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Just an introduction

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debiant
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Hi All,

My name is Gary, I've been an amateur game designer for the past couple of years. I started off like many others thinking I could design a hit game right off the bat, and I've now been through enough failed designs that I have a firm grasp on humility. I want to get to know other designers and try to learn as much as I can; that's why I'm here.

I've amassed quite a game collection over the years and I've posted a couple games that I've designed on BGG as free PnP.

One is called Sixteen Stone, it is an abstract game that I've entered in this year's 2-Player PnP Contest. It's played on a 5x5 grid with players attempting to either capture or push their opponent's stones in order to eliminate them.

The other is a light screw your neighbor style party game called Side Effects May Include... We play tested it at GenCon's first exposure last year. Despite it going over very well with everyone who played I just felt that it wasn't really ready for publishing and I'm not sure that I want to pursue it further at this point.

I enjoy taking old mechanics and using them in new and different ways. I think my primary goal as a designer right now is to find my voice.

The Professor
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No Magical Formula...

Debiant,

There's absolutely no magical formula. Reiner Knizia earned a doctorate in mathematics and ran a successful multi-billion dollar company before turning, full time to designing board games. Jamey Stegmaier (and his cats) had a failed Kickstarter before launching several wildly successful ones. In short, you may have the next big idea...you'll probably not develop a new game mechanic, but neither did Knizia or Stegmaier, but instead used existing ones in creative and exciting ways.

Get involved...get feedback, and pursue your passion. Welcome to BGDF!

Cheers,
Joe

debiant
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Thank you for the warm

Thank you for the warm welcome, Joe.

I do hope to become involved in the community here. I submitted a game pitch for the Game Design Showdown this month. It is, as you said, not a new game mechanic but it is built upon existing ones.

Do you participate regularly in the design competitions? What else can one do to get involved on BGDF?

Regards,
Gary

richdurham
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Hi gary

I'll second the welcome to BGDF. Glad you submitted an entry to the GDS, and hope you do in the future. I've found it a great way to hone the creative output into 500 word bursts.

As for other things you can do, I suggest helping out others with comments as often as you can. There are a lot of new and aspiring designers on this forum and nearly all of them are looking for input. Be that guy who offers it! Answer calls to playtest, provide feedback, and encourage ideas.

It's a pretty straight-forward place here :)

Welcome.

debiant
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Thanks for the advice, Rich.

Thanks for the advice, Rich. I will check out the proofreading and playtesting forums to see if anything piques my interest.

The Professor
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No Showdowns...

debiant,

Unfortunately, I lack the time required to dedicate myself to the showdowns. In addition to my full-time job, I'm a developer for three separate games at the moment; proofreader for a Kickstarter project, and currently in the throes of co-designing a game. Having said that, if you have the time, I strongly encourage you to get your ideas out there through a venue like the Showdowns.

Cheers,
Joe

debiant
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Well, I'm generally up for

Well, I'm generally up for playtesting. So, let me know if you need any help with that.

The Professor
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Thanks!

debiant,

I appreciate the offer, and will take you up on it when the time comes later this year.

Cheers,
Joe

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