The Game Crafter News

5 Day Production Schedule

plainblackguy — Tue, 29 May 2012 22:10:03 -0600

We’re pleased to announce that we’ve worked through our queue and we’re now back our usual 5-business-day production window. Thanks for your patience during our slowdown due to the huge volume of orders we have been receiving.

G.U. Games to Exhibit at Conflagration Gaming Convention

plainblackguy — Sun, 27 May 2012 23:55:24 -0600

Ian Stedman of G. U. Games will exhibit at Conflagration Gaming Convention on June 22nd as part of our Designer Table Sponsorship Program. If you’re in the Tempe, Arizona area that weekend be sure to stop by and say hello.

He’ll show off Werewolf in Town and several other games that he’ll launch at that event. He’s also willing to show other designer’s games, so contact him if you’re interested in showing your game at Conflag.

Review: Plague

plainblackguy — Sat, 26 May 2012 23:56:12 -0600

Review: Plague:

Father Geek reviews Plague

Review of King For A Day

plainblackguy — Fri, 25 May 2012 23:40:46 -0600

Review of King For A Day:

Father Geek reviews King For A Day

This time we’re in the Windy City talking with Pam Batista...

plainblackguy — Fri, 25 May 2012 00:02:33 -0600

This time we’re in the Windy City talking with Pam Batista of Les Vieux Jours.

How and when did you first hear of The Game Crafter?

A customer mentioned it to me when I was working on my set of digitally collaged Lenormand cards. I had mentioned on my website that I was in search of professional publishers, and she directed me to Game Crafter. I thought the print-on-demand option was an awesome idea, and decided to go with it since it would make my project more affordable as well as available much sooner.

What games have you published through The Game Crafter and what is the name of your game design label?

My Lenormand cards are the first card project I’d done through Game Crafter, though I have plans for a tarot deck, and I’m also trying to work on an actual game as well. I design under the name Les Vieux Jours.

Had you ever published a game before using The Game Crafter?

No.

How long had you been designing games before using The Game Crafter?

Well, I don’t think of myself as a game designer, yet, as I’ve only done one set of tarot-type cards. I made my Lenormand decks by hand previous to publishing on Game Crafter, which was very tedious. The demand got to be more than I could handle, so I needed to find a professional print option.

How much time do you spend on designing and playing games?

For the Lenormand deck, I spent close to two years redesigning the entire set. Somewhere in there I started a tarot set, and then after publishing at Game Crafter I decided to start designing a card game. I’ve done some fairly regular playing of games with friends over the last year or so, but I’m actually pretty new to being a gamer.

What keeps you motivated to continue designing games?

I’m an artist, which is a difficult calling in itself as far as getting my work out there. I’ve always loved cards and games even as a kid, and cards specifically are a great medium for getting art into people’s hands. It’s an outlet that I hadn’t really considered before for my work, and I’d like to run with it.

Have you learned anything from your experiences that you’d like to share with The Game Crafter community?

The templates are your friend. Watch the design videos. My cards and packaging turned out beautifully after I did my design homework.

What is The Game Crafter’s killer feature and why?

I love the fact that I can do everything from upload to proof my designs by myself online, and then Game Crafter will print, sell, and ship. I had spent a lot of time putting my handmade sets on Etsy previously and schlepping everything to the post office several times a week. The fact that Game Crafter can do as much as it does takes away the excess stress and time from me, allowing me to focus on the design work. It’s totally worth it, and they make it so affordable for someone like me to self publish.

How would you describe yourself?

Nerdy, eclectic, eccentric, artistic, bizarre, colorful, a fool for chocolate, and often in need of a hardcore nap.

Are you married, dating, or otherwise involved?

Happily married.

Do you have any kids?

nope.

Do you have any pets?

3 guinea pigs: Gandalf, Sherlock and Mr. Tumnus (or Mr. T)

If someone visited your area, what’s something they must see or do?

There’s about a million kind of ethnic restaurants in Chicago, so if you’re hungry, I recommend eating at as many as possible. There is also great heavy metal burger joint that is a favorite, Kuma’s Corner. Strolling around Millennium Park on a nice day is always a good idea, as is taking in the Field Museum or the Art Institute. I won’t even get into the myriad of neighborhood festivals that happen all summer- just find one and hang out.

What do you hate?

People who are judgmental, hateful, and willfully ignorant. Also, plaid, olives, the current trend in men’s hair, and a sink full of dirty dishes.

What do you love?

New Orleans. Cajun food, Thai food, New Orleans, guinea pigs, getting a good night’s sleep, New Orleans, having a day off of work, finishing an art project, and New Orleans.

What’s the last CD/MP3 you bought (or downloaded)?

Five Finger Death Punch, American Capitalist. Great for working out at the gym.

What’s the last movie you watched?

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. I need to watch it again so my brain can iron out the convoluted plot.

You’re stuck on a train/plane for 6 hours and bored out of your mind, how do you pass the time?

If I’m out of books to read, and I can’t sleep, then I make silly random comments to my husband. Or ask if we are there yet. Sometimes, listen to books on podcast. If all else fails, I think about art projects and how I wish I was finishing them instead of being stuck traveling.

Any last words?

hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian- a word that pertains to extremely long words. Also contains the word hippo, which was my FIRST word.

Cutter down

vrby — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:06:31 -0600

Our cutter that produces boxes and mats went down yesterday. We were expecting the part needed to fix the machine to be in today, however, it hasn’t arrived yet. We’re now hoping it gets here tomorrow, but it still means that we can’t ship orders that contain mats and boxes. We’ll keep you updated as things transpire and apologize for the delay.

BoardGameGeek Wants To See Your Games at Origins!

thegamecrafter — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:26:06 -0600

Brad Cummings at BoardGameGeek notified us that they are participating in a pilot program at Origins 2012. They have been given a table to use as a base of operations in the Origins Game Day Live area of Hall D. He said this is a perfect place for you to come demo your games!

He will be attending all day Friday and Saturday and would love to meet with designers and have them demo any of their physical games or digital games. All of these video demos will go up on BoardGameGeek.com. Please see the schedule below to find a date/time and method that works for you to meet up with Brad:

Friday:

10am - 1:30pm: I am free to visit your booth if needed. It will be difficult to demo games during these hours due to a small camera crew.

2pm - 6pm (or later): I will be at the Origins Game Day Live table for BGG in Hall D. Please come by to demo your games and do a interview.

Saturday:

10am - 1:30pm: I am free to visit your booth if needed. It will be difficult to demo games during these hours due to a small camera crew.

2pm - 6pm (or later): I will be at the Origins Game Day Live table for BGG in Hall D. Please come by to demo your games and do a interview.

Brad requests that designers make an appointment with him as soon as possible. He is also free for after hours meetings. Contact him at brad@boardgamegeek.com

The Decktet is Featured in Games Magazine!

thegamecrafter — Mon, 21 May 2012 20:28:26 -0600

A couple weeks ago we posted an announcement congratulating Matt Worden for being featured in Games Magazine. However, we actually just discovered that John J. McCallion also wrote a glowing review of The Decktet!

The Decktet is a popular card game that is self-published at The Game Crafter by P.D. Magnus. He has several products related to The Decktet in the TGC shop, and 3 of them are on the Top 20 Best Selling Games list! P.D. has been a long time community member and TGC supporter and we’re really excited to see what the future holds for him!

We would like to congratulate P.D. Magnus and the other contributors to The Decktet. We hope that the positive review from John and the exposure from Games Magazine brings you lots of success!

Here’s a link to the digital publication of the issue (page 72):
http://www.zinio.com/reader.jsp?issue=416215585

This time we head to Montreal to meet up with Steve Michel to...

plainblackguy — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:01:12 -0600

This time we head to Montreal to meet up with Steve Michel to talk about his green games.

How and when did you first hear of The Game Crafter?

Totally by chance, but in retrospect it was inevitable since I had a game idea then went looking for a POD service.

What games have you published through The Game Crafter and what is the name of your game design label?

Thus far : LEED Fun Cards, Grro, with two more in the works.

Had you ever published a game before using The Game Crafter?

No; indeed GC was instrumental in making prototyping possible.

How long had you been designing games before using The Game Crafter?

I work in the design field (architecture) so designing around concepts isnt new to me; But games as a creative medium is wonderfully new to me.

How much time do you spend on designing and playing games?

On average one hour each day; more if I could.

What keeps you motivated to continue designing games?

The packaged finished product that people can enjoy and discover is a great motivator.

Have you learned anything from your experiences that you’d like to share with The Game Crafter community?

The importance of design principles apply here as in any design field so if anything I’ve learned to leverage my relevant skills to the maximum. I’ve also picked up on and appreciate the ‘stuff’ of game design: elegant mechanics, quality of the card stock, the bends and folds of the tuck boxes; important details I watch out for.

What is The Game Crafter’s killer feature and why?

The speed and comprehensive tools for rapid prototyping;

What game conventions do you usually attend?

None so far; Ive heard great things about Essen from my local Game store.

How would you describe yourself?

Too much the perfectionist to get a lot done.

Are you married, dating, or otherwise involved?

Married (to a non-gamer lol).

Do you have any kids?

A son, who is very much into games and my toughest critic.

Do you have any pets?

A voracious blue betta fish and a marine aquarium in progress.

If someone visited your area, what’s something they must see or do?

See the Old part of the city.

What do you hate?

When good solutions are ignored.

What do you love?

Doing something fun; it’s what makes life interesting.

What’s the last CD/MP3 you bought (or downloaded)?

‘Everyone needs a Theme Tune’ by Julio Bashmore.

What’s the last movie you watched?

Tintin 3D

You’re stuck on a train/plane for 6 hours and bored out of your mind, how do you pass the time?

Sketch a new game,a good sci-fi novel, play a cardgame if neighbors are so inclined.

Any last words?

Yes when I write my last novel.

The Gamers Table reviews Space Fleet Alpha

plainblackguy — Sun, 13 May 2012 00:01:20 -0600

The Gamers Table reviews Space Fleet Alpha

The Gamers Table reviews Ultimate Driver 300

plainblackguy — Sat, 12 May 2012 00:02:31 -0600

The Gamers Table reviews Ultimate Driver 300

This week we’re back in our home state of Wisconsin to...

plainblackguy — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:01:10 -0600

This week we’re back in our home state of Wisconsin to have a chat with Larry Carriveau of Ship Shape Games.

How and when did you first hear of The Game Crafter?

The owner of a store I was selling my first game in was at a game convention and brought back your brochure sometime in 2009.

What games have you published through The Game Crafter and what is the name of your game design label?

I have published “Pirate’s Keep” which is a distilled version of my very first game and is sold on your site and also locally.

I have also privately published; “Caverns of Gold” a treasure hunters nightmare set in underground labyrinth, and “Space Jump” which involves science ships racing to collect parts of a machine while controlling the use of resources and slowing the competition. I am currently working on converting these to be sold at GC since the new 18x18 quad board is now available. In development are two other family board games, one involving other family adventure venues. I also have some simple wooden box games that sell locally and at craft events.

My game label is, “SHIP SHAPE GAMES”.

Had you ever published a game before using The Game Crafter?

Yes I have! It is a hand crafted hand painted Pirate game on a cloth game surface called; “Pirates Demise” with a sister game using the same components; “Trade Winds of Terror!” housed in a wooden treasure chest with a secret compartment. It had hand casted ships created just for the game and home printed, cut, and laminated cards etc.

How long had you been designing games before using The Game Crafter?

I started some time in 2006 when I was attempting to improve a game I received for my birthday. It proved impossible so I created my own from scratch.

How much time do you spend on designing and playing games?

Hard question to nail down, but for example it took 3 yrs plus, and some tweeking since to get my first game completed. My family was pressed into game testing nearly every weekend for that 3 years while I developed and debugged the game during the week.

What keeps you motivated to continue designing games?

I love the time spent with my family and enjoy the smiles and pouting while we play. I also love the challenge of creating both game and art.

Have you learned anything from your experiences that you’d like to share with The Game Crafter community?

Yes I do! One thing leads to another so don’t be afraid to take some chances. I may never get Dollar rich doing this but it is an enriching experience for me personally and for those around me.

What is The Game Crafter’s killer feature and why?

For me it was originally the cards, but now it is the large pro quality 18x18 game board. The full color cards and the game parts moved my games up to a more professional appearance. The one thing that has been the biggest obstacle was a quality game surface. The cloth surface from my first games gave me the ability to produce my own game surface and opened up the world of game design possibilities. Now with the large quad board my gaming possibilities have taken on a whole new life.

What game conventions do you usually attend?

Sadly none to date!

How would you describe yourself?

A creative family man.

Are you married, dating, or otherwise involved?

I am married to a wonderful woman.

Do you have any kids?

I have two children my son Ehren and a daughter Amy. Both are married now which makes my game development and testing more difficult.

Do you have any pets?

A little Yorkshire terrier named Furgie, who thinks everything in her view is her territory to protect.

If someone visited your area, what’s something they must see or do?

I would say the lighthouse tour in Port Washington a bit south of Sheboygan.

What do you hate?

Getting up when it is still dark during the winter!

What do you love?

Flying my mini helicopter around the house.

What’s the last CD/MP3 you bought (or downloaded)?

Soundtrack from the movie “You’ve Got Mail”

What’s the last movie you watched?

The Incredibles

You’re stuck on a train/plane for 6 hours and bored out of your mind, how do you pass the time?

Work on one of my new games of course!

Any last words?

I’d like to thank the GC staff for their continuous march towards improving the game development experience. The possibilities opened by your efforts are the fabric to make dreams a reality. Thanks!

Order Processing Times Increased

vrby — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:29:56 -0600

Due to greatly increased demand The Game Crafter is announcing a delay in order delivery. We are continuing to work to bring the order queue down as quickly as possible however, you should expect that orders will not be sent out for delivery for at least 15 business days after placing them. We ask that you please plan accordingly when placing orders so that you receive your games and parts in time for your cons and class due dates. We realize this is an inconvenience to all of the community and are working diligently to improve processes to account for the increased demand. We appreciate your understanding.

Fridgecrisis Games to Exhibit at CONduit

plainblackguy — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:53:48 -0600

Jason Frost of Fridgecrisis Games will be exhibiting at CONduit as part of our Designer Table Sponsorship Program on May 25th. If you happen to be in the Salt Lake City area you should go check out CONduit and say hello to Jason.

He’ll be demoing his game Villages while he’s there. However, he’s also willing to showcase other designer’s games, so get in touch with him if you’d like him to show your game.

RPG Challenge Finalists

plainblackguy — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:02:37 -0600

Here are your finalists for in the RPG Challenge:

Our guest judge Jason Tagmire is already playing these games and scoring them trying to determine an overall winner. This is a lot of games to play and review so it will take some time. We hope to announce the winner in the next few weeks.

Review of Dog Collector

plainblackguy — Sun, 06 May 2012 00:02:40 -0600

Review of Dog Collector:

Father Geek reviews Dog Collector

The Gamers’ Table reviews Global Control

plainblackguy — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:02:03 -0600

The Gamers’ Table reviews Global Control

RPG Challenge: Winners for "Best Of" Categories

plainblackguy — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:06:57 -0600

Here are your winners for the “Best Of” categories in the RPG Challenge. Each winner gets a prize of 10,000 crafter points.

The winner for Best Artwork goes to SWAT. Our guest judge, Jason Tagmire, had this to say about it:

The artwork in SWAT drew me in from the start. It’s very simple, yet wonderfully executed. The style is consistent throughout the entire game, and it feels like we’re looking at the final version. The fonts are just right, and the blueprint tiles really capture the feeling of the theme.

The winner for Most Creative goes to Trailer Park Papparazzi. Jason’s comments were:

This was a the hardest to pick, with a few really close runners up (Temporal and Road Trip Dungeons), but I would have never expected the big four monsters to flip trailers to avoid being photographed by the paparazzi. This one still boggles and blows my mind as I think about it.

The winner for Best Written Rules is Campaign Trail. Jason had this to say:

Campaign Trail has really well written rules, that are very easy to read and understand. The visual examples and bolded key words take away any possibility of confusion, which is key when reading rules for the first time. There were other entries with great rules, but this was the clear standout.

We will be announcing the finalists soon. Stay tuned!

This week we head out to New York to talk to Clay Ewing of...

plainblackguy — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:01:36 -0600

This week we head out to New York to talk to Clay Ewing of DataPlayed.

How and when did you first hear of The Game Crafter?

I found it three years ago when I was trying to find game parts for my thesis at Parsons.

What games have you published through The Game Crafter and what is the name of your game design label?

Just one, Hustlin’ Health Care. I release games under the label DataPlayed.

Had you ever published a game before using The Game Crafter?

Yes.

How long had you been designing games before using The Game Crafter?

Not that long, just a few months.

How much time do you spend on designing and playing games?

A lot, I’m a game designer. I also teach game design at Parsons The New School for Design and Hunter College.

Interesting. Can you tell us more about the game design program you teach? Is it for electronic games, board games, or both? Is it part of a larger program or can you earn a degree in “game design”?

The course I teach is an intro to games. It’s half design (non-digital) and half trends/history (both digital and non-digital). We make 2 to 3 non-digital games over the course of the semester. It’s changed a bit each time I teach it. Currently the first game has the constraint of taking 10 minutes to play and on the second game each group is given a mechanic that they have to use. If a group is really motivated, I’ll allow them to try and make a digital prototype with something like GameMaker, GameSalad or Flash.

At Parsons, there is a graduate program in Design & Technology that offers more game design courses, although the piece of paper they graduate with would say “MFA Design & Technology” and they would follow an Interactivity track. The course is the only one of it’s kind at Hunter.

I’m actually moving to Florida in August to teach at the University of Miami. I’ll be teaching game design classes, but currently there are no plans for a specific game design degree. I’m of the mindset that everyone should learn how to make games. Learning how to design systems and tear them apart is a skill that’s really valuable.

What keeps you motivated to continue designing games?

When you design serious games, you’re constantly learning new things from really smart people. It’s hard to not be motivated.

Have you learned anything from your experiences that you’d like to share with The Game Crafter community?

I think anything I’d share they already know. Making games for yourself is awesome.

What is The Game Crafter’s killer feature and why?

If there’s a killer feature it’s being able to print on demand. For small runs and polished prototypes, you can’t beat it.

What game conventions do you usually attend?

GDC

How would you describe yourself?

I tend to classify myself as a nerd first and foremost.

Are you married, dating, or otherwise involved?

I have a girlfriend.

Do you have any kids?

Nope.

Do you have any pets?

If I had a backyard, I’d have a dog.

If someone visited your area, what’s something they must see or do?

I think the best thing to do when you go anywhere is eat.

What do you hate?

I get pretty angry when I think about the ethics of politicians and our march towards a police state.

What do you love?

I have an unhealthy love of Netflix and Hulu. I’ve been known to watch entire series without many breaks.

What’s the last CD/MP3 you bought (or downloaded)?

I think it was the latest Gomez album.

What’s the last movie you watched?

Bridesmaids on Netflix.

You’re stuck on a train/plane for 6 hours and bored out of your mind, how do you pass the time?

I’d probably be reading a book, although with 6 hours I could probably get in a failed series on Hulu or Netflix if I had wifi.

Any last words?

Not until I’m on my death bed.

Matt Worden is featured in Games Magazine!

thegamecrafter — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:39:33 -0600

Matt Worden is featured in the July 2012 edition of Games Magazine! (pages 75-76) Matt has been a loyal member of The Game Crafter community since we opened our doors in 2009 and we’re really impressed with what he’s been able to accomplish. This interview is well deserved after his game, Jump Gate, was selected as the “Traditional Game of the Year” in Games Magazine. Not bad for a guy just self-publishing a game through The Game Crafter! :)

In the interview, Matt talks about the games he’s designed, resources that have made an impact on his game design approach, and the merits of The Game Crafter. (Thanks for spreading the good word about TGC!)

Here’s a link to the digital publication of the issue:
http://www.zinio.com/reader.jsp?issue=416215585

Matt’s full blog post about this exciting event is here:
http://www.mwgames.com/?p=1293