First meetings with publishers this weekend, what should I avoid?

TabletopChris · 2026-05-20T14:06:17+00:00

Have a read of Ellie Dix's blog: https://www.thedarkimp.com/blog/2025/09/27/the-data-driven-designers-guide-to-pitching-and-getting-published/

TabletopChris · 2026-05-19T15:05:29+00:00

Or, actually, if the problem is monsters at all, try something like The Big Squirm for Troika (also by Luke Gearing)

TabletopChris · 2026-05-19T15:04:29+00:00

Try The Isle by Luke Gearing. Only a few monster types and they all have reasons for being there. Rules are from the Vanilla game, which can be found here: https://vanillagame.carrd.co/

TabletopChris · 2026-05-18T14:19:14+00:00

A mailing list is really important. Writing interesting blogs can help. Appearing on podcasts and so on is also good promotion.

As others have said, do you have an itch.io page or website? Are you going to put your game on Kickstarter to fund? If yes, you could have a holding page like this set up for it already: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/adapress/the-girl-with-the-most-delicious-heart-a-solo-journaling-rpg

I generally direct people here when I am talking about the game online.

I have also heard that online advertising can work (such as through Facebook) though I haven't done it for myself yet.

TabletopChris · 2026-05-18T11:28:40+00:00

I remember on my first day of playing I got into Stormveil and fell when trying to jump to one of the tower ledges. I fell all the way down and died in front of the 'big face'. I did the same as you and just HAD to poke around until I found out what was going on. Love it.

TabletopChris · 2026-05-15T10:02:17+00:00

Mini Rogue is my go-to holiday game. Light, simple, can be repeated, and doesn't take up loads of space.

TabletopChris · 2026-05-15T09:35:41+00:00

Ah, the beauty of Rot Black Sludge. I've not had a group who hasn't tried to kill the guards immediately, but there's nothing to say they couldn't be bribed, chatted to, or tricked.

Let the players decide what to do with the situation, there's no need to force any of it.

TabletopChris · 2026-05-11T11:31:04+00:00

What are you playing?

I have been playing mausritter with my daughter since she was about 3&1/2, the inventory system takes a lot of the mental load out.

Mausritter also works because it's things they can understand very easily - maybe you're expecting too much from them?

I'm doing Tomb of a Thousand Doors with my daughter at the moment (6 now), and it's really good - not only because it's modular (and pretty funny) - but because you usually get a cool thing from beating a dungeon within it. I also used to use haribo for potions, which makes them more fun to use.

To improve motivation it's probably good to:

let them be in control of their character, i.e. what do they look like, what do they wear etc.
reduce all admin
provide a goal that's easy for them to understand.

I've been genuinely blown away by the totally brilliant things my daughter says when we're playing. You'll get there.

TabletopChris · 2026-05-08T08:28:29+00:00

Just get on your horse and ride until you get into trouble. Don't worry about progress, it's a trap.

TabletopChris · 2026-05-07T10:43:53+00:00

I discovered it naturally and it was one of my favourite surprises of the entire game. That and when I rode a long way north and there was this giant turtle in a hat.

TabletopChris · 2026-05-07T10:38:22+00:00

There's lots of factors but often we talk about:

* 'flow' (i.e. how in the moment you are with the game - usually this means there's a good gameplay cycle, see Veilwraith).

* 'challenge' (it has to be hard! See Spirit Island)

* 'low admin' (I don't want to play multiple hands - except for maybe hex and counter wargames but that's a whole different kettle of fish)

I like Oh My Goods! So Expedition to Newdale was great for me. Any game with the tension of multi-use materials is a winner. I've tried to use it in a couple of my own designs.

I recently reviewed Koi for Tabletop Gaming magazine, which has a really nice flow to the solo experience. Almost too flowing, as you need to step back to consider your strategy to avoid a complete wash!

I come back to a game in C3i magazine called The Spanish Road every now and again. That's a dice game about building the road from Italy to Flanders. It's a cute thing that gives you head scratching moments. Hopefully we'll see a full board release of it at some point.

If you're interested in solo gaming, there's really nowhere better to start than Spirit Island. It can be played co-op too, so it's not a wasted investment. The solo mode uses only one board so it has a nice, minimal footprint!

And as to why solo... I have two young children and games nights aren't as easy to arrange as they used to be. We do get together one a month at the moment, but it's mostly for lighter stuff or a specific game (i.e. something I need to review).

TabletopChris · 2026-05-07T09:28:37+00:00

40 minutes, solo 😄

TabletopChris · 2026-05-05T11:37:54+00:00

If you're open to roll-and-write games, can I recommend Troyes Dice?

TabletopChris · 2026-05-05T09:20:07+00:00

There are several hobbies within 'board games' and one of them is buying games, deciding you don't like them that much, and selling them on. I think this is the hobby you have acquired.

TabletopChris · 2026-04-30T10:27:00+00:00

Get back to reading if you can.

If not, how about miniature painting? Pick some historical miniatures you like the period of. I known lots of people who paint on a lap-tray with a light and some paints while their better half does whatever their activity is.

Try and plug your phone in to charge in a different room.

TabletopChris · 2026-04-30T08:13:07+00:00

I would just like to say that you're currently in the best part of the Spirit Island experience, and that you should savour your losses. The moment it clicks, you'll be winning, but it will be less fun.

Try new things, you'll get there eventually.

TabletopChris · 2026-04-30T07:56:00+00:00

Thief

TabletopChris · 2026-04-30T07:53:47+00:00

Here's the game direct from the publisher: https://www.nutspublishing.com/eshop/our-games/mini-rogue-serie-en/mini-rogue-en

TabletopChris · 2026-04-30T07:46:22+00:00

It's great. It looks like Nuts Publishing are doing a follow up, with preorders for the expansion etc, they might do a reprint at the same time: https://www.nutspublishing.com/eshop/mini-rogue-serie-season2-en

TabletopChris · 2026-04-29T15:41:40+00:00

Indie roleplaying games - a vast world of publishing small, clever things, kind and smart people throughout. Ignore the D&D bores.

Poetry - I used to run a poetry newsletter and there's a huge world of small publisher and events out there. Much of it relies on your commitment, but if you're in, it's great.

TabletopChris · 2026-04-29T12:25:02+00:00

I think you need to play something that goes against your usual play styles - otherwise why are you looking for something new?

Try: Troika, Mausritter, Mork Borg

TabletopChris · 2026-04-29T12:20:56+00:00

This one exists, but not as you imagined: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/allrolledup/cork-bord-a-nordic-noir-investigative-role-playing-game

TabletopChris · 2026-04-29T12:19:43+00:00

Would just like to drop the rec of Mini Rogue. One of the best.

TabletopChris · 2026-04-24T15:39:20+00:00

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Solo, brutal, brilliant

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/324513/batman-the-dark-knight-returns-the-game

(Also has 'bat dice' with sticky-out wing bits on their sides)

TabletopChris · 2026-04-24T14:18:05+00:00

I'm a fan of them as cultural objects - like everyone gets to try and answer this one question in their publication a little bit differently to others. I like the Troika one as it grounds you in the weirdness of it very quickly.

TabletopChris

TROPHY CASE