How to design a TABLEAU BUILDING board game *Top ten mechanisms*

[@EmmanuelIstace]

I'm designing a game (for fun, nothing meant to be sold one day) and those "how to design" videos are amazing. I've binge watched them and it's so nice to discover new mechanics or rediscover mechanics I've forget about. Now I want to test some of those games, more than I want to progress on my own haha Amazing job.

[@bruceknight3720]

I think these "Mechanism" videos are my favourites - you do such a good job illustrating them with loads of examples. Will you be running out of mechanisms any time soon....??

[@AdaminWales]

Yeah, for sure! 😂 But I dislike the quality of the earlier videos, so I can always remake them when I run out!!

[@C-beta]

well after bieng stuck at home for almost two year creating a board game looks like a good hobby

[@AdaminWales]

It really is! :)

[@musicforall1859]

This video is class! Great content! I’m working on a Tableau Building game and that’s how I found this video. I’ve been looking at Between two Castles by Stonemaier games. It has a great variety of adjacency tile laying. It has no engine building but you work towards VP multiplayers. And another great one is Terraforming Mars/Ark Nova, where you have a variety of ways in which cards give you rewards and also the characteristic Tags on the cards that act as requirements for purchasing future cards

[@dubulskuls]

Your shots of the games are so well done--would be great to see more of them during your videos!

[@AdaminWales]

Thanks for the feedback :)

[@devinmarshall6091]

Thanks so much for this! I'm designing my first board game (well, first one to get this far), and it's a tableau-builder/engine-builder that I'm really excited about. I'm taking it slow and doing a lot of research before I set anything in stone, so it's incredibly helpful to see examples such as these to make sure I'm happy with my own design decisions!

[@AdaminWales]

Great! Good luck.

[@devinmarshall6091]

@@AdaminWales Much appreciated!

[@ej3ae]

Nice to see Bruges feature as it’s one of my favourite games. I love the decisions it forces you to make.

[@AdaminWales]

Yeah, I’m a big fan too. I love the huge variety in the cards. I feel like every game is a totally different experience.

[@stoopdklutz]

Great video, currently working on a tableau builder ( Mix of Dice Forge, Splendor, and Terra Mystica if I could describe it) and this video is great at laying out many of the different unique mechanisms in this design space!

[@AdaminWales]

Really glad it helps. Your game sounds like a unique mix! They’re three pretty distinct titles!

[@ParlorPunch]

Once again another really meaty video! I'm going to have to come back in a few days and watch it again after I've let things digest. Thank you again for taking all that time to make yet another thoughtful and enlightening mini-documentary (Minimentary? Documini?).

[@AdaminWales]

Glad you found it interesting!

[@MMmk1]

I like your overview videos, like this one (maybe it's a little too long) or your top 100 games. I learn a lot from them.

[@AdaminWales]

Thanks!

[@MisterG2323]

Another excellent presentation, quite illuminating. Glad to see you mention the tableau-building aspect of Agricola, one of my all-time favorite games. A few unrelated questions: What are the three similar-looking games underneath Automobile on the shelf behind your right shoulder? Two, is that you in the photo from "Metamorphosis? And three, do you use an onscreen script or cue cards to make these videos, or do you rely more on extemporizing and careful editing, or a combination of these approaches?

[@AdaminWales]

1. They are Keyflower, Keythedral & Keyflower The Farmers (expansion). 2. No, it's Steven Berkoff! I wish it was me :) 3. Recently I've been working from a script & I've invested in a teleprompter. It's taking a bit of practice, but it means I cover the same amount of content in half the time without all the waffling!!!

[@ludwigmises]

Adam, Jamey from Stonemeyer just gave you and this video a shout-out on a Tableau building video he just posted.

[@AdaminWales]

Thanks for letting me know Ludwig! :) Always nice to get a shout out!

[@zmollon]

I think with regards to using other players cards in tableau a better way is to allow you to use a neighbour's cards. This allows better player scaling and strategy because you can pass a card you know an opponent really needs and hope to use it later.

[@markdavies7776]

I never realised I was such a 'tableau building' fan until watching this video. I love games like 7 Wonders where you are slowly building up a grand plan of cards which interact with each other. I'm also glad to see Abyss feature in this video a few times as it's been my go-to game recently :) I'm not sure if you've heard of Space Base, but it works SO MUCH like the game's you mentioned like My Farm Shop. Perhaps I'll have to check those out too. Overall, it's interesting to see how you separate 'tableau building' from 'engine building' and 'deck-building'. PS I think I remember you saying you were working on a bigger Euro-style game in a previous video. How is that all going as it seems quite different to your other published games. I'm guessing alot more work will need to go into it, especially balancing it.

[@irrevenant3]

-Aw, I'd hoped this was going to be the top 10 mechanisms used in tableau/engine builders. Still an interesting video, thank you. :)- Not sure what I was thinking when I wrote this, please disregard.

[@AdaminWales]

Thanks for the feedback :) Out of interest what sort of things would you have liked to have seen included that weren’t?

[@irrevenant3]

@@AdaminWales Sorry, I have no idea what I was thinking when I wrote that - this video *is* the top 10 mechanisms used in tableau/engine builders. By brain must've completely misfired there. :/ I've edited my original comment to correct that, and thanks for being so civil about my goof.

[@zmollon]

Not sure if I want my current WIP to be a tableau builder that involves cards or something more akin to roll through the ages, since Ideally I'd like to be able to play with my class if they were split into 6 or 7 groups with simultaneous play.

[@AdaminWales]

When I’m faced with dilemmas about the future direction of a design, I tend to go with the option which excites me the most - regardless of whether that is the “sensible” choice. Staying motivated and enthusiastic is important, so do whatever seems more fun for you!

[@-That_Girl_Lexi-]

Super informative! Thank you!

[@AdaminWales]

You’re welcome. Glad it was helpful.

[@anactualcloud]

Damn that’s a nice shirt.

[@AdaminWales]

Thanks - it’s my favourite! 👍

[@bethezebra]

Haha came here to say this exact thing. 😆🔥

[@SigBurns24]

Man that shirt is gorgeous, I love it

[@AdaminWales]

Thanks! One of my favourites! :)

[@MMmk1]

Adam, you didn't say anything about your having created Thrown and Pikoko at the beginning of this video. I almost forgot you were the author!

[@AdaminWales]

Oh no! I missed an opportunity to plug Thrown? Maybe that's why the sales figures aren't looking so good? ;)

[@foyoGames]

Thorough as Mobb Deep

[@AdaminWales]

Had to look up Mobb Deep 😁 But yes I’m keeping it thoro 👍

[@foyoGames]

@@AdaminWales dunn dunn

[@bethezebra]

🤭😆

[@sjinzaar]

Do you know tableau? Tableau for you to know It won’t blow But sometimes slow So just go go go With your tableau

[@AdaminWales]

Should I have a specific tune in my head when I read this?

[@sjinzaar]

@@AdaminWales My heart will go on, from Celine Dion. Haha. Just joking. No tune. Just a poem.

[@Panquernic]

12:19 Is this from LOST or something? Why are the numbers there? 😂

[@AdaminWales]

Are you talking about the spinning casino wheels? They’re from the Monopoly Tropical Tycoon DVD game :)