Chris Lawrence 🔜 PAXU

My next game's just been announced! Crafting Companions is going to be for sale online as part of the Midnight Market! It'll only be available for a few days, so put Nov 27 on your calendars! The game's a multivictor tableau builder where players build scrapbooks together. It plays 1-6 in 20 mins.

Lunarpunk Games@lunarpunk.games

Hello all, this year's Midnight Market is almost upon us. On November 27-29, we'll be selling limited, hand-assembled indie games designed by Chris Lawrence, Marceline Leiman, Zach Sockol, Jaela Horton, and Eric Dittmore. Be sure to "market" on your calendar. The Night is for Indie Games. 🌙

I know a common solution to the quarterbacking problem in cooperative board games is to limit communication, but I do kinda hate it. I play cooperative board games because I want to work together with the other people at the table, and a big part of working together is communicating.

Interestingly I think games being multivictor is another solution. When I was working on Crafting Companions I found players worked together, but since you were ultimately responsible for yourself it lessened some of the stress.

store.steampowered.comPenguin Colony on SteamCosmic horror, through the eyes of a penguin. Rival human factions have come to your home in the Antarctic, seeking an ancient and inconceivable being. Observe their descent into insanity in this fait...

I'm excited to try Penguin Colony. Umurangi Generation (the studio's previous game) is probably one my top video games of all time, and one of my first recommendations for anyone who wants to see how amazingly artistic games can be.

Veselekov@veselekov.bsky.social

Penguin Colony is now available store.steampowered.com/app/3695930/...

On one hand, I really appreciate how easy LA makes it to vote and how encouraging they are (especially when it comes to mail-in ballots). On the other hand I've been getting e-mails from them every few days reminding me. Like I'm working on it, geez!

Buttons! So many buttons! I wanted to add a tactile element to an upcoming game I've been working on, and they were just too perfect. (Though they turned out to be a little bit small so I may need to buy bigger ones. And then make another game to use these.)

I miss when LA didn't have mosquitos 😭

Turns out I will be making it to PAX Unplugged after all!

17 Sept

Did a play of Cat Paper Scissors this past weekend! We're not done with the game quite yet, so expect some more news coming soon. 😉

12 Sept

Played Wingspan Pocket last night. I reallt liked it! The original Wingspan never quite clicked with me, so I was pleasantly surprised. It hits a good balance between the simplicity and the crunch. You also are constantly running your engine, which is very satisfying.

Chris Lawrence 🔜 PAXU reposted

Now that I've attended every (in-person) indie game market at least once, I wanted to share my thoughts on each of them. I sold Propaganda, Coupon Clipper, and/or Tricked Out at each market. Coupon Clipper is a more typical game, while Propaganda and Tricked Out are more out there.

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PAX Unplugged Probably the one where everyone buying understands the core "these games are weird" premise the most. If you have a good hook or good marketing best market for sales. Unfortunately last years layout really hurt Impulse Buys. Also the most competitive market to get accepted into.

Should mention "Hearing of your game beforehand" often just means they saw it on the market's preview page. Takeaway: If you have a game, and are local or already going to the con I think they're always worth signing-up for. But note I don't think I ever made enough money to cover flight + hotel.

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LFG Con Not much to say about this one. It's a small local con, and didn't even have enough sign-ups this year, but was very convenient for me last year so I can't complain.

PAX West Pretty crowded. Definitely more Impulse Buyers than Indie (I had to explain what a trick-taker was a few times). Games that are psuedo-TCG or social deduction would probably do well here, since it's a more casual video gamer-esque crowd. Con where I sold the most of Coupon Clipper.

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Game Market West A standalone event. Propaganda sold pretty poorly here, but I suspect more accessible games would do well. Downside is the event is longer than the night markets, and there's no attached con to partly justify the trip.

GenCon A lot of people, and jnterestingly more Indie Buyers than Impulse Buyers (I suspect due to the location). A lot of people who bought Tricked Out were looking for it, specifically. It being at GenCon wasn't the be all and end all though, sales were pretty comparable to the other markets.

Quick note to start with - I broadly divide customers into 2 types: Impulse Buyers who want a more typical gaming experience and are more price sensitive. Indie Buyers who are looking for more unique experiences. These are the buyers who're also more likely to have heard of your game beforehand.

Dice Tower West Smaller con so less overall sales. Mostly Impulse Buyers. Trick-takers and other cheap small box games do well since they're easy to pick up and play. Games that can be played immediately also do well due to the market being 2 nights (at least this year).

Had a great time at PAXWest over the weekend. It was my first time ever going, so I spent most of it just wandering the convention and checking everything out. Logically a lot of video game stuff, though it was interesting how it was almost entirely indie. You can tell the industry's been hit hard.

Also it was kinda shocking how few big companies were at the board game side. Mostly it was a lot of indie Kickstarters. I get the con doesn't have the reputation of GenCon or Unplugged but there were still a lot of people playing and checking out board games. It seemed like a missed opportunity.

The indie night market went well. I did slightly better than expected. A lot of people, and logically more casual buyers. Several people didn't even know what a trick-taker was (which fair). A huge thanks too to @connor.alwaysawake.games for putting on the event!

Joseph Z Chen 🔜 PAX Unplugged

8 Sept

I was going to post about PAX West today but ended up sleeping for 15 hours instead 😴. Suffice to say it was good; more details to follow tomorrow.

Chris Lawrence 🔜 PAXU reposted

@fanfactories.bsky.social

5 Sept

Today is the day! Come swing by the PNW Tabletop Game Market at #PAXWest tonight at Summit 0. You'll find 20 uniquely indie tabletop games that you can only get directly from these designers! A lot of loving care and craft goes into these games. So come check it out after the expo hall closes! ♥️🎲

5 Sept

The fact it's a rebrand of PAX South (as a few comments mentioned) is really interesting to me. It's a sign of both the (ongoing) decline of the video games industry, and the continued success of the tabletop industry. I don't think I would've ever predicted PAX South would've become an Unplugged.

Taylor Shuss@drawnonward.bsky.social

They announced a new PAX Unplugged - that's seems great to me. Shows growth in tabletop, and interesting they are branding it explicitly as another "Unplugged" event. But Texas? While closer to me (in SoCal), not high on my list. Wonder if PAX U will be rebranded to PAX U- Philly?

Chris Lawrence 🔜 PAXU reposted

3 Sept

I'm going to be at PAX West in 3 days! Come by the PNW Tabletop Game Market at 7:00pm to pick-up a copy of Tricked Out or Coupon Clipper (and of course to check out all of the other awesome games on sale).

@goinganalogshow.bsky.social

3 Sept

Chris Lawrence 🔜 PAXU reposted

Going Analog

18 Aug

We ran a 10-player game of The Gang at LFG CON. It initially sounded like a bad idea to us, but the tweaks to the gameplay make it work (the 7-10 player expansion adds zero and exit chips). w/ @panda8ngel.bsky.social @silvermedaltavern.bsky.social

18 Aug

Had a great time over the weekend at LFG Con. It had about double the people as last year, which is a good sign. LA really needs a good con. (I love Strategicon but it has... issues.)

18 Aug

@marcelineleiman.bsky.social Was talking to some friends over the weekend, and one of them mentioned how he really wanted to try Dino Racer. It was cool hearing about your game in the wild!

16 Aug

People are talking about how we need better board game critics, but I'm skeptical people would actually watch anyone who was routinely critical. I think they would be seen as mean and just dismissed out of hand.

16 Aug

It doesn't help the Internet as a whole has an issue with people seeking out opinions that largely already agree with their own (which is a big issue for any kind of in-depth critique). Some critics have escaped this of course, which is great, but I think it makes getting started so brutal.

kickstarter.comSupercollider, Growing Groves, The Franciscan DiamondThree card 🃏 games in a campaign- unique trick taking gems. Compelling games for those new and old to the genre. Get one or all three!

10 Aug

Last day of the Growing Groves Kickstarter! www.kickstarter.com/projects/val...

6 Aug

Check out my and Amanda's playthrough of Growing Groves tomorrow on Twitch! We're nearing the final few days of the Kickstarter, so if you're curious about the game and wanna learn more before the Kickstarter closes now's your chance.

Amanda Panda 🔜 BGG Con, PaxU@panda8ngel.bsky.social

🔴I'm back!!! I'm so tired but I miss you all too! Lots to talk about and see from SDCC and Gen Con. Chris Lawrence will join me to teach his game, Growing Groves on KS. Fri is BGA games w/ Mr. Peebles! See you soon! 📺 www.twitch.tv/panda8ngel 📺 www.youtube.com/@Panda8ngel

5 Aug

An interesting thing about seeing all the GenCon haul photos is just how few games overlap between them. There are just so many games out there you guys.

Amanda Panda 🔜 BGG Con, PaxU

5 Aug

Just took inventory of everything post-GenCon. Looks like I sold all but 4 copies of Tricked Out! But don't worry, I'll get another print run done in time for PAX West! (And needless to say the Indianapolis Game Market went well. Such an amazing opportunity to get my stuff out there.)

Chris Lawrence 🔜 PAXU reposted

@panda8ngel.bsky.social

4 Aug

@elizhargrave.bsky.social

1 Aug

Site of the Indy Game Market in 9ish hours. Er, well I think at least. It's the 3rd floor of the JW at least.

Chris Lawrence 🔜 PAXU reposted

Elizabeth Hargrave

1 Aug

GAME DESIGNERS AT GEN CON: please join us tonight and help spread the word. 6pm downstairs at the JW. (It should be easy to pop up to the Indy game market - that starts at 7pm, 3rd floor. Both go til 10!)

Elizabeth Hargrave@elizhargrave.bsky.social

Saturday 6pm - a creator meetup hosted by TTGDA. You DO NOT need to be a member to attend! Come network with other game designers and creatives. We have the room until 10 so bring a prototype to playtest. (Sorry this overlaps with the night market! We took the space at the time it was available!) 🧵

gencon.eventdb.usTTGDA Creator Meetup

31 July

My flight to GenCon got delayed. As is tradition.

28 July

Getting ready for GenCon! I'm briging a ton of copies of Tricked Out and Coupon Clipper, so fingers crossed 🤞 the Game Market goes well.

@boardgamewire.bsky.social

18 July

The Growing Groves Kickstarter just funded! www.kickstarter.com/projects/val...

Chris Lawrence 🔜 PAXU reposted

BoardGameWire

17 July

Valor Mountain Games says it is challenging hobby game publishing’s “safe bet” mentality - with owner Christopher High wagering his company can succeed by taking chances on the kinds of titles other publishers are passing over: boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

16 July

I 100% agree but for a completely different reason. I think the box size sets expectations for the game's complexity, so when a tiny box has tons of complexity it makes me go "hey this isn't what I signed up for!" and I get frustrated.

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15 July

If you're at PAX West I'll be selling both Tricked Out and Coupon Clipper there, so come by the PNW Tabletop Game Market and check them out!

Always Awake Games (Connor) 🔜 PaxU@connor.alwaysawake.games

Excited to announce the games for the PNW Tabletop Game Market at PaxWest! There’s a lot of really exciting stuff this year. The market opens at 7pm on 9/5. Hope to see you there! www.alwaysawake.games/pnw-tabletop...