Picking the best BOX SIZE for your board game

Board game designer Adam Porter discusses how to select the best box size for your game.
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[@dryuhyitadza-nl5zh]

Interesting topic 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻. Not many channels actually discuss about this aspect. BG boxes can be annoying to store especially the rectangular ones. They sit on top of my shelf. Don't even bother to keep odd shaped boxes.

[@ludwigmises]

That Isle of Cats box you showed was actually large enough to house a cat.

[@AdaminWales]

Several…

[@raphaelstocker9874]

We are just having this conversation. Such great timing. Thanks for the insights

[@AdaminWales]

Glad it was helpful!

[@willjdew]

Great topic. Another thing to consider is expansions. I hate when I can’t fit an expansion in the base box. Also what is the Dino West game behind you? It is two of my favorite genre together.

[@AdaminWales]

It’s a homebrew game I made with with Launch Tabletop (not something which will be for sale). I’ll show it off in a future video. But yes, it’s a 2 in 1 game with Luzhanqi and Gunjin Shogi (reimagined). :)

[@thedspenguin]

Launch Tabletop is really great but I struggle with too much choice. 😆🤐 give me options but not fully custom or else I'll blue screen and you'll need to restart me.

[@AdaminWales]

You’ll be pleased to hear tha standard sizes are still there too!! :)

[@baitposter]

I'm going to make one of the best games ever, and it'll be in a scroll tube out of spite

[@edmundengland]

The misstakes felt very on purpose to fit the product placement. But an interesting topic.

[@AdaminWales]

Haha. I wish they were on purpose !! :) it caused me a load of hassle, laying out a third box, and delaying the video… but yes, it did end up making for a good story. And I’m very clear that this is a promotional video. The plan was to make two boxes and discuss the customisable box size option - that would probably have been enough to make a nice little video! 😂

[@foyoGames]

1st

[@aaronsbarrels]

I hope they will also offer custom board size with custom fold lines! If anyone is using a phone they might have to switch to the desktop version of the website to see the custom option.

[@AdaminWales]

Custom boards would be great! I know they have plans for more custom components, but I'm not sure exactly what.

[@lindafarnes486]

Depending on what materials you used to make your game board etc with, as well as the bix, weight is also a factor.

[@AdaminWales]

Good point I hadn’t considered. How would you calculate what box to use for a heavy game? Does it need thicker cardboard?

[@lindafarnes486]

@@AdaminWales It needs to be strong enough to hold all the game components, so as I see it there are a couple of options. A fabric bag can be used for smaller parts and less segmenting of the box; or experiment with how you compartmentalise the box. Alternatively a combination of different weights of cardboard would work. The lid for example doesn't need the strength of the base box. My board game is on a scrap piece of plywood because that's what I had. I've made a box from plywood and kept size limited to the board size. I've, used balsawood to make a couple of partitions, and a bag for the rest. (The bag was one of those bags linen comes in these days). Structurally at this point I'm stuck with the timber theme for the lid, but was able to get thin lightweight plywood for the lid and some appropriately small hinges and screws. (A hinged lid doesn't need the sides). I've used car park tickets for the cards although they curl. Nice size and they were free.

[@lindafarnes486]

@@AdaminWales one idea I was playing with was to make the board part of the container. Eg use it as the lid.

[@lindafarnes486]

@@AdaminWales This is my last suggestion. The weakest spot of all cardboard game boxes usually, is the corners. You can easily reinforce by gluing on some fabric strips or use some good tape. I think there is a bit of scope there for additional embellishment as well.

[@anahi_naya_ledesma]

I'm a music teacher and also made board games for educational purposes. It's a great tool for the class room.

[@AdaminWales]

Yes, I find it gets everyone relaxed and ready to participate :)

[@sirguy6678]

Cool video! Adam- what about games in cloth bags?

[@AdaminWales]

I’m OK with them :) I have Hive Pocket in a cloth bag. For micro-games like Love Letter, I probably prefer the wallet approach used by Button Shy.

[@SPQRKlio]

I like chunky smaller boxes like the ones used for Kinfire Delve or Spire’s End, and the small square boxes of the Oniverse games. Those smaller, easy-to-handle sizes encourage me to get the games to the table, whereas a big Everdell or Frostpunk box always feels like too much to deal with, and boxes the sizes of a typical card deck just sort of disappear. But, of the two game ideas I’m working on, the game with the most traction seems absolutely determined to fit only in a Kallax-size box. It’s been an interesting intellectual exercise to rethink it for smaller packaging-but so far, I haven’t gotten to an alternative size yet. And now you remind me to think about sleeves, too 😮 Well, it’s all part of the process!

[@AdaminWales]

I agree! It’s all a delicate balance. Not too big. Not too small.

[@bruceknight3720]

I think the perfect size box for many games is the Codenames box. Even chunky euros are possible with this size e.g. Red Cathedral. Where did you find your French copy of For Sale? I've been after this for ages. I'll keep an eye out for Timeline - Dentistry 😉

[@bruceknight3720]

P.S. What's the Pegasus Spiel hot air balloon game on your shelf? Beautiful cover.

[@AdaminWales]

I think I bought that copy of For Sale in Norway. I was disappointed with paper money though! The Pegasus game is Havalandin- a new Knizia game. It’s a nice simple game.

[@AdaminWales]

Not sure Timeline Dentistry would be a big seller!! A bit niche 😁

[@joanbennettnyc]

No link to Launch Tabletop?

[@AdaminWales]

Thanks - that was an oversight. Corrected now.

[@stillbuyvhs]

I like the size of Transogram's old boxes, from the 50's & 60's. (Basically the same shape as the Milton Bradley box shown at the beginning of the video, but smaller, maybe 3/4 size.)

[@ConstantChaosGames]

Great video, and a not-talked-about as much topic. Thanks!