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

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.

Design Diary Entry – 24th August 2025

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

Last week was a pretty busy one, but I finally had a chance to start playtesting Hack-a-Pad. The good news: the core idea is working quite nicely. I ran numerous tests by playing solo, taking turns myself, and also involved my family in a few rounds. It’s been great to see it come to life and actually work on the table.

However, I’m a bit concerned about the game length. I’m aiming for a 20-30 minute game, but right now it’s stretching more into the 30-45 minute range. I’ll need to tweak that timing.

I’ve also realized I need to balance the cards a bit more. I’ve split the actions into three types: attack actions that target the other player’s apps, protective countermeasures to defend against attacks, and maintenance actions to boost privacy or uninstall unwanted apps. So that division is feeling good.

Next week, I’m going to start writing the rulebook and refining the rules. I’ve already adjusted the game flow a bit—now we have a marker for initiative each round, and the player with initiative installs an app first. Then they take actions, and the other player can respond with counters. Once the first player finishes, the second player takes their turn, and so on.

I’m hoping to have a first draft of the rules and a real card set ready for wider testing in about two weeks. Let’s see how it all comes together!

Design Diary Entry – 17th August 2025

(Dictated by the designer and transcribed by the AI while the designer was out picking raspberries!)

This weekend has been all about refining the card designs for Hack-a-Pad. I already had the basic card types sketched out, but I used my limited time to really nail down the actual card content: what kinds of applications, hack actions, and protective actions we’d have. The good news is that I’ve got a printable PDF ready to go, and I’m planning to start some prototype testing with my family early next week.

I did simplify the mechanics a bit. Originally, I wanted a hidden “backdoor” hack mechanic, but I realized I just don’t have enough cards in a 54-card design to make that work smoothly. So now it’s a little more straightforward: players will install and uninstall applications and then choose from different hacking or defensive actions during their turn.

Right now, I’ve got about 24 application cards covering roughly 17 different applications, and about 26 hack action cards, each with two possible actions to pick from. Some cards might give you more or fewer action points—starting at a base of four per turn, up to a max of seven. I also decided that applications can trigger effects when installed, at the start of each turn, or when uninstalled, which should add a little strategic depth.

Whats next?

I’m hoping to kick off testing next week. Since this is for a contest, I also want to make time to check out other contestants’ games and offer them feedback, even though it’s going to be a busy week at work. Plus, I need to update my Jewel eXchange rulebook for the Lautapelaamaan event in September. But we’ll see how it all goes!

And that’s where we are right now. Let’s see what the playtests reveal!