Game Design UPDATE - #1

Hey there! This video includes a detailed DESIGN UPDATE for the board game I've been working on - codename "WANDER."
Let me know what you think!
Jesse
0:00 - Intro
2:10 - Mechanics
5:03 - Core Gameplay
7:00 - More Ideas
9:35 - Design Confessions
12:16 - The Problem
15:21 - Conclusion
---
PATREON
/ newboardgamedesign
Video Link:
• Exploring Game MECHANI...
MUSIC:
"Sunset Dew" by Lupus Nocte (Epidemic Sound)
"Zero Gravity" by ELFL (Epidemic Sound)

[@LoveMakeShareTV]

Glad to see another video - I'm very intrigued to keep watching! In fact this is the series that encouraged me to start recording my own devlogs for my tabletop game. I wonder if dull turns has something to do with a lack of progress towards the victory condition. Pacing is something I ran smack into during my first playtest last weekend - I made a bunch of notes about how to speed things up. If you're not clearly making forward progress each turn, no matter how good your theme is, then it's probably going to feel sluggish. Looking forward to more updates!

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Wow! I’m so glad you were inspired to make your own design content! The world needs more tabletop design content. Good luck! Also, thanks so much for the thoughtful suggestion. I think you have something there. Progression is definitely a squeaky wheel right now I need to address, so this was good validation for my own impressions. Thanks so much!

[@guywhiteman6759]

Still amazed at the video quality. Keep up the good work

[@cmlogan7094]

I really enjoyed seeing where this game is going. The "Confessions" portion was what I needed to hear. I've been working on several projects that all seemed to have stalled out. My favorite game design is a dice-chucking ghost hunting game. It's moderately fun but aimless and I've struggled for a way to give player a sense of urgency. This progress report was the kick of encouragement I needed. Thanks!

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Thanks for the comment! Yea, these updates help me exhale and share my design struggles. I’m glad it was an encouragement for you! Good luck on your design!

[@LordoftheBoard]

So stoked! Good to see another video!

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Thanks for watching man. I appreciate the support!

[@FindYourFeetFilms]

Great video series! I'm enjoying the candid way you are expressing yourself when facing design problems. Look forward to the next update!!

[@Johannes_W]

Thank you for us having a part in your process. Very interesting to witness your progress throughout the videos. I must admit in the middle of the video I thought: "Wow, that sounds like a completely random luck-fest like the children's game of the 90s." Walk, roll or draw and get a random outcome does not sound like a game you could still publish. But then I was happy to see you alos realising there was a lot still missing. It is going to be great in the end!

[@yosephammad99]

I’ve been working of my first game for a while it’s a story narrative dungeon crawler but I can’t work out the maths on how to balance a game and have no idea who to talk to to help. Love the honesty and seeing you progress.

[@Muageto]

Haha, I saw that Quack! at the beginning :) Relly cool video. I really like your game idea and would to love play it once you figure everything out :D Keep up the good work, don't let the hurdles get you down, it's part of the process :) Also, great quality as always

[@liamsharples4154]

Something to note about the "Lost" mechanic, Generally speaking a mechanic that is designed to stop players from playing the game isn't a good one even if the chances are low, Example being a 1/12 chance to miss your turn, that's still 1/12 times a player won't be playing their turn/ your game if they decide to roll that dice, not to say there can't be bad outcomes just missing your turn as a mechanic isn't a good one. Another thing to note about a optional push your luck dice mechanic is it shouldn't mechanically be more powerful than not pushing your luck regardless of what outcome you get from rolling the dice, otherwise then there's always the incentive to roll the dice to get lucky rather then not pushing your luck. It should be different way of approaching it, but not more powerful if you're just really lucky. Otherwise it twists players hands into using it. You want freedom of choice as much as possible, and where there isn't the illusion of it because at it's core board games are about making interesting choices.

[@olguioo]

I though exactly the same, it can end up being a very frustrating mechanic if there's no way of balancing it from time to time, specially after too many bad rolls.

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

I think you’re right. This is something I’ve already thought about and want to change for future gameplay. Thanks for this comment and thoughtful breakdown of the mechanic!

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

You’re right! I need to edit that mechanic

[@olguioo]

@@NewBoardGameDesign Yay! I'll be waiting for the next update. It looks really good so far!

[@ralphking117]

It's sometimes difficult as the designer of a game, to detach yourself from all the original ideas and aspirations whilst trying out mechanics when there is a fear that they may fundamentally alter what you had in mind. Also, with repetitive play -testing, often things do get boring. Not necessarily because the game mechanics are boring, it's just that when you have explored (no pun intended) multiple aspects of how to accomplish things you are not fully immersed in the board game world you are trying to create. The danger here, is that you feel that a game is more boring than you originally though, and you start tinkering with alternative ideas just to inject some novelty (from your own perspective) into your game. It's like an author re-reading a scene from the book over and over trying to make it the best scene possible, but then becoming bored and thinking it's inherently boring and they they start to do radical changes. Somethings these radical changes are good, but you have to reach a point where that stops and you have to rely on your instincts that you have done the best you can with that element. Glad you showed 'Exploration'. I loved playing that when I was younger. Board games are like an adventure anyways. You open the box, lay out the board and pieces and get excited about how they all work and what fun lies ahead.

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Absolutely. I agree with your point about the designer eventually becoming disenchanted of a mechanism inside their game. It’s a natural feeling to have, but shouldn’t count against the strength the mechanism if it’s working well to make the game run. Thanks for the comment! Sounds like you have some experience in this area. Thanks for watching

[@josedariothenmarinez8646]

Awesome video, I have to say this type of content makes me feel good about my struggle with my game. thx a lot

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Thanks! Glad you can also identify with the struggles. Good luck in your own designs 💪

[@dagreat4459]

You helped me solve my board problem for a game I'm developing. So THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

[@riseofthesage1021]

Can't wait to play your game

[@stevenvasquez9869]

Amazing Progress man, keep it up

[@liamsharples4154]

The problem is one of the funnest things to figure out in game design, you get to a point where you are effectively a detective studying your own case, trying to get the "AHA" moment, and it clicks. it's just a matter of going through the motions of mechanics that might make it fun. I'm working on my own game at the moment, so i've come into this problem a lot, but a thing you need from my perspective it some form of instant gratification, you've put the mechanics in for long term goals and working towards them, but nothing that's instantly, changes how it's played or makes you better at things, besides the core of getting to the end goal there's no short term goals which is the where the satisfaction and fun comes with games with long term goals, like in games like zombicide you want to go for the objective and that's the motive, but the fun in it is the short term goals of killing the zombies. The current short term gratification is from exploring and that benefits all players, a solution to this could be some level of player interaction, even if not direct, such as map control or trading items or cards.

[@BorrisChan]

We need a new update! So happy I stumbled upon this channel. I’m designing a game as well and it’s been incredibly helpful to watch these videos.

[@jnorlin-5502]

Damn this is exciting! So cool that you are developing a game with the whole process shown on youtube! I really like that you ask your audience for their opinions and suggestions! I know i am quite late to find your channel, but i do want to give some thoughts and opinions i got from watching your progress! * I was thinking about the tile placement. I picture myself a huge mountain that the characters could climb (if they want to) and that this mountain are having like 3-4 different "levels" so that they cant just put a tile there to climb up. Maybe some specific tiles have a "old path" leading up to the next "level" of the mountain, or maybe there is an item that makes some mountainpieces climbable (maybe a folksperson had heard of some old path?). The higher up the mountain the player reaches, the more harsh are the terrain, and fewer of a specifik tile are present due to less tiles drawn when exploring. The lower you are down the mountain the more tiles are drawn when doing the explorations action (you can only choose one, and the rest are shuffled back inside a bag). - For the folkperson role = you want to stay at low altitude of the mountain because well.. there are more people there to meet = more people met makes your later explorations easier. - For the adventurer role = you want to adventure higher up the mountains = harder task, but quicker to accomplish (what if i first do the folkperson quest, and then make it up the mountain?) - For the sightseeing role = you want to get to "the middleground" for the best scenematics (if i have this great tales to tell the folks lower down the mountain, then i might get the folkspersonquest quicker, or.. I have just gotten abit up the mountain? I might aswell explore a little bit more.. I think that if there are perks for choosing either 2 of the different "quest roles" you might get more of the "Ah, I didnt want to that earlier, but NOW i really want to do this", sort of feeling. By making the players choose in realtime if they want to abandon their first quest as a folksperson to start adventure up the mountain you are making the overall interactions between players more direkt, for example, you can see that another player have found the old path leading up the mountain, why would you NOT want to go there yourself? If i first wanted to be a folksperson, but after i have gotten some tales of the great adventures, and maybe a climbing rope i want to go see this "next level" of the mountain. I dont have to, but i CAN abandon my first objective because i got more knowledge and equipment. The same goes for all the different roles, if i started of as a adventurer and i see that alot of folkperson-tiles are getting turn up, i might abandon my mountainclimbing to go meet people. If you have to complete 2 objectives but it doesnt matter which 2 you choose in the beginning, then you can choose during the development of the game what suits you best. Isnt that the spirit of the game? To be free to explore in any way you like during the WHOLE game, not take "one path" and stick with it. Anyways! I really like the idéas! Hope you read mine and give some reflections on it!

[@alanpledger5709]

Amazing content man, I just binged your videos. I'm a product founder of a tech company who's recently discovered a passion for board games and your videos have hooked me. You don't see too many people brave enough to document and publish their early journey, while also being talented enough to produce it well. I'm diggin the concept and mechanics so far, and love you're engaging community to get feedback so early on. We're in different industries but I'm taking notes. Keep pushing, you can do this!

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Wow, thank you Alan! That’s great encouragement. I hope to keep posting videos soon. It’s been lot of fun so far! Cheers

[@mianeve977]

Hey, Jesse!I Firstly I'd like to thank you for making your videos. Your style is so refreshing, and your passion for board game design is really contagious! A couple of weeks ago (I think, time is easy to lose track of nowadays 😂), I decided to design a game of my own. I've made a couple of very basic card games in the past and started trying to make a miniature wargame (though I never got past a first draft of some simple rules), but I never really took it seriously like I want to this time around. I planned to make another card game because it seemed like an easy choice but after watching your videos, I've decided to branch out into what I've always wanted to do and create a sort of mix between the two. I've never made (or played, for that matter) a game like this before so it's proving to be a real learning curve, but extremely fun! So far, I've really only been able to gather ideas, noting rough ideas in an old notebook and making a few (too many) Pinterest boards of what I'd like my game to look and feel like. I know this might and probably will all change, but imagining the end result throughout helps to keep me motivated. My game, which I've nicknamed 'Starcatcher', is set in a fantasy world where, on the winter solstice, star dust falls from the sky. Star dust is a valuable source of magic in the world so many of sorcerers or venture out into the woods to gather it. I don't have any rules drafted yet, but I'd like for the players to engage in friendly (not violent - a concept I love from your game and a couple of others which I've been inspired by) competition in a sort of race to gather the most star dust, while also encouraging a sort of exploration of the magical world by picking up cards which have a story telling element along with some sort of basic effect on the gameplay (maybe finding a herd of kind water creatures in the river means that you can move faster upstream, giving you +1 movement?). It's something I'll be working hard on for the next month(s) or so, I'm sure. Anyway, now I'm sort of rambling 😂. Once again, I love your channel. With each video, I grow more and more intrigued by 'Wander', and I am waiting anxiously for your next update. I'm excited to be able to follow this journey with you!

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Mia, thanks so much for the comment! It’s encouraging that you think my videos are refreshing, because I’m consciously trying to bring a different level of quality to the board game design space. Also - what a cool idea for your game! That theme and setting for your game sounds polished and a delightful spin on the medieval fantasy genre. I could imagine a publisher eating that up. Card games are getting more and more popular. You should definitely keep working on it! I bet there’s lot of people who would enjoy it 😄

[@TheMagzim]

I'm happy to see how much progress you've made! Wow! And I really love some of your game ideas and mechanics. Especially the terrain mechanic and the core gameplay of rolling or drawing. I'm curious to see how it plays (maybe you could tape a few rounds of play to show us how it flows?). As for my progress: I've uploaded my game (It's Waffle Time) to Table Top Simulator, I'm trying to get more (blind) playtests and I'm currently trying to connect with publishers. On a side note: I've seen some other games that came out recently with very similar mechanics and gameplay to my game, which is sobering and discouraging me to push on... But it's also motivating me to develop some fresh ideas!

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Max, thanks so much for the encouragement! I’ve seen your brother’s videos about the game you’re working on. I definitely think you have a solid game idea. It’s obvious that your theme and mechanics could match a publisher. Good luck with pitching it!

[@scottmarsh2991]

Without having known of your project, I’m lately onto something very similar, but what you say from 12:00 to 13:00 or thereabouts is exactly how I feel this week.

[@christianstrain806]

Great video series. Glad you're back to discuss more. I believe your game may feel lacking because you're not addressing some foundational understanding of game design. The first thing you should do is identify the "type" of fun experience you are trying to create. I think you're doing that to some degree, but I don't know if you're doing it knowingly. To create a foundation of a game, you have to identify the audience you are trying to entertain. What makes them gleeful in games, and how can you distill that to a more concentrated, more intense experience? Then, rules should be developed to support that foundation. For instance, if you decide your audience is heavy euro gamers who dislike randomness, then your rule should be to always use Input Randomness instead of Output Randomness. This way, when any decision further down the process comes up, you have these rules to run them through. Before you make your foundational audience though, make sure it's a marketable one. Output randomness (decision before random outcome) isn't as accepted as it once was, and it seems like you have a lot of it. Talisman is a hot mess of randomness, and is disliked by many because of it. Your decisions don't matter. I would suggest trying to find a way to explore using Input Randomness (random occurrence then decision) to give the players some control over their destinies.

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Christian, thanks so much for the comment and suggestion. I understand where you’re coming from. My game is far from being a euro game due to the dice gameplay I want to keep in it. Right now, my game will be a light to medium game that hopefully appeals to casual/medium gamers. However, I agree with your comment on input v. output randomness. There’s definitely room for me to include more player input to balance out the dice rolls. I’m still figuring that out. I’ll keep thinking about it, so thanks for suggestion!

[@erlijne8330]

sorry, just posted below your previous video about Tokaido, and now I'm at it again, mainly because in Tokaido there's a combination of drawing specific cards to finish off a panorama, drawing a couple of cards to choose a souvenir from to buy, or drawing just one encounter card to see who is helping you how along the way. might be something to think about in your game? to switch up the way players draw/choose/use cards depending on the location to get the narrative going and so it doesn't become repetitive.

[@jeromedemeyere1002]

Great progress. My idea to help your design forward is to make the three elements of your game even more interconnected. The wandering dice + cards + exploring. Drawing a tile is the same as drawing a card. The excitement comes from revealing what's on it. You have to create hope or surprise to find something underneath. I think you can fix this by making the tiles even more meaningful to the cards and the dice.

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Thanks! Good suggestion. I’ll have to keep working on how they can all interconnect because I think you’re right.

[@brothertiny]

This way of getting a card could also break up the trail highway that can go though the entire board. By makeing the card type that the person is getting when placing a hex, either the terrain that has the fewest or most connected terrains. Depending on a way to get longer trails or more "biodiversity" in the Forrest. Ps looks like a great game already, would love to play it.

[@asowle]

Alittle late to the party... today i just started to work all your videos... i`m under the weather and resting from my own game design. You talked about doing things.. and i remember flying frog productions " fortune of glory". They used linked cards to make the adventures come alive... like loose rocks, wolf, broken rope bridge etc... anyway back to your video.. loving them

[@JonnieTheKnife]

Hey Jesse, great to see you back. For my two cents, I'd perhaps look to offset the overall exploration side of things with some jeopardy, essentially adding a risk/reward to each turn. Maybe the items cards could be mixed in with some dangers/events? Another idea is to use both common and individual goals? Maybe a common goal has to be to meet up with at least one another player? Anyway, I'm sure you'll come up with something that's just right for your vision. All the best, and stick at it! 👍🏻

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Jonnie, thanks for the comment! I like your idea to add more risk/reward. There’s plenty of ways I could do this through the cards or dice, so I’ll keep thinking about it. But I LOVE your idea about meeting up with other players as a common goal. This has been an obvious option in the game so far that I’ve failed to give proper attention. It already fits with the “personal goals” when players begin the game. Thanks for the suggestions!

[@Social_Mechanic]

You are right, drawing cards as the result of exploration or landing on a particular space/tile is an old mechanic, but it works! Sometimes the "hook" or unique element of a game can just be the way you combine classical mechanics together and the theme they are apart of. You may want to also look into a game called "By Order of the Queen", and see how their cards work. You could create a deck for each terrain type and have narrative-driven events that have conditions that differ based on player choices or if they pass/fail a check (this is a ton of work though). Also, as a tip for proto-typing, you can buy really cheap card sleeves and cheap blank white cards. You then can slide your paper cards into the sleeves and it gives the cards more material integrity.

[@TigerVent]

@NewBoardGameDesign 12:17 : how to make it feel fun and rewarding? Answer (in my mind) is from Dávid Turczi in episode 234 at 38min 05seconds-ish of Ludology (talking systems). And 9 minutes in (referencing Azule)! "There is more than one reason to take any given tile at any given moment but presented in an super elegant way" This has been the most important podcast I have heard in my dive into game dev. Summary is really Emergent depth. More choices unfold as you play and the player has a world of choices open up. Allowing the pawyer to "build a narrative" while playing IMO. Those choice feel adventurous and allow you to tell it later because it's what "I" did!

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Thanks for the tip! Yea, the key really is about emergent gameplay, but that’s easier said than done because the gameplay that emerges is based on the structured mechanisms. What should my game have?!?! Still figuring that out. But I really think I’m getting closer and closer. There’s a card mechanic I have right now that might work. A little more play testing is needed to verify that direction. We’ll see!!

[@comfixit]

I suggest you create a set of 2-5 min videos that demonstrate one segment of the game, provide your thoughts as to why you created what you are demonstrating for that aspect, how it fits into the overall game and your challenges with it. What you want the player to feel, be thinking about etc... For example you could say ok here we are, I'm going to show you a single player making a move and drawing some adventure cards / rolling some action dice and then scoring that up. You do that demo. Then you say I really want the player to feel like they are thinking ahead 3 or 4 rounds to get the best score, but it feels more like a dungeon crawl hack and slash where you just turn over tiles and get whatever points you get without much thought of future rounds. Great work showing off your design efforts and smart way to build a following ahead of an eventual KickStarter campaign.

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Thanks for the feedback, Joseph. That’s a good suggestion and something I’ll consider for future update videos.

[@Darshist]

Hey Jesse, just discovered your vids, and love them. as to your question, it struck me that if you are exploring, just like in many computer games, you may have to revisit a space. What I mean is, in a cave you find a door, can't be opened until you collect say 3 components, and there may be 6 in the deck of items. or you need to take photos of rivers from mountains, say within 2 hexes of the mountain, and you need to find camera rolls, or you find a perfect campsite, but cant visit till you collect something to scare off the boar that is there. each mini event that you need to get something to complete could add bonus VP, letting you complete them as you complete your main objectives. All these would/could promote player interaction as they trade for items or race to complete a discovered location before someone else who has some of the needed items dies... anyway, just a though. keep trucking, the game looks like it will be awesome

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Shane, thanks for the comment and suggestion! Glad to hear you’re enjoying the videos so far. I think you’re spot on for the suggestion. Having prerequisites to unlock areas and actions will be key to creating a sense of progression and achievement in the exploration. I’ll keep thinking it about it. Thanks!

[@BoardGameHype]

Honestly dude... this is amazing. I love your cinematography and this is such an amazing way to help already start marketing your product before it is even finalized. I'm so pumped to see more videos after discovering you and can't wait for this game (As my fiancé and I are also huge National Parks people - I proposed in Avalanche Lake at Glacier National Park lol).

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Wow, thanks so much for the encouragement! I’m glad you like the videos so far. Hopefully I can start posting again soon. I’m also an outdoors guy and this game obviously shows that passion. Thanks for subscribing!

[@BoardGameHype]

@@NewBoardGameDesign - I would LOVE to talk with you more about game design and possibly working with you to solve some issues in the future. Is there a better way to get ahold of you outside of YT? If so, I would love to connect friend.

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

@@BoardGameHype sure! You can reach out through Instagram (@newboardgamedesign)

[@NatanelApfel]

QUACK!! You've done an awesome job developing out this design over the last few months! :) I can really see it start to take shape. Im not sure I have any fantastic ideas about the card mechanisms but maybe you can think about what the unique selling point in the game is. What is it about your game that is different from what else is out there? Is it something in the theme? A unique interaction or mechanism? If its something in the card play, maybe you can create some unique mechanism or interaction with the cards to support that selling point? Loving watching your journey so far and these video's production quality. Can't wait to see how it progresses, good luck! :D

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Wow, thank you for the thoughtful comment and encouragement! Glad to be back! 😎 You have a really great suggestion. I could benefit from focusing on the MAGIC in my game that makes it special. What is that exactly? Well, still need find it... but I at least I know more about what I’m looking for. Thanks again!!!

[@colinhamilton7365]

Cole Wehrle's games always have a unique impact with cards. (You mentioned this with Root either this video or last.) However, I was particularly impressed with Oath and Pax Pamir 2nd Edition. The way the cards flow into a meaningful and personal tablaeu could really add to the "experience" meta of an adventure/journey game like yours. Perhaps instead of cards with unfulfilled goals that almost seem like they might (from my *very* limited and also skewed perspective of course.) weigh down the adventurer, let them be perks or scars with a story that start to shape or reshape the character as they go on this adventure game of yours. I absolutely love adventure and exploration games. If nothing else, I hope this comment tells you that there are people out there interested in your game.

[@colinhamilton7365]

Aaand, I'm back to say that you mention Oath and its card system in a future video! This is what I get for finally watching these videos way after they were made. Lol

[@valiantvalryn987]

This game looks great I am definitely interested to see how this turns out I had a similar problem with a game I am designing the feeling of “that’s it?” And unproductive turns I feel can’t always be expected for every turn. However I managed to remedy it a bit by turning it into a bit of a point salad game it at least gives the illusion of productive turns because points will be given and then really productive turns feel really cool because of the points Goal and end of game scoring conditions help with this something for players to work or compete for such as having the most mountain cards completed Also with my little experience I know people just don’t like randomness of a game and I understand the theme of the game itself is random But If you feel this is a barrier perhaps implement your item cards as ways to mitigate dice results or if drawing tiles from a bag maybe you’ll get to pick between three I guess thematically it could be like you get binoculars and able to see the next tile I throughly enjoyed your creativity and demonstration I figured I’d give my 2 cents in Thank you for this video keep up the great work the prototype looks good and the best of luck to you

[@guywhiteman6759]

I'm creating a board game the requires you to use objects from your surrounding play area in the game. So no game will be the same. Also depending on how much color is on a troop piece will determine how power ful it is. And lower numbered dice rolls are better then higher ones.

[@satrim_naays]

Could you tell me more about how the players will use objects from the surroundings in the game?

[@beardedgladiator8576]

I can totally relate to feeling totally stuck on an issue only to have some idea just pop into existence some days or weeks later glad to hear it is part of your process as well. The game is looking awesome glad to see it progressing along! As for your struggle maybe add some sort of random encounter that happens based on what exploration card is drawn and your current location? Hope that is helpful though I am not sure I understand enough about your game to make a great suggestion. Good luck I hope that you are able to figure it out!

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Thank you! The struggle is real sometimes. Also, thanks for the suggestion. Yea, random encounters could work. Since I’m already drawing cards on a turn, then I wonder how I could do that well? Hmmm, we’ll see.

[@kristapsrozulejs2682]

Waiting and looking forward for next episode, these are very helpful and interesting. I am designing my dream board game, well I think it is kind of too ambitious considering someone who never made board games but played few, but I played a lot of games in general. My game will have strategy and rpg elements for 4 players each controlling clan. area control with Army and resource management plus you control your character as well entering abandoned places and dungeons. I kinda have story theme where in middle of the map there is big Oak tree in ruins what once use to be a city and now it is gigantic tree and place is mysterious and cursed ( basically something happened) So characters you control has bloodline connection from ancestors in that old city, so all of them has a calling which you as player need to fulfill it to be completed.SO you can enter the old oak city to unravel the lost mystery but other 4 players can as well so fun stuff can happen there, while 4 clan armies are fighting for territories and resources and your character going on adventures. Let me know about idea.

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Whoa Kris! That sounds awesome! You should definitely keep working on it. I get your feeling about it being too ambitious, but no matter what you will learn what makes the game good along the way. Yea, you may run into more obstacles just because it’s a complicated game, but if you start now the more you’ll learn in the journey. You got this!! Thanks for the comment. I hope to post more videos soon.

[@kristapsrozulejs2682]

@@NewBoardGameDesign thanks for replying, hope and luck with your game I would deff try once it is out, playtester here. By the way amazing quality content 🙌 best iv seen

[@jacobcain8203]

You inspired me to try and make my own board game!

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

That’s awesome! Glad you’re going for it. What sorta game would you like to make?

[@jacobcain8203]

@@NewBoardGameDesign I'm going to make a survival exploration game where you have to leave the island by making a boat or plane.

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Very cool. Well, just make sure to have fun during the design process.

[@Wolcik3000]

you could make a video on how you decided the visual aspect of your cards and why there are icons in the paces where you want them

[@davelee6002]

Hey, just found your channel! Interesting stuff to watch as I embark on the same journey. This looks like a pretty complex game! How many have you designed in the past?

[@kosterix123]

if it's just walk around using a static deck of cards that would not entice many. Ideally there should be ways to add cards to the deck depending on what you did before. Benefits feel tacked on. It seems you bought only one game or just read on Root, but for wander-game types of games you should do your homework properly. Study what is out there. Some suggestions: Forests of Adrimon, Carcassonne Mists, Albion's Legacy, and various OSR RPGs, showcased by DungeonDive or Geek Gamers. And most of all Earthborne Rangers. Malhya has a good weather / event system, so does Arydia - even though the games aren't out yet, their rulebooks are and the rulebooks are what you need. There's also journeys to the overland, and barbarian prince. Looking at games is also useful to avoid the various pitfalls, for example Legends Untold series has a plethora of icons, while it looks cool it's distracting when reasoning over the game state.

[@martinjoseferreyra1961]

I'm really new in this thing of designing games. I'm thinking of doing one about castles and sieges, very centered in the parts of the castle. The other one is a faster game to play with many friends in which you have to survive and/or kill so as to win, with different medieval army units hidden to the others, one card per player. If anyone could give any piece of advice related to initiating in this world of game design and mechanics (maybe some book, pdf or KZbin channel) I would be very grateful. Lovely channel man, greetings from Argentina!

[@david8bit]

Hey man, loving the channel and updates! When you get around to looking for playtesters I'd love to be involved.

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Thanks David! Noted!

[@matejlieskovsky9625]

Your game sounds really interesting and I think I got an idea for a somewhat convoluted scoring concept that would work well for such a game. I'll probably type it up sometime - either as an inspiration for you if you are interested, or just to put it in the backlog of stuff to try doing one day (too much work/school/other fun projects right now to give it the "CPU time" it would need). Thanks a lot for your videos and best of luck with your game design!

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Thanks so much! I’d love to hear the idea, even if you’re wanting to keep it for a game you’re working in

[@matejlieskovsky9625]

@@NewBoardGameDesign Ok, sorry about the slow reply. My idea was that players would complete goals (although I thought about them more as quests or stories) and other achievements and gradually build up a legacy - being the first to scale a mountain, discovering new things, helping others... some of the legacy would be directly on the map, but stories would be passed from one player to another whenever they chat and telling stories at the starting town would earn points both for the hero of the story and for the player who brings the story back from the wilderness. Honestly, not sure it will work/fit, but feel free to use as much or as little of it as you see fit - I am currently starting internal playtesting on a different game, so other game ideas are currently on the back burner. And (as we all know) ideas are dime a dozen, polish is the expensive bit. Also - when is the next update coming?

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Yea, that’s actually similar to what I had planned. It’s possible I might introduce “Feat” cards that show required challenges/feats out in the wilderness in order to gain a reward. Once completed, each feat card could traded in as a story for other things. Sort of like trading your exciting stories for a handy item or benefit. Thanks for the reply and suggestion. Keep them coming! Update coming soon 🙂

[@eliashartmark1522]

If you have different characters that we can play as, with different abilities (think of the different factions in root for example). Then this could increase both the replay ability and the excitement of gameplay. This with added items and gear would really increase the amount of actions one can take and the amount of different strategies that can be played.

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Thanks Elias! I thought about character cards, but I was hesitant because I wanted players to project their own personalities and goals in the game. Allowing players to pick their own objectives/goals gives them freedom but direction. But your comment makes me want to revisit this topic. Who knows?! Character cards may be a needed addition

[@jeromedemeyere1002]

I disagree 🙈. I think asymmetrical characters is a crutch to hide lackluster gameplay. In my opinion a game has to be good first and then you make players asymmetrical. Don't use asymmetric player powers to fix bad gameplay.

[@m.b786]

working on mine right now but cannot say mutch because of team sharing. working on hexa maps with cards dice and unique mechanic . Hope to make a playable game XD and not a sit and read 300 rules book

[@TigerVent]

@NewBoardGameDesign Now I feel like I'm spamming you. Ah well... The idea of goal setting in the begging is excellent! I wonder if having a "starting tool kit" for your character could be used for trading/crafting and specific attempts at completing your goals? If you start with nothing, a race to find those kits basic resources could be a good first task. I think we need to see your rule book and play a print and play before we can really start to offer some quality advice.

[@jtpromolab]

Man I love this series but honestly, maybe I'm paranoid of this world. I'm scared someone with deep pockets will take your ideas and dump fast money into it and BOOM, you find YOUR idea on the shelf of a bookstore. There is a little know game called Monopoly, that came into existence in a similar greedy way.

[@antoineasmar584]

I am designing a dexterity game with a very simple concept, its a 1v1 game with little strategy and more emphasis on technical skill. Similar to how checkers doesn't really have a theme is it ok for a modern board game to do the same? The ideal future has players buy custom components if they wish, similar to how people buy skins or characters through micro transactions on video games, but if you didnt want to you didnt have to as the game mechanics are always the same.

[@tiphorog0968]

Hey Jesse, when is your game WANDER coming out? Are you going to do a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter or Gamefound?

[@andersklausen]

HI there, I dont se a problem in using mechanics that others have been using before, its your use of them that is, making your game youniqe. Dices, cards, turns, hexes, have we seen before, but the combination of them, out of your fantacy, has no one seen before.

[@zobiaarain4758]

wanted to know when is your next video coming up?

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Ha! Not sure when the next one will be posted, but this comment sure does make me want to refocus and post something soon. Glad you’re interested to see what’s next!

[@neurofanaticyt157]

7:51 a wild @Quackalope appeared!!

[@TheLimestoneCowboy]

I feel like you can’t find the umph until playing it

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

You’re right. I’ve been playing it on my own so far, so that’s what has made me feel like it needs more to it. I’m not going for a D&D level of immersion and choice in the game, but at least something that makes me look at each separate location with excitement and curiosity for the possibilities there. Idk, I’ll keep working on it. Thanks for the comment!

[@jeromedemeyere1002]

Your own game will very rarely surprise you 😅. I've had some surprises with my own designs but you have to realize you know your game inside out and if something will surprise you it's by a playtester doing something you didn't think of.

[@TheLimestoneCowboy]

Your Game Is Garbage makes sense that a person would know their own game. In my (very limited) experience, I can design like a madman, but not know which if any aspects with turn out to be fun or satisfying by the group. Kinda like a stand-up comedian. Ex: Going into my last play-test, I thought it would be dull and needed more spicy powers and combos but it turned out (for this game) that the simplicity worked stupid well! So while I design with ADHD doses of tangentially branching ideas, it’s the play-tests, for me, that lock in decisions of “less or more.”

[@Wolcik3000]

color on titles would make them feel different faster

[@eirikjormungandrson]

Son of a... I have been working on a tabletop game for the last 5 years that is eerily similar to yours... wilderness exploration, hex tiles, backpack inventory, dice rolling I swear every time I think I've come up with something original, someone else beats me to the punch. Now I have to start over with a new idea... 5 years of my life wasted..

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Michael! I hope you won’t be discouraged by my design ideas. I really think that the “feeling” players get while playing is the most important distinguishing feature. I’m sorry there is overlap, but you design a better game in the end! Keep at it!

[@eirikjormungandrson]

@@NewBoardGameDesign I suppose it's a blessing of sorts. In the 5 years I was working on that game, i was hitting multiple walls of creativity, a writer's block of sorts. Now that I've been forced to change several aspects of the game, to avoid ours from being too similar, I've found I've been able to get much further in the process of my new game in the last few days, than I ever did on my previous game 8n the whole five years

[@TigerVent]

@NewBoardGameDesign 11:06 YES! Your series is excellent. I love seeing your prototype pieces! I agree with the direction you are going here, game dev, not component creation. Good choice. Have you heard of Geoffrey Engelstein's new book? It's really dry. But every designer needs it in their collection. "Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design: An Encyclopedia of Mechanisms" www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1138365491/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_1138365491

[@Wolcik3000]

what is the feeling of losing to someone in your game? what if someone just knows the game better and wins while the other person didn't even cough the rules? Were there game test with noobies already?

[@ocemgencer]

let the other players interact to create randomness rather than a predefined set of event cards...

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

Cem Gencer I agree. This is good feedback that I’ve already starting incorporating to the changes. Thanks!

[@bentaye]

You don't need to put ALL your ideas in THIS game.

[@Wolcik3000]

Good luck with Patreoning without product

[@jonydude]

It’s weird to say it, but I love your videos and hate your game. Even if you give up on game design, never give up on making videos.

[@NewBoardGameDesign]

I’m a new game designer and I’m learning a lot of lessons along the way. Hopefully I will keep improving the game to make the gameplay better. But I will say, my game may not be for folks who lean towards preferring euro-style games.

[@alanpledger5709]

Why do you hate it?