Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Mandela F-G @mandelafg.bsky.social · 20h

Co-design with @thedarkimp.bsky.social tested above. The man in the blue shirt leapt over the table to where I'm standing to grab a die and win the game. I had to catch him to soften the landing.

Not a metric I'd usually rely on, but it feels like a good sign for the game. Was a highlight for me.

1 6

Mandela F-G @mandelafg.bsky.social · 20h

One of the joys of being a board game designer is tapping into the global network of designers and meeting all kinds of new and interesting people.

Yesterday, I popped into Darmstadt, Germany and had a wonderful day playtesting. Tomorrow, Stuttgart to stay with a publisher friend.

People sitting around a table with many board games behind them. All clutching dice in their hands, several are laughing.

1 1 9

Mandela F-G @mandelafg.bsky.social · 3d

Enjoyable designer diary. I appreciate how @kostby.bsky.social deftly navigates around the politics of the game in a way which should keep everyone happy.

BoardGameGeek @boardgamegeek.com · 3d

Preview: Designer Kristian Amundsen Østby talks about the creation of Tax the Rich, a trick-taking card game (co-designed with Kjetil Svendsen) featuring a modern setting that will resonate with some and alienate others: boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogp... —WEM

1

Mandela F-G @mandelafg.bsky.social · 3d

Facebook is showing me images from 6 years ago when I was messing 🎲✂️ around with this design.

Exciting to see it come to wide release very soon and with, I have to concede, improved art & graphic design thanks to @ianotoole.bsky.social, and much better gameplay thanks to @flopiano.bsky.social.

A paper gameboard map drawn with Microsoft paint and a hodgepodge of different components scattered across it.

Cubes on a personal player board with a wealth of confusing, but very Euro, iconography. Quipu shown in the background.

2 33

Reposted by Mandela F-G

Osprey Games ➡️ Essen SPIEL 3.M600 @ospreygames.bsky.social · 4d

📢 Ayar – from @flopiano.bsky.social, @mandelafg.bsky.social & @ianotoole.bsky.social – is out 1 week today: https://bit.ly/4oFvT0y

🌽 Compete for area majority farming maize
⚱️ Collect sets crafting pottery
🧵 Build your pattern weaving carpets
🛶 Traverse the lake board learning reed bundling

7 26

Mandela F-G @mandelafg.bsky.social · 9d

Yes, that is all my co-designer, Denholm, to credit for that. Was a brilliant idea to start from.

1 3

Reposted by Mandela F-G

Chris "Spikeh" Sebok - SUBNET @nineteenninjas.bsky.social · 10d

That bear is just not capable of attacking anyone. Look at its little face.

1 1 2

Mandela F-G @mandelafg.bsky.social · 9d

It was a buzz, thanks again for organising.

1 1

Reposted by Mandela F-G

Osprey Games ➡️ Essen SPIEL 3.M600 @ospreygames.bsky.social · 10d

☀️ The official Ayar: Children of the Sun tutorial from Getting Games is here: https://bit.ly/4nRLppj

Learn to play this hot new eurogame from the creators of Merv & Sankoré @flopiano.bsky.social @mandelafg.bsky.social @ianotoole.bsky.social

// 16th OCT UK // 14th OCT US // https://bit.ly/4oFvT0y

A screengrab of Jonathan Cox from Getting Games from his tutorial video for Ayar: Children of the Sun.

A screengrab from the tutorial video showing a fully set up game with a main board and player boards with various wooden and cardboard pieces arranged around them.

2 12

Reposted by Mandela F-G

Osprey Games ➡️ Essen SPIEL 3.M600 @ospreygames.bsky.social · 17d

Learn how to play ! 🧐🧐

The Ayar rulebook is now available on the game's @boardgamegeek.com page and our website gaming resources page: https://bit.ly/4miX3YE

Get a head start before release and demos @spielessen.bsky.social next month...

October 16th UK / 14th US: https://bit.ly/4oFvT0y

A photo of the board game box for Ayar: Children of the Sun stood in front of a careful arrangement of different coloured wooden meeples from the game and cardboard score trackers shaped like elaborate golden idols. In the back ground, out of focus, are the board games Merv and Sankoré on a shelf.

2 9

Reposted by Mandela F-G

Osprey Games ➡️ Essen SPIEL 3.M600 @ospreygames.bsky.social · 24d

Ayar photos are on @boardgamegeek.com!

Get a sneak peek at the eurogame from the creators of Merv and Sankoré ahead of release @flopiano.bsky.social @mandelafg.bsky.social @ianotoole.bsky.social

📸 boardgameshots

// 16th October UK // 14th October US // https://bit.ly/4n7je5c

A photo of the board game box for Ayar: Children of the Sun stood behind a fully set-up game: a large central board, 4 player boards and 1 side board, all covered with various wooden meeples and cardboard tokens.

1 2 12

Reposted by Mandela F-G

Ellie Dix @thedarkimp.bsky.social · Sep 11

I've been talking to Matthew Dunstan about building and maintaining relationships with publishers. We discuss:
📬 Making first contact
🔁 Balancing persistence & pressure
💬 Positive publisher experiences
🧩 When publisher ties still matter in self-publishing

thegamedesignroundtable.com/episode/btc-...

1 5 14

Reposted by Mandela F-G

Osprey Games ➡️ Essen SPIEL 3.M600 @ospreygames.bsky.social · Sep 9

In our hot new eurogame Ayar you'll balance different minigames with their own rules & benefits as your player clan learns the essentials of Incan life...

🌾Farming
⚱️Pottery
🧵Weaving
🛶Reed bundling

OCTOBER: https://bit.ly/4oFvT0y

@flopiano.bsky.social @mandelafg.bsky.social @ianotoole.bsky.social

A close-up photo of a side board alongside the main game board in Ayar, depicting a lake with various cardboard tokens and coloured wooden pieces placed around it.

A close-up photo of a player board next to the main game board in Ayar, surrounded with reference cards, a score tracker and various cardboard tokens, and split into different sections with all sorts of wooden meeple placed around it.

1 2 14

Reposted by Mandela F-G

Osprey Games ➡️ Essen SPIEL 3.M600 @ospreygames.bsky.social · Sep 5

Here's your first peek at the beautiful meeples from our hot new eurogame Ayar!

In the game you'll be playing as the first clans of the Inca following in the Ayar's footsteps & influencing their journeys...

OCT: https://bit.ly/4oFvT0y

📸 boardgameshots

@flopiano.bsky.social @mandelafg.bsky.social

A close-up photo of the board of a set-up game of Ayar: Children of the Sun. The board is illustrated with a map with various paths across it, and various different coloured wooden pieces are placed round it. In focus are meeples of robed figures with crowns and details picked out in gold.

Another close-up showing a different area of the board where two of the meeples have been placed together, fitting perfectly as if clasping hands.

2 14

Reposted by Mandela F-G

Senet magazine @senetmagazine.bsky.social · Aug 14

Tonight we are mostly following Incan demi-gods around, in Ayar: Children of the Sun.

1 13

Mandela F-G @mandelafg.bsky.social · Jul 18

Some last minute prototyping 🎲✂️ on my way to @manorcon.bsky.social. Will be my first time. Look forward to demoing Ayar, hopefully some playtesting, and lots of playing new games.

Feel free to stop me if you fancy some playtesting.

Cards showing doughnuts laid out on a train tray table with scissors. Stickers have been cut and added to some cards.

7

Reposted by Mandela F-G

Rob Harris @playtestuk.bsky.social · Jun 24

Great turnout for the London weekend Playtest meetup last
Sunday. 3 full tables of prototypes across 3+ sessions. From pandas to pirate mutinies to the Zodiac to epic snail adventures. The creativity is always astounding. Search out your local friendly Playtest meetup here: www.meetup.com/Playtest

A game prototype being played by four smiling playtesters

A small space themed prototype in the middle of a playtest.

Three playtesters enjoying a game prototype with a pirate theme.

A game design prototype with lovely components with two playtesters and the designer.

1 3 8

Mandela F-G @mandelafg.bsky.social · Jun 5

This campaign is from a former mentee of mine, Bruno Ligouri Sia. It was great to guide him through those first steps to published design and now see one of his games, about his homeland, with such lavish and vibrant production.

www.kickstarter.com/projects/mar...

Rewild: South America

A card-driven, engine-building board game for 1-4 players, entirely dedicated to the complex ecosystem of South America.

www.kickstarter.com

3

Reposted by Mandela F-G

Matthew Dunstan @matthewdunstan.bsky.social · Jun 2

Today's video is about 10 common ways to improve your game design, things I find myself giving as playtesting feedback again and again :)

youtu.be/px1sdjwL-z4

🎲✂️

Do these 10 things to improve your games

YouTube video by Matthew Dunstan

youtu.be

5 16 64

Mandela F-G @mandelafg.bsky.social · Jun 2

Elation for some and consternation for others as another Ayar retires and is reunited with his partner.

@ospreygames.bsky.social @flopiano.bsky.social @ianotoole.bsky.social

Wooden game pieces on a game board. They are a male and female figure nestled together, both in traditional Inca attire.

1 10

Mandela F-G @mandelafg.bsky.social · Apr 30

And here's some of those pretty playing cards.

A standard set of playing cards showing lots of pretty insect illustrations. Common names for each are provided along with binomial names and some stats - size in mm, lifespan in days, and the no. of eggs.

1

Mandela F-G @mandelafg.bsky.social · Apr 30

Received 'Brilliant Bugs' insect cards from Quarto/Kaddo. I was a consultant entomologist for these. A fun wee job where I got to choose some cool insects for the game, did some fact checking, and text wrote for the accompanying booklet. It came out very nicely.

Playing card box titled 'Brilliant Bugs Playing Cards'

Back of box crediting illustrations to Kelsey Oseid and text to Mandela Fernandez-Grandon

Showing slide out of box and a small information booklet.

Details from within booklet crediting illustrator and author.

2 1 3

Reposted by Mandela F-G

Ellie Dix @thedarkimp.bsky.social · Apr 30

A new episode of Behind the Cardboard landed last week - I'm late to share it. In the show I talk to my co-designer @mandelafg.bsky.social about co-designing! We cover the benefits & process of co-design, co-design challenges and how to get a co-designer.
thegamedesignroundtable.com/episode/btc-...

3 10

Reposted by Mandela F-G

Matthew Dunstan @matthewdunstan.bsky.social · Apr 28

In this week's video, I take a look back at the steps that led to me becoming a full time game designer, starting some 15 years ago!

youtu.be/Q0-5qr6lhfc

🎲 ✂️

How I became a full time board game designer

YouTube video by Matthew Dunstan

youtu.be

3 23

Mandela F-G @mandelafg.bsky.social · Apr 29

Some nice insight, with numbers, into 11 years of design from a great ambassador of the UK design community.

Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · Apr 28

My game design blog has been going for 11 years now, so I thought I'd have a quick look back at a few things. 🎲✂️
firsttakesomedice.blogspot.com/2025/04/up-t...

Up to Eleven

Looking back I see that my first post in this blog was in April 2014, so I've been blogging - albeit sporadically - about tabletop game desi...

firsttakesomedice.blogspot.com

1 4