George Lubinski
@perfectpencil.bsky.social
Artist / Designer. If you're reading this, welcome to my blog. Watch me mentally unravel as I solo develop a table top deck builder. Working title: "The Queen of Swords". 1-7 Players, co-op and verses. Started in 2018 and I'm still finding marbles to lose.
This applies to all types of game design. #ttrpg #rpg #indiedev #boardgames #cardgames #tcg #dnd #videogames #gamedev #gamedesign #homebrew www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhrL...
8: AI is horrible at game design
YouTube video by Catacombian Games
www.youtube.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:51 PM
This applies to all types of game design. #ttrpg #rpg #indiedev #boardgames #cardgames #tcg #dnd #videogames #gamedev #gamedesign #homebrew www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhrL...
Newest Playtest is finally here! 9 precon decks and then all the monster cards. Testing a dry erase accordion board and some doodads. Now to recruit some players to break the game! #tcg #cardgames #solodev #indiedev #gamedev #gamedesign #carddesign #irlgames #ccg #playtesting #ttrpg #dnd #rpg #play
September 3, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Newest Playtest is finally here! 9 precon decks and then all the monster cards. Testing a dry erase accordion board and some doodads. Now to recruit some players to break the game! #tcg #cardgames #solodev #indiedev #gamedev #gamedesign #carddesign #irlgames #ccg #playtesting #ttrpg #dnd #rpg #play
See devil girl, post devil girl?
Quite old watercolor and not very evil as far devils go, but does she need to be? Currently hanging in my 5yo's bedroom. #art #painting #watercolor #handmade #fantasy #justforfun #noai #cutegirl
Quite old watercolor and not very evil as far devils go, but does she need to be? Currently hanging in my 5yo's bedroom. #art #painting #watercolor #handmade #fantasy #justforfun #noai #cutegirl
August 22, 2025 at 6:55 AM
See devil girl, post devil girl?
Quite old watercolor and not very evil as far devils go, but does she need to be? Currently hanging in my 5yo's bedroom. #art #painting #watercolor #handmade #fantasy #justforfun #noai #cutegirl
Quite old watercolor and not very evil as far devils go, but does she need to be? Currently hanging in my 5yo's bedroom. #art #painting #watercolor #handmade #fantasy #justforfun #noai #cutegirl
In the quest for FEWER cards in my final product, I'm folding 140 split cards into a pile of 119 split cards. This means 3 things on the front and 1 big thing on the back. This might already be unreasonable. Won't be sure until i test them. #indiedev #solodev #tcgdev #gamedev #cardgames #carddesign
August 22, 2025 at 2:23 AM
In the quest for FEWER cards in my final product, I'm folding 140 split cards into a pile of 119 split cards. This means 3 things on the front and 1 big thing on the back. This might already be unreasonable. Won't be sure until i test them. #indiedev #solodev #tcgdev #gamedev #cardgames #carddesign
So now we're in the "wake up, check my place in line, remain sad" part of development. Gave away my last print to a friend moving away so I have nothing in hand at the moment. That feels...odd. Like I'm naked or something. #boardgamedesign #playtesting #cardgamedesign #indiedev #solodev #gamedev
August 21, 2025 at 4:56 PM
So now we're in the "wake up, check my place in line, remain sad" part of development. Gave away my last print to a friend moving away so I have nothing in hand at the moment. That feels...odd. Like I'm naked or something. #boardgamedesign #playtesting #cardgamedesign #indiedev #solodev #gamedev
Just about 15 years old and I still like this oil painting. Wife won't let me hang it and she was my model for it. Ah well.
August 19, 2025 at 4:01 AM
Just about 15 years old and I still like this oil painting. Wife won't let me hang it and she was my model for it. Ah well.
A month since the last playtest print and tonight I'm ordering another with critical balance changes. But hey.. THIS ONE will be it. This time it's balanced and I can finally dedicate myself to all the art. Right?!
Pic Unrelated. #playtest #indiedev #solodev #cardgames #boardgames #gamedev #tcg
Pic Unrelated. #playtest #indiedev #solodev #cardgames #boardgames #gamedev #tcg
August 13, 2025 at 3:24 AM
A month since the last playtest print and tonight I'm ordering another with critical balance changes. But hey.. THIS ONE will be it. This time it's balanced and I can finally dedicate myself to all the art. Right?!
Pic Unrelated. #playtest #indiedev #solodev #cardgames #boardgames #gamedev #tcg
Pic Unrelated. #playtest #indiedev #solodev #cardgames #boardgames #gamedev #tcg
I'm on a warpath to slim down unnecessary cards/content from my game to save on printing costs and it makes me look at videogames with a pinch of ire. I wouldn't need to be doing this if I was making a video game!
Pic unrelated #gamedesign #prototyping #gamedev #boardgames #solodev #indiedev #tcgs
Pic unrelated #gamedesign #prototyping #gamedev #boardgames #solodev #indiedev #tcgs
August 7, 2025 at 3:19 PM
I'm on a warpath to slim down unnecessary cards/content from my game to save on printing costs and it makes me look at videogames with a pinch of ire. I wouldn't need to be doing this if I was making a video game!
Pic unrelated #gamedesign #prototyping #gamedev #boardgames #solodev #indiedev #tcgs
Pic unrelated #gamedesign #prototyping #gamedev #boardgames #solodev #indiedev #tcgs
Reposted by George Lubinski
Solo playtesting today. Almost died a few times! A bigger challenge than I expected but really rewarding.
July 29, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Solo playtesting today. Almost died a few times! A bigger challenge than I expected but really rewarding.
First real group playtest done for this update. Group found many typos, but enjoyed playing. That's a win! Mechanics are solid. Testing continues but it's time to turn these sketches into full paintings. #playtest #cards #cardgames #indiedev #tcg #homebrew #ttrpg #handmade #solodev #gamedev #
July 28, 2025 at 2:07 AM
After about a year of working (on and off) on a new playtest update, I finally have something tangible in hand. Now to playtest and see how many tiny details I goofed up before dropping almost 300 bucks. Hah. #playtest #cardgames #indiedev #gamedesign #wip #solodev #deckbuilder #tcg #boardgames
July 24, 2025 at 4:45 AM
After about a year of working (on and off) on a new playtest update, I finally have something tangible in hand. Now to playtest and see how many tiny details I goofed up before dropping almost 300 bucks. Hah. #playtest #cardgames #indiedev #gamedesign #wip #solodev #deckbuilder #tcg #boardgames
Most major changes to my game are done on spreadsheets so I can't really post them to share. But .. I fixed a major math error today in the tarot card spreadsheet that I'm relieved I found before sending the game to print. Yay #cat #purr #happy #solodev #cardgames #boardgames #diy #indiedev #gamedev
April 12, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Most major changes to my game are done on spreadsheets so I can't really post them to share. But .. I fixed a major math error today in the tarot card spreadsheet that I'm relieved I found before sending the game to print. Yay #cat #purr #happy #solodev #cardgames #boardgames #diy #indiedev #gamedev
And another sketch for a card back. The "deck of fables" will look nice with this as a back. I'll add the borders and everything digitally. Want to get that new playtest version printed this week. #art #sketch #illustration #traditionalart #gamedev #indiedev #solodev #noai #handmade #cardgames
April 3, 2025 at 5:53 PM
And another sketch for a card back. The "deck of fables" will look nice with this as a back. I'll add the borders and everything digitally. Want to get that new playtest version printed this week. #art #sketch #illustration #traditionalart #gamedev #indiedev #solodev #noai #handmade #cardgames
Woops forgot a whole game mechanic from the tarot card. Your character needs to sleep! So what happens when they do?! Spent the morning tweaking font sizes, colors and box layout. Overall happy for now #art #design #carddesign #tarot #tarotart #gamedev #solodev #indiedev #noai #boardgames #cardgames
March 31, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Woops forgot a whole game mechanic from the tarot card. Your character needs to sleep! So what happens when they do?! Spent the morning tweaking font sizes, colors and box layout. Overall happy for now #art #design #carddesign #tarot #tarotart #gamedev #solodev #indiedev #noai #boardgames #cardgames
Cleaned up last night's new design. This feels much more crisp. I've only finished 22/78 item sketches, though. So this Sapphire ring has a blank box. Just means I'll be sketching a lot more very very soon #art #design #gamedev #indiedev #solodev #cardgames #tcgs #tarotcards #tarot #games #irl #noAI
March 30, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Cleaned up last night's new design. This feels much more crisp. I've only finished 22/78 item sketches, though. So this Sapphire ring has a blank box. Just means I'll be sketching a lot more very very soon #art #design #gamedev #indiedev #solodev #cardgames #tcgs #tarotcards #tarot #games #irl #noAI
Whole game is built around these tarot cards. a full 78 card deck is included. Tons of game systems are hooked here. Animal art is temporary as it will be replaced with proper tarot art, but they are needed for testing. Decent first pass? #art #design #gamedev #solodev #indiedev #tarot #cardgames
March 30, 2025 at 5:46 AM
I wanted to put off the tinkering but I just had to fix it. I think this layout is decent for class cards. You collect one of these each time you level up (up to a max of 9). There are 100 of them. 9 classes with 9 levels and 27 multiclasses. #art #design #gamedev #indiegamedev #solodev #cardgames
March 29, 2025 at 8:22 PM
I wanted to put off the tinkering but I just had to fix it. I think this layout is decent for class cards. You collect one of these each time you level up (up to a max of 9). There are 100 of them. 9 classes with 9 levels and 27 multiclasses. #art #design #gamedev #indiegamedev #solodev #cardgames
Interesting challenge this card. Class cards have a boat load of information on them and that doesn't leave much room for them to look pretty. This is functional enough to be used in the next playtest. I'll need to do some work later to clean it up. #gamedev #indiedev #cardgames #design #solodev
March 28, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Interesting challenge this card. Class cards have a boat load of information on them and that doesn't leave much room for them to look pretty. This is functional enough to be used in the next playtest. I'll need to do some work later to clean it up. #gamedev #indiedev #cardgames #design #solodev
And now player cards are getting cleaned up. Sad I can't keep the old hand drawn frames but I'll just need to make new ones. New layout should be easier to read / lighter on the visual clutter. Game has a lot of text, so I'm working around that. #art #design #indiedev #gamedev #solodev #cardgames
March 26, 2025 at 7:10 PM
New layout design for GM cards. Every card covers 3 monster levels and 3 monster rarities. Trying to make a complex card appear much simpler here. Left is old. Right is new. Once it plays nice in hand I'll hand draw/paint a proper card frame. #cardgames #art #design #indiedev #gamedev #boardgames
March 26, 2025 at 2:00 AM
New layout design for GM cards. Every card covers 3 monster levels and 3 monster rarities. Trying to make a complex card appear much simpler here. Left is old. Right is new. Once it plays nice in hand I'll hand draw/paint a proper card frame. #cardgames #art #design #indiedev #gamedev #boardgames
