I talk a lot about logos and branding/visual identity design as a service but I haven’t really gone into what those are. So what is the difference between the two and why should you, as a game publisher, care? This will probably be a blog at some point but for now it’ll be a (short?) thread. 1/?

Here's a great way show that you, too, celebrate the joy of human creativity, from @hinokodo.com: hinokodo.itch.io/human-made

I make games because I love every step of the process—the initial idea, the scrappy first prototype, the first playtest filled with glee and failure and hope. Here’s my scrappy first prototype of Tiny Towns. [1/6]

Hello [a r t i s t], quote with your red artwork.

Our recent 3p playtest of Elseware Express went well! These players are familiar w/ 18xx, Concepts are similar but different, so it felt fresh, but familiar! Card combos went great, it got a little mean but no tables were flipped. Had some realizations when we played I'll talk more on below 👇👇

My wife made this beautiful painting of my cat and I'm so in love. She did such a great job!!! My little baby was immortalized in painting. I love it.

How often do you move? For the past 16 years as an adult and out of the house, I've lived in 12 different places for more than 6 months at a time. We're moving again this summer. I will often find the right place at the right price, but come renewal the price skyrockets (went up $400 last year!)

The first 2 player playtest with the new sample went really well. This player has never played an 18xx, so had zero experience to lean on. There's a few tweaks I think will help improve the game for that kind of player without changing anything big. 2 is competitive, tight, a little mean!

Thinking about what a soundtrack for Elseware Express would sound like. This isn't far off. I know anyone who can make stuff like this? We got minidiscs to fill. youtu.be/Izd1oYIbfbg?...

In a store near you. M3 heading out soon too, March. On the last 200/800 orders to ship for the KS!

I've recently updated the site to include pictures. 2026 needed a small little refresh.

You just walk into the room & start killing the goblins. Did you even try to talk? What are you going to tell their families? Why were so many in the same room? Did you stop to think about why the doors are traps? Trying to keep invaders out maybe? You? Did they pay taxes? How will the city recover?

I took some pictures of it. Once the wood pieces come in, i'll do another round of a photo shoot with the boards and such mid game. This is a fun one! Excited to show it off more and get people playing it. Needs a mini-disc soundtrack. needs like PS ethereal Drum & Bass Eurodance. loading screen.

I like how portable this looks like it can fold away and is pocketable. But the vertical limitation limits the breath of games available. I really like my Gamesir X2 (not sure if a new model is available) works with my case. Bluetooth. Analog stick options etc. youtu.be/_y3r0gx1l8s?...

Heyo the Elseware Express sample came in! (Had 2 chase down DHL) "Attempted delivery" my ass. I'm currently unboxing it & taking notes for myself on the discord if you're into following that kind of stuff. Got playtests lined up this weekend. Excited to see what folks really think. #boardgame #ccmf

And that's a wrap on the Two Towers trick taking game by @bbornmueller.bsky.social ! So many emotional waves from a little card game! How cool! Will our heroes make it out?? Gollum! The beautiful art by @elaineryanart.bsky.social !! 10/10 what a fantastic journey. Better than reading a book.

Some work in progress mockups for Rumored Blades 2 www.kickstarter.com/projects/109...

I continue to be excited and suprised this #zinemonth as I see loads of people who are using my mockups. Really grateful for the proof that what I made is useful to creators. What mockup would you need next? What format or product can you not find a suitable mockup for? Here's what I have already:

I will share it here when it comes in. But the Elseware express sample looks fantastic. Sneak peak on the discord for those following along. (Link in bio) In between packing orders I think I got to a good place for the Y2K2 edition, Green vs Purple standalone expansion. Smaller box, so needed work.

Just knocked out 2 chapters solo. 2 more chapters to go and then... I have to wait at least a year to find out what happens next???? 😭😭😭😭 @bbornmueller.bsky.social y'all killing me over here. #tlotrtttttg fantastic challenges this one. Tougher! I've lost more this time than fellowship. 💍🗼🗼

What a day. Do you like behind the scenes content from a one-man publishing house? Today we (just me) delivered 30+ packages, folded over 50 boxes, prepped for 75 orders (hex kits + M3 are next!) got a delivery of 1000 mirus today. They look fantastic! Waiting on masking tape to finish these.

What a fascinating map. Since it's based on followers, this tells me, I think, there is more ttrpg-ers than boardgamers here. (And/or generally boardgamers is a smaller hobby than I thought) Idk if proximity means anything, but it's interesting boardgame followers are so close to scientists.

It snowed alot up here today. Convinced some of the guys to play games at the local brewery. Got Ahoy and White Castle played today. Ahoy came down to a tie breaker, wild. And white castle was won by the new player. Fantastic fun, learned a lot. Fun to share. 10/10 have a boardgame day w/ your buds.

It needs some updating, but lot of talk about notes going on recently. Reminded me i have a 'library' of ideas I've been slowly updating on my own site. hinokodo.com/library And I really like all the little book drawings I did for it. Quite fun.

okay let's do it! 9:00 pm ET on monday. www.twitch.tv/willjobst reply here with your cover and a sentence about your game/zine/etc (or shoot me a dm and i'll give you my discord handle and we can go from there)

Turn auctions are pretty common in the heavier train games. Instead of dealing with $100s, I asked, what if players only had 5 numbers to work with. Keep that math low. Might make for a few silly extra bids between players who tie a bunch. But it is simpler. Curious if you have a fav bid mechanic?

(out and about today dealing with the Vet, so not as much shipping getting done as I'd like) Today's cafe rulebook work: Cleaning up some pages and a look at the iterations a spread goes through. 6 phases, lots to cover. didn't like separating Investor actions, so moved it to its own spread.

TLOTR:TFOTRTTG is the first game in the series, this year TLOTR:TTTTTG was released and has been a blast playing and I can't wait to play TLOTR: TROTKTTG, just what a fantastic series. we've run out of letters tho! The alphabet is empty now with those titles.

I have been adding to this recently, there's over 150 assets (free or affordable) on here!

Made some progress on the important concepts spread. Will play around with shapes soon just wanted to get some concepts down first. Quick snippets of things you will see in the next few pages

Heyo, when you read a boardgame rulebook, do you prefer when you're given a brief overview (with visuals) on some important concepts prior to the rules dump, or do you prefer that after the rules dump to 'clarify' what you've just read? (I lean showing it before rules, but maybe i'm biased?)

Big progress on the Elseware Express vol1 rulebook today! Challenge with this one is it has to work on an A6 size booklet. Easy to pass around the table if the player aids don't cover something specific. Not big & floppy, holdable while you setup without a problem. (small table people i see you)

There's an "explore" banner at the very top on desktop and mobile. But it's not obvious, and it's not fantastic you have to click again to start looking. Who fades away the action button? Zero front end developers /graphic designers at backerkit? What even are these? Publisher logos? Game logos?

Big progress on the Elseware Express vol1 rulebook today! Challenge with this one is it has to work on an A6 size booklet. Easy to pass around the table if the player aids don't cover something specific. Not big & floppy, holdable while you setup without a problem. (small table people i see you)

Question for you gamers on the go. Is a 9x9x2.5" box too big to travel with? (say to a brewery or convention) I think Card & Coin would benefit by being a bigger box. But I want people to take it places. (my solution for portability is a deckbox in base, and expansion will be a smaller 5x9" box)

Fellow Atopian Adam has been working tirelessly on these games. Check em out! What a fantastic start to #zinemonth!

I like the games that hide it a little more. "At the end of your turn, draw a card" vs "at the beginning of the round deal 1 card to each player" magic could be more interesting and complicated if you had to also navigate untapping cards instead of the upkeep step.

A bunch of projects launching for Kickstarter’s #ZineQuest this month are using Gen-AI. Even if the concept sounds appealing, please support designers with integrity first. If this sounds unreasonable, we shouldn’t be mutuals. Art by @/willowsquest.co.uk Logo by @/hinokodo.com

2026 needs to slow down. Blessed with quite a few plays this month as I dive into Two Towers and a splattering of boardgame days with friends. (And our new tradition of pre-gaming Trivia night!) Showed friends the awesome that is Ostia. Tried a few new things on BGA, solo Formosa Tea is great! AMA

Yourself but as a cartoon

I think i still need to work on presenting this in the rulebook, but for the boardgamers out there, is board assembly a no go for you? I've found, that the moisture in glue tends to warp boards over time. But I want a dual layered board and games that use stickers seem to not warp over time.

I really should film a playthrough. Hex kits are starting to go out to folks. Excited to finally get it into the hands of folks. A fantastic way to play through the MIRU series. God killing ain't easy, but it can be pretty! mimicpublishing.com/product/miru...

5 jobs I've had. In chronological order. 1. Office Depot print help. 2. Kroger cashier (met beyonce's mom!) 3. (Mall) Train conductor 4. Macy's clothes folder (I quit on black Friday. People are WILD) 5. Whiskey Distiller Now I'm a full time game publisher/designer/cat dad/husband

Ostia by @uchibicoya Just one of the best games to exist to be frank. Fantastic head space. Soloable! Beautiful!

We now have a discounted bundle on the mimic site when you get the hex kit and all 3 miru books! Hex kits are being shipped out already! The Hex Kit is a kind of #boardgame version for the MIRU series. over 80 hex tiles, each with a unique illustration! mimicpublishing.com/product/hex-...

Such a fun trailer, adam's blender skills really shine. so creative!

A couple of solo(able) trick taking #boardgames feature in the blog today. For Northwood! is good… The Fellowship of the Ring Trick Taking game though, has a great solo mode. boardgamegeek.com/blog/12040/b...

I think area majority could be an interesting element in a train game. Control being tracks connected to a company in between stations. (for example here Night Shift controls all the tracks, 2 lit grey, 3 drk grey.) notches help you see the land beneath without lifting all the tiles or memorizing.

If you were confused by the way bluesky shows your profile banner, this free template may help you. There's a free affinity v2 template on my itch page. You can also use the image on this post if you don't use affinity. blue won't show up on dekstop/pink for mobile. hinokodo.itch.io/text

today's goal, has been trying to wrap up the print files for the Elseware Express sample. Hard to show off a thing for Kickstarter with playtest components. It's actually pretty fun trying to fit all the pieces together on a stamp or two. So many wood pieces! (72!) 90 Hex tiles 5 companies 8 cities