You don’t actually need a board to make a gameboard. You can make a fully usable prototype board that will be good for dozens of playtests using only cardstock and scotch tape.
I make a lot of prototypes. Most of them, I end up quickly revising, and within a week or two, I’m replacing many of the components – often the board too. So I’ve developed a method for building game boards that is fully functional, but is also cheap, quick, and highly portable.
Check out the youtube video below for tips on how to build prototype boards like these:
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Luke Laurie
Game Designer at Luke Laurie Games
Designer of Stones of Fate and The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire
Game designer by night, and middle school science and pre-engineering teacher by day. He lives in Santa Maria California with his amazing wife and two unrealistically well-behaved children.
Game designer by night, and middle school science and pre-engineering teacher by day. He lives in Santa Maria California with his amazing wife and two unrealistically well-behaved children.
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3 Readers Commented
Join discussionGreat topic, Luke. I usually get chipboard from my local office supply store and use full sheet label paper but in the early stages of development this would really make much more sense. When I’m in the super early stages of development I’ll just use wet erase marker on a whiteboard.
I use 24# paper, more tape, and either roll them up to carry in a mailing tube, or put them in 17″ by 22″ stiff plastic envelopes that I bought at WBC. An 11″ by 17″ inkjet printer helps, nowadays. Haven’t got a paper cutter yet, though I should: I just use scissors.
Thanks for the video Luke! Extremely helpful for rapid prototyping.