A little marathon cheering today

Duck on Duck violence

Kaiju Big Battle at the Bell House in Brooklyn! :3

Leaving reviews on Itch helps indie devs and helps you get better at critique. It’s a win-win: support cool games, sharpen your designer brain, and keep the creative ecosystem thriving.

#itchio #indiegames #devsupport

I tend to find, from my own market research, that 1 and 5 star reviews of games tend to contain less useful information than a 4 or 3 star review. 1 tends to be a product mismatch to the consumer. 5 tends to similarly not contain constructive criticism.

#gamedesign #marketresearch

Look beyond boardgame geek for market competitor information! You need sales data and you need to know what is currently in the mass market which is not always reflected on just one source.

#marketresearch #tabletopgames

If someone could recreate the game you are pitching or developing with components from their own home- that reduces the value proposition of the game. That's not to say there isn't merit in creating those games but its likely not something that will thrive in mass market.

#tabletopgames #gamedesign

King of Tokyo Duel boasts incredible replay value right within its packaging! The game's box is bordered with achievements, and it comes with stickers, providing an additional layer of addictive and gratifying experience for those who love completing tasks and placing stickers.

CRYIN 2nd win!!! AHHHHH

The experience of packing away a game is just as crucial as the gameplay itself. If storing the game becomes a tedious task, it's highly likely that I'll be reluctant to bring it out again. This often means that the game will only see the light of day during special occasions or significant moments.

The experience of unboxing could be a moment that goes viral for your game! By incorporating additional details, easter eggs, or a unique reveal, the game becomes even more enchanting. These added elements not only captivate the audience but also create a sense of anticipation and excitement.

#game

The game box is the first thing potential buyers notice when they pick it up in the store, so it needs to effectively convey your sales message on the packaging! This can be the deciding factor between making a sale or losing a customer and missing out on a new fan of your game!

#gamedesign

Creating packaging prototypes for your game can assist a publisher in imagining how it will appear on store shelves and how it visually distinguishes itself from competing products. This approach will differentiate you from others and elevate your status to that of a professional design studio.

Playtesting Tips:
1. Watch your player's body language! Paying attention to non-verbal signals can offer invaluable insights into a player's mindset and emotional state during a game.
2. Always record your sessions! There's so much you can miss if you're a solo dev taking notes.

A game is considered highly replayable if it continuously offers players a fresh and engaging experience each time they play.
This can be achieved through:
- lots of content
- depth of strategy
- multiple ways to win
- levels of difficulty
- using human randomness in the system
and more...

Game Design Exercise 💪
Pick a game you have access to!
1. Modify some aspect of it (player count, piece count, the map, etc., end game conditions)
2. Play it! How did it change the experience ?
Rinse and repeat 1-2 until it no longer feels like the same core play pattern as the game you chose.

Early Dev Playtesting is guided with a small trusted group and you are looking to play through your completed game loop, validate your fun factor, and your viability as a product (can it be manufactured?).

Mid to Late stage playtesting should be unguided and should be with strangers!

#Playtesting