You hit many of my pet peeves of board gaming. I'm noticing even less player guides and reference cards in games. This has really getting under my skin considering the astromical increase in board game prices. I'm actually starting to migrate to rpg books and pnp versions of board games. I believe board game prices are getting out of control.
100% agree with all your picks ... but, most of them are hidden from the consumer, and are only discovered after purchasing and playing. You have no recourse at that point. Publishers will continue to navigate around your complaints, so long as people buy their games. Sales and marketing always wins. The best we can do is be thankful when a publisher does everything correctly (and this does happen). What you can do is call it out during your reviews, using your very own checklist! Keep up the great reviews and the great discussions! Always entertaining and always valuable.
A Quick Setup Sheet or labeling the board to indicate starting conditions is also very helpful. I've seen rulebooks that call for specific setup conditions but don't make it clear and obvious in the rulebook.
GREAT list of ideas! I'd also add a Don't - stop making games that aren't "fully cooked" I'm all for expansions, but the base game should feel complete. I've played games where it was almost like they took stuff out just to sell expansions. It kinda ties into your beef with wrong size boxes. You know, a mostly empty box that's just screaming to be filled with more content.
100%. A game shouldn't NEED expansions to make the game great. It should already be great and any expansions simply add content or twists. But designing it with the intent to basically make you buy the rest of the game separately, stop it.
Excellent list that hit so many common issues. This may just be me, but I'd also like as many games as possible to have a viable, enjoyable 2-player option. Not the exact same game with 1-2 dummy players. Often it's just me and my wife or me and a buddy learning games. Needs to be playable and enjoyable at 2. Finally, related to your comments about rulebooks, don't hide pivotal rules or strategies in the "example turn" inset off the side of the rulebook in small font. If it's important, make it part of the rules and make it obvious.
Player aids for every player; stop with the ever exploding number of impenetrable icons; make your boxes and gameboards a standard size - bigger and bigger and ultra big is not better.
It’s interesting that you say, “that’s the fastest way out of my collection.” By that time, you’ve already given the publisher your money. Do they care if you don’t keep it?
AI Is probably going to be used for artwork, playtesting and lots of other things in the board game business. So, everything will change in a few years
You hit many of my pet peeves of board gaming. I'm noticing even less player guides and reference cards in games. This has really getting under my skin considering the astromical increase in board game prices. I'm actually starting to migrate to rpg books and pnp versions of board games. I believe board game prices are getting out of control.
I agree with all your do's and don'ts! Now if only the publishers would listen to the gamers that play the games...
100% agree with all your picks ... but, most of them are hidden from the consumer, and are only discovered after purchasing and playing. You have no recourse at that point. Publishers will continue to navigate around your complaints, so long as people buy their games. Sales and marketing always wins. The best we can do is be thankful when a publisher does everything correctly (and this does happen). What you can do is call it out during your reviews, using your very own checklist! Keep up the great reviews and the great discussions! Always entertaining and always valuable.
Excellent video! 👍 Totally agree. And nearly every game should have a proper solo version by now.
Publishers and designers: please do include a solo mode in every game if it is possible
A Quick Setup Sheet or labeling the board to indicate starting conditions is also very helpful.
I've seen rulebooks that call for specific setup conditions but don't make it clear and obvious in the rulebook.
GREAT list of ideas! I'd also add a Don't - stop making games that aren't "fully cooked" I'm all for expansions, but the base game should feel complete. I've played games where it was almost like they took stuff out just to sell expansions. It kinda ties into your beef with wrong size boxes. You know, a mostly empty box that's just screaming to be filled with more content.
100%. A game shouldn't NEED expansions to make the game great. It should already be great and any expansions simply add content or twists. But designing it with the intent to basically make you buy the rest of the game separately, stop it.
Excellent list that hit so many common issues. This may just be me, but I'd also like as many games as possible to have a viable, enjoyable 2-player option. Not the exact same game with 1-2 dummy players. Often it's just me and my wife or me and a buddy learning games. Needs to be playable and enjoyable at 2. Finally, related to your comments about rulebooks, don't hide pivotal rules or strategies in the "example turn" inset off the side of the rulebook in small font. If it's important, make it part of the rules and make it obvious.
I’m going one further. They need a dedicated solo mode that wasn’t just a throw on
Player aids for every player; stop with the ever exploding number of impenetrable icons; make your boxes and gameboards a standard size - bigger and bigger and ultra big is not better.
It’s interesting that you say, “that’s the fastest way out of my collection.” By that time, you’ve already given the publisher your money. Do they care if you don’t keep it?
Don't: Retroactively claim legal ownership of third party products
AI Is probably going to be used for artwork, playtesting and lots of other things in the board game business. So, everything will change in a few years
Possibly, but AI has definitely gotten some push back against for board games. We'll see how it goes.
Yes, definitely things will change. And it'll be because of videos like this.