When one person gives you feedback, listen. When a second says the same, reflect. When a third says it, it's time to change. 🎲✂️ #DesignDiary

If you enjoy our podcast, our Bluesky posts, or simply want to support a new game designer, the best way to help is to follow our Kickstarter and sign up to be notified when it launches. 🎲✂️

The best feedback you can get is, “Let’s play again.”

From concept to final design—explore the evolution of our board game box, then listen to our latest episode to meet the talented artist behind it, Zeta.

If you're in the Bay Area, come check out Protospiel Bay Area in Redwood City this weekend! We'll be there playtesting Under One Sky alongside dozens of other designers. 🎲✂️ Playtesters are free—come play unreleased games and make them better!

The goal isn't perfect balance. The goal is making every choice feel interesting. 🎲✂️ #DesignDiary

On Tuesday’s show, we’ll introduce you to our artist, Zeta, and take you behind the scenes to see how our board game came to life.

First look at the cover art! 🔭

You know, when you think about it, a designer had to playtest Jumanji.

Finally played Hot Streak. My family loves it! 🌭 🐻 🫅 🐠

If a small indie game company and podcast (like us) wanted demo space at someone else’s booth at Gen Con, where do we even start? Is it usually just reaching out to buy table time or sponsor space—and how do people approach it when they’re looking for visibility primarily? 🎲✂️ #GenCon

Things they don’t tell you in internet board game design school: half the design process is actually waiting for Kickstarter, Stripe, and your bank to decide you’re a real person. 🎲✂️

Congrats on 10 years! It was nice running into you at KublaCon. @boardgameblitz.bsky.social

KUBLAAA…

Congrats to Board Game Hot Takes on winning the Golden Geek Award for Best Podcast. Awards season may be over, but next year’s campaign starts now: reposts, likes, comments, “For Your Consideration” events, and reminding everyone we also have a board game podcast. 🎲✂️ @boardgamehottakes.bsky.social

Achievement unlocked ✨🔓 We created these events hoping a few people might come and play. Two sold-out events in the first weekend! We’re over the moon—and in the stars. 🎲✂️

I’m teaching a board game design class this summer for kids ages 8–10, and I’m looking for recommendations on where to buy component supplies—ideally somewhere other than Amazon. I’d also love suggestions for any organizations that might donate materials for a class like this. 🎲✂️

Milestone. 🎲✂️

As we approach the moment when anyone can freely share their opinions about our game, we speak with Dan Thurot to better understand how game reviews work. 🎲✂️ @danthurot.bsky.social

Spending way too much time trying to understand the difference between 6mm and 7mm; it’s not as simple as “1mm,” but say it if you want, I’ll leave the joke there.

On tomorrow’s show, we’re talking about constellation patterns, and what’s this? A sneak peek at some behind-the-scenes unreleased art samples? Yes, it is. 🎲✂️

If ideas were worth money, I would be so rich—so rich. 🎲✂️

We had a blast tackling Velgus’ Murder at the Atelier escape room—just the right level of challenge. Highlight: a hilarious misplay when my sister (who lives very close to Canada) spelled “gray” as “grey,” and we ended up with “BROWNIE” as a color. 🤣 @solisgamestudio.bsky.social

Add “How do you get a barcode?” to the growing pile of questions we know have a simple answer, we just haven’t gotten around to figuring it out yet.

One year later, we made it back to PAX East!!! It was incredible seeing you all again and watching you experience how much our game has grown. 🙌 Big things are coming soon. Stay tuned. And seriously—thanks for riding with us. ⚔️ #avaricegame #BoardGameDesign #PAXEast #Playtesting #TabletopGames

Happy birthday to Mark! It’s either today or tomorrow—after 10 years of knowing him, I’m still not completely sure. I guess that’s what happens when you’re born around April Fools’ Day… trust issues! 🎂

Game Market West was an amazing opportunity to connect with more board game designers and players. We even made the local news—well, sort of…you can spot us in the background! 📺 @gamemarketwest.bsky.social

If you listened last week, this picture is relevant. If you didn’t listen, well, I mean you should. 🎙️

The window to submit an NCAA tournament bracket after the last play-in game is about 14 minutes. #misplay

That’s some sweetly-talented company to be grouped with!

We learn an important distinction between a circle and square on tomorrow’s episode. 🎲✂️

You can find us in the West Hall — Free Play Area on the third floor. #GDC Come try Under One Sky! 🎲✂️

Board game vendors: what’s the tablecloth meta? 6 ft? 8 ft? Standard throws? Stretch? I don’t want to buy a bunch of different ones. Is there a catch-all that works for most convention tables—even tall rounds?

Thursday, March 12—we’re playtesting at GDC, hosted by the dream team: Golden Gate Gamemakers, Gamescape, and Unpub in the open play area. Swing by and try Under One Sky—we promise to take notes. @unpub.org

Grateful for the Golden Gate Gamemakers Meetup at Guildhouse in San Jose—our first blind playtest, newly named discoveries, and great rulebook feedback from Jordan. 🎲✂️ Listen to our next episode to hear all about it.

We have a long-standing math norm in our school district that applies to board game design—and to life: “Errors are gifts that promote discussion.” Go forth and make your misplays! We are all now wiser. 🎲✂️

We’re wishing all the Cardboard Edison finalists the best of luck! We’re looking forward to watching all of their pitches.

🎲✂️: 🀄️✨🔭5️⃣❎5️⃣🙈 🏪🛒🧍🧍‍♀️🧍‍♂️😫

“Oh good God,” one playtester said tonight during our first round of blind playtests. They were reacting to the sheer number of options that opened up once the board started rotating. 💥🔭

Mark’s doing all the art and graphic design for Under One Sky, but he’s also got a rotating grid tile-placement game that’s beautiful and fun to play!

This is fun—you can grab the The Misplay Microbadge over on BoardGameGeek! 🎲✨ Huge thanks to @wildthayne for making it happen! 🙌