70x110mm cards. The reasons you don't see them more often are (a) they aren't a great card size if you're holding multiple cards in hand and (b) they're much more expensive to make, as fewer of them fit on a card sheet. There are definitely other games that feature this card size, including Dixit, Mysterium, The Shipwreck Arcana, On Tour, and others.
@@jameystegmaier thanks Jamey! Very helpful! I’ve been trying to hold several PARKS cards in hand and they feel good to me in hand, so I’ll have to do some more digging and testing to find out what I’m missing about this aspect. Appreciate the tip about cost!
They seem to be a bit harder to shuffle. If you have a lot of cards too, you couldn't use an automatic shuffler.
@@jtt8886 what do you think about say having an absolute max hand size of 12 cards, and that’s only at the endgame, whereas most of the game, your hand size would be 3-4 cards? And your deck is only 12 cards. Would this be comfortable in your hand and easy to shuffle?
I hate having to search a box for player count. I have put so many games back on the shelf over this.
What is the type of paper you now use for SM games? When I asked my prospective manufacturer for paper samples, I got 3 different weights, which was helpful, but not exactly what I was looking for. It was also stated that they don't typically put linen finish on rulebooks and thus didn't have a sample to send me at the moment. So what is it exactly that I should be asking for?
Forgive me if this is answered below, I skimmed through the comments and didn't see it. Thanks Jamey!
Juliet: We use 157gsm matte paper with a linen texture for our rulebooks, and we work with Panda--they can provide some options.
@@jameystegmaier Thanks!
Another point I would add is have an editor proof read all the material before going to press. I recently purchased a game whoch came packed with a few dozen aditionnal cards because the original decks were full of badly translated instructions and typos. Not only is this increasing your production costs and delaying the release of your product to the customer but it also makes quite a terrible first impression. I had to find and replace each individual card before I could sott the components out of the box. Plus, there were no instructions on which corrections were made so I had to guess which cards to replace by myself. I won't name that publisher but I hope they learned from this
Definitely! I wouldn't put that in the production category, though--that's just part of the process of getting a game ready to print. I discuss our proofreading and oversight process here: stonemaiergames.com/our-new-proofreading-and-product-oversight-process-2021/
I'd be much happier if all game publishers include a bit more plastic bags than absolutely necessary. They tend to deform/tear over time, some players want to separate tokens/cards into very small groups (so they'll need more bags for storage), etc. A couple of times I had to literally take bags from other boxes because there were not enough for my needs.
Some thoughts from a user of games -
Rule books - I do strongly prefer rule books that feel like books. There are some (Castles of Mad King Ludwig comes to mind) that don't. Castles' rule book is square (like Red Rising) but also folds in an unexpected way, rather than being bound at the left. Please no rule books that unfold into enormous sheets, and no rule books that require expertise in origami. And as you said, readable font and white space. I hope the days are gone of folded paper with 4 point font.
Boxes - don't get creative here (usually this is just a problem for the mass market games). No windows in the lid to see the contents, no odd shapes, don't make your box a pun, and, with all due respect to Forbidden Island, which is otherwise an amazing product, no tins.
Color - Provide a colorblind-friendly alternative icon! Color testing with the app is a great idea, but also if may be possible to give a secondary cue to the color with a pattern, outline, or icon.
Resources - Make your resources easily distinguishable at a glance! (Bad examples - Origins: First Builders has boring white tokens with an icon stamped on them; the food and gold look too similar. The Voyages of Marco Polo - the larger size resources, meant to represent 3 resources, are not obviously large at a glance - unlike Euphoria, where the size difference is very easy to see.)
Dice - Custom dice are so eye catching. I wanted Euphoria just for the dice. Even better when they are functional and not just ornamental. If you have a game where a 5 or 6 is a "hit", have 2 faces with "hit" icon and 4 with a "miss" icon - so much classier (and immersive) to do that rather than learn a numeric code for the outcomes.
Core specs - Great comment! It seems silly, but I get so used to playing a game with one group, I may know it plays 4 players, but I might forget if it plays 5. As I'm walking out the door to go to a meet up, the ability to scan my boxes and quickly know if I should bother bringing a game to a group of 5 or 6 is very nice. Also, yes please, designer and artist credits always!
One you forgot - (Because I've heard you say it before) - graphic design before board art. (Maybe that's more a development tip than a production tip?)
Player aids - one per player! And player aids should be summaries, not places to sneak in additional rules. But player aids should also be thorough. (Tawantinsuyu has a nice player aid, but for some reason in the Festival steps one step is left out - refresh the building tiles. That's a shame.)
Thanks for sharing these tips! I completely agree about one player aid per player. And you're right that I didn't mention graphic design before art (I just wouldn't put that in the "production" category).
And when choosing the box size, do not waste space. Consider contents of upcoming expansions to fit also into the main box, but please do not waste space. Many games come with huge boxes where the main content is only a badly designed inlay and where the contents would easily have fit in an organised way into a box half that size. And if you are close to standard box sizes, pleeease stick to them. One of my worst examples is the huge box of Mage Knight Ultimate Edition, which I just downsized into a custom standard sized 29 x 29 cm box.
#9 Box Size. Splotter Spellen enters the chat
When we were producing our game, we decided to not go with a linen finish because I come from a print background and the linen finish felt fake and chintzy to me, and then we heard time and again that we were cheap for not doing linen. That was a hard lesson learned. People like linen finish!
Some games have one-sided coins. The denomination is written on one side only. It takes time to turn them over.
I understand that some players want to hide the amount of their money in games, where the current leader can be attacked: “EVO”, “Small world”... There are more comfortable ways to hide the money: bags (“Evolution”), player screens (“Isle of Skye”).
But why did they print one-sided coins in “Five Tribes” and “Mundus novus”? It’s not cheaper, because the other side has a picture.
I agree, I prefer that information on both sides of tokens.
Too often rulebook designers sacrifice readability. Being able to read the rulebook should be high priority in board game production yet too often the rulebook is an afterthought.
The rulebook is the single most important component in the game and should be designed with reverence. It’s the game’s entry point and what keeps it on the rails.
It must be physically accessible and visually pleasing without sacrificing legibility, readability and promoting understanding. Too often rulebooks contain text that is too small, blurry, badly contrasted with background matter, and printed over ridiculously long line widths.
Bigger fonts. Narrower columns. High contrast text to background (very little beats black on white). Wide galleys with room for notes (for those players who don’t mind marking up their rulebooks). Better use of sub heads and tips or breakout boxes with clear and repeated visual pointers for reference during play. All these things are well understood ways to improve rulebook design and yet so many rulebooks break readability guidelines for no clear reason.
Also, fewer words are usually best (this applies equally to narrative or storybook games). Hire an editor to cut those word counts and crystallise what you’re saying on the page. The rulebooks for too many simple games are explained in needlessly complicated language that just confuses the players.
Focus on crafting the perfect rulebook and games will be easier to learn, teach and relearn (or remember) when your players come back to them.
Put as much effort into the rulebook as designing the game and your players will thank you (and you’ll print less paper).
What are a few of your favorite rulebooks?
@@jameystegmaier couldn’t recommend any.
On a related note, a player aid should be printed on the back of the rulebook. In a similar vein, consider how to use the negative space inside the box lid to hold useful information like setup guide, player turn order, pack-away guide, key tables, often consulted rules and any quality of life information players may need during the game.
I hate when the rulebook is the same shape as the box. That feels like it leaves me too options. I have to bend the rulebook in order to get my fingers under it, or I can just dump the box out. Both choices are undesirable.
I disagree about box sizes. Providing your game fits into a ticket to ride style game (and it isn't ridiculously empty on the other end of the spectrum
) - you should use it. It's really hard to stack odd sized games
Game boxes should be easily divisible (preferably by a factor of 5) on the shortest edge into - and no deeper or higher than - 1 SKU (Standard Kallax Unit).
"wood trumps plastic for tokens" : obviously that was not the case for Libertalia. As much as I love this game, I think the plastic loot tokens are not great looking, too shiny. Do you regret using plastic for Libertalia ?
I love the plastic loot tokens in Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest--I think they feel great to pull out of the bag, and we printed icons on both sides so you never need to sort out which side is the right side. I drew inspiration from Azul's bakelite tokens for them. My only regret is that if we had made them wood instead, they would have been more eco-friendly.
Loot *should* be shiny!