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Easy to learn. Easy to play. Lots of deep strategy.

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Hey, I’m Chris Backe (rhymes with hockey). I make tabletop games and help others make games.

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A review of 2023, a look ahead, and a special offer

A review of 2023, a look ahead, and a special offer

Where the heck have you been, Chris? In a word: busy! Life comes at you fast. This one’s going to be a bit different, since we’re coming up on the end of the year and it’s been months since we last connected here. So, a bit of catchup via The Year In Review: One of my...

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Is My Game Ready To Pitch? A checklist

Is My Game Ready To Pitch? A checklist

To quote that famous philosopher Eminem, you only get one shot, so don't miss your chance. So it's clear, you don't have to say 'yes' to each and every one of these things... but be honest with yourself. If it's not ready, don't pitch it or get it ready.   So... how...

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8 Things Designers Should Be Doing – But Probably Aren’t

8 Things Designers Should Be Doing – But Probably Aren’t

Let's just jump right in, shall we? Observe how a publisher sells themselves to the public. As just one example, Thinkfun (a puzzle brand of Ravensburger) has recently launched meshhelps.org. MESH stands for Mental, Emotional, and Social Health - three things that all...

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When Should You Shelve a game? 8 Questions To Ask Yourself

When Should You Shelve a game? 8 Questions To Ask Yourself

Whether the last few playtests have been discouraging or it just feels like the game's not working the way you want it to, you're probably wondering if it's time to shelve a game. Take heart - almost anyone that's been designing games for a little while has a shelved...

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[#026] UKGE, making a great game, and more

[#026] UKGE, making a great game, and more

Welcome to your weekly dose of board game design!Yep, this one’s one day late. Let’s call this one the UK Games Expo edition - held last Friday to Sunday. This post will be short and sweet, but I’ll be writing a longer blog post about it later this week.Something I...

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[#025] adding theme to mechanics, shelving a game, and more

[#025] adding theme to mechanics, shelving a game, and more

Welcome to your weekly dose of board game design! UKGE is right around the corner, the sun is finally shining more consistently, I went on my first Parkrun (for the non-Brits, volunteer-organized 5K runs at local parks near you)… Life is good. A quick shoutout /...

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