Wannabe Board Game Designer

Design – Test – Fail – Learn – Repeat

Category: Designer Diary

  • Enter the rabbit hole of board game design – from idea to prototype

    Enter the rabbit hole of board game design – from idea to prototype

    Diaries of a wannabe board game designer, entry date 16th May 2025

    The jorney begins. How did I end up here?

    What does it actually take to turn a spark of inspiration into a playable card game? In this first diary entry I walk through the earliest, messiest part of the design journey and share the concrete lessons I’ve learned so far:

    Why “a good game” is more than a clever idea

    Building the very first paper-prototype – and why your kid’s teddy bear makes a perfectly ruthless play-tester

    Iterating with family feedback: tracking play-times, win ratios, and “this-is-boring” moments

    Killing the fear of idea-theft – ideas are cheap, finished games aren’t

    Essential resources

    BoardGameGeek: cataloguing, research, and the best reality check on earth

    Board Game Design Lab podcast: a goldmine of design wisdom (I binged 50 episodes in two weeks!)

    Next hurdles:

    finding a theme that truly fits, deciding between self-publishing and pitching, and lining up broader blind-playtests.

    If you’re sketching your own game—or just curious about how much work hides behind that neat little box on the shelf—this episode will give you a candid look at the very beginning of the process and the mindset shifts that keep it moving.

  • Exploring Game Design Tools: Dextrous vs Tabletop Creator Pro

    Exploring Game Design Tools: Dextrous vs Tabletop Creator Pro

    Diaries of a wannabe board game designer, entry date 20th June 2025

    In this episode of “Diaries of a Wannabe Board Game Designer,” I share my experiences exploring and testing two innovative board game design tools: Dextrous and Tabletop Creator Pro.

    Previously, I relied on basic graphic design software like Inkscape, GIMP, and Google Slides, but found them limiting for efficient game design.

    In this video, I dive into the features, strengths, and limitations of both Dextrous and Tabletop Creator Pro.

    I also demonstrate a practical use-case by creating simple dice simulation cards for d4 and d6 dice with each tool.

    Watch to learn which might suit your game design needs and streamline your creative process.

  • 5 Up game review with a test play by Teddy and Doggy

    5 Up game review with a test play by Teddy and Doggy

    Diaries of a wannabe board game designer, entry date 30th May 2025

    A great part of being a board game designer is playing games that others make and learning from them.

    In this episode of Diaries of a Wannabe Board Game Designer, I’m diving into “5 Up,” a small, push-your-luck dice game by Peliko. I’ll share my first impressions, walk you through the gameplay, put the game’s claimed 15-minute playtime to the test, and wrap up with my personal thoughts and designer insights.

  • Finding new ideas for board games

    Finding new ideas for board games

    Diaries of a wannabe board game designer, entry date 16th May 2025

    Ever wonder where board game ideas truly originate? In this entry from “Diaries of a Wannabe Board Game Designer” (Entry Date: May 16, 2025), I’m sharing my journey of discovering inspiration in the most unexpected places!

    We’ll explore:

    ✨ How everyday life – from playful pets to the ins and outs of your day job (past and present!) – can spark incredible game concepts.

    🤔 The big question: Can any theme, even something seemingly mundane like accounting or watching paint dry, be transformed into an engaging board game?

    💡 A personal story about the surprising catalyst for my first serious game design project (hint: it involved a much-needed digital detox!).

    🧠 How stepping away from screens and daily distractions can supercharge your creative thinking and help bring your own unique ideas to life.

  • Lessons learned from first prototypes and playtesting

    Lessons learned from first prototypes and playtesting

    Diaries of a wannabe board game designer, entry date 1st May 2025

    In this episode of “A Wannabe Board Game Designer’s Diary,” I’m sharing my personal experiences and insights as I create, prototype, and playtest my first (card) game. From my initial concept through to physical prototypes, I’ll show you the challenges I faced and how I overcame them.

    I’ll tell you my views:

    • How I physically manufacture my card game prototypes at home, including tricks to prevent issues like identifiable card backs.
    • The importance of clear rules and how misunderstandings can shape your game design and playtesting process.
    • Essentials on game box markings, European regulations like CE marking, and setting accurate age recommendations.
    • My method for gathering anonymous feedback, what critical questions I ask testers, and how I use this information to refine my game.