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Designer Diary: Fritanga

by <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/1?bloggerid=19111" >Rafael Miralles Arenas</a> <div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8495326"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/fuA6Q760e-7FPO85kV20zQ__small/img/i-KDu9ip1gV9eFxCv6PfezDeAnk=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8495326.jpg" border=0></a></div>It all started as it usually does — when one of us has a crazy idea. This time, it was Rafael who broke the silence with his now-classic remark: "J, I've got an idea for a game." This time, it was about creating a board game. The problem, as always, was the cost. Making something with its own board was expensive, so Rafa proposed something unconventional: using the cards themselves to act as the game board. The idea, at first, seemed a bit difficult to imagine, but it captivated us from the beginning. We liked the challenge it represented, and most importantly, we fell in love with the concept. Even before we knew what the game would be about, we already knew one thing: It would have a "board", albeit an unconventional one. That was the first step of the prototype we've worked on the most so far. But the most important thing was still missing: How would the game be played? How would the cards that made up that "board" be obtained? The first thing that came to mind was to put a small character moving around on it. We were playing a lot of <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/videogame/282253/fall-guys-ultimate-knockout" >Fall Guys</a> at the time, and some of its tests served as inspiration. We loved the idea of the crumbling floor, reducing the space and forcing players to adapt or fall. We were also reminded of epic games of <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/videogame/77196/worms" >Worms</a>, with their environments blown to pieces while characters were eliminated by increasingly larger explosions. That's where the first version of the game came from. We imagined a group of rookie soldiers training on a practice range. Each turn, the terrain could give you an advantage, like a rocket launcher or an airstrike, or become your downfall if you stepped on a mine. It was chaotic, unpredictable...and we saw a future. Making progress on the design wasn't easy. Matching schedules and staying in creative sync was a challenge. Some days, nothing useful came out. Others, one of us would suddenly have a light bulb moment and call the other in the middle of work — and when that happened, we'd go for walks that same night for hours, tossing ideas around. If walking the dogs wasn't enough, we'd leave them at home and keep walking. Change of Identity After weeks of work, the moment of truth arrived: the first test game. It was at a friend's house. Although we were excited, the experience wasn't what we expected. Something didn't quite fit, so this was a key moment. We had to decide whether to keep going or leave it there. We analyzed what wasn't working. The military theme didn't quite convince us, and some cards were more chaotic than fun. On the way home, amidst that mix of frustration and reflection, Rafa didn't hesitate: "There's a game here.. This is going to be the first one we publish." And then something unexpected happened. We decided to change the theme completely. What if, instead of soldiers, the players were food? What if the battlefield were a giant deep fryer? It was as if everything suddenly fell into place. The disappearing ground became boiling oil, the explosions became dangerous splashes, and the characters became food struggling to avoid frying. We even added a new mechanism: the game could be played in teams. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8931243"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/Gaqm6-7og1NkUjuw0qIoUw__small/img/-MAKitWSSyV63Rl9NidTdSlpb_U=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8931243.png" border=0></a></div></center> Added to that idea was another one we thought was very original: introducing an extra player that's absent from the map but still influential on the game. Thus, the almighty Chef was born. Little by little, the mechanisms began to be refined, card effects made more sense, and the game's identity solidified. We ran a lot of tests on our own, modifying effects, discarding unnecessary items, and fine-tuning details. The second test arrived, this time with another group of friends. We explained the rules and stood back, silently watching as they played. They tried all the modes, and the best part was seeing that they were having fun. We didn't have enough players to play Chef mode, so we joined in...and the fun continued at the table. The mixture of pride and relief was incredible. We're not professional authors. This was our first serious attempt, and seeing that it worked, that it connected with others, gave us hope. Mom, I Want to Be an Author After those first games, we decided to take it a step further and believe we were doing something right. As we read in The Art of Game Design, to be a designer, you just have to say it, so that's what we did: "Well, come on, we're authors." With that mindset and the prototype in hand, we headed to a local convention. We brought a makeshift box, rules full of inside jokes, and tons of excitement. To our surprise, people had a great time! They laughed, discussed the cards, improvised voices. There was something about the game. That gave us a confidence boost. Looking for more opportunities, we found the Meeple Factory prototype competition. We signed up almost without thinking twice, with some hastily taken photos, a set of rules filled with absurd humor, and the (optimistic) hope of being a finalist — and we were. The day we received the email was a rush. After celebrating like crazy, we looked at each other and said, "Okay, we really have to work hard." <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8931244"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/U-tbliWEEs7WELK7Qa7WJA__small/img/I6OxaiO5KspvFMnWMLWsvnexxg4=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8931244.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> It's Alive! With three months to go, it was time to get down to business. We had a lot of ideas, but also a lot of work ahead of us. We did a thorough review of everything: what worked, what didn't, what was superfluous, and what had potential. We refined rules, removed cards that didn't add value, tested new mechanisms, and, above all, began to give the game its soul. We decided that if we were going to stand out, it had to be for what we do best: absurd humor — so we threw ourselves into building our own crazy universe. We gave each character personality, silly names, and visual details that told stories. We wanted each card to feel like a scene from something bigger, almost like an episode of a TV series. And that's how "No te frías" was born, which later became <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/402678/fritanga" >Fritanga</a>. The Contest We arrived at Meeple Factory with our nerves on edge, but also a mixture of excitement and pride. We'd worked hard and knew that, at the very least, the game was fun. From the first game, people were hooked. They laughed, teased each other, and loudly commented on the card effects — and that, for us, was winning. Obviously, not everything was perfect. Some cards didn't quite fit, and some games were weaker than others, but the best thing was that every game taught us something. We took notes, adjusting things as we went. The <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/2366/devir" >Devir</a> team even came to our table, which gave us a mixture of excitement and nerves, but we held our own. And in the end...we won. When they announced it, we didn't know whether to laugh, hug each other, or just be in shock. It was a huge rush and confirmation that all that effort, all those nights of grinding away at the game, had been worth it. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8931242"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/Rykq3_yj9tHGBiEWp-5xGQ__small/img/IRGFbYmi-0XQPoNJTXDPrU0vtgA=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8931242.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> Final Thoughts Creating this game has been a crazy time. A good one, of course. There have been moments of frustration, of coming up empty of thinking we wouldn't make it, but also laughter, absurd ideas that worked, and many, many hours of excitement. Every character, every card, and every rule have a little piece of us in it. We know it's not the most complex or polished game in the world, but it's made with a lot of love. And if you laugh, get into the game, or have a good time while playing it, then it will all be worth it. Thanks for goofing around with us! <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/157474/rafael-miralles" >Rafael Miralles</a> and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/157473/jose-luchoro" >José Luchoro</a>

Race with Robots, Antagonize with Ants, and Toy with the Tarot

Good sirs, one might ask this question solely about androids!▪️ Instead of a tag team of robots, you can control an army of ants in ANTgravity, a 2-4 player game from Paweł Siemek that Lucrum Studio is crowdfunding for release in 2026:ANTgravity is a dynamic tactical game in which cosmic ants battle each other for control over the flags, while also struggling against...unusual gravity. Each player commands their own team of ants, utilizing their unique abilities and advanced space technology. Th

Cardstacking pro explains how he turns simple playing cards into ...

Bryan Berg poses in Dallas, Texas, with his record-setting tallest house of cards. The tower is 26 feet tall. Berg, who learned how to stack cards as a kid, does so without using glue or any adhesive.

Channel Powerwolf in 1589, Steal Eggs from Giants, and Become an Equestrian Entrepreneur

Newborns hatch, and players clash in clever contests of positioning and card play with no destruction and no direct attacks — only smart, tactical maneuvers to claim victory.Each of the five Colossi and their cities offer a unique chain of powerful actions and unlock unique banner cards to fuel your strategy, with only three Colossi appearing in each game.▪️ Italian publisher Scribabs has announced a new title in its series of games inspired by and set in the worlds of heavy metal bands.The 1-5

2025 Jogo do Ano Nominees Announced

On the eve of the revelation of the winners of the SdJ award this Sunday, the nominees for a very different kind of game award have been announced. The Jogo do Ano is the Portuguese Game of the Year award, … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2025/07/11/2025-jogo-do-ano-nominees-announced/">Continue reading →</a>

Designer Diary: Ofrenda

by <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/1?bloggerid=10786" >Orlando Sá</a> <div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8574369"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/9ZFHtzDq5LIV-t3x_oM-tQ__small/img/vvSMCznidJHIzqfA1QZ17lo4M0w=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8574369.jpg" border=0></a></div>Mechanisms First There's a question often asked in game design: What comes first, the theme or the mechanisms? For <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/432705/ofrenda" >Ofrenda</a>, we began with the mechanisms. The core idea was simple, yet rich in possibility. Players create a tableau of cards, with each card featuring a color, a symbol, and a scoring condition. Every card placement matters, influencing not just the card itself, but those around it. The central premise remained unchanged throughout development: Give players the enticing possibility of scoring every single card played, knowing that it will be practically impossible to do so. It is a puzzle of tension, potential, and consequence. Streamlining the Core Initially, André and I experimented with different card-selection methods. However, it quickly became clear that the rules needed to stay smooth and simple to let the spatial puzzle shine as the game's "crunchy" centerpiece. Drawing inspiration from <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40692/small-world" >Small World</a>, we used a streamlined card-selection style in which players choose from a row of available cards. Skipping cards means placing your precious resources on them, making those cards more attractive to other players. It's a smooth and intuitive system that fit well with the eventual theme of making offerings. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8951897"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/Vch_DU5DkbpJQBlSlSlU6g__small/img/fwULoFiEs0IUYXMsQZJTLkffP_U=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8951897.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> Babel Was Not the Way Thematically, our first idea centered on the Tower of Babel. Colors represented different groups of people, and symbols depicted languages. In this version, players built a pyramid of cards, and placing on an upper level required you to have played both cards below it. This idea had metaphorical weight, but in practice, it became too restrictive and punishing. We therefore decided to set it aside in the "maybe one day" drawer. An Altar in Brussels Both of us design games separately and together. With our shared creations, we have come to realize that games need to be placed in the drawer for some period of time to marinate (or to age if you are not a fan of culinary metaphors). One day, one of us will wake up with a small breakthrough idea for a theme or mechanism, and the sparkle will be reignited so that we restart actively working on the design. As often happens in life, the breakthrough for this game came unexpectedly. During a Day of the Dead celebration in Brussels, we were moved watching people honor their loved ones – not with grief alone, but with color, warmth, and joy. Both of us are Portuguese, and the contrast between this celebration and our own was striking. In our culture, All Souls' Day is solemn, quiet, often somber — but in Mexico, despite sharing Catholic roots, Día de los Muertos is a celebration of life and memory. The way people were interacting with the altars, placing objects next to the photos of loved ones who had passed away, lighting candles and decorating everything with marigolds was heartwarming. It was beautiful. It was special. This image of an altar adorned with portraits, candles, and marigolds sparked a powerful thought: What if the game were about building an ofrenda? <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8932864"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/bt4HtbYMXoEHUshfrItklA__small/img/sDrOdLdDQVaYRHwDaHrElW2gcc8=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8932864.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> The Ofrenda This new theme brought renewed energy and fresh mechanisms, like candles and flowers, tied to a redesigned game board. Candles can be picked up when drafting a card, then placed as soon as a candle space is surrounded by three portraits. This added an extra dimension to the gameplay as the portrait-scoring conditions are based on the cards around it, but the candle-scoring conditions are based on the player's entire board. Also, not having a candle available when you're able to place one is painful because you can do it only at that specific moment, which is also true with marigolds. Late in the game, you'll have situations in which placing one card surrounds several candle and marigold spaces at once, so the lack of candles or marigolds can have a huge impact and the timing of when to surround spaces becomes crucial. Suddenly, the game clicked. We just needed to refine the scoring mechanism... A Light in the Darkness While discussing the new theme, we were also talking about the movie Coco, and its warm and colorful style. One key image from it stood out — lit portraits as a metaphor for remembrance and love — so we wondered, what if our portraits could also light up? That's when we had our last breakthrough: Cards wouldn't score by default. Only those whose conditions were met would flip to their lit side. Once flipped, they glowed – literally brightening the player's board with color. The more lit cards, the more colorful the player's ofrenda becomes. Lit cards score 2 points for each lit neighbor and 1 point per unlit one. The same applies for candles and marigolds, but they score only for lit cards around them: 2 points for each around a lit candle, and 1 point for each around a marigold. It was simple. It was thematic. It worked. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8951900"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/03S1tVnyqCdwncZIwZozbg__small/img/T6UbbAHva9u45XJJX9Kvpl_ZbC0=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8951900.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> The Canvas Emerges Following this shift, we playtested extensively. The new mechanisms worked seamlessly, and the rules felt intuitive. By making the placement of cards free of any restriction on the player board (which was completely different from other versions), players could plan when and how to play their cards in hand. The game became this blank canvas in which as you add more things to your board, you restrict yourself further. Each later placement in the game becomes either a painful realization that a certain card will not score or a thrilling moment when one or more cards are flipped at the same time. Fine-tuning the objectives of the cards and candles was key. They needed to be challenging, yet avoid causing unnecessary frustration. We got to a point where we felt that the game was accessible for non-gamers, yet crunchy enough for seasoned players. That delicate tension was what we strived for from the beginning. A Celebration with Care After pitching the game, we were thrilled by <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/29313/osprey-games" >Osprey Games</a>' enthusiasm. Their development process was collaborative, transparent, and above all, respectful of the culture we were honoring. Hiring a Mexican cultural consultant and a Mexican illustrator was vital to keeping grounded in the traditions we were depicting. <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameartist/146220/alex-herrerias" >Álex Herrerías</a> took great care creating a different portrait for every card, making each feel like a unique part of the story we are telling as we assemble our ofrenda. The development team of Osprey wanted Ofrenda to be a genuine tribute to this tradition, not only a background theme for the game. We hope that all these steps taken ensure that Ofrenda treats this beloved tradition with care, respect, and authenticity. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8951899"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/r4VafNFzijqV-6U0t_hkoA__small/img/AqFMVhVxk87DK7cxp2pWmLhIJwQ=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8951899.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> We hope you have as much fun playing the game as we had developing it. <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/126390/andre-santos" >André Santos</a> and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/101308/orlando-sa" >Orlando Sá</a> A Personal Offering from Orlando I received my first copy of the game the day before one very important person in my life passed away. Since the game has already been produced, I want to dedicate this game to that person, whose departure made the world a bit more empty and a bit more sad because her smile is no longer to be seen between us. Tucha, este jogo é dedicado a ti!

Dale Yu: Review of Foldris

Foldris Designer: Jinwoo Seo Publisher: Korea Boardgames Players: 1-7 Age: 8+ Time: 15 minutes Played with review copy provided by publisher A pen and paper game inspired by Tetris. Players draw shapes on their paper, folding it when a line … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2025/07/10/dale-yu-review-of-foldris/">Continue reading →</a>

Bid for Rails Made of Cards, Stack Cards to Thwart Beasts, and Serve Cards as Snacks

This is a ladder-climbing/shedding card game in which 2-5 players play stacks of seafood from their hand with the aim of having the most valuable stack in play.In more detail:Stacks can be played of matching numbers, but they must match the last played card by suit or number. Players score the top card from their stack if the next player passes, so the bigger the stack, the higher the scoring opportunity. Play continues until a player sheds all cards in their hand, or the draw pile runs out twic

Compile Moves from Greater Than Games to Synapses Games

(If you're not familiar with the game, read or watch my July 2024 overview.)In March 2025, publisher Greater Than Games announced the upcoming release of Compile: Main 2, which together with the mini-expansion Compile: Aux 2 would add fifteen new protocols to this two-player duel game about competing artificial intelligences.Then in mid-April 2025, all GTG projects went on hold, and parent company Flat River Group laid off most of the staff "in response to ongoing economic pressures resulting fr

Amazon Prime Day 2025 – Post #2 – lots of games still on discount!

Again, apologies to anyone who isn’t interested in shopping for new games right now – but there are a LOT of great deals on games today on Amazon Prime Day. Below is a list of some of the ones that … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2025/07/09/amazon-prime-day-2025-post-2-lots-of-games-still-on-discount/">Continue reading →</a>

Dale Yu: Review of Pergola

Pergola Designer: Michal Golebiowski and Przemek Wojtkowiak Publisher: rebel / Asmodee Players: 1-4 Age: 10+ Time: 45-60 Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4nrFmIf Played with review copy provided by publisher In Pergola, players develop their gardens, grow new plants, and attract insects … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2025/07/09/dale-yu-review-of-pergola/">Continue reading →</a>

Amazon Prime Day 2025 – Post #1 – lots of games 50% off or more!

Again, apologies to anyone who isn’t interested in shopping for new games right now – but there are a LOT of great deals on games today on Amazon Prime Day. Below is a list of some of the ones that … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2025/07/08/amazon-prime-day-2025-post-1-lots-of-games-50-off-or-more/">Continue reading →</a>

Dale Yu: Review of Money

Money Designer: Reiner Knizia Publisher: Allplay Players: 2-5 Age: 11+ Time: 15 minutes Played with review copy provided by publisher Your goal in Money! is to trade currencies with the bank and other players so that you end up with … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2025/07/08/dale-yu-review-of-money/">Continue reading →</a>

Designer Preview: Gadget Builder

I wondered: Could I make this more strategic, while keeping it a fast, fun game?Since this central mechanism is one that most players know, for this preview I thought it would be interesting to go into more design detail than I usually do to show how I transformed it.Introducing GadgetsSuppose you could build gadgets that will be placed in front of you and which you can later activate to help you go out in various ways:For example, a gadget that lets you play cards of the same color, all at once

[Prime Day] Pre-Prime Day Deals – Carc and TTR at low prices!

As we have done in years past, we’ll try to bring you the best boardgaming deals we can find on Amazon Prime Day (starts Tuesday July 8). As with all of our affiliate links, we may make a small commission … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2025/07/07/prime-day-pre-prime-day-deals-carc-and-ttr-at-low-prices/">Continue reading →</a>

Alison Brennan: Game Snapshots – 2025 (Part 17)

If we judge a Gathering by numbers, I set new personal bests by playing 89 new-to-me games with 143 different gamers. That was pretty cool. I did 53 new-to-me games in 2004 and thought that was good at the time … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2025/07/07/alison-brennan-game-snapshots-2025-part-17/">Continue reading →</a>

Game Review: JinxO, or Match Point

If you manage to bag only one match, only two of you are cheering, but you'll probably be cheering louder!If you don't match, others will often go, "Oh, good answer" — although it's clearly not a good answer since no one else wrote it — or the table will go silent, and you'll mock-grumpily go, "Wow, I thought that was gimme" or "I had no clue what to write", and others will commiserate with you because they've been in that same situation.Bottom line: JinxO is about making human connection, and i

Designer Diary: Ibyron: Island of Discovery, or Building This City Has Been a Never-Ending Journey

by <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/1?bloggerid=1850" >Scott Nelson</a> <div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/2078439"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/XcKHHlnXhS9udNVpLfP4Lg__small/img/QmBjTo6maH_n3p7fy9HkcU-Gc28=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic2078439.jpg" border=0></a></div>My Vision The journey of <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/162435/ibyron-island-of-discovery" >Ibyron: Island of Discovery</a> started in 2008 with an initial concept of designing a meaty game. I loved playing <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/13122/antiquity" >Antiquity</a>, and my wife, <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/9334/anna-marie-nelson" >Anna</a>, loved <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/875/roads-and-boats" >Roads & Boats</a>, so with that in mind, our work was cut out for us. The first rendition was a pretty neat idea on paper, but the real implementation of it was less than stellar. Though it was a start, it was not going to work for what I wanted to design. I did have some meat in there, but for the most part it was pretty easy choices. I couldn't have that. As with most games of that 2000-2005 era, we used the typical "founding of a settlement" setting and a technology tree of sorts to build buildings. The idea came more into an actual "founding of an island village" later in the design process. I wanted a less linear path, and this is where Antiquity came into play. In Antiquity, the path you take is whatever you want to do, with no particular technology trees to advance upwards. Ibyron, known as "Tribute and Taxes" at this early period of development, had a small tech tree, but everything else was a progression along a path: A->B->C. I had created three paths, and those paths headed you to the next building needed along the same path — but I didn't want that. Nope, not this time. On Standby Further testing was put on hold until I could get a grip on the vision I was after. I wanted to make a deeper game and felt I had a good start, but it needed a re-start. Anna saw what I was after but couldn't figure out what was missing...at least not at this time. I put the "vision" on the side and worked on a way to wrap the theme around the mechanisms. So far, the theme revolved around an advanced <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/13/catan" >CATAN</a> or perhaps a lesser Roads & Boats with no logistics. With <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/31724/diver-down" >Diver Down</a> in heavy development with another publisher, we decided to set Ibyron aside for a little while and focus on DD, but that was when Anna came to the rescue. Anna Dives In "Logistics", you say? That was what my wife threw at me one day. She had taken my base ideas of resource collection and buildings, then added land to move around upon. Until then, Ibyron had been a virtual theme with no game board — just a player mat to indicate what was built. Anna added a pawn to move around to do the certain actions. The game was now a tad longer, but a lot more thought went into each action, including a new action of moving. The map was static, but I didn't think anything more was needed at the time. I was just happy it was working into a fun game. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/3189691"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/tIpsHc2NvsonIKXIFIIOQw__small/img/SsY0aJ0Goyv_en1jwtzpXw5AcGI=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic3189691.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/3189698"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/Z-a76SUqqdvjNwN0_s2Xjg__small/img/fVESzdtG0WWl858GVNI-LMVvK84=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic3189698.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/3189700"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/4VBJWoA626kV_Pd4rniLMg__small/img/paCQzc62a9pXF0NoT548yGK5PRA=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic3189700.jpg" border=0></a></div></center><center>Early prototype boards for "Tribute and Taxes"</center> Utah: Saltcon and BGDG Shortly thereafter, as a member of the <a href="http://www.bgdg.games/" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">Board Game Design Guild of Utah</a> (BGDG), I took the design to a meeting for playtesting purposes. It was "eh" for all players, including <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/11640/alf-seegert" >Alf Seegert</a>, <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/11854/ryan-laukat" >Ryan Laukat</a>, and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/1540/steven-poelzing" >Steve Poelzig</a>. Having the game trashed by such great guys was a bit of a letdown, but that is what the guild is for — people willing to tell you, "Your baby is ugly". With a few helpful comments and some "praise" on the good ideas, I headed back to the drawing board. The name held on for a few years until in a conversation around tax time, someone named Steve told me, "No wants to be reminded of doing taxes". Thus, the theme changed as well as the name. Though one would still pay tribute and taxes were used, the name would not indicate that. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/1732424"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/VMVqhn1WJRVlYQ1jqBS3CQ__small/img/uaUXg2v1kKUt1_RmTb_VsCydx5o=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic1732424.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> The <a href="https://saltcon.com/ion-award-winners/" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">Ion Award</a> is a game competition for unpublished designs held during <a href="https://saltcon.com/" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">SaltCON</a>, a Utah-based board game convention instigated on the heels of A Gathering of Strangers. The Ion Award deadline was fast approaching, so after a major rules rewriting, I entered "T&T" into the competition. It didn't even make the first cut. Components, playing time, and depth were all stumbling blocks. Members of the BGDG are also involved in the Ion Award, and in addition to the judges' feedback for the first cut, members gave me a couple of other tidbits for why it probably didn't make the cut. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/3189706"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/urH_O1OTIWKWtUeLrmJusw__small/img/4T-_bzJGHQYsuAvMOMhi2kRF7KI=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic3189706.jpg" border=0></a></div></center><center>The game submitted to the Ion Award</center> <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/1624071"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/QuGPophHIBZwnjvSQsKC6w__small/img/SwCrCM0o2Yd_97_aXURm8uv3Xc8=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic1624071.jpg" border=0></a></div></center><center>Old rulebook cover</center> After the Ion With the competition over before it ever began, I decided to change the name, and the "Island of Ibyron" was born. (Many thanks, Steve!) I took Ibyron to SaltCON the next year and showed it to a couple of publishers to no avail. As judges of the Ion Award, these publishers have also read a lot of rules to this point, so I did not get more than a walk by, despite the game being set up on the table and me begging "Take my rules, please" — well, that's probably how it felt to publishers. I do not suggest this method to get your foot in the door as nothing came about it...or so I thought. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8952033"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/Lv2fG6q0qdGawV03FtxUaA__small/img/pT1xnpnFb0ngqNTgqWE5CRDfMzI=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8952033.jpg" border=0></a></div></center><center>After a trip to my game closet and some marker usage on <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/481/carolus-magnus" >Carolus Magnus</a> tiles, I created a random island each play</center> Around this time, <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameartist/68253/wayne-dorrington" >Wayne Dorrington</a> offered his services for illustrating a few games in his spare time. Ibyron was added to his list, and this is when the game began to take shape. With Wayne's great art, Ibyron: Island of Discovery came to life. The components were just a bunch of wooden bits, so not much of a theme could be had from them alone, but the theme came through in the art. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/1732735"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/f2zp2kFkksvL4itNock_Aw__small/img/SyFO2Nx-V90EpyYnO_2NtD9xYcI=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic1732735.png" border=0></a></div></center><center>Before switching to squares, I used hexes for the village</center> <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/1765155"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/QSFMb3Ka7b1z5_G0FZWAnw__small/img/y0Gr4Q5qOate5ztSTA0RiDfwlYU=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic1765155.png" border=0></a></div></center><center>The player mats went through a few renditions, but came out great as well</center> With Wayne working on the art, I added the design to the BGG database in a print-and-play format. Most pnp crafters decided to wait for the art to be finished, and rightfully so since it played much better with his artwork. Around this time, I was still shopping the design to various publishers, mostly in Germany. After one copy came back to me trashed by the mail, I decided against the publisher angle for this design. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/3189701"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/bATMcMvC23dNNTytujqeaw__small/img/jqDKnY6MonYOQyLyRihOMYROqBY=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic3189701.jpg" border=0></a></div></center><center>The island as hexes with components cannibalized from various games</center> The Game Crafter, Part 1 I found <a href="https://www.thegamecrafter.com/" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">The Game Crafter</a> to be helpful in getting Ibyron published, but they had a few problems that nothing could fix, so a lesser game was released with me purchasing all of the copies sold except two. With Wayne's art on the box, land tiles, village mat, and player mats, the game was a finished product — but I kept thinking it didn't play right with the land tiles included. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/1731863"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/VsCPCQleVD6j8GwGUtQc8w__small/img/xU_CULET1WvOI3tEEOXVxnUkrxA=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic1731863.jpg" border=0></a></div></center><center>A quick playthrough on rough squares indicated the game could be played on the tiles</center> <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/1765890"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/OMeT1r7QU3e5J3us-tX9nA__small/img/02WOQJw0nmjJb2GDzLw1wv5zV9o=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic1765890.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> Ion Award, Year 2 Ibyron, full of beautiful art in the game and rulebook, was well received and even made it to the top 4, which was a new way to cut the number of entries down, unlike the top 10 of years before. The same publisher from the year before who had glanced at it and taken my rules remembered the design and was more interested in it thanks to the facelift. After testing, they found the game too long for them. I took notice of that, too, and with one change shortened the game by half. That still wasn't enough for the publisher's continued interest, but I liked the design more, and playtesters did as well. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/3110172"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/EV7GumY11uPuDVHYy2bXvA__small/img/c91ApaDVbhvFVrkQqNa5iJy2C2M=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic3110172.jpg" border=0></a></div></center><center>The first published product from The Game Crafter and print and play on my part which ended up in Germany for another year in transit and testing.</center> Rahdo's Runthrough Around this time, Ibyron was noticed by Richard Ham, a.k.a. Rahdo, and he added it to his anticipation list. With his runthroughs being fun to watch, I thought I'd try to get one to him. This was quite a feat, eventually accomplished by a friend of a friend who took a copy to SPIEL, with Richard dropping by their booth to pick it up. Wow. That worked — but it was only half the job. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/1759861"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/3qefqlxbfvNIj8e74gbaYQ__small/img/Yea0FISR737L5hGg4JLcMVMkBI4=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic1759861.jpg" border=0></a></div></center><center>Wayne did a great job with the rules layout; I only wish I could write rules worthy of it</center> Rahdo's had so many games on his plate I thought there was no way he would have time to play it, let alone review it — but after a campaign by me, the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnuxFrI7_2mBmeay2R5FhXg" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">Heavy Cardboard</a> guild and others, the game went to number 1 on his anticipation list, which meant he would do a runthrough. (It helped that <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/8007/victory-point-games" >Victory Point Games</a> released <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/186721/healthy-heart-hospital" >Healthy Heart Hospital</a> at this time, so for everyone who thumbed that list, thank you tons.) While waiting for Ibyron to move through Richard's runthrough queue, someone crafted a print-and-play copy and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/video/105137" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">filmed their after-play remarks</a>. I was excited to learn that they liked it and gave it a mostly positive review. With that on my mind, I was excited to see what Richard thought. A month later I'd find out. After a couple of rule rewrites by others — I was told a few times that mine were pretty but bad — Richard ran the game through its paces and filmed it. Though it was in his wheelhouse on most fronts (no direct take that, not too light, etc.), the game was too wide open and sandboxy for him and Jen. <center><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LftrAqCKWYo">Youtube Video</a></center> That notwithstanding, Ibyron popped onto the radars of a lot of gamers who were looking for just that. A few publishers showed up to say hi, but no one willing to take on the design. Sigh. I wanted to get it to the players. I mean, that's why we make games, mostly...or at least why Anna and I do. The Game Crafter, Part 2 What a stroke of luck. The Game Crafter was advancing its publication technology at this time, including adding laser-cut tiles. I was excited because I thought that new tech would do the land tiles justice and be affordable. It took a couple of months, but my prayers were answered, with The Game Crafter now offering custom-cut tiles. My many attempts to figure out how to create the tiles failed, then I had the bright idea to ask Wayne Dorrington to help me since it was his art and his profession to do similar stuff that I was learning. He sent me a couple of files, and I was able to optimize them for my purpose. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/3206606"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/N5H3uh1-jmJvbvb1BsS3rw__small/img/w99CKpbRyxs8U7_UKpy7yWTaDbY=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic3206606.jpg" border=0></a></div></center><center>Final version from The Game Crafter</center> And that is where the journey came to an end. Or Did It? <div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8432920"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/UDNvrygU0lcY7SxL_Ci7Ig__small/img/4kmA0VTxeKnRLe0JobMRw8urdFI=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8432920.png" border=0></a></div>Out of the blue, in 2019 the game found a publisher willing to do a professional printing. The publisher held the design under contract until early 2023, and over the years development continued — adding and subtracting buildings, actions, boards, and tokens. The final revamp took out a resource, then added another; changed the market, then removed it entirely; changed a market-based building; changed the solo game; added another solo game that continues the saga; rewrote the rulebook; bumped the player count from 1-4 to 1-5 — the list goes on... Eventually that publisher dropped the project due to a personal situation (I understood perfectly why), so I jumped into the publisher seat to make the game happen. I hired <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/4959/harald-lieske" >Harald Lieske</a> for new art and touch-ups. Between Wayne and Harald, I hoped to bring to the world what makes Ibyron special — but that didn't happen as most crowdfunding backers would be non-U.S. and shipping costs were brutal. The Next Chapter Begins... One day in 2024, I noticed an odd post to Ibyron: a picture of the player board...with new art. <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameartist/169519/jan-skornowicz" >Jan Skornowicz</a> had taken my game and some of the art ideas, then created another version of it — but in addition to new art, it featured a different way of playing the game, with the exact same results, but in an easier to digest way. This version had two player boards per player instead of just one, and the entire player aid was incorporated into that second board, so this version had the same footprint as the second edition. I was amazed at the way it was put together, and I had to try it. After contacting Jan for permission, I printed out the two files per player and sat down to play a game using the new art. Turns out that the game played in a shorter amount of time, and you could more easily figure out which choices were available each turn. What's more, you didn't have to dig around the tokens on the island, so the game was less fiddly as well. Developers have a keen eye to what works and what doesn't, so I had to hand it to Jan — that version was player friendly, whereas mine was...not so much. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8704942"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/eWI6pFJ3R6tDevvaUCq3fA__small/img/Yb49mXAPdB0PlnhuNsCkYX7xLas=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8704942.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> The Year 2025 There you have it. Those who want to can craft a nice copy and scrounge up the wooden bits needed. Jan has <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/426651/ibyron-island-of-discovery-2nd3rd-edition/files" target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">a print-and-play copy</a> of his own doing and has also uploaded it on Tabletop Simulator. I have the second edition on TTS as well, but it has no frills — just a sandbox to play in. In thinking about both versions, Jan's would be easier to play on. Good luck. If you want more information, feel free to GM me. <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/9335/scott-nelson" >Scott Nelson</a> <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/54147/ropearoni-games" >Ropearoni Games</a> <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8899890"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/BJ3GfRRXkrygEcAtDvQNcw__small/img/_uwVT76s9LXhSHJ3qe_eT7x95uQ=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8899890.png" border=0></a></div></center> <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8952256"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/dWlzZD6HYE7juRBMtP9ZYQ__small/img/FE8vXkZovNFLVoT_ua_knqOjUfM=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8952256.jpg" border=0></a></div></center>

Sail from Batam through Shallow Seas to Explore Fathoms on the Way to the Arctic

The game features more than 160 animals, and you want to build a viable ecosystem.In the end, the player with the highest biodiversity score wins.ARCTICA will be available for demo games at Gen Con 2025, so perhaps we'll know more about the game after that show.▪️ Heading to warmer waters, we come to Fathom, a 2-4 player game from Dan Helfer and Paper Fort Games that's due out in Q3 2025:Fathom is a tile-laying, pattern-building game of deep-sea exploration in which you take on the role of marin

Find More Combos in the Castle, Prepare for Splendid Kids, and Don't Disrupt the Dingo Disc

The game flows smoothly, and the real satisfaction comes from watching your village expand and come to life throughout the game.▪️ Another November 2025 release is Dingo Disc, with this Pierre Tessier design for 2-6 players having first appeared in 2013 from Éditions Capucine and returning to the market courtesy of Blackrock Games.Here's an overview:Dingo Disc is a game of skill, balance, strategy, and luck in which players must place all of their counters on a balanced disk without dropping the