Search this site

Each month on this blog we highlight a handful of tabletop and digital games to spread the word about interesting experiences and support other creators -- here is this month's roundup! Solve Our Shirts! By CU Adventures Just like the name implies, this game comes in the form of a T-shirt, and a nice quality one at that! Themed around the Greek myth of the Minotaur, the T-shirt “souvenir” is accompanied by postcards and an informative pamphlet about Greece, which delivers some light hints in a fun and diegetic way. The puzzles all felt logical and weren’t terribly complex, making the game approachable for new players, but still with enough layers to keep the solves satisfying and not overly simplistic. CU Adventures also managed to pack some clever surprises in there - this one will not disappoint. Time: <2h Difficulty: 2/5 Image via CU Adventures The Last Masquerade by Society of Curiosities Society of Curiosities is a quarterly subscription game played with physical as well as digital components. This fourth installment felt marginally less challenging than the second and third in the series, and not in a bad way. It just felt well-signposted, keeping aha moments satisfying while narrowing any gaps of logic. The puzzles were varied and creative, making great use not only of the props but also the paper, bringing dimension to a mostly flat game. As always, Society of Curiosities used online components brilliantly in The Last Masquerade, adding immersion and urgency to the mission. The most noteworthy thing, however, is that I still couldn’t tell you which is my favorite Society of Curiosities box so far… you should play them all. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Time: ~2h Difficulty: 2/5 The Runes of Odin by Puzzling Package Industries Puzzling Package Industries packs a lot of story into this Norse mythology themed game that narrative lovers will surely appreciate. The Runes of Odin kicks the difficulty up a notch from one of their other games, Sins of the Father, but does so in an interesting and gratifying way. Though we could have used a bit more clarity with onboarding, we appreciated the variety and the thoughtful layering of the puzzles. The hints were good enough to guide us through the sticky parts but some mid-puzzle confirmations could have helped along the way. It was a bit disappointing not to use all of the gorgeous components, but that didn’t lessen the enjoyment of the game overall. For those who like to collect artifacts, there are some nice pieces to be found within. Time: 3-5h Difficulty: 3/5 Escape the Plagues Escape the Plague is a family-friendly Passover puzzle game with social justice themes. The puzzles were created to fit the audience, so experienced puzzlers should not expect a challenge, but the game was nevertheless fun to solve. Regardless of background or religious beliefs, this would be an excellent experience for families and community organizations to enjoy as it also includes some distinct characters and discussion questions, easily adding an education aspect to it. Escape the Plagues also gets major kudos for its unique theme, its courage to actually address real issues, and its success in doing so in an elegant and accessible way. Time: <1h Difficulty: 1/5 Image via Escape the Plagues Cryptex Hunt The Cryptex Hunt is an annual event, and for the first time I actually played through the entire thing! Puzzle hunts can be notoriously difficult and unfriendly not only for novice puzzlers, but even for seasoned puzzlers that are inexperienced with puzzle hunts. To put it simply, there are certain conventions that create a pretty steep learning curve. I was pleased to learn that the Cryptex Hunt creators aimed to make something less challenging and more accessible this year, and for the most part, I believe they succeeded. The hunt this year is made up of twelve 8-bit text adventures with adorable pixel art and some fun themes. Each one was designed by a different person, so they vary a bit across the board, but we mostly enjoyed the structure and the puzzles in these games (generally friendly to play through, although it was occasionally tricky to figure out the correct commands.) In order to actually complete the hunt, however, you need to also solve a meta puzzle from each of the twelve games, along with a final meta. The meta puzzles are significantly harder to get through and require some out-of-the-box thinking, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does make them significantly more challenging. There are, however, hints available, as well a Discord server for the hunt, making the metas much more solvable. To sum it up, if you’re feeling ambitious or are experienced with puzzle hunts, you’ll have a good time solving the whole thing. If you would rather have some tasty bite-sized puzzles, I can happily recommend just playing through some of the games by themselves. You might miss out on a few interesting mechanics, but you’ll still walk away happy. My personal favorites, in no particular order, include Wake Up, Dead Mall Mystery, The Bamboo Forest, and The Wizard’s Tower. Time: 12h+ (45-60 per game x 12 + meta puzzles) Difficulty: 2-3/5 for the games only, 4/5 for the meta puzzles We Were Here Free on steam! We Were Here is a cooperative two-player game, and is the first in a three-part (soon to be four-part) series by Total Mayhem Games. Lost in a frozen wasteland, you and your partner are split up and must work together to find your way out, communicating only via walkie-talkies. We did not use the walkie-talkie function for our playthrough but rather talked over Discord, and I would likewise suggest playing with voice chat on a separate platform to make for a smoother experience. Otherwise, we really enjoyed the communication-based puzzling, though I was actually caught off guard that the end came so quickly. If you enjoyed any of Enchambered’s two-player cooperative games, you will probably like this as well. We’re looking forward to playing the sequels. Time: ~1h Difficulty: 2/5 Maquette Platforms: PS4, PS5, PC Maquette is a narrative-driven puzzle game that allows you to play with environments and perspective as you explore a world within a world within a world. The story revolves around the lifespan of a romantic relationship, told through bits of writing and clips of conversation. The main environment features several buildings standing around a small scale model of the same buildings in the center… which you can use to manipulate objects and various parts of the world. I won’t spoil anything else about the mechanics, but suffice it to say that the tricky puzzles and the aesthetically pleasing environments were the highlights of Maquette. Time: ~3h Difficulty: 2/5 What have you been playing this month?

Each month on this blog we highlight a handful of tabletop and digital games to spread the word about interesting experiences and support other creators -- here is this month's roundup! The Charm of Christmas Past by The Escapement The holidays may be over, but if you ever find yourself missing that cozy Christmas vibe, The Charm of Christmas Past will bring you there. Upon the 100th anniversary of Winifred Maud’s passing, her solicitors were instructed that one thousand households across the globe receive a bequest from her estate, which included all sorts of trinkets, letters, and documents relating to her family history and childhood memories. The game is divided into four chapters, each containing 2-4 puzzles. I admit that we often struggled to get to the answer because it seemed like there were often multiple ways to interpret information... but we did find ourselves to be impressed with the variety and creativity of the puzzles themselves. Time: ~3 hours Difficulty: 3/5 The Rottumereye Tragedy by Knetterijs The Rottumereye Tragedy is a visual narrative mystery experience created by Dutch artist collective Knetterijs. It features the work of eight different illustrators, with great quality prints that made the materials a pleasure to handle and explore. Rather than individual puzzles to solve, players are provided with a variety of items that each allow you to deduce certain details of the story. Although it was not a particularly complex murder mystery, it had enough layers to make it satisfying to solve and managed to tell an original story with distinct characters even in such a short time frame. Unfortunately it seems like this mystery was a limited edition release, but hopefully the publishers will print another run. Time: ~1hr Difficulty: 1/5 Together at Heart by Enchambered Together at Heart was the third in Enchambered’s series of online games, following Alone Together and Together Apart. All of these games are designed to be played remotely with two people and each installment has been full of smooth and satisfying cooperative gameplay. We appreciated that the non-linear nature of the puzzles allowed us to work out multiple problems in an order that made sense to us. This also helped ensure that we didn’t get stuck, and indeed we only ended up needing a hint for one puzzle at the end. The first in the series is free to play and the latter two are pay-what-you-wish, a great deal for an hour of enjoyable remote puzzling with a friend, especially in these times. Time: ~1hr Difficulty: 2/5 Old Man’s Journey Old Man’s Journey is a laid back point-and-click game with a visual narrative and beautiful artwork. You make your way through the world by manipulating the environment and using the landscapes to guide the man forward on his journey, encountering scenes from his life along the way. Although the puzzles are somewhat simple in this 2D adventure, the mechanic does feel unique, and the environmental elements and heartfelt story make for a enjoyable experience. This is by no means an action-filled game, but if you’re looking to take a bit of a break, the relaxing soundtrack and pretty illustrations make this a good option. Time: ~1.5hr Difficulty: 1/5 The Missed Flight by Puzzle Post (UK) The Missed Flight is a bite-sized mystery in an envelope with entirely paper components. You learn immediately that the protagonist set out on a tour of Europe but after speaking some uncomfortable truths to a journalist, had to cut her trip short and go into hiding, leaving you with seven puzzles, hidden in items that she picked up along the way. The puzzles may come off as somewhat straightforward to more advanced players (our group breezed through it pretty quickly) but we appreciated how logically everything came together. This game could be a great choice for less experienced puzzlers or as a surprise in the mail for a friend (and at a very affordable price!) Time: <1hr Difficulty: 1/5 Photo via Puzzle Post UK What are you playing this month?

Each month on this blog we highlight a handful of tabletop and digital games to spread the word about interesting experiences and support other creators -- here is this month's roundup. (If you've been following along previous posts, I thought it was time to fix up the title to better reflect the content!) The Memory Stone by Society of Curiosities Although I am always looking forward to getting my Society of Curiosities package, this installment made me sort of glad that the subscription runs quarterly instead of monthly, because it’s hard to imagine someone would be able to put this amount of thought and effort into something in a shorter amount of time. It got an immediate “wow” just for aesthetics -- the documents looked authentic and the illustrations were beautiful (hello, adorable sloth!) Although we felt a handful of puzzles could have used a little more clarity or additional cluing (thankfully there was a great hint system to rescue us), the overall cleverness and originality of this package is hard to deny. It also put a fun spin on a commonly used decoding device and blended deductive reasoning into the narrative in an interesting way. Time: 2-3h Difficulty: 3.5/5 Welcome Home by Shine On Collective Welcome Home is a narrative mystery experience created by a women-led theater collective in L.A. Having just moved to a new neighborhood, you receive a welcome package from your neighbors, including a box of (actual) brownies, along with the belongings of a person who used to live in your house. It’s up to you to unravel the mystery of two disappearances by following clues on the physical objects in the package as well as in audio recordings you find by calling the phone numbers of other people in the neighborhood. It was really interesting to see how an immersive theater collective translated their ideas into an at-home experience, and the narrative was definitely the star. There was a little puzzling and deduction involved, and while it wasn’t difficult, it also didn't feel generic or irrelevant--everything made sense within the story. A lot of phone calls were made (keep that in mind if you're outside the U.S.) but I was pleased not to have to whip out my laptop to enjoy this experience. I would recommend this for couples or solo play, and for those who enjoy a good spooky narrative. Note that the baked goods, while delicious, are not necessary to the game itself. Time: <2h Difficulty: 1/5 Hue Hue is a quick and elegant card-laying game for 2-5 people. Players lay down cards to create colored sections and essentially bet to themselves on which colors will end up getting them the most points at the end. Extremely portable and easy to learn, Hue is a great "filler game" that you can whip out and enjoy at any time. It is also simple enough to play with kids and short enough for those with a limited attention span. Time: <10m Difficulty: 1/5 The Gardens Between Available on: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One The Gardens Between is a relaxing puzzle game with a simple yet tricky mechanic. Consisting of about twenty abstract levels, the player navigates through the memories of two friends by moving time forward and backward. The characters encounter various obstacles, objects that move differently through time, and devices that allow them to manipulate the flow of time in order to create further interactions. The solutions are usually not immediately obvious and often require an extra stretch of the imagination to uncover. Fans of Braid, Monument Valley, and Where Shadows Slumber will undoubtedly appreciate the elegance and ambience found in The Gardens Between. Overcooked 2 Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Linux Okay, so this is not a puzzle game -- sometimes other things are fun too! It often feels like there is a dearth of cooperative video games that don't involve murder, so I was pleased to find a lighthearted coop in Overcooked 2. Players work together through various kitchen scenarios and race the clock to prepare meals and send out customer orders. This includes chopping, cooking, frying, cleaning the dishes, and often throwing things across the room to the other person when there are obstacles in the way. The settings are dynamic -- rafts floating downriver, hot air balloons shifting in the sky, train tracks turning parts of the room around -- and levels also involve making different foods such as pizzas, burgers, and sushi. The challenge is to find a good work flow with your partner to prepare meals efficiently (and not burn down the kitchen, which also can happen!) The game moves very quickly and can be rather chaotic, so if you get easily stressed, this may not be the game for you...that said... I typically don't enjoy games with time pressure like this either and still found it to be loads of fun, so maybe it's worth a try anyway -- just don't take it too seriously. What have you been playing this month?

Every month I write some impressions of the games I've been playing. This is the latest roundup and includes both digital and tabletop games of various styles. Note that I have decided not to comment on the price point in these games--value is your own personal judgement to make. Scarlet Envelope #3 The third installment from Scarlet Envelope introduced a futuristic setting to our journey. The world building was impressive, though I felt like I needed more of an on-ramp when it came to the coordinate systems and space jargon--it would also have helped if the hint system was a bit more granular with showing in-between steps. Aside from one puzzle that completely stumped us, this chapter included some clever solves and we enjoyed the nonlinear nature of the game which allowed for different starting points. It’s been interesting so far to watch this series develop and I’m looking forward to the next envelope. Time: ~2h Difficulty: 2.5/5 Antikythera Tablets by Martin Raymond The Antikythera Tablets are a set of 5 beautifully made mechanical puzzles, which, when purchased as a collection, also come in their own puzzly storage box. Opening the box itself was a surprising and challenging pleasure to start off with, as well as a reminder that you do need to like mechanical puzzles to get the most out of this game. The concept behind it was inspired by Greek mythology and I was impressed with how the creator was able to tie in the theme and story of each hero into the tasks you have to perform with each individual tablet--I never imagined turning laser cut discs while thinking about Perseus and Medusa. The remaining two tablets I have yet to solve (and what I assume will be the culminating meta puzzle) do sit intimidatingly on my desk and the level of challenge makes part of me wish there was a little bit of self-service guidance for these online, but those who enjoy a complex and carefully crafted mechanism will not be disappointed. Time: ~45-60 minutes each for the box itself, Heracles, Perseus, and Sisyphus, though any single tablet could easily take longer, and Odysseus definitely has a long journey ahead… Difficulty: Ranging from 3-4/5 Hincks Gazette Oct + Nov Hincks Gazette is always a good go-to when you’re looking for a bite-size puzzle game that will also make you smile. Each newspaper contains approximately five puzzles, and it seems to be that one clue always eludes us, but overall they are consistently original and enjoyable. Bluefish Games also has an excellent detailed hint system and the whimsical world they’ve been building around Mr. Hincks is always good for a chuckle. Time: <60m per newspaper Difficulty: 2/5 Dear Santa by DarkPark True to DarkPark’s previous creations, Dear Santa offered quality puzzles but with a slightly lower difficulty level and wrapped in a cute holiday theme. My group enjoyed the originality of the story and felt it to be relatively family friendly, although the inclusion of a sensitive topic (specifically Cancer, family illness) may not make this game a good choice for some players. We did also run into a couple of hiccups with the website and the ending felt a little off the mark, but we found it to be overall an entertaining experience. Time: ~2h Difficulty: 1.5/5 The Verdict by Logic Locks The Verdict is an immersive online experience (described on the website as an “interactive online drama”) in which twelve participants take on the roles of a jury in a Zoom-based trial with no lawyers or judge--just by looking at evidence and questioning the suspect. It is very similar in setup to a game called Jury Duty, but instead of solving a mystery, it ended up being more of an ethical dilemma that we had to come to a consensus on as a jury. We debated the outcome for a long time, which says something about the thoughtful layering of the narrative--there was an argument to be made for each possible outcome. Because of the social aspect, I can imagine this experience playing out differently depending on your familiarity with the team and the backgrounds of the players. I can’t necessarily recommend one way or the other, but just know that it will have an effect on how it pans out. Ultimately it was a really interesting way to spend two hours… but don’t think of it as a game where you win or lose. Time: ~2h Difficulty: N/A Monuments Men by Mystery City From the designers of A Death in the Red Light, Monuments Men is an online point-and-click puzzle game about recovering precious art pieces that were stolen by the Nazis. This game draws from actual historical research and tells the stories of these artifacts using clever puzzles at a very accessible difficulty level, making it a great choice for beginners and solo play. It is possible to do the “missions” in any order or even spread them out over some coffee breaks (although the whole thing can definitely be completed in one) and history enthusiasts will surely appreciate the educational content embedded in the game. (Who knew all this art was moved around so much?) Special: You can use the code POSTCURIOUS for a 5 Euro discount off Monuments Men (I don’t make any money off of this) Time: ~1-1.5h Difficulty: 1/5 BRUCE Saves Christmas BRUCE Saves Christmas is the third game in XcapeNow’s BRUCE series, a set of online point-and-click puzzle games. This new seasonal installment was a relatively quick play for experienced players, but nonetheless amusing and packed with holiday cuteness. At times it felt like a classic flash game---take that as you will. In any case, it is easy to recommend this game for people with kids and at some point I will probably be revisiting the first two BRUCE games, which I have yet to play. Time: <1h Difficulty: 1/5 What have you been playing lately?

Every month I write some impressions of the games I've been playing. Here's the latest roundup. Sins of the Father by Puzzling Package Industries I was lucky enough to win this game in an EscapetheROOMERS raffle from their Behind the Masterminds episode with the creator of Puzzling Package Industries. From the moment we opened the package, it was really enjoyable to unpack the various props and carefully aged pages. The story is about a man looking to provide for his family in a new city as he gets wrapped up into a dangerous contract, summoning demons to try and achieve his goal. The experience is mostly focused on the narrative and includes five puzzles (accompanied by an online hint system). We were a bit disappointed not to get to use some of these beautiful props, but they will display nicely for the collectors out there. Time: 1-1.5h Difficulty: 1.5/5 Mystic Maze by Magic Puzzles Despite the missteps of the Kickstarter campaign, this was one of the more enjoyable jigsaw puzzles I’ve completed in my life. We ended up finishing it over a weekend, which I did not expect whatsoever, but in all honesty it was hard to step away. The quality and fit of the pieces was really satisfying, and we appreciated all the little details the artist embedded in the illustration. I wouldn’t exactly call the final reveal “magic” but it was definitely a cool surprise and not something I’d seen done before. I recommend referencing the poster when you assemble this one… trust me, you’ll want to. (Not listing time or difficulty for this one, because, well, it's a jigsaw puzzle.) BoxONE by Neil Patrick Harris/Theory 11 My curiosity about this game was piqued when I heard nothing but positive comments alongside “I can’t tell you anything else or it will spoil the surprise.” After playing it, I understand why. The game is described as a mix of “trivia, codes, puzzles and discovery” but what really makes the game special is the discovery. I was impressed by how many and how well-hidden the surprises were... and that is all I will say. I did hit a couple stumbling points along the way, but overall this game was a delightful experience. (Keep in mind though that it is designed to be played by one person, so don’t try to play it as a group.) Time: ~2h Difficulty: 1.5/5 Floor 13 by CU Adventures I previously wrote about The Lost Temple by CU Adventures, which plays similarly to Floor 13, using both print-and-play and online elements which guide you through a virtual space. The gameplay felt smooth and although the puzzles were on the easy side, we enjoyed working through them and they still managed to present us with something new and interesting. I would especially recommend this game for beginners and friends who want to play remotely, as each person can print their own copy. Time: 1-1.5h Difficulty: 1/5 The Missing Files of Dr. T Mandrakeseeker by ASPMC This is the second mini-ARG by the American Society for the Protection of Magical Creatures. It contains some nice meaty puzzles that creatively utilize real-world resources, making us do things like find constellations on the Met website map, walk around Yosemite National Park, and examine skulls in scientific photo archives. The meta was a rather long process puzzle, but the cleverness made up for the number of steps, and it began to move more quickly once we got into a rhythm. This game is great for remote friends, and I would recommend playing it with at least one other person (a group of 3 felt right) but hints and solutions are available in case you get stuck. Time: 2.5-3h Difficulty: 3/5 The Bewitched Circus by Society of Curiosities The Bewitched Circus is an online adventure by Society of Curiosities that uses texting, websites, and other digital media to guide the player through a series of puzzles at this strange circus and recover a witch’s hand (spoOooOky). Complete with realistic photos, an interactive character, and solid puzzles, it is easy to say that this was a well-executed online puzzle game. There were some points throughout where the next step was a bit ambiguous, but as always this was mitigated by Society of Curiosities’ excellent hint system. Time: ~1h Difficulty: 1.5/5 Club Drosselmeyer 1943 I participated in an early playtest of this game, so I haven't seen the finished product yet, but I know it's going to be good. Club Drosselmeyer is normally an annual event that happens in Boston every December, and can be described as an immersive-puzzle-hunt-swing-dance-party, where people can choose to participate by solving puzzles and talking to actors, or simply drink, dance, and enjoy the jazz ensemble. Since it's impossible to put on a live event of this nature in 2020, the creators have instead created a remote experience. While it lacks the social aspect of a dance party, it retains the atmosphere and snazzy music by translating the entire event into a live radio show. The puzzles are presented in physical form and can be purchased in a box that is mailed to your home or simply as a print and play, and phone numbers are used to call characters and submit solutions. The puzzles were tricky and satisfying, and this was a great way to spend an evening, whether just at home or playing with remote teammates. There are still tickets left to the live shows on Dec 13, but the audio will be available throughout the month so it is still possible to play on your own time (just without the live actors.) Note that you probably need a US phone number to play. Time: 2h Difficulty: 2.5/5 What have you been playing this month?

I've had the privilege to play some interesting games this past month, both on and offline, so it only seemed appropriate to include the standouts in both media. Here are some quick impressions, including links to more comprehensive reviews where available. The Cursed Dollhouse by ThinkFun I’ve been looking forward to this game since it was announced and it delivered a good number of interesting and tangible puzzles. There were a few ambiguities and signposts that fell a bit flat for me playing solo, but thankfully the hint system was very well thought out. This is challenging to do when you have physical puzzles but ThinkFun used images effectively to show every step. Overall an enjoyable game and perfect for the spooky season. Time: ~2 hours Difficulty: 2.5/5 More detailed review of this game 10 Gallon Tank by Winsmith Games This is not a puzzle game… but it’s been on our table a lot lately, because the Kickstarter just fulfilled. 10 Gallon Tank is an aquarium-themed set collection game for 2-5 players. Its closest counterpart is probably Sushi Go!, although I find the card-splitting mechanic in this game more interesting. It plays in 3-4 rounds, which go pretty quickly. The beauty is that this game is so simple to learn and play and feels balanced with various player counts. If you have kids around I highly recommend this as a family game. Time: ~15 minutes per game Scarlet Envelope games 0, 1, and 2 Game 0 was meant to be a Kickstarter exclusive introduction to the series. Game 1 (Newspaper) felt like a part of that introduction, setting the premise of the series using puzzles related to various future episodes. Game 2 (Cabaret in Lapin Blanc) introduced a narrative to the contents, which greatly enhanced the gameplay. The puzzles felt more like part of a mystery to take little bites of. Despite a couple of iffy/outside knowledge moments I am looking forward to the next chapter! Game 0+1: ~1 hour Game 2: ~1.5 hours Difficulty: 1.5-2/5 Hincks Gazette (August + Sept) by Bluefish Games Does it make sense for me to mention Hincks Gazette every month? Well, yes. This bite-size newspaper subscription is always a joy to work through. This time one puzzle was a bit of an exception, challenging our notions of math and reality, but even so Bluefish gets points for creativity. I know I’ll be renewing my subscription for this one. Time: ~40-60 mins each Difficulty: 1.5/5 On the Screen Colby’s Curious Cookoff by Boxaroo Colby’s Curious Cookoff has an adorable food-themed story as a framework for this digital puzzle hunt. Perfect for remote play with a friend, Colby’s surprised us with the variety, quality, and quantity of puzzles. Some of the puzzles were logic-based and others visual, with the majority falling into the “variety puzzle” style wordplay. It felt accessible, though it might prove more challenging for non-native English speakers. Colby’s Curious Cookoff allows you to reveal several puzzles at a time, which is nice in case you get a bit stuck and want to come back to something later. This rarely happened, but we were still thankful not to have anything hold us up. Difficulty: 1.5/5 Time: ~5-15 minutes per puzzle x 35 puzzles (definitely multiple sittings worth of content) More reviews of this game Pursuit of Assassin Artist by Omescape This is an avatar-driven online escape room that is played through Zoom with an additional page for inventory and 360 views of the rooms. It is unique among escape games in that the avatar may die and respawn if you make a “mistake,” but this mechanic is integrated into the game in such a way that it’s actually necessary to die in order to continue. When it comes to video games or live games that make you start over if you fail (looking at you, Boda Borg!) I am not a fan of redoing sequences, so I was hesitant about this game, but it turned out to be absolutely delightful. Omescape really stretched their creativity here and created something unique that works well for the medium. Time: <90 mins Difficulty: 2/5 More reviews of this game Monster Smash by Trapped Another one for the spooky season, this Halloween-themed audio escape room was a joy to play. It may come across as a little easy for escape room regulars, but I found it to be a satisfying level of difficulty while still great for the kiddos. I always love Trapped’s outside-the-box thinking and this game is no exception. Allow yourself to get a little silly when you play this, because GMs will play along. Time: <60 minutes Difficulty: 1.5/5 What have you been playing this month?

In my previous post I introduced many steps that should be taken before the campaign to help it succeed, but after being interviewed on the Meeple Marketing podcast I realized that wasn’t really the full list, so this post will include some actions for before and during the campaign. (My episode isn’t up as of my writing this, but the podcast is a great resource for marketing tips from a wide variety of tabletop game designers.) Setting up your Kickstarter page I started out by looking at a lot of pages for other campaigns and making an outline in a document for what I needed for my page. This document included notes about sections, specific information that needed to be included, as well as which graphics and assets I would need to prepare. This was really helpful because it also acted as a To Do list and allowed me to check off items as I went. Let’s break down some essentials: Main campaign video It is generally recommended to keep the main video to a minute at most. It should have a hook (why is this game special?) and explain the basic premise. Leave the details for the page itself; the purpose of the video is to grab the viewer and make them want to learn more. With such widely available editing software it’s easy to make a video yourself these days, but if you’ve never done it before you may not want this to be your first one. Remember that it’s going to be many people’s first impression of the game, so you want it to look as polished and professional as possible. A big thank you to Jan-Luc for help with my campaign videos. Images This is probably the most important part of the page and I highly recommend getting the best possible photos taken of the game. Again, if you don’t know how to do this yourself, try finding a photographer, or at least a friend with a good camera and a decent light setup (I’ll add a big thank you to my pal Hillary for this one.) Put the best photo at the top of the page. It also helps to have GIFs or videos throughout, but make sure to space them out and not use too many or it can get overwhelming. Don’t be too afraid of showing spoilers---people want to know what they’re getting, especially if they’re paying a lot of money for it. Information This part gets tricky because as the designer you have all the information in your head and sometimes it’s hard to extract everything that you need others to know. Generally, more information is better than less, but it’s best to have the most important points at the top of the page, and those who want to know more will take the time to scroll down. People also don't like to read big blocks of text, so bullet points can sometimes be more helpful. You’ll want to have a description of the game, how it’s played, what’s included, as well as practical information such as shipping costs and timeline for delivery. If you have multiple pledge tiers, it may be good to outline them in a graphic too, along with stretch goals, if you choose to have them. Graphic design and page layout Ideally, the design of the campaign page should be on theme with the game. Just like with the photos and video, if you don’t know anything about graphic design, find someone else to design the page elements for you. I know this may all seem like a lot if you’re on a tight budget, but ultimately it will help you have a much more successful campaign, and then you will be able to recoup the costs. A clean, professional, and informative page will show people how much thought you've put into it, and that will only make them more likely to back the project. Reviews If you have reviews for your game, scatter some links and pull quotes throughout the page. If you have a video review, you can embed it right in there. A personal touch I’ve found most campaigns to have an About section at the bottom of the page and I do not recommend skipping this portion. Aside from crediting the appropriate people who worked on the project, backers often want to see who the creator is, their experience, and their relationship to the project. I created a short personal video for the About section of me talking about the game and showing some of the process of creating it, and I think it was surprisingly effective. Why is this? First, putting a face and a voice to your creation helps build trust with backers and shows them you’re honest and passionate about the work. Second, that passion is contagious, and seeing how excited you are will help excite others as well. Get feedback before launch Once you think you’ve got it all set up, send the preview link to a couple of friends and ask them what they think. Is all the information clear? What seems confusing? Does anything seem out of order? What questions are they left with? Think of it as a playtest of the page and don’t be afraid to make changes. After you've improved it, send it to a few more people to look at. The more feedback you get, the better. Use the Kickstarter pre-launch page Once your page is mostly ready, you can submit the project for approval by Kickstarter. You can still make changes after the project is approved, so there isn’t any reason not to do this early. Why? Because once the project is approved, Kickstarter allows you to set up a “pre-launch” page. The pre-launch page doesn’t let you put a whole lot of information about the project and it doesn’t make it searchable on Kickstarter, but it is a fantastic tool to get more backers right on launch day. The beauty of the pre-launch page is that you can share the link anywhere you want and once the campaign is live it will redirect to the live page. But here’s the kicker: there is a Follow button, and everyone who clicks that button will get a notification as soon as the project goes live. Use this. I actually tried to set up goals around the pre-launch page followers, promising an extra weekly puzzle during the campaign if we reached 500 followers. Once we did, I said I’d make another if we reached 1000. Those 1000 followers + my newsletter subscribers are a big reason why we funded so quickly. Pledge tiers How many should you have? What should they include? The answers to these questions will differ from campaign to campaign, but here are my general takeaways: Have a $1 tier for those who want to follow along with the campaign. These folks may be interested in upgrading their pledge later on, but even if they don’t, the more backers you have the better your campaign will perform in the algorithms. Most people will back the tier that just has the game, and that’s to be expected. If you have a slightly higher tier with extra puzzles or goodies, people will often opt for that if they’re excited about the project. In the case of The Emerald Flame, this was the Master Alchemist tier, which included the main game and an Apprentice Pack (which contained two extra puzzles and enamel pins.) I also offered the Apprentice Pack by itself for those who wanted to support the project and get a small taste without committing to the full game. Premium tiers like a Collector’s Edition or personalized games definitely have their appeal for some. You’ll probably want to limit these in number (especially if they’re being handmade) but it may help with first day funding to have higher-tier items get picked up. Of course, this is not applicable to every game. Stretch goals I’ve heard some people express a dislike for stretch goals because they unlock things that should already be included in the game. This may be the case for some, but I think stretch goals are a great way to make people excited, add momentum to the campaign, and make the game nicer all at once. Most of The Emerald Flame goals were cosmetic upgrades and some were bonus items for backers only, like an extra enamel pin and refill kit. Bonus items can encourage people to back the Kickstarter rather than waiting to get the game later. Most campaigns are set up to raise funds for the minimum cost to produce and ship the game, which is why a lot of board games offer things like card thickness upgrades as stretch goals. And why not? For Emerald Flame, stretch goals allowed me to make my ideal version of the game, which included nicer, sturdier, and more realistic components. These would have been difficult to include up front due to the cost of manufacturing. Making 3500 copies rather than 1500 allowed for these upgrades due to the increase in scale, and I was happy to show gratitude to my backers for making that happen. Sometimes your backers will also come up with ideas for stretch goals. You certainly don’t need to take every suggestion, but occasionally you’ll be surprised at the good ideas you didn’t think of yourself! Anticipate questions The truth is, even if you have all the information on the Kickstarter page, people will still miss important key points. You can’t add your FAQ to the Kickstarter page before launch, but you can anticipate what some of those questions will be and prepare it in advance. I put up a few FAQ answers right after we launched and added more as I received questions throughout the campaign. Respect your backers They’re giving you money based on their faith in you and your product and deserve a lot of appreciation for that. Remember always that they are people and not numbers, and should be treated as such. Make sure to keep up with your messages and the comment section and try to respond to people promptly. This is probably what you’ll spend half of launch day doing, and that’s okay, especially because those first day backers are the ones helping you the most. Good communication will not only make backers happier to support your project but also create good relationships in the long run. Updates Consistent updates during the campaign are important, but keep them for when you have something important to say, otherwise they can get a bit overwhelming. You definitely want to send a thank you update after the first 24 hours and at the end of the campaign. Otherwise, use them to give backers new information such as unlocked stretch goals, new reviews, images, or other interesting updates. Try to include pictures! And be sincere. Transparency and honesty go a long way. After the campaign, aim for posting an update at least once a month. Even if there is not much to report, at least no one will be left wondering if the project is still moving and at what pace. Advertising - to do or not to do? Sigh. This is a tough question and it really depends on your budget. We initially weren’t sure if we were going to run ads for the Kickstarter, mostly because we didn’t have marketing experience or the expertise to effectively use Facebook targeting (but also because the ads manager is horribly designed for those just starting out with ads.) Running successful ads also seems to require a pretty large budget, which we didn’t have before the campaign launch. We were lucky that having so much momentum from early funding gave us the flexibility to hire an agency and run some ads for us. We found this to be very successful during the campaign because people were very attracted to the artwork and therefore were more likely to click the ad. Would it have been as effective with different imagery? My guess is probably not quite to the same extent. And if the project hadn’t funded yet, the return from Facebook ads would have been significantly lower. The benefit, however, is that it can get your project in front of more eyes, and people are more likely to entertain an idea when they see it appearing several times in multiple places. Even if someone doesn't immediately click the ad, it does plant a seed that might grow if the person encounters it somewhere later on. Still, to see real success on Facebook will require significant spending. Unless you have a budget before launch, it could be more worthwhile to run ads after the campaign is already funded to just increase the traffic in that mid-campaign slump (which happens to everyone). In any case, the bottom line is that if you don't already have an audience, ads are not going to make it for you, but they could help you grow what you've already built. Audience engagement during the campaign A while back I read this article about different levels of audience engagement: the waders, swimmers, and divers. It inspired me to plan out a mini-game for the duration of the Kickstarter, which involved posting one puzzle every week and setting up an “in-world” community forum for people to solve the puzzles together. This allowed the waders to simply back the campaign, the swimmers to try and solve the puzzles if they wanted to, and the divers to engage further with the story and world of the game, as well as interact with other people who have the same interest and enthusiasm. It isn’t necessary to set up something this complicated, but putting up free puzzles (whether before or during the campaign) is a great way to give people a taste of what they can expect from your product. It also increases the traffic and interest in the campaign, adding comments and improving its overall performance. I would love to hear more thoughts about how to increase engagement in other ways as well. Leave your ideas in the comments!

I love spreading the word about interesting games, especially as more and more people are looking for at-home activities. Instead of grouping them by genre or just focusing on new releases, I thought it might be fun to do a roundup with some impressions of games we've played recently. Some of them are not even technically on the table… So what have we played throughout August and September? The Curious Stairs of Mr. Hincks by Bluefish Games If you enjoyed The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks, you will probably like this as well. Full of the same whimsy and creativity that I’ve now come to expect from Bluefish, The Curious Stairs provided a lot of fun in a small (and very affordable) package. There were a couple spots we got tripped up but that was easily mitigated with a detailed hint site, and we were never lost as to what to do. Mostly the gameplay felt quite smooth and we had some great "aha" moments. Difficulty: 2/5 Time: ~60-90 mins Hincks Gazette (July issue) by Bluefish Games The Hincks Gazette is a monthly puzzle “newspaper” that comes from the same wacky world as Bluefish's other Hincks games. It is a little easier than the boxes and doesn’t include any additional components. We enjoyed solving the puzzles in the gazette and appreciated that it still made use of itself as a physical object despite being made of paper. Difficulty 1.5/5 Time : ~45-60m Madok’s Lost Treasure, Chapter 2: The Posie Ring and the Chapbook by Society of Curiosities Society of Curiosities continues to impress with their second chapter of this pirate adventure game. It was beautifully illustrated with quality printing, but still maintained the hand-touch of aged paper and carefully wrapped components. I found the puzzles in this chapter to be quite clever, and while we did hit a few blocks along the way, the hint system was well-designed and got us to where we needed to be. Difficulty 3/5 Time: ~2-3 hours Conspiracy 19 by DarkPark Conspiracy 19 includes some interesting props and I appreciated that it has several starting places so we didn’t have to solve the puzzles in a linear manner. The objects were often cleverly used in several puzzles, but it also caused some confusion because the game presented it as if it were meant to be 4 distinct puzzle paths. The hint system was useful but could use some more granularity. Difficulty 2.5/5 Time ~2 hours Witchery Spell by DarkPark This was the second tabletop game to come from DarkPark, and it's generally an improvement on Conspiracy 19, including the hint system. The story was more unique and the puzzles engaging, although we were a little let down that the most interesting interactions didn’t really have any consequence in the gameplay. We also ended up totally skipping over a puzzle due to… unfortunate spoilery reasons that I won’t explain. Despite the hiccups, this game remains a standout and is easy to recommend. Difficulty 2.5/5 Time ~2 hours Pirate’s Plunder by Trapped It's no secret that I've been a fan of Trapped's audio escape rooms and this month I had the pleasure of trying their newest room, Pirate's Plunder. Trapped's audio rooms are played over a voice channel in Discord, accompanied by some images of the various spaces and objects players encounter. The game masters often enliven the experience with their wit but the puzzles themselves were also a delight to navigate. This adventure is family friendly and great for remote play because all you need is access to Discord. Difficulty: 1.5/5 Time: <1 hour Puzzlesnacks by Eric Berlin I’ve been slowly working my way through this book of variety puzzles by Eric Berlin. (Slowly only because I pick it up a couple of times a week, and not because the puzzles are slow.) This book has some clever twists on the average newspaper style puzzles and is very accessible even to those without much trivia or pop culture knowledge (the main reason I am not normally a big fan of crosswords.) The word “snack” describes these perfectly, because you can sit down and just have one cookie… or end up eating your way through half the pack. It's also perfect with a cup of coffee and good time filler if you must commute. Difficulty: 1.5/5 Time: 5-10 minutes per puzzle The Lost Temple by CU Adventures This game is a combination of a print-and-play and point-and-click, which may not sound terribly appealing at first, but it made for an excellent play with remote friends. We each printed out a copy of the PDF and cooperated in the online play. It took a couple of hours of solid puzzling and came together in a really satisfying way at the end. All the cutting was actually worth it! Difficulty 2.5/5 Time: ~2 hours What games have you been enjoying lately?

"How do you test puzzles with players? Do you test the final puzzles or more just the concepts of puzzles?" Thank you to Adam Stichter on twitter for this great question. Like anything else, designers have different methods and processes for testing their puzzles and games. Before making The Tale of Ord my playtesting experience was limited to live escape rooms, so the process started out a little rocky and has grown more refined as I continued to design for tabletop gaming and making online puzzles as well. A lot of this relates to previous posts I’ve written, so I will include links that expand on certain points. Step 1: The “Self-Administered” Test At this point I've come up with an idea for a puzzle and drawn it out (usually by hand, but sometimes digitally if there is more than just a little text.) It might look something like this: Then I sit down and pretend I am the player looking at it with fresh eyes. Obviously it's impossible to escape the things you already know about the puzzle, but doing this before giving it to another person might help you find a mistake or a gap in cluing. The above example is pretty simple--your goal is to figure out how much each item is worth by assigning numbers from 1 through 6. If you had a multi-step puzzle though, you would want to move through every step and make sure each one has enough signposting to logically get you to the next step. Step 2: Solvability Test Once the puzzle has been checked for mistakes, I hand it off to someone just to test the mechanic, and again check for errors. (I usually try to ask people who I know are not going to test the entire game so there are no spoilers later on.) The purpose of this step is to see if the concept makes sense and if there is enough information to solve it. In simple cases like this weight puzzle, it might be finding a mathematical error, an alternate solution, or maybe that you only require three out of the four examples to solve the puzzle. When my first tester found a second way of solving the above puzzle I had to rethink which examples were being presented so that the other possibility was eliminated. Once I redid the drawing with four new scales I went back to step 1 and tried to test it myself, checking this time not only that there was enough information to find the correct solution, but for any other possible answers. When it seemed correct, I gave it to the same tester to double-check my work before passing it on to someone else. The main purpose of the first two testing steps is to confirm that the puzzle is logical and fair. In short, the reasoning behind the solution makes sense and there is no trickery or guesswork involved. You can read more about what I mean by these terms here. Step 3: Mockup/Clarity Test (WARNING: Slight Emerald Flame spoiler below) If I know the puzzle generally works, the next step is to create a mockup. In this phase I test not only for solvability but also for difficulty, clarity, and solving time. The mockup usually goes through several iterations (being used for steps 3 and 4), so I like to make these digitally for easier editing. I try to make these as close as possible visually to what I expect the final product to look like, so that the player is as close as possible to final experience and I basically just need to follow a template when I'm making the final artwork. Here's what the mockup looked like after a few iterative steps: As you can see, there are 4 main changes: - The items have become shapes. This was done to better fit the connected puzzles in the game. - The numbers on top have been listed out with commas rather than written as a range of 1-6. This was done to make it clear that there was only going to be one of each number, as opposed to leaving the possibility open that two shapes could be the same weight. - Rather than being laid out in a line, the shapes are scattered in such a way that makes it clear they're not meant to be taken in any specific order. - The scale examples themselves have changed to a configuration that is solvable with the exact amount of information provided and has only one possible answer. I'm getting a little ahead here though, as these changes often come about as a result of steps 3 and 4. I usually test the first mockup just a couple of times to make sure it works before putting it aside until I'm ready to test the entire game (or chapter). As long as it works, there is still plenty of time for refinement in step 4, which is the most thorough of the testing phases as it combines all the puzzles into the context in which they'll be played. Another thing to note is that steps 2-3 are not always possible to do with every puzzle. If the puzzle contains physical components or is impossible to complete without several other parts of the game (like a meta puzzle for example) then it usually goes straight from step 1 to step 4, and as a result those puzzles typically go through the most iteration in step 4. On the flip side, if the puzzle is a stand-alone (not part of a larger game) or is made for social media, etc. then there is no step 4 and the puzzle goes straight to step 5. Step 4: In-Game Test Once I have put together an entire chapter of a game, I write out the hints page so that playtesters can experience the game as they would under normal circumstances. (I have found that if people are testing without a self-service hint system, they are more hesitant to ask for hint even when they need one.) At this point I'll hand off the game to my first playtesters and make changes after each play-through. If you're doing blind playtesting you'll want to make sure that your testers are taking detailed notes about their thought process and where they get stuck. I find it really helpful to watch groups (as long as they're willing) because it's easier to catch details that might otherwise not get relayed. Without in-person meetings, I have found playtesting over video chat to still be more helpful than doing it blind. In some ways it's even better than doing it in person because it's easier for the players to ignore your presence and act naturally. In this phase I always iterate between each playtest, even if it's a really small change, because sometimes what seems like a small change could end up leading someone down the wrong path instead of making the puzzle clearer. Remember that details matter when it comes to cluing. Step 5: Art Test Once a puzzle seems polished enough, I make the "final" artwork. I'm using quotes when I say "final" because this phase can still include changes, just keep in mind that changes will be harder with final art. This is the stage to double check the execution and make sure everything fits, reads, and solves just the way it's supposed to, down to nit-picky details like the letter 'u' looking like a 'v' somewhere. Here's what the final art looks like for the puzzle shown above. In this case the puzzle didn't change from the last mockup version, so I was able to just use the same graphic as a guide to draw it by hand. Step 6: Final Final Test Now that everything has been thoroughly checked and you really think you're done, it's time for final testing before you actually send your files to the printer. Always always always make sure to test the finished files. I usually have someone proofread all the text first and then do a couple of blind tests so the players are not influenced by my presence whatsoever. If any errors, however small, are revealed at this stage, I fix those errors and do another test, until the finalized version is exactly how it should be. So that's the process in a nutshell! What is your puzzle testing process like?

As I contemplated writing a post-mortem of the campaign, a few people have asked about how The Emerald Flame Kickstarter achieved its success, so I decided to share my takeaways. Considering how many blog posts about Kickstarter I read in preparation for the campaign, it feels a bit surreal to even be writing this now, but I hope it will prove useful to other puzzle game creators venturing into the crowdfunding space. (This post got very long very quickly, so I have separated it into 2 parts: Before Launch and During the Campaign.) It goes without saying that people have run successful campaigns in myriad ways and these recommendations are based solely on my personal experience. It is not necessarily that all of these points will make or break your project, but below is what I did to prepare and I plan to take forward these practices with me. Having run only one campaign, I have learned a ton but still can’t claim to be an expert on the topic… which brings me to my first point: Do your research. This one is crucial and will take a significant amount of time, but you've got to study if you're going to take the test. So listen to podcasts about crowdfunding. Watch interviews with designers and publishers. Read blogs. My favorite place to start is this post by James Mathe, followed by the entirety of Jamey Stegmaier’s blog (or his book). I read the blog post by post on my commute through much of last year and incorporated a lot of the principles he lays out into my campaign. (This will not be the entirety of your research, of course... there is much more outlined below.) And you never know, going through these steps might even make you realize that you don't want to run a Kickstarter! After all, it's a ton of work, both on the front and back end. If you don't want to deal with marketing and logistics, or have a very limited amount of free time, maybe you're better off seeking a publisher. Don't stay married to the idea of crowdfunding--it's not always the answer. Build an audience. Every single piece of Kickstarter advice I read or listened to strongly emphasized this point and the need to start doing it as early as possible, but it’s easier said than done. One thing that helped me tremendously was that PostCurious had a prior reputation from The Tale of Ord. The game was well-reviewed and I had proved myself capable of delivering a product, which automatically lent me a certain level of trust. But only 500 copies of The Tale of Ord were made, so how did everyone else hear about it? The truth is I considered using Kickstarter to fund the production of Tale of Ord back in 2018, so I read a lot about crowdfunding back then and tried to follow Jamey's wisdom by starting a monthly newsletter, using social media more, and finding ways to engage with enthusiasts. I wanted people to get something out of the newsletter, so rather than just using it to promote PostCurious products, I started trying to introduce other things that could be of interest to my audience. My subscriber list started out small but has grown a lot over the past two years, and one can say that it was ultimately a big factor in why we funded so quickly. A big percentage of our first day backers were newsletter subscribers. Social media is tricky and I am far from being a guru, but posting regularly, following others, commenting on posts, and figuring out which hashtags to use are good ways to get started if you don’t already have a presence. One way to build on this is offering some kind of free puzzles as well. Free puzzles are a great way to get people engaged with your brand and give them a taste of what you’re offering. You can also use these on your website and in your newsletter. Finally, connect with people who have similar interests on various platforms. Introduce yourself and participate in (or start) discussions. Building relationships within the community is important, but don’t do it solely for the sake of self-promotion. Be real and connect on a human level! Can you fund without doing this kind of buildup beforehand? Of course it's possible, but it's going to be harder to build a house without foundation. Be prepared. Especially if this is your first campaign, I highly recommend having a fully finished and playtested game (or at least a finished chapter, if the game has multiple) before launch. First of all, exhibiting a finished product will make people more likely to put their faith in you. Remember that Kickstarter is not a store and products are not pre-made, so backers are essentially taking a risk by contributing to your campaign. Ask yourself if you’re more willing to invest money into something that is already shown to exist or into an unrealized idea? Second, if your game is finished you can send it to reviewers. Having reviews and testimonials proves that the game not only exists but has also been played and enjoyed by multiple people. If the site is popular, reviews can also drive organic traffic to the Kickstarter page. Ideally you’ll want several reviews in a variety of media, with at least one video to add to the page. It's best to have at least a couple published before or on launch day so that anyone who lands on the page will see it. All that said, even one review is better than none. Know your costs. This is a hard one. It is easy to underestimate the cost of producing and shipping a game. This is another reason why it helps to have a completed design before you launch. Manufacturing - Once you know what you need I recommend making a spreadsheet of all the components, including material, size, and any other relevant information, as well as gathering images of your prototype for visual reference. You’ll need this in order to get quotes from manufacturers. Here is a great resource for finding some manufacturing options. Contact multiple manufacturers for quotes and be sure they understand your requests, especially if you have components that are not typically found in a board game or your quote seems too low. Start asking for quotes as soon as you have all the information because it can be a long process. If you’re planning on offering other rewards besides your main game, make sure to account for those costs as well. Of course, if you plan to produce and ship the game yourself, you’ll need to source your own materials and estimate costs that way. Personally, I do not recommend doing this unless you’re making a very small run (1000 copies max). Freight - If you’re going to manufacture overseas, you also need to factor in freight and delivery costs. Freight forwarders are the ones who get your games from the factory to the warehouse/fulfillment center (if you’re using one.) Fulfillment centers are where the orders get packaged for shipping and dispatched to the backers. Here’s a good primer on the process. It’s a bit difficult to estimate these costs early on because you may not know the exact size and weight of your product, but do your best to estimate based on your finished prototype, and then add 10% - 20% on top of the quoted price you’re given (freight costs usually increase by about 10% every year.) These will seem very high when you’re estimating at a lower quantity, but the cost per item will significantly decrease if you end up with more volume. Shipping - You will also need delivery cost estimates for getting the game from the fulfillment center to your backers. These are contingent on weight and destination, and almost always end up being more costly than you expect. Once you have estimates for various destinations it is up to you how much of the delivery cost you want to roll into the cost of your good, subsidize, or have covered by backers. Make sure that you do your due diligence on this part, especially if you’re offering worldwide shipping, because shipping to certain countries can get outrageously expensive and sometimes difficult to track. You may decide to limit the countries you ship to in order to avoid the logistical headache, and it may not be a bad decision, especially for a first campaign. Don't forget to also factor in the cost of shipping additional copies, other rewards, and packaging. (Hot tip about international shipping via USPS: Don't go over 4lbs or the price suddenly doubles. Easy to overlook this kind of detail until you're in too deep.) Taxes and VAT - Another important thing about international shipping is being aware of taxes and VAT (particularly in the EU and UK). With a significant number of backers in Europe I decided to warehouse in the UK as well as the US to make it easier to offer “customs-friendly” shipping, meaning the VAT is paid by the publisher (either directly or with the freight forwarder acting on the publisher's behalf) rather than the backer having to pay for the package upon arrival. Your budget should at least include the following: Manufacturing cost of game at the minimum quantity Manufacturing cost of any extra rewards, special edition components, etc. Anything else you need to make the game (web services or artwork, for example) Freight costs Customs, taxes, VAT Shipping fees, if you choose to subsidize them 5% Kickstarter fee and 3% credit card fee At least a 5% buffer. Things will inevitably end up costing more than you think. Setting a goal - It’s tempting to set a lower goal so you can say you got funded quickly, but setting it lower than the amount of money you actually need is a huge risk, unless you can comfortably cover the remainder and recoup it later. (For example, you could in theory set a 20k goal when you really need 25k if you’re willing to invest 5k and make it up in later sales.) Otherwise, you put yourself in the position of potentially funding but not actually having enough money to complete the project, which could end up being a worse failure than not reaching the goal in the first place because it will harm your reputation. On that same note, factor in a buffer for your timeline as well. All kinds of delays can happen in this complicated process and delivering early is always better than late. Phew! Are you tired yet? Stay tuned for Part 2: During the Campaign. Do you have any Kickstarter prep advice to share?

A lot of people ask me for recommendations of what to play. Last year I wrote a post about some tabletop puzzle games I enjoyed, and it seemed about time to write another one. This is not a ranking, nor are these comprehensive reviews, but rather some overall impressions on a breadth of games I thought others will enjoy. Hopefully this will help you discover something new! The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks by Bluefish Games What is it? The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks is a whimsical puzzle game that arrives as a box full of mostly paper items. The puzzles are solved in a linear manner as you enter solutions on a website in order to go up to higher floors in the elevator. General notes: The puzzles generally solved well but hints were also available through the website. Although I normally prefer non-linear games, I wasn’t frustrated by the format in this one. The puzzles didn’t overstay their welcome and the online submission system worked smoothly. The game was humorous and lighthearted. It often made us smile, and we appreciated the joy that the creators embedded into it. Narratively, there isn’t much to sink your teeth into. It’s not trying to be that kind of game, but if you’re looking for a deep story you won’t find it here. It subverted a trope by making very good use of one particular item. We loved that. A good number of the puzzles were word-based, so it may be a little harder for non-native English speakers. Difficulty: 2/5 Time spent: ~2 hours This game is for you if: you want a delightful self-contained game to puzzle through and are not looking for a big challenge or a heavy narrative. Madok’s Lost Treasure by Society of Curiosities What is it? Society of Curiosities offers a subscription-based game with a pirate/treasure-hunt theme. You will receive small packages that will take you through a series of puzzles both on and offline. Answers are submitted via text message, which adds to the immersion and gives the experience structure. General notes: The game flowed well and felt approachable. A couple puzzles felt a little under-clued, but thankfully there is a great hint site. The components were nicely crafted and the puzzles made use of a commonly underutilized prop. The game is fairly family-friendly (especially with the pirate theme). The online elements were clearly signposted so as not to open any deep rabbit holes. There was no tedious research, but it did a nice job of blending the fiction of the story with the real world. I appreciated the debrief sent at the end which explained all the puzzles in context with the story. Difficulty: 2.5/5 Time spent: ~2 hours for the first chapter This game is for you if: you enjoy a treasure hunt with a mix of puzzles and online sleuthing. Legend: A Game of Maps What is it? There are currently two chapters of this game in existence, out of a planned total of seven. It centers around a sea voyage of a character searching for an ancient treasure. The two chapters so far are very different in terms of gameplay and difficulty: the first contains about 2-3 puzzles and many pages of deciphering, while the second opens up a whole world of new mysteries. General notes: This game has beautiful hand-aged components, many of which really do feel like old artifacts. Some of them have a staggering attention to detail, which you appreciate more and more as you progress through the game. Some of the information is hard to see (small fonts, very faded text, etc.) Although it sometimes makes for new discoveries, if you don’t have great vision, this could be an issue. I enjoyed slowly cracking the cipher, but ultimately the first chapter was mostly translation. It was absolutely worth it to be able to continue to chapter 2, but it took some patience. The game would benefit from an online hint system and fewer red herrings. The puzzles in chapter 2 were varied, interesting, and challenging. Some of them contained layers upon layers of riddles and discoveries, and overall this was one of the most satisfying solving experiences I’ve had in a while. Difficulty: 1.5/5 for chapter 1, 4/5 for chapter 2 Time spent: ~1.5 hours for chapter 1, 5+ hours for chapter 2? I lost count. This game is for you if: you enjoy beautifully aged components and challenging, layered puzzles… and don’t mind translating several pages of text to start with. Root of All Evil by Crack-a-Nut Mysteries What is it? I would describe Root of All Evil as more an experience than a game but it was certainly a special one. You receive a mysterious crate packed with weathered papers, a journal, and some religious objects, and follow the story of a priest as he navigates a supernatural mystery that takes place around a strange tree on the grounds of an asylum. The gameplay centers around finding and decoding hidden messages in the journal and some of the objects. General notes: This is an entirely handmade game, and it is clear that the creators put a lot of effort into the weathering, presentation, and packaging of the components. The level of care and attention to detail definitely enhanced the experience. The experience is centered around a journal, so there was a fair amount of reading, but I didn't mind it in this case. I played this one solo though, so I am not sure how it would translate to a group experience, but I did wish I had a second pair of eyes for the more subtle clues. Since the experience was on the shorter side, it would be nice if it could be repackaged. It is much too nice to throw away, but space is an issue in an apartment. This would be remedied with a refill kit. There is a clever mechanic that you can use at the end to make sure you didn’t miss out on any of the puzzles. Since there was no online hint system, this was a welcome addition. The interactions in the game were exciting. It has a couple great surprises and a fantastic ending. Difficulty: 2.5/5 Time spent: ~2-3 hours This game is for you if: you appreciate hand-crafted items, realistic artifacts, and creepy stories, and don’t need a ton of puzzles to enjoy an immersive mystery. The Case of the Haunted Dollhouse by L. Delaney Presents What is it? An interactive mystery comprised of five chapters, The Haunted Dollhouse is a handmade game that uses historical documents and miniatures to reconstruct a 1923 crime. The player unravels a story about a broken family and a New Orleans mansion as they parse through letters, tiny paper furniture, and build a mini dollhouse using their findings. General notes: I really enjoyed both the substance and presentation of the mystery and puzzles. It felt more sensitive and unique than the typical murder mystery. Relationships, letters, and little bits of humor gave characters more depth. The artistry of the creator is reflected in every component and detail. The dollhouse structure itself was a bit wobbly and the furniture delicate, but putting everything together was very satisfying. (There are even tiny books!) Note that there is a fair amount of cutting in the game. The story unravels as you proceed through the packages, but they do not have a clear end point. There is not a lot of guidance on many of the puzzles, but it is also not necessary to solve them to progress through the game. A full conclusion and guide was available at the end if you missed anything. Difficulty: 3/5 Time spent: ~4 hours This game is for you if: you appreciate hand-crafted items and miniatures, and don’t need a ton of puzzles to enjoy an immersive mystery. Season One: Independence Day Killer by A Killing Affair What is it? This is an episodic game consisting of 5 chapters, which can be purchased all at once or as a monthly subscription. The player acts as a detective trying to hunt down a cold blooded killer after the murder of two women in a small town. Each box comes with a case file including suspect interviews, bags of evidence, etc. It’s up to you to piece together information and deduce which suspects can be eliminated. (Disclaimer: I’ve only played 2 of the 5 chapters so far, so the following commentary is based solely on those.) General thoughts: The quality and materials were well put-together. It really puts you into a detective’s shoes as you examine all the files and evidence. Rather than a series of individual puzzles, the goal of each box is to eliminate a suspect(s). There is a lot of information to take in, and even when you do eliminate someone, it doesn't mean you're done with the box. There is often other information to find or puzzles to solve (which I presume will be important in later chapters as you uncover more of the story?) When I was ready to start the second chapter I had to refresh myself on part one since a couple of months had passed. I recommend playing all the boxes in a shorter period of time so you can remember the details. The game uses USB sticks to give you info, which can be a security concern for some. There are hints and solutions available if you want to double check your answers or need help. I appreciated that the longer ciphers were translated in this section as well. Difficulty: 2.5/5 Time spent: ~2 hours per chapter This game is for you if: you enjoy deductive mysteries and examining materials like a real detective. What are your favorite tabletop puzzle games?

This post is a continuation from last month’s laser cutting basics. If you’re totally new to the topic, start by reading that post first. This post will cover joinery, some advanced techniques, online resources and an overview of machines. To me, the most fun thing about laser cutting is being able to make something that I couldn’t make by hand without spending many hours in a wood shop. Finger joints take a long time to set up and cut on a table saw but can be cut by a laser in minutes and made to fit just right. But there are also limitations to the medium---you can only cut on the XY axis, so sometimes you need to get creative when making 3D objects. Once you dive in and start searching though, you'll see what sort of things people have made, and you’ll be amazed by what’s possible. So what are some ways to make multi-dimensional objects using flat planes? Layering If you need to create any kind of offset or step, or just increase the thickness of your current material, the easiest way to do that is by gluing two layers on top of each other. You can also create all sorts of visual effects by layering pieces of different shapes. It’s basically an entire art form. But just remember you should only glue surface to surface, not edge to edge or edge to surface, because those joints will be very weak! (Photo via @asbcustomdesigns on Instagram) Joinery Finger joints (AKA box joints), mortise and tenon joints, and slotting joints are the most commonly used with laser cut structures, because they’re very simple and sturdy. Slotted joints are pretty self explanatory. They can be used to create game components that slot into a base or build skeletal structures such as this cardboard rocket (photo via Ponoko). This dice tower I made uses finger joints in the main structure and mortise and tenon joints for the interior shelves that the dice roll down. Each of the little squares you see on the side is the end of a tenon. In a way, they are very similar to finger joints only instead of slotting together on a corner they go into little holes. You can also create horizontal slots rather than square holes, but make sure they still have a shoulder so that the piece has a stopper and doesn't just slide through. A note about kerf When you cut wood with a laser beam, it burns away part of the material, but since it’s cutting in the center of the line you made, your final piece will actually end up slightly smaller than the measurement in your vector file. Therefore, joints will usually end up a little loose unless you compensate for the kerf. For example, if you’re making a slot for a tenon and your material thickness is 3mm, you might want to actually make your slot 2.9mm to compensate for the extra space the laser will burn away. In the case of finger joints, you’ll want to make the spaces a little narrower than the fingers for a snug fit. Kerf varies by machine, (usually somewhere between 0.08 and 0.15 mm) so for your first sample you’ll need to approximate, and then nail down the exact dimensions from there. Tenths of a millimeter do make a difference, and you’ll really want to find the sweet spot because anything too tight or too loose is no fun to assemble. Hinges This is not something I have personally played around with much, but people have come up with some ingenious ways to create laser cut hinges. The easiest thing is to just make a hole and stick something in there like a machine screw (seen in my laser dice tower) or a dowel with stoppers on the ends. You can also just make a simple hole and slot a piece in there, as was done in this simple but effective box. (photo via Andrew Bosta) This box has a neat snap closure like a buckle. This is handy but be careful about making those too thin as they can snap off. You can also create a loop instead, and use that to lock it up. (Photo source unknown) Curves This concept kind of blew my mind when I first encountered it. There are many ways to cut slots or shapes into wood that releases the tension of the material and allows it to bend. This technique can be used to make “living hinges” for boxes and book covers, as well as intricate textile-like surfaces. This box is made out of one flat piece!(Photo via Thingiverse) How crazy is this thing? (Photo via Instructables) Online tools and resources There are definitely more resources if you Google around, but these are my go-tos. Makercase is a tool that generates box plans with finger joints. You can customize dimensions and make plain, polygonal, or even curved edge boxes. This is a great place to start. This gear generator is a fantastic way to make mechanisms. It allows you to customize gear setups and even animates their movement for you. Look at this adorable mini trash can! (Photo via UncommonGoods) Thingiverse has an online community of makers who generously upload their plans for a huge variety of project types. If you're not well-versed with vectors and making plans for 3D objects, this is an excellent resource. After all, it definitely can get complicated! Thingiverse also has 3D models you can download for 3D printers. Search around on Pinterest or Instagram for laser cut projects. This won't help you make anything but you will find tons of inspiration. Home laser cutting machines I’ve been wanting to get a machine for myself for a long time now, but owning one comes with its own challenges, as laser cutters require space, proper ventilation, and maintenance. Do some research and consider all of these factors (where will I put this thing?!) before you go rushing to buy your own. There are many different types of machines out there and this is a quick overview of what's available. Remember that the higher the wattage, the more powerful the laser is. Weak lasers can basically only be used for engraving. As you go up, some are powerful enough to cut but may need several passes on thicker material, while more powerful laser cutters can cut through almost everything, but industrial ones sometimes have trouble with maintaining small details. Most lasers are set up on a computer the way a printer is---you “print” your file to the laser using a program like AutoCAD or Illustrator and adjust settings such as power and speed in the printer dialogue. Others (like the Glowforge, see below) have their own system for sending information to the printer. Engravers - if you don’t actually want to do any cutting and just want to make things look nice, you can get a relatively unobtrusive engraver for $150-$300 (but for many of us makers these are pretty useless.) Orion Motor Tech is a Chinese brand that makes laser cutters in a wide variety of sizes and power levels. These can range anywhere from around $400 to thousands of dollars, and are considered pretty affordable when compared to American made machines such as from Epilog Laser (which are great quality but are priced in the thousands). The downside of not being local means very limited support, and these machines often require a higher technical knowledge (or a lot of research) to maintain. They're not particularly beginner-friendly and I believe they only run with PCs. Glowforge created something special with its user-friendly home laser cutting systems, but it comes at a cost, ranging from $2500-$6000. The lower end model has decent cutting ability but is relatively slow. If cost is a bigger factor than speed, then that option may be enough, but if you’re doing a lot of cutting then one of the other models may be worth the investment. The nice thing about Glowforge is that it comes with its own interface, which has a lot of useful features like auto-focus, presets for different materials, as well as a camera inside the cutting space which allows you to place your images exactly where you want them on the material. It's certainly pricy compared to the Chinese models but on the other hand the ease of use can save you a lot of time in the long run. Cubiio currently has their 2nd product on Kickstarter (the campaign ends in a week), which could be an intriguing purchase for those who want to save space and money while have the benefits of user-friendliness. The power is low compared to the Glowforge, so cutting is going to be even slower, but at half the cost and half the space (a Glowforge is about 2’x3’, whereas Cubiio 2's cutting area is limited to a letter sized paper), it may be worth it if you’re going to work on small projects and use it for prototyping rather than mass production. It can be controlled through a web app or tablet and seems to be very beginner-friendly with a good number of useful features. It’s hard to say if the convenience justifies the $1300 investment when you consider the power level (I want speed, damnit!) but it all depends on your level of use. Do you have any advice or interesting laser cut projects to share?