Nick Ferris
@nickferris.bsky.social
I make boardgames, take photos, and grow things in dirt. Tall, but not too tall. Favorite food: sandwiches. Connecticutie. he/him
https://nickferris.carrd.co/
“It is possible to commit no errors and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.”
https://nickferris.carrd.co/
“It is possible to commit no errors and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.”
Pinned
Nick Ferris
@nickferris.bsky.social
· Jun 9
🎲✂️I recently started working on my 50th board game design. Over 17 years, that's about 3 a year, though nearly half of them were 2013-2015, and only 11 are since 2020. To celebrate, let's do a post-a-day thread about every single one of them, even the really really bad cringe ones!
This is a feed of designers bringing their games to Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged 2025 next week. Right now, it is chock full of folks cutting, printing, boxing, and otherwise willing their games to life.
November 11, 2025 at 4:44 PM
This is a feed of designers bringing their games to Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged 2025 next week. Right now, it is chock full of folks cutting, printing, boxing, and otherwise willing their games to life.
This is it. This is the singular photo that's going into the high school textbooks in the 21st Century American History chapter.
President Trump is seen in the Oval Office after a man collapsed during a White House event.
The event on lowering the costs of weight loss drugs resumed after an attendee collapsed, prompting administration officials to pause the event and usher reporters out of the room.
nbcnews.to/47KinRo
The event on lowering the costs of weight loss drugs resumed after an attendee collapsed, prompting administration officials to pause the event and usher reporters out of the room.
nbcnews.to/47KinRo
November 6, 2025 at 9:22 PM
This is it. This is the singular photo that's going into the high school textbooks in the 21st Century American History chapter.
I'm not just reposting this because I have a game in it (Fright Factor, up for pre-order now @newmilky.bsky.social), but because this is essentially a terrific holiday shopping guide for all of us who are virtually out of shelf space but want to keep buying great games.
Sometimes smaller is better!
Sometimes smaller is better!
October 15, 2025 at 3:03 PM
I'm not just reposting this because I have a game in it (Fright Factor, up for pre-order now @newmilky.bsky.social), but because this is essentially a terrific holiday shopping guide for all of us who are virtually out of shelf space but want to keep buying great games.
Sometimes smaller is better!
Sometimes smaller is better!
Post an image from the last episode of Star Trek you watched.
October 5, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Post an image from the last episode of Star Trek you watched.
Let's all prove Daniel's wife right and buy some of the new games coming from New Mill... like "Fright Factor"... which would prove *my* wife right that people want to play games I make.
my wife keeps telling me that if i want to sell more games i should “do marketing” but like…i don’t want to…
so, like, tell your friends and stuff that i’ve got games to sell, yeah?
newmillindustries.com
so, like, tell your friends and stuff that i’ve got games to sell, yeah?
newmillindustries.com
New Mill Industries
newmillindustries.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Let's all prove Daniel's wife right and buy some of the new games coming from New Mill... like "Fright Factor"... which would prove *my* wife right that people want to play games I make.
A glowing review for Fright Factor, my upcoming trick-taker, among a tremendous slate of games that'll be popping up for pre-order on the New Mill website in less than half a day. www.newmillindustries.com
Also 100% concur that @asmeesh.bsky.social is an S-tier artist!
Also 100% concur that @asmeesh.bsky.social is an S-tier artist!
Our latest New Mill review is here!
Scarily good card games! Yonkai no Yokai, RoboKraft, Fright Factor, & Vegeterrors!
youtu.be/CyQxJe0nUao?...
#tricktaking
#cardgames
@dnlnwmn.bsky.social
@saibep.bsky.social
@nickferris.bsky.social @asmeesh.bsky.social
@thisnorthernboy.bsky.social
Scarily good card games! Yonkai no Yokai, RoboKraft, Fright Factor, & Vegeterrors!
youtu.be/CyQxJe0nUao?...
#tricktaking
#cardgames
@dnlnwmn.bsky.social
@saibep.bsky.social
@nickferris.bsky.social @asmeesh.bsky.social
@thisnorthernboy.bsky.social
September 30, 2025 at 4:25 PM
A glowing review for Fright Factor, my upcoming trick-taker, among a tremendous slate of games that'll be popping up for pre-order on the New Mill website in less than half a day. www.newmillindustries.com
Also 100% concur that @asmeesh.bsky.social is an S-tier artist!
Also 100% concur that @asmeesh.bsky.social is an S-tier artist!
💯To add to this, if you have a decent-sized playtesting group, try to have a couple of those folks not touch your game at all until way late in development. Eventually those who have played your prototype often become dull to the impact of your minor improvements and can't see the bigger picture.
There's just nothing like fresh eyes on a 🎲✂️ prototype. For ourselves (and the people playing with us regularly), we all have too much of what the game wants to be or has been in our heads. There just is no way to think your way out of it, you have to see what a new player sees.
September 27, 2025 at 1:45 PM
💯To add to this, if you have a decent-sized playtesting group, try to have a couple of those folks not touch your game at all until way late in development. Eventually those who have played your prototype often become dull to the impact of your minor improvements and can't see the bigger picture.
I am once again asking for you to move to my town and vote for me.
September 26, 2025 at 1:20 PM
I am once again asking for you to move to my town and vote for me.
Reposted by Nick Ferris
New preorders from New Mill coming on Wednesday, October 1! I'll go into a little detail about one each day for the next 4 days!
First up (in alphabetical order) is Fright Factor, by @nickferris.bsky.social with art by @asmeesh.bsky.social
First up (in alphabetical order) is Fright Factor, by @nickferris.bsky.social with art by @asmeesh.bsky.social
September 25, 2025 at 9:41 PM
New preorders from New Mill coming on Wednesday, October 1! I'll go into a little detail about one each day for the next 4 days!
First up (in alphabetical order) is Fright Factor, by @nickferris.bsky.social with art by @asmeesh.bsky.social
First up (in alphabetical order) is Fright Factor, by @nickferris.bsky.social with art by @asmeesh.bsky.social
🎲✂️I've just printed a big stack of cards on cardstock. Due to thermodynamics, the printer spits out the paper all curvy.
What are some solutions for straightening these quick instead of waiting hours for weight and gravity to work?
Assume I have access to a forge or air fryer but NOT a microwave.
What are some solutions for straightening these quick instead of waiting hours for weight and gravity to work?
Assume I have access to a forge or air fryer but NOT a microwave.
September 23, 2025 at 8:02 PM
🎲✂️I've just printed a big stack of cards on cardstock. Due to thermodynamics, the printer spits out the paper all curvy.
What are some solutions for straightening these quick instead of waiting hours for weight and gravity to work?
Assume I have access to a forge or air fryer but NOT a microwave.
What are some solutions for straightening these quick instead of waiting hours for weight and gravity to work?
Assume I have access to a forge or air fryer but NOT a microwave.
My upcoming trick-taker is in excellent company. Look for Fright Factor and more going up for preorder in October from New Mill Industries!
ok ok sneak peek. here are the covers for the games that will be up for preorder next month. will talk about each of them soon!
September 10, 2025 at 3:54 PM
My upcoming trick-taker is in excellent company. Look for Fright Factor and more going up for preorder in October from New Mill Industries!
A terrific write-up of the indie game market at PAX West. Lots of detail and photos. Potentially very insightful for folks planning to vend at Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged in November. 🎲✂️
A week ago I sold my games at the PNW Tabletop Game Market @ PAX West! Sold lots of Grunt Work & sold out of the ~20 copies of Flip Stack Burger Shack I handmade.
Check out my writeup of the experience & see some photos of the other designers there!
fantastic-factories.medium.com/selling-game...
Check out my writeup of the experience & see some photos of the other designers there!
fantastic-factories.medium.com/selling-game...
Selling games at the PNW Tabletop Game Market
On August 30th, 2025 I was fortunate enough to be a part of 16 indie game designers selling their games at the PNW Tabletop Game Market @…
fantastic-factories.medium.com
September 9, 2025 at 9:35 PM
A terrific write-up of the indie game market at PAX West. Lots of detail and photos. Potentially very insightful for folks planning to vend at Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged in November. 🎲✂️
I've been excitedly watching progress from folks vending at the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged 2025, but now I can share some of my own: actual printed cards! They turned out super crisp and colorful, and the stock itself is sturdy and shuffles well. 🎲✂️
September 6, 2025 at 10:58 PM
I've been excitedly watching progress from folks vending at the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged 2025, but now I can share some of my own: actual printed cards! They turned out super crisp and colorful, and the stock itself is sturdy and shuffles well. 🎲✂️
"Look! Look! I finally found a strange new world!"
September 5, 2025 at 1:38 AM
"Look! Look! I finally found a strange new world!"
I really enjoy coming back to a shelved game design and taking an axe to all the things I convinced myself needed to be in it. 🎲✂️
September 1, 2025 at 1:31 AM
I really enjoy coming back to a shelved game design and taking an axe to all the things I convinced myself needed to be in it. 🎲✂️
Played Maracaibo today. Summary: go in a circle four times, workers aren't really workers, build cards, ignore combat. I took the book burning strategy, apparently.
August 30, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Played Maracaibo today. Summary: go in a circle four times, workers aren't really workers, build cards, ignore combat. I took the book burning strategy, apparently.
Here's a small preview of my upcoming super-quick social deduction game, A Wizardologist Most Hexasperated, debuting at the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged 2025! 🎲✂️
August 28, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Here's a small preview of my upcoming super-quick social deduction game, A Wizardologist Most Hexasperated, debuting at the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged 2025! 🎲✂️
For the day crowd, here's the list of everyone bringing games to the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged 2025. There are lots of fun looking things here. Can't wait for November! 🎲✂️ #boardgames
August 27, 2025 at 3:46 PM
For the day crowd, here's the list of everyone bringing games to the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged 2025. There are lots of fun looking things here. Can't wait for November! 🎲✂️ #boardgames
Here's a list of everyone I could find on Bluesky who will be vending their games at the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged 2025. I'm excited to see how everyone's plans develop as we get closer to this incredible event.
If I missed you, please let me know and I'll add you to the list! 🎲✂️
If I missed you, please let me know and I'll add you to the list! 🎲✂️
August 27, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Here's a list of everyone I could find on Bluesky who will be vending their games at the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged 2025. I'm excited to see how everyone's plans develop as we get closer to this incredible event.
If I missed you, please let me know and I'll add you to the list! 🎲✂️
If I missed you, please let me know and I'll add you to the list! 🎲✂️
When people casually ask what you do, always make up something outlandish for the first reply. "I provide therapeutic wrestling for endangered bears." or "I'm the chief meteorologist for Williams-Sonoma." That way, they'll listen to you intently when you tell them about your real, boring-ass job.
August 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM
When people casually ask what you do, always make up something outlandish for the first reply. "I provide therapeutic wrestling for endangered bears." or "I'm the chief meteorologist for Williams-Sonoma." That way, they'll listen to you intently when you tell them about your real, boring-ass job.
I sure do love a good rulebook without gameplay in the setup section. 🎲✂️
August 16, 2025 at 4:59 PM
I sure do love a good rulebook without gameplay in the setup section. 🎲✂️
Someone left this treasure trove in our town's transfer station swap shed: dozens of VHS episodes of Star Trek: Voyager, mostly mid-to-late series. #startrek
August 13, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Someone left this treasure trove in our town's transfer station swap shed: dozens of VHS episodes of Star Trek: Voyager, mostly mid-to-late series. #startrek
🎲✂️ 51st: A Wizardologist Most Hexasperated (2025). A 3-to-many-player 3-minute pure social deduction game. Some players hide or bluff, others interrogate or seek. Every player acts and wins uniquely, multiple winners likely. Some history 🧵...
August 10, 2025 at 12:16 AM
🎲✂️ 51st: A Wizardologist Most Hexasperated (2025). A 3-to-many-player 3-minute pure social deduction game. Some players hide or bluff, others interrogate or seek. Every player acts and wins uniquely, multiple winners likely. Some history 🧵...
🎲✂️ 50th: They Who Whisper in Threads Not Yet Woven (2025). A secret role/faction, shifting alliance game for 4-20 players manipulating an abstract galactic timeline. I was shocked at how well this played on the first test--so shocked I put it on the shelf, lol. Another to revisit soon.
August 9, 2025 at 11:50 PM
When I started this list, it was to celebrate my first 50 designs, but now I have 51! Tomorrow: the thrilling finale to my game design recap! 🎲✂️
August 7, 2025 at 10:01 PM
When I started this list, it was to celebrate my first 50 designs, but now I have 51! Tomorrow: the thrilling finale to my game design recap! 🎲✂️