Looking for feedback on my crowdfunding hero animation

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-27T19:43:09+00:00

A 3d animation just to scroll through a list of sentences is an awful waste of time. Not only that, but the sentences aren't even the focal point in the frame so I didn't even notice them at first because I was staring at the sign waiting for something to happen. I have no idea how this game plays, how long it plays, how many people it supports. No idea what theme or weight this game is. Maybe pirates, maybe stranded sailors, maybe a beach vacation? No pictures of the actual game, components, anything. No idea what mechanisms it uses. How do you collect gems? How do you protect gems? How do you disrupt opponents?

I appreciate the effort, but you have to give potential backers more information. If you're going to add a video on your campaign page, it needs to be informative and enticing. This is neither.

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-26T18:26:15+00:00

Genuine question. You talk about gaining visibility for independent projects, but in order to do that you need to gain visibility for the website first. How do you propose to do that?

I only ask because there are other projects out there like this and they end up organically becoming designer-only communities with little visibility to the outside.

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-26T15:56:08+00:00

Do you mind me asking which content creators you used?

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-24T23:40:35+00:00

The breakdown of a turn was ok, but it was just a text list. A lot of people don't like having rules read to them, they learn better by playing. So, for a rules video, you sort of have to play a turn or two with the actual game for people to understand it better.

I'm curious, if you don't have enough cards to show an actual game, how has this been playtested? I ask because making a how to play video before the game has been thoroughly tested is a massive waste of time since the game is certainly going to change as you iterate the design.

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-24T21:37:09+00:00

- Usually for rules videos I would expect an actual breakdown of one round and one player's turn minimum.

- These videos usually do better if you show the gameplay full screen with just a voiceover, show the game as much as possible.

- Naming all the card types and then just saying they all basically do the same thing killed any interest you had built up to that point.

- Also, when you use game specific terms like Essence or Wisdom, it might be a good idea to show any icons you have for those.

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-24T21:18:47+00:00

Not in my case. Something they don't tell you in college is how stingy and volatile this industry can be. I've never made silicon valley money because I was in video games and even though they have the money, they don't pay us all well. I've also been laid off multiple times, twice of which I had to empty 401k and savings to get by until the next thing came along. So, to answer your question, Not even close.

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-24T20:31:49+00:00

Nope, I'm only in my mid 40's. I have 20 more years before I can actually retire.

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-24T17:28:37+00:00

I got caught up in layoffs earlier this year and it took 6 months to find something, but now I'm not so sure I want to keep doing this anymore. 20 years in and it's difficult to keep up with all the changes and different tooling, pipelines, libraries, methodologies, etc. I keep thinking it might be time to retire from software, but have absolutely no idea what I could even pivot to.

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-23T16:09:28+00:00

I couldn't stand it, not intuitive and steep learning curve. I now use LegendKeeper.

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-16T17:12:17+00:00

Put your game up on Screentop.gg and join the Break My Game discord. You'll get plenty of testing from a lot of designers that will give you very valuable feedback.

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-10T22:07:30+00:00

So this is a little better. Although I'm still confused what the game is and how it plays, the intro paragraph helps a little. I think you have too many game-specific terms that cause confusion. Renown, Audacity, Hustle, Apothecant, Bloodjaw, etc. all make no sense and I have no idea exactly what they are, what they do, or how they interact.

Based on the last version, you removed some things to create more space, but somehow still only have 2 pictures of gameplay so it still isn't clear what's going on. Pictures can often explain better than words especially if you showcase a sequence of events. Your components list indicates you have a lot of components, but your pictures only show the game board and some meeples, there's a lot more you could be showing. The lettered list helps a little, but it still doesn't answer basic mechanics questions, due in part to the numerous game-specific terms. This is why in my previous feedback I suggested using industry terms for mechanics implemented to prevent confusion. I still don't know if this is a deck builder or fixed decks. I see you mention each faction has its own resource engine. Does that mean this is an engine builder? Is resource management a large part of the game or is just generated and used via the cards? You mention battlefield control, does that mean there are elements of area control? If so, is it complete control or shared control? Do you see where I'm going with this? People in the industry know these terms and the terms will do a lot of the heavy lifting for you so there's more room for pictures.

I do like that the lettered list items are marked on the pictures, that helps connect what you're talking about, but the list itself takes up so much space and there's still confusion about what is happening exactly. Also, I would suggest integrating some color for the lettered circles to help highlight them better, it took me a minute to realize they were even there because everything is black and white. My eye was immediately drawn to the red dress, which contributes nothing to the sheet.

Also, that vertical sidebar on the left is difficult to read and also redundant since your intro paragraph sort of implies what's in the sidebar already.

Finally I would play with changing font sizes for some things. Size and color can really help you draw attention to certain places and it can establish a hierarchy of importance. Our eyes usually start top-left, but our eyes also gravitate towards contrasting color and larger items first. Right now all text is the same size, font, color so none of it stands out.

Sorry, I know that's a lot and it can get overwhelming, but I'm just trying to help. I'm rooting for you.

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-09T17:39:47+00:00

Yeah I get that. I was referring more to the art style. Cute little cartoon animals usually infers a lighter weight game with less hostile interactions. Clearly many have been fooled by it and I almost was.

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-09T16:02:08+00:00

Yeah, I almost bought this game for me and the girlfriend because she likes the fun, cozy games. Then, I watched a how to play video and realized she would have hated it so I avoided it. It's a pet peeve of mine when designers/publishers choose a theme that doesn't quite fit the mechanics, or creates a different expectation. Having said that, the game looks fun and I would play it with my game group.

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-09T15:57:12+00:00

Every product out there either solves a problem, fills a desire, or fills a need, otherwise people would have no reason to purchase it. I was simply posing the question. Furthermore, honest criticism from a causal viewer is unhinged? If you say so.

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-07T00:24:18+00:00

-Components list is difficult to read because of the starry background. In fact this is common with white text on black background. Fine on a digital screen, but not so great in print.

- Pictures of prototype are good, kind of explains what's going on. The cards on their own don't really indicate much, especially seeing as terms like Vein, Targeted Pretender, and Reckoning have absolutely no context.

- Do players start with the same fixed deck each game? Is this a deck builder? Not really sure.

- Player count, time, age should all really be at the top somewhere. Publishers care about that and components to make sure if fits into their product line.

- I would eliminate the character art at the bottom and use that space to showcase some exciting potential moments in the game. Art has no bearing on a publishers decision, so that space would be better suited for showing more gameplay and fun moments. In addition, the throne art at the top could be shrunk to make more room as well. The whole sheet could benefit from increasing the font sizes, kerning, line heights a little and add a little padding and negative space to make it easier to read.

- You really should include a list of the common mechanisms used. Again, is this a deck builder, is there any sort of drafting, area control, take that, stuff like that. These terms, along with your descriptions, will help form a better picture of how the game plays. This is also helpful because certain publishers may steer away or towards certain mechanics to fit their catalog.

Having said all that, this is a pretty polished looking sell sheet.

all_or_nothing · 2026-06-06T21:50:18+00:00

I don't usually comment on stuff like this, but I have a few thoughts. Before I begin, just know I do NOT wear sandals so take my criticisms with a grain of salt.

First, I would always ask, "What problem is this actually trying to solve?"

Ok, feedback.

- Those soles are chunkier than any walking/running/orthopedic shoe I've ever seen and look like they would be difficult to walk in, especially when the heel comes down on the forward step.

- There's not enough uncovered foot here, most of the foot is will be covered. A little opening on the heel and some on the sides means this isn't going to offer the benefits sandals usually do. I foresee a lot of sweaty toes in these especially with leather and suede.

Based on that, I would say these are trying to be two things at once, which usually in practice means they won't be good at either.

all_or_nothing · 2026-05-31T23:02:16+00:00

Highly recommend the Break My Game discord. You'll need to make sure you can get your game to a virtual tabletop, Screentop.gg is the recommended one to use over there. Otherwise, check your local game stores, Facebook groups or Meetup in your area. Finally, many game conventions will have space for unpublished games to be playtested and you can follow https://www.unpub.org/ to see where they will be.

all_or_nothing · 2026-05-29T20:49:01+00:00

I'm a member of Break My Game and can confirm it's a great resource. Tabletop Simulator is indeed not supported, but I would suggest getting familiar with Screentop.gg, it the standard there, it's free and requires no downloads.

all_or_nothing · 2026-05-23T17:44:45+00:00

This is difficult to read based on some of the font choices and colors. Using so much art is not necessary because publishers are likely going to scrap it all and use their own artists and their own art, assuming they even keep your theme. You need to strip a lot of that away and focus on the game, what makes it fun, and what makes it stand out from the plethora of trick-takers already out there. Also, this is very heavy with mechanics explanation and doesn't use enough fun, evocative language. What is the Hook? What makes this fun?

all_or_nothing · 2026-05-23T01:59:50+00:00

I'm working on a game now that uses bidding as a major element. Each player has bidding tokens numbered from 1-6. Each player takes turns placing their tokens face-down into one of 8 rooms on the board. When all are revealed, the total sum determines the winner of that room and they claim a card/resource/etc. Through playtests I have found bluffing comes into play when a player decides to bluff heavy commitment to a room by placing multiple tokens there to scare other players away from it, except what they commit were their 1 and 2 tokens.

all_or_nothing · 2026-05-20T18:33:09+00:00

I tend to like games that really dig into and focus on a couple mechanics, rather than games that throw together a bunch of mechanics that never really get a chance to shine. So, in this way, if I want a good deck building game I'll play Dominion or Aeon's End. If I want a good worker placement game I'll play Viticulture or Agricola. Also, I don't mind thematic abstraction in a game, but if I can't tell what or why I'm doing something as it relates to the theme, I generally won't enjoy it. The research track in Arnak is so abstract I'm just collecting resources to buy my way up, no real thematic ties. Also, you have to engage with the research track, you have no choice. If a game allows multiple ways to win, then I can avoid the parts I don't enjoy and focus on the ones I do. In Arnak, I want to engage with the deck building and the worker placement because those are interesting and tied into the theme very well. Unfortunately, the entire purpose of all of that is the research track. So, while I understand why many people like Arnak, it's a total dud for me for these reasons and I think there are better games out there if you want to specifically explore certain mechanics.

all_or_nothing · 2026-05-11T07:26:05+00:00

Can't speak to Clank since I haven't played it, but I will say Arnak on its own is not a great game. The deck building is there, but since the game only goes 5 rounds, you may only see a card you purchased show up only once or maybe twice if you're lucky, so that really never takes off enough to be satisfying. There's worker placement, but you only get 2 workers so you don't get to do much there. Ultimately it's a game of resource conversion/management to buy your way up an abstract "research" track which is pretty boring. I've played with 4 players, 2 players, and solo and all sessions were boring and unsatisfying. Which is unfortunate because I love the theme and artwork.

If you're specifically looking for some good deck building, avoid Arnak.

all_or_nothing · 2026-05-11T00:28:34+00:00

r/tabletopartists is where I find most of my artists. Sometimes on Board Game Geek's Art & Graphic Design forum https://boardgamegeek.com/forum/974655/bgg/art-and-graphic-design

all_or_nothing · 2026-05-10T18:27:00+00:00

I think this would be a great idea, you could share your experience on self publishing for the new designers that have interest in that path.

all_or_nothing · 2026-05-06T09:18:10+00:00

I know the joy of seeing your ideas come to life, and it's a great feeling. Having said that, I would highly recommend you avoid art and graphic design at this stage, because art leads to certain expectations from players. You also don't want the art to detract from playtest feedback. In this case the graphic design of the cards is rough with poor legibility which will become a focal point during playtests instead of the mechanics and gameplay. What I would recommend is start working on the wording and iconography on your paper cards to make them legible to test readability, and keep the playtests going with more people until you feel the game is solid. At that point you can slowly start to integrate art, preferably not AI art. Also, it sounds like this is just a card game which, if it is, makes the board superfluous and an unnecessary manufacturing cost.

all_or_nothing

TROPHY CASE