Sean Fletcher, Maker of Games
@gamemakerfletch.bsky.social
Senior game designer. Husband, dad, full-time nerd.
In today’s blog post, why I prefer designing board games and TCGs with a partner, and some light behind-the-scenes of what I’ve been working on.
discocandybar.com/2025/11/23/t...
discocandybar.com/2025/11/23/t...
November 23, 2025 at 6:23 PM
In today’s blog post, why I prefer designing board games and TCGs with a partner, and some light behind-the-scenes of what I’ve been working on.
discocandybar.com/2025/11/23/t...
discocandybar.com/2025/11/23/t...
Apart from the prerelease event I went to, I’ve bought a total of 5 packs of Lorcana since January. All have been Whispers in the Well, the set I led design on.
Last night I cracked a pack and found Goliath, one of the specific cards I had a big part of designing.
Hard to see here, but he’s foil.
Last night I cracked a pack and found Goliath, one of the specific cards I had a big part of designing.
Hard to see here, but he’s foil.
November 22, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Apart from the prerelease event I went to, I’ve bought a total of 5 packs of Lorcana since January. All have been Whispers in the Well, the set I led design on.
Last night I cracked a pack and found Goliath, one of the specific cards I had a big part of designing.
Hard to see here, but he’s foil.
Last night I cracked a pack and found Goliath, one of the specific cards I had a big part of designing.
Hard to see here, but he’s foil.
I got a question this morning in response to a blog post from earlier this week. Today I give a little more insight into my thoughts on resource variance in trading card games, and ways to improve on old models.
discocandybar.com/2025/11/20/q...
discocandybar.com/2025/11/20/q...
November 20, 2025 at 7:59 PM
I got a question this morning in response to a blog post from earlier this week. Today I give a little more insight into my thoughts on resource variance in trading card games, and ways to improve on old models.
discocandybar.com/2025/11/20/q...
discocandybar.com/2025/11/20/q...
With multiple new Trading Card Game projects on my desk, I learned of a new prototyping tool. How does it stack up against the systems I’ve been using for years?
discocandybar.com/2025/11/19/a...
discocandybar.com/2025/11/19/a...
November 20, 2025 at 1:36 AM
With multiple new Trading Card Game projects on my desk, I learned of a new prototyping tool. How does it stack up against the systems I’ve been using for years?
discocandybar.com/2025/11/19/a...
discocandybar.com/2025/11/19/a...
As someone who’s designed for Magic: the Gathering, Lorcana, and now two original trading card games, what have I learned about designing TCGs? Here’s four key lessons I’ve picked up in the last 30 years….
discocandybar.com/2025/11/18/t...
discocandybar.com/2025/11/18/t...
November 19, 2025 at 2:29 AM
As someone who’s designed for Magic: the Gathering, Lorcana, and now two original trading card games, what have I learned about designing TCGs? Here’s four key lessons I’ve picked up in the last 30 years….
discocandybar.com/2025/11/18/t...
discocandybar.com/2025/11/18/t...
Game designers: you know that feeling where you’re super-energized by the direction a project is moving, but you know you have to pace yourself?
This guy here right now.
This guy here right now.
November 15, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Game designers: you know that feeling where you’re super-energized by the direction a project is moving, but you know you have to pace yourself?
This guy here right now.
This guy here right now.
I’m back to some blogging! Highs, Lows, and a Buffalo for the las seven-odd weeks, including some thoughts on the fan reception to Lorcana: Whispers in the Well.
discocandybar.com/2025/11/14/o...
discocandybar.com/2025/11/14/o...
November 14, 2025 at 7:04 PM
I’m back to some blogging! Highs, Lows, and a Buffalo for the las seven-odd weeks, including some thoughts on the fan reception to Lorcana: Whispers in the Well.
discocandybar.com/2025/11/14/o...
discocandybar.com/2025/11/14/o...
Had a really positive playtest of a new project today.
Now riding that fine line between embracing validation and staying humble.
Now riding that fine line between embracing validation and staying humble.
November 14, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Had a really positive playtest of a new project today.
Now riding that fine line between embracing validation and staying humble.
Now riding that fine line between embracing validation and staying humble.
So, say we see Trump go down in a figurative catastrophic blaze because he knew a ton of details of a child sex-trafficking ring, and that a bunch of people in Washington — knew Trump knew those things, and conspired to cover it all up for him. Do Vance, Johnson, and others go to jail?
Please?
Please?
November 12, 2025 at 8:29 PM
So, say we see Trump go down in a figurative catastrophic blaze because he knew a ton of details of a child sex-trafficking ring, and that a bunch of people in Washington — knew Trump knew those things, and conspired to cover it all up for him. Do Vance, Johnson, and others go to jail?
Please?
Please?
Did you play in a Whispers in the Well prerelease event this weekend? What were your highlights? Overall thoughts on the set and mechanical themes?
November 8, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Did you play in a Whispers in the Well prerelease event this weekend? What were your highlights? Overall thoughts on the set and mechanical themes?
Had a mini-reunion tonight with some of the team behind the latest Lorcana set, Whispers in the Well. It was awesome to get to play with the cards I’d worked on, and to see the reactions to new mechanics and themes. A ton of fun, and 2-1 record.
November 8, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Had a mini-reunion tonight with some of the team behind the latest Lorcana set, Whispers in the Well. It was awesome to get to play with the cards I’d worked on, and to see the reactions to new mechanics and themes. A ton of fun, and 2-1 record.
Whispers in the Well prerelease events are today, and while I no longer have any ties to Lorcana, I’m still planning to hit my Friendly Local Game Store to play with the cards from the first TCG set I led the design of. Very excited to see people cracking packs, and hoping for some cool card pulls!
November 7, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Whispers in the Well prerelease events are today, and while I no longer have any ties to Lorcana, I’m still planning to hit my Friendly Local Game Store to play with the cards from the first TCG set I led the design of. Very excited to see people cracking packs, and hoping for some cool card pulls!
Our three jack-‘o-lanterns: uprising, upbeat, upchuck.
November 1, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Our three jack-‘o-lanterns: uprising, upbeat, upchuck.
LONG LIVE THE REBELLION.
F*€& / FIGHT THE EMPIRE.
F*€& / FIGHT THE EMPIRE.
October 30, 2025 at 11:58 PM
LONG LIVE THE REBELLION.
F*€& / FIGHT THE EMPIRE.
F*€& / FIGHT THE EMPIRE.
Cutting away the skin of the pumpkin very carefully with an X-Acto blade. The yellow parts will glow, without showing the bright white of the light inside.
October 30, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Cutting away the skin of the pumpkin very carefully with an X-Acto blade. The yellow parts will glow, without showing the bright white of the light inside.
The pumpkin passes the interior scrape test; a flashlight inside the (eventual) jack-’o-lantern shows through the parts I’ve removed the skin from.
No complete cuts through the shell for a while…
No complete cuts through the shell for a while…
October 30, 2025 at 8:40 PM
The pumpkin passes the interior scrape test; a flashlight inside the (eventual) jack-’o-lantern shows through the parts I’ve removed the skin from.
No complete cuts through the shell for a while…
No complete cuts through the shell for a while…
This is the part where I start transferring the template onto the pumpkin. I draw it on in negative, so that I can cut away the dark parts, leaving the skin as the black once it’s lit from inside.
October 30, 2025 at 6:45 PM
This is the part where I start transferring the template onto the pumpkin. I draw it on in negative, so that I can cut away the dark parts, leaving the skin as the black once it’s lit from inside.
You know the shell of the pumpkin is getting thin enough to carve when you can see a flashlight through the outer skin.
October 30, 2025 at 6:26 PM
You know the shell of the pumpkin is getting thin enough to carve when you can see a flashlight through the outer skin.
The pumpkin carving begins!
I start by cutting out the BACK of the pumpkin, not the top. It makes it a lot easier to get an even scrape on the front from the interior. Consistency of the scrape is key to getting the front thin enough for the eventual mid-tones.
I start by cutting out the BACK of the pumpkin, not the top. It makes it a lot easier to get an even scrape on the front from the interior. Consistency of the scrape is key to getting the front thin enough for the eventual mid-tones.
October 30, 2025 at 6:02 PM
The pumpkin carving begins!
I start by cutting out the BACK of the pumpkin, not the top. It makes it a lot easier to get an even scrape on the front from the interior. Consistency of the scrape is key to getting the front thin enough for the eventual mid-tones.
I start by cutting out the BACK of the pumpkin, not the top. It makes it a lot easier to get an even scrape on the front from the interior. Consistency of the scrape is key to getting the front thin enough for the eventual mid-tones.
Almost time to start carving this year’s pumpkin…
October 29, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Almost time to start carving this year’s pumpkin…
Things you find in your old photos while digging around for past jack-o’-lantern pics:
This old game design where players built steampunk-ish airships while trying to defend their goods from other players and sky pirates. The prototype is long since lost, but lo and behold, there’s evidence of it!
This old game design where players built steampunk-ish airships while trying to defend their goods from other players and sky pirates. The prototype is long since lost, but lo and behold, there’s evidence of it!
October 28, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Things you find in your old photos while digging around for past jack-o’-lantern pics:
This old game design where players built steampunk-ish airships while trying to defend their goods from other players and sky pirates. The prototype is long since lost, but lo and behold, there’s evidence of it!
This old game design where players built steampunk-ish airships while trying to defend their goods from other players and sky pirates. The prototype is long since lost, but lo and behold, there’s evidence of it!
Five years ago I carved a Gus Fring jack ‘o lantern. This year I’m going every bit as ambitious. Maybe more.
Stay tuned.
Stay tuned.
October 27, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Five years ago I carved a Gus Fring jack ‘o lantern. This year I’m going every bit as ambitious. Maybe more.
Stay tuned.
Stay tuned.
Hopping on a trend.
I followed @gailsimone.bsky.social because @itsrossthompson.bsky.social told her I could answer some questions about board games for her, and when I followed up to see who this person was Ross had me talking with, I was like, “holy crap, she’s kinda awesome”.
I followed @gailsimone.bsky.social because @itsrossthompson.bsky.social told her I could answer some questions about board games for her, and when I followed up to see who this person was Ross had me talking with, I was like, “holy crap, she’s kinda awesome”.
October 25, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Hopping on a trend.
I followed @gailsimone.bsky.social because @itsrossthompson.bsky.social told her I could answer some questions about board games for her, and when I followed up to see who this person was Ross had me talking with, I was like, “holy crap, she’s kinda awesome”.
I followed @gailsimone.bsky.social because @itsrossthompson.bsky.social told her I could answer some questions about board games for her, and when I followed up to see who this person was Ross had me talking with, I was like, “holy crap, she’s kinda awesome”.
One of my favorite gags in Whispers in the Well was this: The Headless Manhorse debuts in the same set as the Headless Horseman.
Great card interaction? Not at all. But I still laugh so hard when I think about getting this into my first set design.
Great card interaction? Not at all. But I still laugh so hard when I think about getting this into my first set design.
October 23, 2025 at 7:16 PM
One of my favorite gags in Whispers in the Well was this: The Headless Manhorse debuts in the same set as the Headless Horseman.
Great card interaction? Not at all. But I still laugh so hard when I think about getting this into my first set design.
Great card interaction? Not at all. But I still laugh so hard when I think about getting this into my first set design.
As a Red Sox fan, I don’t actually own any Mariners gear. Will this work?
GO M’S!!!
GO M’S!!!
October 19, 2025 at 5:01 PM
As a Red Sox fan, I don’t actually own any Mariners gear. Will this work?
GO M’S!!!
GO M’S!!!