February design newsletter is out! It details a handful of important developments, but mostly, I talk about the rulebook. 🎪🎪 Newsletter is here: mailchi.mp/social-intel...

We're still looking for DC / MD / VA game designers to include in our catalog of locally-designed games. Card games, TTRPGs, board games, journaling games -- if our local retail shops can sell it, we want to promote it!

Had a great time playtesting at Congress of Gamers this weekend! Two players had playtested 6 months ago, and it was really meaningful to hear their thoughts on the status of the game now compared to then. I'll only say that the words "complete game" were used 😎

👉 DC - Maryland - Virginia Tabletop Gamers 👈 Play new games and meet their designers at local events -- find a full listing here: dmv-designed-games.beehiiv.com/p/tabletop-g... 🤎 Designed in the ♦️🎲 DMV

January Newsletter is out! Reworked the Renown system, icon updates, and looking forward to an unstoppable 2026. Read it here: mailchi.mp/social-intel...

It's not every day that camels show up in front of your house

January Newsletter is out! Reworked the Renown system, icon updates, and looking forward to an unstoppable 2026. Read it here: mailchi.mp/social-intel...

Happy holidays from Dr. Frankenstein and the rest of the Cirque household!

Since we're sharing our creative projects from the year, I should report that @cirquegame.bsky.social is closing in on finished. Worked a lot on the rulebook today. This project has been sustaining in a way that nothing ever has been before.

November newsletter is up! In it, I reflect on the past year of Cirque by way of an 1862 divination book, which you'll find in the game as the Golden Wheel card. Newsletter here: mailchi.mp/social-intel...

variety barrel, el cajon, california, 1978

Newsletter will be a day late this month -- holidays and such! ETA tomorrow sometime 👀

Had an excellent time playtesting Cirque and a few other great games on Sunday at a @breakmygame.com event in College Park. Thanks to everyone who participated!

Hoping to see some of you at Game Kastle in College Park, MD for some Break My Game playtesting on Sunday 🎪🎪 (also go terps 🐢)

old pro golf, circus course. clown, ocean city, maryland, 1985

circus circus mini golf entrance sign, seaside heights, new jersey, 1978

Playtested a boatload this week with some amazing people. A lot of good insights and good times!

🎪🎃 One-day-early design newsletter here: mailchi.mp/social-intel...

🎪🎃 One-day-early design newsletter here: mailchi.mp/social-intel...

Happy Halloween! 🎪💀🎪 Newsletter dropping imminently...

Newsletter is going out tomorrow to get it in before the weekend. Don't forget to subscribe for design updates, timelines, and the musings of a certifiable madman 🎪🎪 mailchi.mp/social-intel...

Newsletter is going out tomorrow to get it in before the weekend. Don't forget to subscribe for design updates, timelines, and the musings of a certifiable madman 🎪🎪 mailchi.mp/social-intel...

I had the absolute pleasure of lecturing at the University of Maryland on Cirque to a group of aspiring game designers. No pictures because FERPA, but it was a blast! This month's newsletter will reflect on the experience and summarize some of the content.

Happy October! The monthly Cirque design newsletter can be found here: eepurl.com/joqor2 This month, I wanted to reflect a little more on my own design process, so there's a lot of behind the scenes in this one. Hope you enjoy 🎪🎪🎪

New and improved dashboard. We're almost 75% done with the card art, and about to turn to board and box art next! 🎪🎪🎪

I have been designing a board game about the circus, and Darth, it has many very good animals bsky.app/profile/cirq...

September newsletter is out! You can find it here: mailchi.mp/social-intel...

September Newsletter drops tomorrow -- sign up here if you haven't already! mailchi.mp/social-intel...

Spent the end of the week drafting Ringleader cards, finally implementing some asymmetricality into the game. I'm comfortable enough with the game core to move into this next step, which I think adds a very important layer to the experience

Spent the end of the week drafting Ringleader cards, finally implementing some asymmetricality into the game. I'm comfortable enough with the game core to move into this next step, which I think adds a very important layer to the experience

Been a little quiet, but still making significant progress! Here's a new card, as a treat 🎪

Latest batch of updated playtest cards is ready for trimming! Current count: 156 / 180 🎪🎪🎪

Folks, after weeks of agonizing, I believe we have found The Font for card text 🙏

August Cirque newsletter is out! 🎪🎪🎪 Find it here: mailchi.mp/social-intel... Subscribe here: mailchi.mp/social-intel...

August development update newsletter drops on Friday. If you want it in your inbox, sign up here! mailchi.mp/social-intel...

Spent some of the day meandering the US National History Museum and came across this magnificent artifact Circus poster, 1923

Spent most of today working out the rudiments of Solo Mode. The irony is that I don't tend to play a lot of board games solo, but have been studying solo design to implement in Cirque and...it's apparently pretty fun!

We're on a much-needed vacation, but here's an excellent piece of card art to tide you over Card: "Sword Balancing"

Some excellent art rolling in this week 🎪🎪🎪

I put together a dashboard for keeping track of game balance and art completion rate 🎪🎪🎪

Spent the day working on some new cards based on what players seem to be reaching for in playtesting. When I drafted the full 1.0 prototype, I left somewhere between 30-40 cards as slack for just such an occasion. It's nice when plans work out like you expect!

Designed in the DMV ♦️🎲 has a new website listing upcoming events in the DC-MD-VA region, plus listings of tabletop games created by local artists. www.designedinthedmv.org 1/▶️

First public playtest was so much fun. Got some excellent feedback from some very nice and smart players. Headed to College Park this weekend for the same 🎪

First official (public) playtest today 🎪 We've played a bunch at home, but have shared the game with very few people. I am very happy with the status of the prototype. Let's see what the status of the game itself is.

Cirque is a competitive modern Euro-style game where players build and manage their circus by hiring performers, improving its reputation, staging performances, and more. It's still very much in development, and we can't wait to share it with the world in due time 🎪🎪🎪

I'm starting a monthly design newsletter for my board game Cirque where I give progress updates. If you would like to receive updates about the progress of the project, sign up here: mailchi.mp/social-intel...