Zach Hoekstra
@zhoekstra.bsky.social
Game Designer with three published games and like 800 others I dabble in. He/Him
Imagine how prolific you'd be if you were just a brain in a jar
February 11, 2026 at 4:33 AM
Imagine how prolific you'd be if you were just a brain in a jar
Near the "Board Game Community" cluster I am smack dab in the middle of, there's an unregarded tiny cluster of accounts that follow each other and like *no one* else.
Who are they?
From a quick glance, very specifically British Dentists.
Who are they?
From a quick glance, very specifically British Dentists.
February 9, 2026 at 10:31 AM
Near the "Board Game Community" cluster I am smack dab in the middle of, there's an unregarded tiny cluster of accounts that follow each other and like *no one* else.
Who are they?
From a quick glance, very specifically British Dentists.
Who are they?
From a quick glance, very specifically British Dentists.
I don't think I can copyright an arrow over a disk, so of course!
February 6, 2026 at 4:08 PM
I don't think I can copyright an arrow over a disk, so of course!
Plus I finally got to find room for a path I wanted Neith to take for a while - Syncretism, or integrating with an existing faith and switching her relationship to it in the game.
February 6, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Plus I finally got to find room for a path I wanted Neith to take for a while - Syncretism, or integrating with an existing faith and switching her relationship to it in the game.
I'll be testing these at Utrecht XXL this weekend. We'll see what they end up being - they could replace existing Agendas, act as a advanced player option, or be dropped entirely. Who knows?
February 6, 2026 at 3:20 PM
I'll be testing these at Utrecht XXL this weekend. We'll see what they end up being - they could replace existing Agendas, act as a advanced player option, or be dropped entirely. Who knows?
But players wanted an Agenda to guide them in Season 2 as well. Fine, easy enough, but I didn't want the reward to be JUST VP, this season is all about maneuvering for the last round.
So why not give everyone a cool 1/round ability with a requirement?
So why not give everyone a cool 1/round ability with a requirement?
February 6, 2026 at 3:20 PM
But players wanted an Agenda to guide them in Season 2 as well. Fine, easy enough, but I didn't want the reward to be JUST VP, this season is all about maneuvering for the last round.
So why not give everyone a cool 1/round ability with a requirement?
So why not give everyone a cool 1/round ability with a requirement?
Right now I have 1 Early Agenda and 3 Late Agendas that curate a very specific instance. But what if we want to give advanced players some more paths to follow?
Step one, give each player a new Early Agenda they can swap out if they want. Different goals, but the same reward (VP)
Step one, give each player a new Early Agenda they can swap out if they want. Different goals, but the same reward (VP)
February 6, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Right now I have 1 Early Agenda and 3 Late Agendas that curate a very specific instance. But what if we want to give advanced players some more paths to follow?
Step one, give each player a new Early Agenda they can swap out if they want. Different goals, but the same reward (VP)
Step one, give each player a new Early Agenda they can swap out if they want. Different goals, but the same reward (VP)
Your thoughts on game design have fundamentally changed how I think about my own, in a very good way. I don't think I'm going to ever make games quite the way you do, but I see hollandspiel as an aspirational model for my own work.
February 3, 2026 at 7:44 AM
Your thoughts on game design have fundamentally changed how I think about my own, in a very good way. I don't think I'm going to ever make games quite the way you do, but I see hollandspiel as an aspirational model for my own work.
Usually only in publishing-focused discords, but maybe we'll see more on bsky in the future
February 3, 2026 at 6:00 AM
Usually only in publishing-focused discords, but maybe we'll see more on bsky in the future
Me, never, I'm an angel! 😇
February 1, 2026 at 7:20 AM
Me, never, I'm an angel! 😇
Something I noticed, make sure you define the weight/finish of the cards you want. There's a big price difference between 200g flat finish and 350g blue core linen finish. Also it's important to know whether you're using just plain wooden pieces or if you want a print on there of some kind
January 31, 2026 at 9:37 AM
Something I noticed, make sure you define the weight/finish of the cards you want. There's a big price difference between 200g flat finish and 350g blue core linen finish. Also it's important to know whether you're using just plain wooden pieces or if you want a print on there of some kind
Looking good so far!
Indeed, we switched to gamefound because the style and weight of the game lends itself to niche word of mouth rather than broad appeal.
Indeed, we switched to gamefound because the style and weight of the game lends itself to niche word of mouth rather than broad appeal.
January 31, 2026 at 8:06 AM
Looking good so far!
Indeed, we switched to gamefound because the style and weight of the game lends itself to niche word of mouth rather than broad appeal.
Indeed, we switched to gamefound because the style and weight of the game lends itself to niche word of mouth rather than broad appeal.
Not just you, we're all in a weird fugue state right now
January 31, 2026 at 6:29 AM
Not just you, we're all in a weird fugue state right now
Oh and if you're a reviewer that might be interested in being in the review copy rotation for a 2-hour COIN-like, let me know.
January 31, 2026 at 6:24 AM
Oh and if you're a reviewer that might be interested in being in the review copy rotation for a 2-hour COIN-like, let me know.