Polyominoes

Another option you can go with is making your own shape. Go to Micheal's, Benjamin Franklin's, WalMart, or any other craft store and get thin wooden panels or sqaures. Cut out your shape from that. It definitely saves more money too and there is lower chance of getting the wrong shape.

In my opinion, The Game Crafter isn't reliable.

-Super

Howdy!

This definitely sounds like something you can do through our print on demand service. The product you're looking to make are called Custom Punchouts. Visit our help page for various tutorials on how to make them and what other advanced products you can create with them.

Basic Introduction to Custom Punchouts:
http://help.thegamecrafter.com/article/201-custom-punchouts

List of Tutorials on Custom Punchouts:
http://help.thegamecrafter.com/search?query=custom+punchout

Hope that helps! If you have additional questions we recommend jumping into our "general chat" in the bottom right corner of our website. You can talk to hundreds of other game designers in the community who use The Game Crafter to make their games. It's great because you can get help in real-time from other users. You need to have a user account on www.thegamecrafter.com and be logged in to type into chat.

Otherwise, you're welcome to contact support by using the green "support" button on the right side of the page. We'll be in touch within 1 business day. Thanks!

Regards,

Tavis Parker
The Game Crafter

Designing your custom SVG files is only hard the FIRST time.

After that you'll be able to "print" multiple copies of the same template (or of several templates).

I would suggest to not go the hand crafting route, this will require you to do manual labor each time you want a prototype of your game...

You do the SVGs ONCE and then The Game Crafter can print out as many of them as you need. If you do one template per polyominoe and there are six (6) shapes per page, then you just need to figure out how many for each page.

I say six (6) because I'm just thinking in relative terms to the size of your shapes. I know the smaller template can handle ten (10) shapes but then your "objects" will be pretty small. You'll need to figure out how large you want those polyominoes to be.

Best.

Examples:

"OOOO" x 6 on one (1) Template. Each template produces 6 "bars" and then you just need to figure out how many "multiples" of six (6) you need. Rinse & repeat for other shapes too...

Usually my FIRST prototype of a "version" of one of my designs is all made by hand. That version is only used by me and I do my own playtesting to see if the game is worth investing more time into it...

Then after a couple days of playing the game, I can determine if the game is worthy of a 2nd prototype. This prototype requires me to do a "nicer looking" version of the Black & White cards that I used before. And to get full color, I make and upload all my files to "The Game Crafter" (TGC).

Once done, I can order my own copy and then playtest with strangers. I've had many people comment to the "quality" of my prototypes. And TGC is a testament to great quality - especially cards.

From that point onwards, I don't use hand-made "anything". When I bring my prototypes to stores, people are already asking me "when the game will be available"... And my response is: "This version is still a prototype."

So good luck to you whichever road you choose. If you are already getting the remainder of your game done on TGC, my recommendation would be to go the custom punch-outs for your polyominoes.

But hey, that's just based on your OP ... saying you want something OTHER than a DIY solution.

Note: Hand-made and DIY prototypes are also great when playtesting with family and friends too! Usually when you go to a game store (FLGS) and bring a Black & White prototype, the patrons will be more critical of your game. This is because it's less professional looking than a prototype from TGC. Even if your cards are printed on your B&W Laser Printer, the odds that you have to pair them with standard playing cards (due to the rigidity) is one DIY solution.

But getting people close to you (family and friends) is a GOOD test for your game. Family may be supportive but your friends will probably be honest enough to tell you if your game has potential.

I don't want to discourage DIY development, it's just that at the stage you are referring to (Blind Playtesting) ... DIY parts may "cheapen" a fairly high quality prototype that you've invested time and effort to have made by a service like TCG.