iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

A quick update from our time at UKGE. Thanks to everyone who came by and said hi / played :)

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

Do you know someone whose collecting badges at UKGE? why not share this post with them. We're offering 4 different badges. 1 for those who visit stall 3-321 and say hi :) and, if you stick around to play Entombed, you'll also receive 1 of the other 3 special badges. #ukge #badge

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

🎲✂️ An early newsletter this month, no idea why ;)

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

(Woah!) We're halfway there. Game 10 of 20 for #testerthursday is Moby Dick.

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

🎲✂️ So ... I've never really written a story with missions before, but there has been some interest in it; if anyone who is at UKGE next week has 5 mins, would you be able to to swing by and offer some feedback (even if it is you think its 💩) Thanks :)

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

🎲✂️ @ukge.bsky.social is just over 2 weeks away! Here's a quick look at where exactly in Hall 3 you can find us :) Feel free to swing by, say hi and try Entombed. Shoutouts to our neighbours @unfringedthings.bsky.social and @rocnestgames.bsky.social :)

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

It's #Testerthursday time, this time it is the turn of Sengoku 9 down ... 11 to go

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 11/05/2025

With just under 20 days until #ukge here's a look at how Entombed looks. If your at UKGE, why not come and play Entombed at stall 3-321 :) #ukgamesexpo

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 08/05/2025

#testerthursday is back; I forgot to ask the name of this game, but sure someone who has played this game may be able to help :) 8 down, 12 to go.

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 04/05/2025

Will be at #ukge at stall 3-321; why not swing by and try out Entombed before it's release next year

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

Tester Thursday is back! This time it's Extreme Dishwasher Loading by @kevmakesgames.bsky.social

A Flip and write game where the object is to load your dishwasher the best you can; the player with the most points wins.

There were 2 play modes, but we played the race mode, where you can either try to fill your washer or could call it quits and hope your opponent hasn’t loaded their washer better than you. It was a great puzzle of a game and loved having multiple levels to load, whilst having the constraint of having to chose 1 card from the 2 levels available that turn (3 levels total). Looking forward to trying this again.

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

🎲✂️ ENTOMBED WILL BE AT UKGE!!!! 🎉 (riddle answer) Hall 3, stand 321. If you're at UKGE, why not come down, say hi and give it a try, before its release in Early 2026 :) We are currently taking bookings for demo's (message / comment for info)

Poster saying Entombed will be at UKGE, hall 3, stand 321

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

🎲✂️ Meet 'Man with a net' ... As the card states, he has a net. Part of Cuckoo's rebranding includes new cards and artwork (still my iffy drawings unfortunately 😂 ... Just need to learn to draw on a computer)

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

Game 6 of 20 in our #testerthursday series. This time it's the turn of Hacktivist (no social media link).

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

Time for game number 5 in the 20 game challenge. This time it's the turn of Meow Squeak by tinyurl.com/c74nat2b ... we're quarter of the way there :)

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

It's Thursday, so it's time for game 4/20 in the 20 game challenge; this week it's the turn of Crunchy Caterpillars. The game genuinely had me intrigued.

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Game 3 of 20 is Heist by Silent Fox Games (discord.gg/aTYdZcYM - please note some games are not suitable for minors and those who are easily offended). Haven't tried the solo mode yet, but looking forward to.

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Game 2 of 20 for #testerthursday is Starsquares (no social media link unfortunately). Had a good time with this one.

Imagine chess crossed with fantasy creatures and a light switch. The idea is to be the first to score 20 points.
This game is great for anyone who likes 2 player strategy games like chess and Onitama. On the whole it was an enjoyable experience; there’s lots of different strategies and options that can be employed. If you like games that really make you think this may be for you.

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Game 1 of 20 for #testerthursday is Kill Stealer Battlegrounds. Excited to see where this one goes

Loosely based around a certain videogame, the idea is to be the first player to kill 3 opponents.

There’s a lot of fun nods to the game, especially with the building aspect and the shrinking battlefield. It’s a great game despite the continual bad luck I had (was picked on by the environment and the 3 friends I played against). It felt like playing the videogame and it definitely created a bit of a buzz among families and teens who’ve played it.

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Will only use the 🎲✂️ once for this, but Inspired by the 600 games in a year challenge @boardgameaddictuk.bsky.social is undertaking, I plan to play 20 prototype games by 20 different designers this year. Starting tomorrow I'll be talking about them and where possible sharing the creators page(s)

Announcing #TesterThursday
The Story
I’ve set myself the challenge of playing prototypes by 20 different designers this year, and each Thursday I’ll talk a little about each of them. However, there is a catch:
They can’t have a crowdfunding page.
My games aren’t counted.
Multiple designs by a designer only count as 1 entry.
Must be in person, online tests don’t count.

Due to health conditions, and there being no local playtest group (the nearest one is over an hour away and isn’t really that accessible for me) this could be a real challenge to achieve.

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

🎲✂️Entombed has an image problem, people are judging it as a non family friendly horrifically violent game, but it's just a cat and mouse style game of tag / it with moveable walls. I’m working on a new name, but need help with a tagline to help describe the game, Thanks :)

1. Mummy’s gonna get ya!
2. Exploring the pyramid
3. Catch me if you can
4. Hide and shriek
5. A pyramid navigation experience
6. Where’s mummy?
7. Escape the pyramid
8. Other—please suggest—bonus points for being witty / funny
picture of game on the right

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

Doing a bit of research for a potential 🎲✂️ project. Does anyone know of a published game that has used pencil sketches of animals for their artwork (a bit like the stock image below) or something very similar? Thanks :)

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

🎲✂️Please find below the latest updates :)

(running out of characters :/ )

Entombed —Rebrand
The rebrand is almost complete and I am happy to share a picture of the latest version below. Still need to update the board, but I’m in no rush to sort that out. The game is almost a kg lighter now … yay!

Entombed — Lost Soul Movement Update
The balancing mechanic works well and gives the Lost Souls more of a fair chance of regaining their soul.

Entombed —Rulebook
The caveats with the Wall Movement Tiles have been ironed out. The Rulebook was updated to reflect this and recent feedback. The turn order was updated to allow the Inhabitants to move before the Lost Souls, allowing for the rules explanation to make more logical sense. Better explanations and pictures were also added, including pictures of the components. To help cater for the new smaller 2 player board, some of the 4 player maps were replaced with smaller 2 player maps. Due to the way manufacturers request rulebooks (1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16 pages etc), including everything would have left us on 9 pages, so unfortunately the 1 player modes has been removed. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Cuckoo — Forgot to say
A few years ago I said I was working on making changes and updates to Cuckoo. Unfortunately due to recurring health issues I stopped (and may stop again) designing games and stupidly deleted all social media accounts. From my notes I was able to implement the discussed changes plus a few extra back in April last year. It looks and plays much better now and the rules make way more sense (which are also available in French). For those who are unfamiliar, Cuckoo is a push your luck card game for 2-6 players, where you want to avoid drawing your opponents Cuckoo’s. It’s an entry level party game that is pure push your luck. Cuckoo was placed on the backburner shortly after it was updated, as Entombed became my main priority.

Due to recent flare ups, there won’t be any updates next month as I need to rest, but until next time :)

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

🎲✂️ Going forward I'll be posting game updates as newsletter style posts when I can ... unfortunately I just don't have the energy to be on social media most days.

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

🎲✂️ Play testing at Dragon Meet with @harperrob.bsky.social .. feel free to come by and try some great games of tomorrow 😁

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

Finally getting round to updating the walls ... 2 down yfffgfffddf more to go 😅 #craftwednesday

Hexagonal pyramid walls with hieroglyphs (2 sets) on.

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

🎲✂️ For Entombed I'm currently testing: (All) New movement mechanic – cards / randomness / tension down 66% (lowest it can go without making the Inhabitants overpowered). (2P) Smaller board – using a 6x6 grid rather than an 8x8. (2/3P) Extra Inhabitant– trialling a stipulation for its control.

Picture illustrating how Entombed might look based on changes mentioned in the above post, placed over a recent-ish photo of Entombed (8x8 grid down to 6x6 for 2 players and the removal of 2 decks)

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

Just recieved the new artwork for the walls from Apolline Etienne 😁

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 05/11/2024

🎲✂️A few pics of how the final prototype would have looked (manufacturer version, which recently arrived). The white tint on the wood will go.

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 05/11/2024

✂️🎲 A few pics of how the final prototype would have looked (manufacturer version, which recently arrived). The white tint on the wood will go. #boardgame

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 24/10/2024

Using all 2 of my brain cells trying to design walls which are both thicker AND still fit on the square after interactions with other walls. 🎲✂️

Notes about different wall construct ideas

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 27/09/2024

Entombed is now (a)live on Kickstarter! How will you fare in this tactical pyramid survival game? www.kickstarter.com/projects/b88...

kickstarter.com

Entombed

The tactical pyramid survival game

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 26/09/2024

Under 24 hours to go until Entombed goes live on Kickstarter! Entombed will cost £25 (plus postage) with a RRP of £35 (a Kickstarter exclusive saving of £10) …. You may not want to miss this Kickstarter! www.kickstarter.com/projects/b88...

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 25/09/2024

2 days to go until Entombed launches on Kickstarter and I've only just remembered the Instagram account 😅will probably forget about it again tbh, but believe its gamesbyjs (someone else may be able to clarify / how do you use it again?)

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 24/09/2024

Another fantastic video, this time from Fun with Boxes, that is definitely worth checking out (why not give him a follow) www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-bM...

youtube.com

Entombed | A Tactical Pyramid Survival Game | Unboxing, Overview, How to Play and Review

YouTube video by Fun With Boxes

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 23/09/2024

Much like the Inhabitants, the Lost Souls (bodies of fallen Explorers) are reanimated by the cursed pyramid. Simply land on the same square as an Explorer to steal their soul and regain your status as an Explorer (needed to be able to escape). Coming Friday to #Kickstarter

Picture of the Lost Souls (L-R Basil, Asim, Mrs S. Nooty and Prof. Lawanda)

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 22/09/2024

As promised, here's 5 reasons to play Entombed, which is worth checking out. Would also recommend giving Boxed Meeples a follow for more great content www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjsK...

youtube.com

Entombed - 5 Reasons to play this Tactical Pyramid Survival Board Game coming to Kickstarter

YouTube video by Boxed Meeples

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 19/09/2024

And the winner of the Entombed giveaway is ... Rich from Portsmouth. Congratulations 🎉 Please check your junk and spam folder for our email 😀

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 17/09/2024

🎲✂️It's only 10 days until Entombed goes live on Kickstarter (www.kickstarter.com/projects/b88...), so here's a copy of the rulebook (drive.google.com/file/d/1Oluq...). Lots more coming next week including reviews and videos. This is one game you're not going to want to miss. Don't forget to share ;)

drive.google.com

Entombed Rules.pdf

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 16/09/2024

🎲✂️ Had a great time at Guildhall Games Fest in Portsmouth over the weekend; met lots of wonderful people and everyone was really receptive to Entombed. Cant wait for you all to see the final product in 11 days www.kickstarter.com/projects/b88...

kickstarter.com

Coming soon: Entombed

The tactical pyramid survival game

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 14/09/2024

All set up and ready to go at Guildhall Games Fest (Portsmouth). Come and play Entombed.

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Games By John Sherman @gamesbyjohnsherman.bsky.social · 13/09/2024

It's been a busy few days, but will be attending Guildhall Games Fest in Portsmouth (UK) this weekend. Why not swing by and try out Entombed before it's launch later this month.

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