Hi! Thanks for watching my video! This was my VERY FIRST video for KZread and while I stand by the content, I do acknowledge that the editing, audio and video quality are *not great.* The quality of my videos has improved A LOT since this one 😅 Check out my latest videos to see what I mean and hopefully you will consider subscribing 🙌 Thanks for watching! :)

1 game for too long 1:27 Play testers 3:34 Aesthetic vs game flow 5:16 Getting game out there ASAP 8:51 Handling feedback 10:34

Enjoyed your video. It can’t be overstated that there’s a big difference between thinking a game through in your head vs. play testing. How many times while thinking on my drive to work, or in the shower, and believing I’ve finally solved the problem that’s been plaguing my game. Then I play test the idea solo and go “How did convince myself THAT would work? It broke on its first contact with reality.”

@PamWallsGameDesign

Жыл бұрын

I do this all the time too! I know there's a good chance it won't work, but I let myself enjoy feeling like I've solved it in my head before getting it to the table 😆

As a guy working on my "perfect" game in my free time for the last couple of months, playtesting it only with my friends, this was very insightful. It confirmed some stuff I thought about but needed someone else to tell it to me straight, and also gave me some new pointers as to where to go from here. Thanks a lot!

@PamWallsGameDesign

6 ай бұрын

I’m so glad this was helpful for you! Keep me updated on your playtesting progress 💪

"think a game to perfection."

@PamWallsGameDesign

Ай бұрын

I definitely did this too, and still do it sometimes! I’m just more aware of it now and try to catch it early. Thanks for watching!

I’m saying this from a place of love, but your first minute should have been your last minute. If you have credentials, start with them, but if not, launch straight into number one and let the advice stand on its own merit. Spend words like they cost money. See if you can pack the same amount of information into a shorter video. Or not. If this is just your hobby and you’re having fun, I apologise for ruining your fun after you gave me something for nothing. But if you are hoping for hundreds of subscribers, try to increase the number of useful facts per minute.

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback! I am still figuring things out and trying to be concise. Since this was my first video for KZread rather than Patreon, I added the preamble at the beginning about that. So future videos will launch right into it! Thanks for watching 👍

@jonydude

2 жыл бұрын

@@PamWallsGameDesign oh, the first video must be even more concise! If Shut Up and Sit Down ramble on for 5 minutes, I’ll watch it because I know it will get good eventually. But someone I don’t know? Maybe 10 seconds give or take. Your first video must be pure solid gold.

Yup, I am that guy who tried to make it perfect in my head... I am trying to keep it simple, but I get bogged down into details and then I worry it will be too complex and inaccessible. I also don't have a lot of opportunities for play testing, so that is also a bit of an issue. Anyway, thank you for posting this... it helped me to feel like I am not alone in my struggles. :)

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

I’m glad this helped! Designing games on your own can be a very solitary thing so it’s good to remember that others are going through the same struggles. I have to remind myself of that quite often. And the best ways I have found playtesters has been through local meet up groups as well as online playtesting groups. There’s a really good one called Seattle Tabletop Game Designers (but ppl outside Seattle can join), they meet on Discord every week.

Thank You...great heads up before playtesting.

@PamWallsGameDesign

Жыл бұрын

You’re welcome! I’m glad it was helpful for you. Good luck with playtesting!

Pam, this was wonderful! As a published board game developer, I have shared all of these tips with clients and friends over the years. Well done!

@PamWallsGameDesign

3 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Joseph! 🤗

Great stuff Pam, thanks for sharing!

@PamWallsGameDesign

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! :)

Excellent points all around.

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks John!

Everything you said was spot-on, and thanks for your video. One question I never see covered is the jeopardy one puts one's self in when playtesting without first having IP protection such as a design patent for the mechanics, a copyright on the instructions, and a trademark for the name. I know it's a chicken-and-egg problem because all three of these items are in flux, but doesn't this subject warrant some manner of proper discussion on a video with a legal expert in the IP space?

Good to hear that first one. I often times have Creative Seasons and just go without finishing. Only having 1 game can make rejection or majority negative reception feel so much worse than knowing you have more and need to tweak/scrap that one.

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

Yes I agree with this 100%! If you’ve got a few games on the go, you aren’t putting all the pressure on a single game.

Excellent list. I am inclined to add... nothing. I think you hit the nail on the head.

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 ай бұрын

😆 thank you!! Glad you enjoyed it :)

This was really good advice, thank you!

@PamWallsGameDesign

Жыл бұрын

You’re welcome! Thanks for watching 🤗

Thanks for the tips. I loved your prototype board. I enjoy that creative process, too. I;m definitely guilty of trying to complete a game in my head and put out a nice prototype and thinking I can bring it to the table already 90% ready. it never works. Cheers!

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

I definitely still do that too, if only real playtests went as well as my imaginary ones do!

Thank you for your insights!

@PamWallsGameDesign

4 ай бұрын

You’re welcome! Thanks for watching 🙌

Laughing at the part about having more than 1 game in the oven. I thought doing 3 different games on and off was a mistake. I guess having a Space adventure, Superhero Romp, and Fantasy Battler was a bad idea.

Great Advice. Thank you for sharing. :) My problem is... not getting any game completed except for one... which I keep on making too big of a board for it, so _none_ would want to play, rofl. >.

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

Hey you never know! Try it out and see if people bring up the board being too big without you mentioning it first.

Wow! Excellent video, I'm subscribed. Every point was so on target, especially the first one. I feel like I don't hear that one emphasizes enough. My first published game was like the 20th game I designed.

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, me too! It’s easy to not push yourself to keep making more games when you feel like you’ve made “the one.”

Thank you. That was great! My hobby is more software game design but your ideas apply in that arena as well. I'm going to subscribe and I look forward to your future posts.

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Joe! I’m glad it was helpful for you :)

To add to #4 is rinse and repeat. Try it, then tweak it, until you think it is done. Then put it on a shelf, and come back later to try it again with fresh eyes, and maybe tweak some more. Again, put it on a shelf, and maybe when you look at it later it will be finished, or need something more (or less). It's the same process as problem-solving. Be slow to answer the question, and sleep on it if possible. Time adds value and reveals problems and imperfections. Spend 20% of the time on getting it to the table, then 80% "more" time letting it mature. And don't pretend your rulebook makes perfect sense. AFTER the game is ready, have as many new* people read the rulebook as possible. (*Not the same people who have played the game, or seen it played.) If one person doesn't understand a section, that is one too many. A perfect game will get unfavorable reactions, and lower ratings / plays / sales if the rules can't be cleared up quickly in the middle of a game.

@PamWallsGameDesign

3 ай бұрын

💯

Thanks for the his video. It's helpful to me

as a hobby game designer, your videos do give good advices. My favorit game mechanic is deck building, and health points. My games is always about to kill each other x'D :D

@PamWallsGameDesign

7 ай бұрын

Thank you! And thanks for watching, good luck with your designs 🙌

7:20 Appreciated you showing your board design. This is a little trap I fell into as well,. However, it was very fun! I surprised by your first suggestion with having more games/projects. That’s what happened to me with my first game. I got burned out and decided “screw it, I’m gonna make another game.” That being said, I be publishing the second game for a long time, but I was able to take a much needed break.

@PamWallsGameDesign

Жыл бұрын

Yes it’s good to have a few projects on the go, so you’re not too hyper focused on just one game, and taking breaks are good too! You can come back to your first game with fresh eyes and decide if you want to keep working on it or archive it. Best of luck 🙌

Thank you for this, for the past 7 months I’ve been working on a game and it’s my first one ever. It started off as a hobby but I’ve fallen in love with it and would love to actually do this for work. My biggest issue so far has been not knowing how, so coming across this video is a huge help. I’ve been play testing it since day one with as many different people I can get my hands on and I finally feel like it’s in a good spot so I wanted to make it as pretty as possible to show to production companies cause I figured that’s what they wanted. I am a decent artist, but by no means professional, and I really can’t afford to pay an artist or to pay for a fully fleshed out high production copy. Hearing that that isn’t really important and that the gameplay is what really matters is a huge weight off my shoulders. I also hadn’t thought of/didn’t know that conferences were a thing and that I can get my game out there to more people to test which is super exciting! I’m confident in the game I’ve made and I wanna make it the best it can be, so these videos will be a huge help going towards that goal!

@PamWallsGameDesign

8 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing this! I’m glad you’ve found the wonderful world of board game design 🙌 There are some speed pitch events coming up you might want to sign up for if you think your game is ready to pitch. Go to the Unpub website to see their list of upcoming speed pitch events, I also list them in my weekly newsletter (sign up here: eepurl.com/iyakps). Best of luck with your designs and remember the more games you make, the better designer you’ll be! 🙌

Thanks for this! I'm in the midst of making a prototype (my first game concept to make it to this stage!), but I must admit I've been stuck in the loop of trying to make it better but without putting it out in front of other people. I *did* sign up for my first playtesting event a few months from now though, so hopefully that will help me get over this and get testing done before then! I just need to shake off that perfectionist mindset. Cheers!

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

Good for you for signing up for a playtesting event! I like giving myself deadlines like that, so I HAVE to get the game to the table one way or another. Hopefully you get some good feedback!

@devinmarshall6091

2 жыл бұрын

@@PamWallsGameDesign Thank you so much!! Yes, deadlines and limitations both definitely help me get things done, so I'm looking forward to making and testing something I'm proud of.

@michaelcavalry8379

Жыл бұрын

Hello! Did you go yet? I'd love to hear how it went

@devinmarshall6091

Жыл бұрын

@@michaelcavalry8379 Yes! It was at Unpub, back in May. I'm so glad I went. They were the loveliest group of people I've ever met! I got incredibly useful feedback, met many awesome designers, spoke to a couple publishers, and stayed up late playing other people's prototypes. It was such a blast!! Highly recommend if you're in the Baltimore area. I was really scared to show off my prototype, but it was truly an invaluable experience. I didn't really get around to playtesting beforehand, but the event was perfect for it because there were many types of prototype games there, from polished and fancy ones down to games basically scribbled down on a napkin right before the event. That really helped me feel at ease. Thanks for asking! ^^

@michaelcavalry8379

Жыл бұрын

@@devinmarshall6091 Amazing! Thanks for sharing. Glad to hear the experience was great and you had a good time. I'll see if I can find some kind of similar group in my area. I live across the world so sadly not around there, but will do with what I have.

Thanks for sharing this. I really enjoyed a look at your prototype. A picture can say more than a thousand words, they say ;-)

@PamWallsGameDesign

8 ай бұрын

That is true! Thanks so much for watching :)

Really Fantastic to see the new design Games,We are Board Game Manufacture,Good at produce printed nice box,board,rules,brochures,wooden pawns,dice...

Nice video Pam. These are probably a good plan also for making computer games too. Keep it super simple to start with to get the game idea playable and then see how people interact with it. Especially for new ideas.

@PamWallsGameDesign

7 ай бұрын

Yes 1000%! I am currently learning more about video game development and these same principles definitely translate. A lot of video game developers will focus on the look of the game before seeing if the mechanics work/are interesting for playtesters.

Great vid, you've got my follow

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Ernst!

Good tips! One topic I’m curious about is how you go about balancing your game. What are some good exercises for tuning game balance?

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

It depends on the game, but I usually go off “feel.” I’ll try a game out and see how it goes and if something feels over/underpowered, then I’ll adjust and test again.

Amazing video Pam. Thanks for the feedback. I'd like a video on creative blocks during development. Obviously, sometimes we'll be stuck here and there and the creative process is circuitous at time, but any tips on how to expedite and make the process more efficient would be helpful. Thank you!

@PamWallsGameDesign

Жыл бұрын

Thanks David! I highly recommend watching this video about creativity by designer Erica Hayes Bouyouris, she was the keynote speaker at a board game convention I used to organize called ProtoTO: kzread.info/dash/bejne/hq1rrZKCeMm3e6g.html

Thanks!

@PamWallsGameDesign

3 ай бұрын

You’re welcome :) Thanks for watching! 🙌

Hello, I feel like this first game I've designed might be the one I will end up publishing! I hope I am exception to the rule. Thanks for the tips :) I haven't spent too much time on it, but I feel like i've been lucky in the sense that it's come together better than expected.

@PamWallsGameDesign

Жыл бұрын

If you’re getting positive, enthusiastic feedback from playtesters then it’s very possible it could get published! Just remember that the more games you make, the better designer you will be! Best of luck :)

@rachelmccoach957

11 ай бұрын

How'd you get on?

Great video! I think we all made these mistakes, and it's probably not a bad thing we made them. It's just part of the learning process.

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

Definitely :)

Great advice. I agree with all your points. I have broken one of your rules big time though. My first and main prototype has been in the works for 36 years. I'm a pro procrastinator. I think it's finally finished. Trying to get a publisher interested now.

@PamWallsGameDesign

7 ай бұрын

😮 😮 😮 Best of luck with the pitching process! If this one doesn’t work out tho, maybe give yourself a few months deadline to make the next one! 😂

@darbyl3872

3 ай бұрын

Maybe wait 20 more years, to perfect that masterpiece, lol.

Awesome video, I'm working on a prototype right now. Some thoughts for videos, If you're designing a more complex game with a lot of different mechanism interactions or maybe a game with a ton of cards that do different things (like MTG) how would you streamline it to get it to the table faster but still maintain the complexity? If you have more than one idea for how a mechanism would work would your prototype them all before play-testing?

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

For a complex card game, I would try making a small starter deck and playtest that before making an entire deck. Work out the basic mechanics with a subset of the entire deck and see how it goes. For larger, more complex games, you can always break down the game to playtest certain aspects of the game, like set it up to a certain game state and have playtesters start from there to test that situation out specifically. Or set it up for the end game to see how that would work. Breaking it down into sections might help. And I would playtest one version of the mechanic to see how it goes and decide if I want to also playtest the other version based off how the first playtest went, you could find it went so well you don't need to invest any more time in making a different version.

Wow. working on one game per year. i am working on a symple card game and I am already working on 5 games at tge time and I have only spent a month on thinking about it.

I just came across this video. I have subscribed. I live in a very remote location in Ontario and it's difficult to design games. I have many ideas in my mind, but never seem to get anything accomplished due to the sheer logistics of it all. Do you have any tips on using online playtesting for games? I tried to use BGG forums once, but very little came of it all.

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your support Darryl! For online playtesting, I use Tabletop Simulator on Steam (I believe it’s a one time $20 payment) or figure out a way to play it over zoom (move everyone’s pieces for them, have a second camera showing the board). There’s a really good online playtesting group called Seattle Tabletop Game Designers (but ppl outside Seattle can join), they meet on Discord every week. And every time you visit friends or family (or they visit you) be sure to have a prototype ready to play if they’re willing!

Thanks for the tips. My problem is that I don't have friends to test it where i live as most of my friends live in a different country.

@PamWallsGameDesign

Жыл бұрын

Yes it is definitely easier if you have a group you can easily test with. I found a group in my city thought Meetup.com and there are also groups who test games online, like the Seattle Tabletop Game Designers who can be found on FB and Discord. You could also check out your local board game cafe/store and see if they have any designer/playtesting events you could test at. Or sign up to playtest your game at a local convention.

I tried to visualize the mechanics working in my head before actually making a prototype. I feel that when you put it on paper that it puts a limit on what you can change within the mechanics. So its balance between what you want to keep if something doesn't work; The game board or a certain mechanic.

@PamWallsGameDesign

Жыл бұрын

Try to not get too attached to things you put down on paper, they should be just as easily changed as the ideas in your head! But getting your ideas out of your head and onto the table and having people try your ideas out will almost always move the game along more quickly than trying to figure it all out in your head.

true. what will be your highest rated design in bgg top?

I feel very guaranteed :D But in all seriousness this was a good first video and I have done all of the mistakes you list.

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Kim! (I’ve definitely done them all too 😆)

Once you have an idea and you know what kind of game you want it to be (resource management vs deck builder for ex) how do you go about determining mechanics?

QQ for a game that involves cards and a board, how do you quickly create card options? do you use templates or just list out the various card options at their most basic point etc. this is currently my hold up. I have a board with very basic art, i now need to produce my cards but there are a great many of them and this feels somewhat overwhelming

@PamWallsGameDesign

Ай бұрын

Most of my games don’t have a ton of cards, so I just lay them out in Google Draw, and update as needed. But for games with a lot of cards, I’d recommend Dextrous which you can sync with google sheets and the cards automatically update with any changes you make. Some designers also use Nandeck but I’ve heard there is a pretty steep learning curve for that one.

I would add on that i have a habit of wanting to overcompicate games with some intricate details that really dont work within the game idea

@PamWallsGameDesign

Жыл бұрын

Yes I usually have to cut my games down after adding a bunch of things! But you never know what will work, so try it all out and then trim it down.

"You try to think a game to perfection." Guilty.

@PamWallsGameDesign

Жыл бұрын

Me too 🙋‍♀️😂

Hey Pam, an addition to your first point: It realy depends on your goal, right? Because I for myself dont have the goal to maximize income with my boardgame but to create my childhood dream. I'm 5 years in - and I will approxamatly be for another 4 years occupied with it. It's a completly crazy project I started with zero experience and absolut naivity. But it's super fun and I dont plan on creating other games after this one (while of course I got plenty of ideas while working on this one).

@PamWallsGameDesign

5 ай бұрын

For sure! If you’re designing purely for fun then you can really do whatever you want 😆 But my videos are targeted to people who want to get their games published. Best of luck with your game, sounds like you are enjoying the journey and that’s what really matters!

The time is a good idea i am curious if you solutions for reaching out to new play testers

I think there’s a balance between developing a game and play testing early. I want feedback on the game but only after I’ve fully developed it, but fully developing it takes a very long time. So I potentially waste time in development because it’s not being play tested. But if I play test too early you’ll critic things I plan to change anyway.

@PamWallsGameDesign

Жыл бұрын

You can’t develop a game without playtesting it. How you think a game will go in your head will be completely different once you get others to play it 99.9% of the time. Getting other people’s feedback as soon as possible is crucial.

How do you get? Where do you get test groups? How is this information important to the people you are selling the game to?

I'm the one who spends too much time prototyping. (Or at least I was. I'm hoping I learned my lesson.) I'd get excited, design the board, and send it out to be printed on a fancy neoprene mat, only to realize I needed to make huge rule change which scrambled the whole board. Prototype cheap and ugly!

@PamWallsGameDesign

Жыл бұрын

Yes 100%! 🙌

I agree with the family and friends thing. When I create a game I almost always test it with complete strangers who NEVER met me before. On the thing with gameplay. To me gameplay supercedes graphics. If something is not fun to play, the beautiful artwork will never keep a person engaged to play a game because it's NOT FUN.

@PamWallsGameDesign

Жыл бұрын

Yes I agree 💯 Best to focus on how the game plays rather than how it looks.

How can I get your help on getting the best publisher?

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

Go to a local board game store/cafe and see who publishes games similar to yours. Then go to their websites/social media platforms to see if they are accepting submissions for new game ideas or if they’ll be at any upcoming conventions or speed pitching events, and then go to those events (in person or virtually if that’s an option) and pitch your game.

I suggest to keep your Patreon videos in Patreon and make public videos public.

Good points. Some thoughts: - have an introduction that sets the mood. Follow rulebook conventions and version everything. - if you don’t have a rulebook the game doesn’t exist. - I always see new designers creating a single tiered deck. For events, tiles, everything. It looks impressive and revolutionary and smart. But it’s not. Always split your cards and dice into several distinct tiers. If you want proof do some counting on bgg. All single tiered deck games fall into mediocrity. Don’t do it. Think about how stuff moves from game part to other part. - finally right after prototype think about the box organization. Game needs to be shipped, you know. When opening a box what do consumers find, and in what order? Follow that order in your rulebook section. I had to step in at least a dozen times on Kickstarter projects that had potential but suffered from a bad rulebook.

no matter what creative thing you do, you either get a thick skin or go back to your corner of the yard since you don't belong on the porch with the big dogs. to you it's your brain child and masterpiece, to the customer it's entertainment amongst a hundred other diversions, to the company it's a product. the goal is the customer having a great experience. just like in 'art,' pander to the audience's expectations, and your artistic visions are secondary. after all, you're creating a game for someone else, not for you, and i feel as if that's really the first rule to remember. actually, no, the first rule to remember is if the player doesn't flip the board over when they've lost, then you've failed as a game maker person thingie.

@PamWallsGameDesign

6 ай бұрын

Yes, having a thick skin is probably the most helpful thing a designer can have. I agreed with your sentiment so much I included it as the “comment of the week” in my newsletter today! 🙌

@ryanbarker5217

6 ай бұрын

@@PamWallsGameDesign lol, that's awesome.

I really needed this video. Thanks! Here is a comment, like, and subscribe in the hopes that KZread pays you that sweet, sweet cash.

@PamWallsGameDesign

2 жыл бұрын

I’m glad it helped and thank you for the support! 🙌

Agree with #3, but now that AI art is free, it has really revolutionized and influenced my design process and prototypes. Let's be honest, with a nice looking prototype, you garner more interest from external playtesters.

@PamWallsGameDesign

Жыл бұрын

It's all good to have a nice looking prototype, as long as you aren't spending much money on it or much time making it look perfect.

@Yarmuck

Жыл бұрын

I agree with this. And honestly every game designer tips say "Don't worry about the art" Then they say, "Well, I went ahead and did it, but don't make the same mistake!" It's clearly a beneficial part of the process for game designers. In my opinion, it brings the game from being purely theoretical and from the aether, into reality where this could actually be something real. Everything in moderation of course, but I enjoyed the month I spent in using ai art and designing layouts and cards. That process in itself cracked open some really good things for my game.

Hi, I have created 5 board games (party games to property game) and 2 cards games we played with friends and at open market. I'm from Namibia, Africa I'm struggling to get my games to the right market or to get a publisher, I have a catalog if you want to see and help I will send you all the details. Thanks in advance.

@PamWallsGameDesign

4 ай бұрын

Hi there, congrats on making so many games! You’re welcome to book a meeting with me here and I can answer your questions: calendly.com/pwgamedesign/45-minute-session-with-pam But just fyi, I’m not an agent and won’t be able to connect you to a publisher directly, but I can tell you how you could potentially get your games published.

Interesting but please avoid repeating the same thing in different ways. This could have been half the length. Still, a worthwhile listen.

Being “bi-polar”is a great environment for designing games lol B-P’s start lots of projects only to jump from one project to another. Thus multiple games are being developed in parallel whether we like it or not 😩🤪😆👍

-10/20/2023 @ 0343- 🤔🤨🤔

Top problems with new video creators: The volume is too soft