Design Diary – September 24, 2025

(Note: This entry was dictated by the designer while driving a car to work and transcribed by AI.)

Version Update

It’s been a while since my last entry—two hectic weeks, but I’ve made progress on Hack-a-Pad. I’m currently on version 1b.1a, which means just minor tweaks—spelling fixes and a few icons—no major changes.

Event Feedback

I took the game to the Lautapelaamaan event in Helsinki, and to my surprise, all the feedback was quite positive. People had ideas for tweaks, but overall, they liked it. That’s really encouraging for a game that’s only been in development for about a month and mostly tested by me and my daughter.

A Note on Version Numbering

Now, about version numbering: I use a system where the first version is 0.0, with the first digit representing the component version and the second representing the rules version. When I have a version that I can show to others, it becomes 1.0, meaning it’s the first full component version with some kind of documented rules. For minor tweaks like spelling corrections, I just add a letter (like 1a, 1b), so the core version number only changes with major updates.

New Platforms and Next Steps

I’ve put the game on Tabletop Simulator to get more feedback and I’m considering adding it to screentop.gg. I also made a print-and-play version that saves ink by not requiring certain card backs. And yes, I still need to do a tutorial video, even though my first attemptwas a bit rough.

Overall, we’re on track for the October deadlines. The game should be component-ready by October 1st and contest-ready by October 15th.