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Each year I added a new ‘headliner’ game, mostly designed by other designers and developed by me. Co-operative games, solo challenges, even an auction game! Last year’s design by Kirsten Lunde (Questabell) is probably my favourite game, with a campaign of 50 levels to work through.
But not everyone wants to embark on an epic series of quests. No game is for everyone, and that’s why I’m continuing to share an annual ‘headliner’ game. Maybe you want to play a one-off game by yourself. Or maybe you want to compete. Maybe you want to follow the same rules, with a slightly different shuffle of cards, trying to work out the best strategies to maximise points.
Maybe you like the idea of using increasingly-tricky letters in your words, working out which cards to add to your collection, and deciding which cards to ‘bank’ for points. If that sounds like fun, try BANKABELL! Email stuffbybez@gmail.com in the next few days to get a free PnP.
Emerald Echoes is only on Kickstarter until August 14th, so don’t wait! Back it today, and you’ll even receive a bonus puzzle with your pledge. By the time you’re reading this, we may have already reached 2500 backers. Once we hit this milestone, all supporters will also receive a free enamel pin with their pledge! ✨
You can also join us on Kickstarter for weekly puzzles and a chance to get your name included in the game materials. Click the link below and you can solve some of the earlier campaign puzzles.
I say set it up, it turns out that my driver’s license just expired so I have to wait until the renewed version comes through before I can complete my personal details.
I’m currently trying to decide if I should use a pledge manager for Boarders and Black Flags since I’ll be using hub fulfilment with Aetherworks I shouldn’t need GameFound’s IOSS number.
I generally find this to be an odd period since there’s relatively little to do for the campaign, but your attention is still needed. I’m using it to try and increase my content output for YouTube and such by filming myself doing some painting.
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That said, I’m also getting back to working on Dauntless which I’ll also be doing more in the way of filming and posting. I really seem to struggle with self-promotion, so hopefully this should help out.
Otherwise, I’m prepping to go to Canterbury Gaming Convention this August 9th-10th, so if you’re in the area, please drop by, it’s bound to be a great day and I’m really looking forward to getting the newly decoupaged plinth all set up!
See you there.
Lay out the cards in a facedown grid. Flip over two cards and see if they match, if they do, everyone gets to make noise or gestures. If not, only the player who revealed the cards makes the gesture or noise. Then the next player takes their turn!
Memory Snap type games have never been more fun as players get to act out the animals they find there. Make a rainbow with your hands for the Unicorn, let out a trumpet for the Elephant – the louder the better! Remembering the gestures and sounds will have players trying to make the matches so everyone at the table can get in on the fun!
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Families will find so much to love as their children get to be silly with this game. Get those parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles involved too! Animal noises are always fun to make! Gestures too: curl up like a Hedgehog! Stretch like a Giraffe!
Engaging your brain with noises and gestures may help remembering where those matches are easier also! Let loose, get wild, and have fun! Perfect for family outings, travel stops, or even just something to do on a rainy day that doesn’t involve screens!
MemROARy was designed by Ainsley and Tavi Sperling. It was entered in the ChiTag Young Inventors Game Design Contest.
We’re hard at work updating the Monster Card graphic design. These beasts are the heart of the hunt, and we’re making sure every card looks as epic and readable as it deserves to be. Expect clearer layouts and visuals that pop right off the table.
Meanwhile, our artist Justin Gerard is bringing the Breakers themselves to life, each representing one of the four suits in the game. These heroic characters will appear on the suit cards you play, adding rich personality and style to every trick. We can’t wait to reveal more of his artwork soon.
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And… the Kickstarter Preview page is now LIVE! Click our link on this newsletter and get notified the moment we launch. Following early is a huge help and it boosts visibility and helps us reach more fans like you.
Thank you for being part of this adventure!
For just a few dollars a month, you’ll get access to all our small game publications, every month, in your in-box. So far, we’ve featured a solo journaling game about the nature of grief recurring, a ritual for better roleplay, and an expansion to our newest game The World Well.
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On the way are a superhero bickering game, a way to break out of doom scrolling, tips for writing RPG scenarios, a game about being left to die in the woods, another worldbuilding game, and that’s all before Christmas!
Progress continues to be made on the first expansion for Black Metro, which includes an oppressive AI mode for players to battle against. Fine-tuning some of the numbers is proving to be quite tricky indeed, and the model requires further calibration before I can be truly content with the design. It is always that last 10-20% which takes the longest!
Finally, there are a number of conventions / demo days coming up in the following weeks that I shall be attending, which I will list below.
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1st/2nd August: Northants Board Game Convention
9th/10th August: Canterbury Kent Board Games
23rd August: Hobby Hive Black Metro Demo Day
7th September: Hereward Wargames Show
Maybe I will see you at one of these conventions? Till next time!
The GameFound pledge manager for Malus Hortus is now open and taking orders. If you missed the original Kickstarter campaign you can late pledge either through Kickstarter or GameFound now.
Most other work is on the back burner whilst I finalise the Malus Hortus artwork and files. The daily running of Atikin Games including sending out orders is still happening of course, although I’ve had to add a long lead time to the Playful Pets games as I’ve run out of stock so they’re being made to order at the moment.
The plan is to have the files sent off by mid to late August and maybe take a little break for myself before getting into creating the audio files for the Malus Hortus story segments and also ramping up for Christmas sales.
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I definitely need to make more meeple and D20 Christmas ornaments if they’re as popular as last year, fingers crossed.
I’ve been struggling to get back in the swing of posting on social media regularly, usually I’m full of ideas but whilst I’ve been plugged into finishing off Malus Hortus artwork I just haven’t been able to think of what to post, I’d love to know what you’d want to see or hear from Atikin Games, please send me a message on the social media platform of your choice @AtikinGames
Receive valuable feedback and improve your game designs, help shape future board games, and learn more about the hobby/industry, all within a welcoming and passionate community of gamers. Play to win games published and donated by supporters of Playtest UK, and hear from co-designer of the Spiel des Jahres-winning Daybreak, Matteo Menapace, as he talks about his experience and answers questions from the audience.
Tickets for designers are only £10 for a 2-hour play testing slot, and FREE for play testers.
We are also working with Bored Wreckers Marketplace as our main online store, so if you are interested in getting a copy of Sakana Stack or Flower Cards for yourself you can from the below link.
Since fulfilling the Kickstarter for Sakana Stack it’s been great to get back to the creative table and work on some new game ideas. Mike has been working hard on a few ideas, including a couple of collaborative designs which we are really excited about and can share more detail soon.
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We have also put a big focus in the design for the follow up to Sakana Stack and are progressing well with ‘Roller Disco’. Roller Disco is also a climbing/shedding game, but with the unique mechanic where you are playing your cards in sequences around a mirrorball. The playtesting has gone really well and we are now in the full design stage. Joss has spent a lot of time researching the origins of roller disco and looking at styles and colours to integrate into the artwork. We are hoping to have the game ready for boarder playtesting with the new artwork soon!
