11 - Digital Testing

Not only during a pandemic is it advantageous to have a prototype available in digital form. Sending out multiple physical prototypes is laborious and time-consuming.

One of the first prototypes for Tabletop Simulator looked like this and was uploaded to the Steam Workshop. You'll now find a current version there, which anyone with Tabletop Simulator can play.

Digitally, a game like this can be updated much faster than a physical version. Even creating it is significantly easier than you might expect—especially card games, which are very easy to import. Tabletop Simulator offers a wide range of components, to which you simply assign an image. Some components are a bit more complex. Magical Friends, for instance, features a lot of creature standees. Making these enjoyable to use required a lot of consideration in the physical version. In Tabletop Simulator, there are containers and scripts for this. With scripts, you can solve many problems and even simplify things compared to a physical prototype. You just need to read up a bit or get some help (but the effort isn't too great).

However, Tabletop Simulator has one drawback: it's not free. This paywall unfortunately discourages many testers. Still, it's already used by a huge number of players, so you do end up with a large pool of potential testers.

There are also free platforms like Tabletopia. However, their features are very limited, and it's hard to include more complex components since there's no scripting option. I definitely plan to take a closer look at Tabletopia in the future. It’s evolving quite a bit.

One feature of Tabletop Simulator I’d like to highlight: you can include a tablet as a component, which allows you to use a browser directly within the game. That way, I can launch a website by default through which I can communicate with testers—without needing to change the game version.

Leave us a comment about what you think of this idea and about Tabletop Simulator in general. Of course, we’d also love it if you try out our game and leave us feedback.

What has your experience been like with tasks like these? Do you work in this field? I'm looking forward to your comments!

10 - How to Avoid Unnecessary Effort in the First Prototype (Part 3)

In the third part about prototypes, we focus on testers:

Everywhere you read that a prototype should be inexpensive. It should be quickly discardable if it doesn’t work. It shouldn’t be too complex to modify. You will constantly be swapping and improving things. Additionally, mechanics should be added gradually. Furthermore, you don’t want to torment your testers, so it would be good if the game already functions reasonably well when you invite them.

If you want your testers to look at a game more than once, it helps if the game is already somewhat functional and has fun elements built in. That’s why it’s beneficial to try it out a few times beforehand with an especially enthusiastic friend. However, keep in mind that while a two-player game is easy to test with just two people, games designed for larger groups can be difficult to test with only two players.

For your board game, you will need many test rounds. Since you will typically need multiple players, this means you will also need a sufficient number of testers. That’s why it’s important to keep your testers engaged so they want to play multiple versions. You’ll have a few friends who really enjoy your game and will want to test different versions. However, board game preferences vary widely—not every player enjoys every type of mechanic or genre. This doesn’t mean your friends won’t want to help, but rotating testers and implementing improvements between sessions can ensure they see progress.

The duration of the game also affects test motivation. A game that can be completed in under an hour is much easier to bring to the table than a longer one. Additionally, frustration with unfinished mechanics is less severe in a shorter game than one that lasts two to three hours. If a longer game isn’t going well, it’s often better to end the session early. The feedback gathered will usually be enough to identify key issues.

It’s particularly important to test the game with strangers and/or blind testing (without assistance). Players should be able to complete a game based solely on the instructions, with no external help. However, before exposing the game to blind or public testing, the prototype should have already gone through multiple test rounds and reached a certain level of quality. While these settings can provide highly valuable feedback, they can also cause significant frustration.

For online prototype testing—where it’s easier to find remote testers—platforms like Tabletop Simulator or Tabletopia are useful.

My game is available on Tabletop Simulator in both German and English. If you’d like to try Magical Friends, you just need friends with Tabletop Simulator and can access it directly via the Steam Workshop: Steam Workshop Link. When launching the game, you’ll be notified that a link is being opened, through which a feedback form can be completed.

This is a very early form of the tabletop simulator version, now it almost looks like the real game.

I’d be happy about feedback, please write in the comments.

9 - How to Prevent Unnecessary Effort in the First Prototype (Part 2)

Heute geht es dort weiter, wo ich zuletzt aufgehört habe:

Überall liest man, dass ein Prototyp billig sein soll. So ein Prototyp soll schnell verwerfbar sein, falls er nicht funktioniert. Er soll nicht aufwendig sein, wenn man etwas verändern möchte. Man wird ständig Dinge austauschen und verbessern. Außerdem soll man Mechaniken nach und nach hinzufügen. Weiters möchte man seine Tester nicht quälen, es wäre also gut, wenn das Spiel schon einigermaßen funktioniert, wenn man Tester einlädt.

Zum Thema „Mechaniken nur nach und nach hinzuzufügen“ kann man einiges sagen. Generell ist es immer leichter, ein Spiel nach und nach komplexer zu gestalten und einen Kniff hier oder da hinzuzufügen, es aber an Stellen simpler zu machen, ist deutlich schwieriger. Wenn ein Spiel leicht zu lernen, aber schwer zu meistern ist, hat man auf jeden Fall etwas gut gemacht. So etwas anzustreben, ist nie verkehrt. Nachträglich etwas zu vereinfachen, bedeutet aber oft, dass man etwas verliert, wofür eine bestimmte Regel eingeführt wurde. Meistens taucht dann ein Problem wieder auf, das man damit gelöst hatte. Elegantere Lösungen sind überwiegend die, in denen man eine Mechanik durch eine schönere austauscht, in der dieses Problem gar nicht erst auftaucht. Das ist aber gar nicht so leicht, da man sich dafür als Designer erst mal von seiner ursprünglichen Idee loslösen muss. Also besser mit einem Minimum an Mechaniken beginnen und danach hinzufügen, was sich gut anfühlt.

Was bedeutet ein Minimum an Mechaniken? Unterschiedliche Spieltypen bedienen sich mehr oder weniger Mechaniken. Partyspiele oder kurze Kartenspiele bauen meist auf eine einzelne Mechanik auf. Dafür einen schnell verwerfbaren Prototypen zu erstellen, ist sehr angenehm und leicht. Schwieriger werden allerdings größere Spiele, Ideen, bei denen es mehrere Spielphasen gibt oder in denen man Mechaniken verknüpfen möchte. Beispielsweise wird in Magical Friends die Zugreihenfolge und die Kreaturenauswahl über eine Art Bietmechanik gelöst und das Spiel auf dem Spielbrett bedient sich einer anderen einfachen Mechanik.

Dabei hilft es sehr, wenn es Mechaniken sind, die man schon aus anderen Spielen kennt. Bietmechaniken gibt es in vielen Spielen, daran kann man schon vor dem Testen erkennen, welche Interaktionen bei der Mechanik besser und welche schlechter funktionieren könnten. Neue Mechaniken sind schwieriger. In dem Fall ist es hilfreich, wieder sehr simpel zu beginnen und sie nach und nach auszufeilen.

Gerade, wenn man ein größeres Spiel machen möchte, ist es sehr zu empfehlen, wenn man schon einige beliebte Spiele des entsprechenden Genres gespielt hat. Die Wertungen auf Boardgamegeek.com müssen nicht unbedingt den eigenen entsprechen, schaut man sich dort allerdings die Top 10 Spiele eines Genres an, wird man selbst, wenn einem die Spiele teilweise nicht so gut gefallen, einige tolle Umsetzungen von bestimmten Mechaniken finden. Es gibt Gründe, warum diese Spiele so beliebt sind. Versuche, sie zu finden, und überlege, ob sie für dein Spiel relevant sein könnten.

Nächste Woche werde ich dieses Thema fortsetzen, schreib mir einen Kommentar, wenn du dem Ganzen etwas hinzufügen möchtest. Ich und die anderen Leser freuen uns darüber.

Wenn du den Blog interessant findest, freue ich mich wenn du ihn abonnierst, das gibt mir Feedback ob Interesse dafür besteht.

Today, we continue where I left off last time.

Everywhere you read that a prototype should be cheap. Such a prototype should be easily discarded if it doesn’t work. It should not be complicated if changes need to be made. You will constantly replace and improve things. Additionally, mechanics should be added gradually. Furthermore, you don’t want to torment your testers—it would be good if the game already functions reasonably well when you invite testers.

There’s a lot to say about adding mechanics gradually. Generally, it is always easier to make a game progressively more complex and add a twist here or there, but making it simpler in certain areas is much more difficult. If a game is easy to learn but hard to master, you’ve definitely done something right. Striving for this is never a bad idea. Simplifying something afterward often means losing something for which a particular rule was introduced. Usually, a problem then resurfaces that had been solved by that rule. The most elegant solutions are those in which a mechanic is replaced by a more refined one that doesn’t introduce the original problem at all. However, this is not easy, because as a designer, you first have to detach yourself from your original idea. So, it’s better to start with a minimal set of mechanics and then add what feels right.

What does a minimum set of mechanics mean? Different types of games rely on more or fewer mechanics. Party games or short card games are often built on a single mechanic. Creating a quickly discardable prototype for such games is very convenient and easy. Larger games, however, become more challenging—ideas involving multiple game phases or mechanics that need to be interconnected. For example, in Magical Friends, the turn order and creature selection are resolved through a type of bidding mechanic, while the gameplay on the board uses another simple mechanic.

It is very helpful when mechanics are familiar from other games. Bidding mechanics exist in many games, and even before testing, you can already identify which interactions might work better or worse within that mechanic. New mechanics are trickier. In such cases, it is useful to start very simply and refine them gradually.

If you want to create a larger game, it is highly recommended to have played several popular games of the corresponding genre. Boardgamegeek.com rankings may not always match your personal preferences, but if you look at the top 10 games in a genre, even if you don’t love all of them, you will find great implementations of specific mechanics. There are reasons why these games are so popular. Try to identify those reasons and consider whether they might be relevant to your game.

Next week, I will continue this topic. Feel free to leave a comment if you want to add something—my readers and I would love to hear from you! If you find the blog interesting, I’d appreciate it if you subscribe, as it gives me feedback on the level of interest.

8 - How to Prevent Unnecessary Effort in the First Prototype (Part 1)

In this post, I’ll share my approach to creating a prototype, the missteps I made, and what I would do differently next time. There were several areas where I invested extra effort that turned out to be unnecessary.

It's widely advised that a prototype should be inexpensive, easy to discard if it doesn’t work, and simple to modify when changes are needed. Prototyping is an ongoing process of swapping out components, refining mechanics, and gradually adding new elements. Additionally, while testers should be challenged, you don’t want them to struggle with a game that barely functions—so ensuring basic playability before inviting testers is crucial.

In this first part, I’ll address the bolded points above. The remaining topics will be covered in one or more future blog posts.

Designing a Flexible Prototype

Some aspects of prototyping make implementation easier, while others present challenges. For instance, card and dice games are relatively simple to prototype—blank dice can be used to create custom faces, and game boards can easily be printed. Figures and cardboard standees are trickier but can often be sourced from existing games. Some games—like Magical Friends—rely heavily on visual elements for clarity. While prototypes don’t need to look polished, when a game features numerous distinct creatures on the board, maintaining clear visuals during testing becomes essential.

Here’s a mistake I made: I used images from the internet for my prototype. While this made it visually appealing right away, it created major limitations in testing. Copyright restrictions meant I couldn’t easily share the prototype or post photos online. If I were to develop another game, I’d either purchase a set of affordable stock images or find freely available graphics that I could legally use. Today, I’d likely generate these images using AI— when I created Magical Friends, tools weren’t as advanced. Ultimately, spending excessive time hunting for the perfect visuals isn’t necessary—at this stage, aesthetics should take a backseat to functionality.

An early prototype from 2019

A Good Approach: Avoid Creating 40 Different Creature Cards (with Standees) for Your First Prototype

For initial tests, a smaller number of creature cards is more than sufficient. Even if a full set is necessary to play the game properly, early tests can be conducted with shorter rounds. At this stage, the primary goal is to determine whether the game mechanics work and are enjoyable. Additionally, modifying something that affects all 40 cards requires an enormous amount of effort.

I’ve created prototypes for other game ideas before—some of which didn’t work—and I’m grateful that the effort put into Magical Friends wasn’t wasted. However, testing continued to be time-consuming, because I was reluctant to take a step back and simplify the prototype (which, in this case, primarily meant making it look less visually appealing).

That said, having a more elaborate prototype isn’t necessarily a bad thing. For testers, it can be nice to have a somewhat polished version even in the early stages. The real challenge is that modifying materials takes significantly more time than coming up with actual improvements for the game itself.

Despite all this, I’ll be keeping future prototypes simpler!

I have plenty more to say on this topic, but this post would become overwhelming. So, expect more soon! Do you have any thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment or reach out to me.

6 - Where can I find manufacturers, and who should produce my board game?

Upon request, I'll continue with the topic of pricing in this blog post. How do I determine the production costs of the game? Through quotes from manufacturers. And where can they be found?

There are actually plenty of manufacturers that produce board games, and not all of them are easy to find. To find some, I visited the booths at Spiel 2019 with my prototype and outlined which components I needed using it as an example. While I’m sure I missed many manufacturers, I managed to establish contact with 17 companies. That’s definitely enough for a good overview. Three were from Europe (Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic), while the other 14 were from China. Of these, three never sent me a quote, leaving me with one German and 13 Chinese companies.

The first 14 quotes were overwhelming at first. So many different materials, various minimum order quantities, tiered pricing for print runs, special conditions for packaging and shipping, and sometimes even possible fulfillment services (shipping directly to Kickstarter backers—more on this in the next blog post). This led to prices that were not directly comparable at first glance. Usually, the prices are also listed individually for each component. To bring some clarity to the material chaos, it was time to pull out all the demo packages from Essen again.

Descriptions can initially be confusing.

Even though different manufacturers sometimes use different terms for certain things, the demo packages helped me get a clearer picture. Comparing the quotes also gave me an overview of which conditions are more standard in the industry and which are not. It also highlighted issues I hadn’t considered before that needed addressing with some manufacturers. With a second quote where I specified preferred materials, discussed any missing components, and standardized the print runs (e.g., 1,000/2,000/5,000 units), I was finally able to compare prices. And they vary widely—by about ±50% from the average price.

However, price alone isn’t everything. Communication with some companies was significantly better than with others. I had no board game references for some, and reviews from board game design groups and forums were a crucial factor in my decision-making. Some companies also specialize in certain components, such as miniatures, specialty dice, chips, coins, or game mats.

Deciding on one of the final five favorites was incredibly difficult. Panda has the best reputation in terms of quality and service but is very expensive and demands larger print runs. Other companies with bigger names were almost equally good in quality, offered significantly better prices, and provided excellent service. Ultimately, I chose LongPack. If something were to interfere, I could still fall back on Magicraft. Feedback on these companies is excellent, the prices are good, and communication was outstanding. However, the components needed and how comfortable one feels with a company may also play a role. The decision was truly tough and lengthy—370 emails were exchanged in total.

If you’re wondering what happened to the German company: I didn’t feel as comfortable with them. I also got the impression that they were reluctant to produce smaller print runs. The price was about 40% worse, even though some components were missing and not accounted for. Certain components made of other materials (e.g., plastic feet for standees) would still have to be ordered from China. Deluxe components for a special Kickstarter version would also have been significantly more complicated and expensive here.

Have you had experiences with board game manufacturers? I—and likely some of the readers—would love to hear your stories. Leave a comment. If you find this blog interesting, feel free to subscribe.

I hope this translation helps! Let me know if you'd like any additional support.

5 – How do you determine the price of a board game?

The common formula for pricing is:
MSRP = Landed Cost x 5

The “MSRP” stands for the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price—that’s the price you typically see in stores. “Landed Cost” refers to the cost of production, including transport to your warehouse and customs fees.

An example:
Let’s assume the pure manufacturing cost is €12 (this usually depends heavily on the size of the production run). On top of that, you need to add the cost of transporting the game from the factory to you or your warehouse. Typically, the board game arrives shrink-wrapped and on pallets. Depending on where production takes place, this can be cheaper or more expensive. Customs duties may also apply. For this example, let’s assume transport and customs add up to about €4 per game.

(I'm planning a separate blog post specifically about shipping and logistics.)

That gives us a Landed Cost of €16.
Using the formula, the MSRP would then be €80.

That sounds like a healthy profit margin—but it's not that simple.

If you sell the game directly yourself, the profit margin really is good; you’d only need to pay VAT (which depends on your country).
However, ideally, you want your board game to be available in stores—and that’s where distributors and retailers come into play.

Retailers might pay you 50–55% of the MSRP, while distributors typically pay only 40–45%.
So from a €80 MSRP, you’d get only €32–36 from a distributor (who are usually your biggest customers), or €40–44 from a retailer.
Taxes still need to be paid from that, so your profit margin shrinks fast.

Also keep in mind: the Landed Cost only includes the printing and manufacturing costs.
Expenses for illustrations, marketing, additional services, and of course your own labor as a designer aren't included here.
So, in order to fund a second print run, you first need to sell quite a few copies from the first one.

If you have any questions, feel free to message me or leave a comment.
And if you have specific experience in this area, I’d love to hear about it!

What has changed since the first Kickstarter?
After talking with publishers, a new question came up:
What print run should I base my MSRP calculation on?

It makes a big difference whether you’re producing 1,000, 2,000, or 3,000 units.
The Landed Cost—and therefore the MSRP—can vary significantly.
It’s probably best to base your calculation on the smallest feasible print run.

This approach reduces risk for a Kickstarter and still allows publishers to offer better pricing for larger volume orders.
It’s all about careful planning—if your MSRP ends up too high, the game becomes less attractive to buyers.

Shipping quantities also matter.
Only a few pallets were sent to the US, and shipping cost me about €6 per game.
To Europe, I shipped a full container, which brought the cost down to about €3.50 per game.

Game size plays a huge role too.
A pallet might hold 1,200 small card games but only about 150 copies of Magical Friends.
That needs to be factored into your calculations.

Shipping speed is another consideration.
Shipping by sea from China is the cheapest, followed by rail, while air freight is very expensive.
Speed comes at a high price.

4 - Your Jobs as a Kickstarter Creator

While Kickstarter projects can be small-scale, if you aim to launch a board game that fits the market in terms of price and quality, there’s a lot to do. You can only set a competitive retail price starting at production quantities of 1,000 pieces (in some cases, 500 pieces). Selling that many copies is no easy task.

Many of these tasks can be handled by yourself, with friends, your team, or by hiring someone. The more people you pay, however, the higher the financial risk.

Business Management: If you want to avoid losses and make a profit (even a small one), you’ll need a company. Establishing a company entails several steps. You’ll need legal advice (e.g., for copyrights, trademark laws, taxes) and have to handle bookkeeping, plan income and expenses, and assess risks. In Austria, there is good support available when starting a business.

Game Design: You’re likely handling the game design yourself. What you’ll need, however, are game testers. While friends might be sufficient at first, you’ll soon require external testers and eventually blind testers, who test the game solely using the instructions. Multiple rounds of testing and revisions are necessary, with both voluntary and paid testers available. The tighter your project timeline, the more likely you’ll need to rely on paid testers.

Illustrators and Graphic Designers: Illustrations are crucial to bringing your game to life and creating its atmosphere, as well as attracting potential customers. While simpler art styles can also be effective, the illustrations must look professional. Hiring an experienced artist is a worthwhile investment. Graphic design is equally important. While some stunning artwork may need to be adjusted for clarity, a well-designed game is essential. Illustrations and graphic design represent one of the first significant financial risks before launching your Kickstarter.

Translators and Proofreaders: Spelling errors can appear unprofessional, especially in promotional materials such as newsletters and websites. It’s equally critical to ensure the quality of the game manual. Others should review your materials, and for the final product, a professional should thoroughly examine your game.

Manufacturing and Shipping: You’ll need a manufacturer and will have to gather quotes to find the right one. Collaboration with the manufacturer is key. To transport finished games to your storage or warehouses, you’ll also require a freight company. Your Kickstarter campaign helps cover these initial production costs.

Shipping: While assembling and shipping packages yourself is possible, a successful Kickstarter will demand more space and time. Fulfillment centers can take over storage and shipping, saving you considerable effort. Though this service is pricier, it minimizes logistical challenges.

Marketing: If no one knows about your game, no one will buy it. You’ll need a website or landing page to drive interest in your newsletter. Newsletters are essential for keeping potential customers engaged over time. A well-produced video and advertising campaigns (e.g., on Facebook) are necessary for your Kickstarter launch. Collaborating with bloggers and reviewers and showcasing your game at conventions are also effective strategies. Building interactions with potential fans is vital—they can convert into Kickstarter backers. Professional help can be sought for various tasks, but advertising represents another major expense before launching your Kickstarter.

Distributors/Retail: If your Kickstarter succeeds, you’ll need to navigate the retail market. Negotiations with retailers and distributors will be necessary.

Although you can outsource some tasks, you’ll still need to familiarize yourself with each step to accurately estimate costs.

During the Kickstarter Campaign: Everything comes into play, and the workload can easily become overwhelming. This period often brings a desire for additional support, with numerous offers from others—ranging from scams to genuine assistance. Be cautious, especially with promises of quick advertising results. If you’re exploring advertising support, it may already be too late. Researching reliable help in advance is advisable.

On a positive note, you’ll meet many people who genuinely support you, particularly in the areas of retail and distribution. Prepare for a social experience!

A team is super valuable!

I will get into more details with these jobs in the following Blog Entries

What experiences have you had with these tasks? Do you work in any of these areas? I look forward to your comments!