Design Diary – December 07, 2025

Unusually written by the designer himself, spellchecked by AI.

The design contest ended a week ago and I have had some time to think about the next steps. Unfortunately, I have no idea how the game was received, as only the top games in each contest category were named.

This is not too big of a disappointment, as there were so many great games in the contest. Congratulations to all designers who got their game to the podium! The games were great and all winners deserve their place at the top. If you have not checked them out, you really should do so: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3536713/2025-54-card-game-design-contest

Missing feedback

What is a bit of a disappointment to me is that I did not get any feedback on Hack-a-Pad from other contestants, good or bad. Getting feedback and learning is one main reason for me to participate in these contests. Well, one can’t have it all. Luckily, I’ve had an opportunity to playtest the game outside the contest and received constructive feedback that way.

Based on the feedback from live playtests, I’ve concluded that the game has a lot of potential. It also seems that hacking a pad is not something everyone sees as engaging or interesting, but those who do seem to really like the game and want to play more than once. This indicates that the game is not for everyone, but there is definitely a group of people who like it. Now my job as a designer is to make it irresistible for the people it is for.

Future development ideas

I will be continuing the design process now that I’m more free from the 54-card only limit of the contest. First things to do now, is to figure out more stable way to track AP and Privacy (perhaps spinners or player boards?) and to reintroduce mechanics for 3-4 (or even 6) player game that requires more cards. I’m also considering to create a solo player rules. So there is much to do with the game.

Design Diary – October 13, 2025

Transcribed by AI, dictated by the designer while driving.

As the contest deadline approaches, I’ve been making the final tweaks to Hack-a-Pad. The game is almost ready, and I’m feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. I’ve been refining the rules and making sure everything is as polished as possible. I also recorded a 12-minute playthrough video to give people a better idea of how the game works. It’s not perfect, but it’s a start.

Digital Versions

In addition to the Tabletop Simulator mod I made earlier, the game is now also available in screentop.gg. I hope that helps me to get more testers as screentop.gg is a free-to-play system website.

Deadline approaches

Overall, I’m feeling good about where the game is at. It’s been a lot of work, but I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. Now, it’s just a matter of making sure everything is ready for the contest deadline on October 15th. I’m hopeful that the game will be well-received, and I’m excited to see how it does in the contest.

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.

Design Diary – September 1, 2025

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

I made unexpected progress today on the rulebook for Prototype 1.1. Writing rules always gives me a much clearer picture of how the game is actually supposed to work — and what’s still unclear. Just like always, I found some things I thought were obvious in my head but turned out hard to express cleanly. That’s a good sign something needs refining.

I also looked back at the feedback from recent playtests with family and friends. One thing stood out: the start of the game still feels a bit too slow. So I changed the starting hand size and initial app install counts slightly to get things moving faster. Now it seems that playtime is about 30 minutes which was my target. This also makes early decisions more meaningful, which is a bonus.

Another small step forward: I’ve started prepared the print-and-play files for upload. They’re not fully polished yet, but I want to get the ball rolling so I don’t get stuck doing everything last minute. You can find them at https://wannabeboardgamedesigner.com/board-games/hack-a-pad/proto-1-1/

All of this is part of my prep for the Lautapelaamaan event in Helsinki, which is now only a few weeks away (Aug 12-14). I plan to bring Hack-a-Pad there alongside my other prototypes, so I want everything to be as smooth and testable as possible by then. Every day counts at this point.