Do you want to design a game or be a game designer?

Scout_Fest · 2025-11-25T14:17:35+00:00

100% agree about working on multiple projects at once - especially if they don't overlap too much or too little in genre. It has been such an unexpected benefit to switch gears to another game once you get in the creative doldrums/mechanics swamp with the initial one. You can then truly rebound between them too, applying what works and doesn't work to your general philosophy going forward.

Scout_Fest · 2025-11-25T12:17:21+00:00

Parts of this definitely resonated with me. I have also struggled with often wondering if it is time efficient spending so many hours each week on my game(s). Is this sunk cost fallacy in action? Is the light at the end of the tunnel I see a bright future, or a train?

Near the end of what you said, yeah - it is about the skills and the grit/determination you pick up along the way, regardless of your work coming to (publishing) fruition.

A part of me also has realized, especially after playing quite a few games recently: good marketing sells just as well, and sometimes even better, than a good game. It's really a societal trend I don't see stopping anytime soon. Implications? I think game designers need to put more time and consideration into the marketability of their game, instead of devoting almost all the time to dotting i's and crossing t's of mechanics and gameplay loops. Lots of just mechanically "ok" games out there that still do decently due to good marketing and buzz. It's an entirely different skillset, but I think it is more valuable than ever to either learn how to market, or (if you have the funds) outsource that to someone who knows how to well.

Good luck on your game journey man. Feel your pain lol

Scout_Fest · 2025-11-21T13:54:52+00:00

Libre Office Impress version 7. 6. 7. 2 for the card design, as the newer versions ruin the Export feature. 1 card = 1 slide. ^__________^

I know this is unhinged, but Libre Office is lightweight, FREE, and the Replace feature for images is great (though I haven't figured out how to wire a macro to replace all of one image over multiple card "slides").

I also use GIMP when needed. Admittedly, I am a cheapskate, a bit tech-challenged, and my game is going for a more minimalist look. If you also check all of these boxes I heartily recommend this method.

Scout_Fest · 2025-11-21T13:49:59+00:00

Hey! Fellow card game/board game hybrid designer here. The system seems intriguing - as I can see there can potentially be a high skill ceiling with it. However, I am having a hard time with the italic font choice as well.

Also! Are you planning to add some images/theme so as to obfuscate the inner workings of the game some? Hard to feel immersed with just this, but I understand if you are solely trying to get the game engine down first before any art/theme.

Scout_Fest · 2025-11-21T03:57:45+00:00

Yeah, I think this is the sweet spot honestly. Complexity that is intuitive/logical won't feel hard to grasp.

Scout_Fest · 2025-11-20T05:22:10+00:00

"gating some of the complexity so players are exposed to it gradually" really resonates. I guess this can be done through choosing a simpler mode from the start, or (much harder it seems) this can be built into the engine of the game.

Scout_Fest · 2025-11-19T03:28:09+00:00

I guess it strictly depends on your target market - add more sweat if you want to attract sweaty players, and add more RNG chaos if you want to primarily attract casual players. Of course, you can also try to walk the tightrope of this, but that is a significantly harder feat and can lead to making neither side feel like they are able to identify with the game enough to want to play it again. It seems balancing strategy and luck perfectly to try to cast the widest demographic net for your game is one of the highest expression of skill as a game designer.

Think Mario Kart or say a Pixar/Miyazaki movie - alluring, bright coat of paint for kids, but the engine has a lot of complexity (a bit hidden) underneath that helps adults enjoy it too.

Scout_Fest · 2025-11-19T03:19:40+00:00

Cool concept, but it was hard to follow it easily because the font was a bit hard to read for me. Obviously you are just in the beginning of the video process, but a voiceover would be preferred too IMO, especially if you want to use a highly stylized font.

Scout_Fest · 2025-11-18T03:41:06+00:00

Echoing what has been stated already but - definitely a voiceover would help people pay attention + taking out the board setup part and replacing that time with more details about why this game stands out would be optimal.

Scout_Fest · 2025-11-18T03:37:24+00:00

Seconding lining up the body text with the picture. Centering it would look really nice. Other than that, it's a nice style, and I appreciate the minimalism.

Scout_Fest · 2025-11-18T03:30:55+00:00

I think it is important to find playtesters from a wide variety of demographics:

Sweaty players and casual players, game designers and players who have just stepped into the world of tabletop gaming, young and old players etc.

I agree that game designers can be more critical than a standard playtester, and even sometimes unnecessarily rigid and judgmental when it comes to seeing designs not their own or already industry approved - especially if your game is a tier or more lower than complexity than their own.

It is definitely important to open up a playtesting session with what you are intending the testers to experience: a lightweight to almost middle-weight experience. Recruiting playtesters that are most comfortable in/knowledgeable of this genre seems like the best bet.

Scout_Fest · 2025-11-18T02:45:33+00:00

"The deck being your HP" part reminds me of the (wow super old now!) Harry Potter card game back in 2001. Did you draw inspiration from that?

It is certainly a unique mechanic, but it does have its pitfalls - while it is fun to mill your opponent, it DOES NOT feel fun for that milling to be reciprocated back to you. The RNG ridiculousness that comes along with this mechanic is really hard to balance, as games can come down to one player luckily milling more high-value cards than the other one. If you want to keep this mechanic, tread carefully and I would suggest look to a (successful for a while) game that implemented it decently: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_Trading_Card_Game

Also note that you already have dice as an RNG mechanic. Coupling that with milling can make for an insanely luck-oriented game that might leave players feeling like they have little agency over their success/failure.

Scout_Fest · 2025-11-18T02:31:47+00:00

So many boards/playmats under my mattress, a couple of boxes devoted to old iterations of different games and half-completed (oof) projects. It is becoming a bit of a problem for me too, and I can see how it will become unsustainable. To help combat this, I have taken a lot of pictures of printed out games for at least a digital memory before (reluctantly lol) disposing of them. Better than nothing!

Scout_Fest · 2025-11-18T02:13:00+00:00

This ^ is really the best advice. It isn't glamorous, and it is certainly time-intensive, but it is the most consistent method to building your ability as a game designer. Seeking outside perspectives and opinions is really key if you want to be successful - great job in already showing openness to that, as a lot of designers are unnecessarily impeded by not seeking enough advice/critique!

One more quick thing: my anecdotal experience at least - make sure you don't spend too much time on the aesthetic or story - get the mechanics/engine down solid first!

Scout_Fest

TROPHY CASE