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.