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Good Time Hat

@goodtimehat.bsky.social
46 followers 62 following 66 posts

Board game maker in the Seattle area. Get a copy of Overgrown today at goodtimehat.com/overgrown#BuyNow

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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
The fact that the Dawnwalker dev mentioned being able to do 80% of the content with the timer in place does make me hopeful that it doesn’t run into the same issue, but frankly I’d be much more excited if there was only time for like 50% of the content 😂
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Both Disco Elysium and Seance of Blake Manor had stretches of them where I was fairly certain I was ready to move on, but had a ton of time on the clock still. So I ended up wandering around searching for stuff for way too long until inevitably spamming the “pass time” button
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
While Dawnwalker does seem extremely up my alley, I haven’t played it and can’t comment directly. Re: in game timers though, many of my recent experiences with them have been pretty rough because I’ve found them far too generous
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
She ended up giving it to me at the end of the trip, along with way more games than the single copy of Overgrown I gave her is worth. I ended up loving the game as much as I loved the box. It somehow manages to pack a huge amount of game into its actually accurate 60 min suggested playtime.
Myself (Bryan from Good Time Hat) and my friend who helped me out at Gateway 2026 playing Across the United States. The game setup comprises a central board which is a map of the US, alongside various cards and tokens.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
I was super lucky to be boothing next to someone selling games from her various international trips. I was enamored by this game, and how could I not be? Box art straight from board games' "expressionless man" era, inexplicable typography choices in the title, and just look at this diagram!
Box art for the board game Across the United States by Hisashi Hayashi. It features an expressionless man standing in front of a train.A very busy diagram detailing all the features of the game. Its text is all in japanese, so I do not know what it says.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I would love to hear other people's thoughts on games that have a simplified 1st game. Or if anyone has examples of games that they think do it really well, I would love to hear about them as well.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
It got me thinking about games that have a reduced ruleset first playthrough that still has the essence of what makes the game unique. The best examples I can think of are games with variable setup that dictate what parts should be used for the 1st game, but that's not really a reduced ruleset.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
...what's confusing is when publishers distill a 1st play experience that's missing the hook that would make me want to play again. I ended up quite liking the game after giving it a 2nd try with the added rules. They take a simple bidding game and add some unique push your luck nonsense.
boardgamegeek.com
Processing: A Game of Serving Humanity
Processing is a game of terrible democracy. Aliens have conquered Earth, but that's not the worst of it. As a survivor, you've been enslaved to figure out who gets "Processed," "Probed...
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I played "Processing" at Gateway last weekend, and it has a problem that I feel like I'm seeing more and more: the stuff that makes the game interesting are all hidden in the "advanced rules". I totally understand the push to break up the rules and get players into the game as fast as possible...
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Even with solo games, like with books, there’s a sense of connection between the designer and the player. Not to mention the joy of connecting with other folks who’ve played the game.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Hello Gateway! First con with actual copies of 🌿Overgrown🌿 to sell. Looking forward to showing people the game during the day and playing some new games at night. We have a little photo booth at our table for people to find their favorite animal/ecosystem combinations! 📸
Good Time Hat’s exhibitor table at Gateway 2026. Copies of Overgrown are stacked on the table along with various marketing signs.A photo of a fox token on top of a lake tile in the Good Time Hat mini-photo booth.
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Ben Crane @bencranewrites.com · 04/09/2026
Our copies of Overgrown from @goodtimehat.bsky.social came in! Such a fantastic little abstract, and the printing turned out beautifully!!
The box art of the board game Overgrown. A deer walks through a field that has grown in the abandoned streets of an empty city.A player board in the game Overgrown. All the pieces of a two player game of Overgrown in progress.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
I've been getting lovely comments and messages from backers after playing their first games of Overgrown, and even though it received positive feedback at conventions and in playtesting, it's still a huge relief to see that players love it out in the wild 💚
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Due to unfortunate timing, I was out of town when Overgrown arrived at the warehouse last week. I finally got to open a case for myself today, and it’s overwhelming to finally see the end result of this long journey. Now help me get rid of them! Get a copy at goodtimehat.com/overgrown#Bu...
The side of a case of Overgrown copies. The Good Time Hat logo is printed above text reading "Overgrown Deluxe EN 1st, SKU: GTHOG0202, GROSS WEIGHT: 7.6kg, SIZE: 42.4x36x22.7cm" The bottom of the box is wrapped by the Panda Game Manufacturing logo.The top view of an open case of Overgrown copies. 10 copies of the game are arranged into 2 rows.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
To be fair, while I think these taxonomical discussion are fun. I think they will always have these weird edge cases in any creative medium. To me, the portability of Crokinole makes it feel more like a board game than say pool, but I understand if that distinction feels arbitrary to someone else.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
I guess I just disagree. It feels like a $500 version of a dexterity game to me. You could also make a $50 version of Crokinole frankly, that uses plastic pucks and heavier wooden pegs. Whether that version would make it into the top 1000 is also questionable 😂
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Regarding the BGG 1000, I think that’s a matter of cost more than kind. You could make a table-sized, $500 copy of Klask, but it definitely wouldn’t break the top 1000. Crokinole just has the benefit of being established before board games were primarily designed as mass market products.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Through a confluence of destiny, Overgrown’s Kickstarter overlapped with the first Systemic Kickstarter. Both volumes feature artwork by Overgrown’s artist @andyalvesart.bsky.social, and I would definitely recommend backing! I know I have! 💚
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
A very heartwarming read. My little guy isn’t even a year old yet, but I’m excited to share this hobby with him once he’s older
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
I would recommend them to pretty much anyone, as the stories told within are engrossing even if you only have a passing familiarity with the games discussed But, I can’t recommend them enough to anyone interested in how games get made
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
@jasonschreier.bsky.social’s books have been on my “to read” list forever, and I finally jumped into Play Nice a couple days ago. I’m kicking myself for not reading it sooner, as I was so engrossed that I finished it and Blood, Sweat, and Pixels over the weekend
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
I love weird/random games that have a real personal feel to them, but I do think the model of letting 1000 employees flit between whatever they want only works if it’s propped up by a nigh monopolistic 30% share of every game sold on Windows.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
My most interesting bad concert story is from seeing Cake. They were trying to give away a tree to a member of the audience while getting increasingly agitated at and accusatory of volunteers who they believed wouldn’t take good care of it. Just stopped the show for 15 min to berate people 🤷
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
Definitely a fake moostache
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
That bittersweet feeling when two, months-long Libby holds come in at the same time. A good dilemma to have, but a dilemma nonetheless.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
More artistically focused critique/advice is less common for board games, but I'm glad to see more of it. It can only be good for the medium as a whole and I'm excited to see what comes out of it.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Product focused advice also seems to have a much more "objective" basis (games with this design philosophy sold 1 million copies, therefore you should follow it) which might be why folks reach for it more readily.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
I am sympathetic to why that mass-market focused advice is so common; the pressure to monetize your hobbies seems to increase every day, and I would be lying if I said I didn't rely on the justification of possibly making money to spend as much time and effort on Overgrown as I did.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Really glad that Connor is out making the case that not every design has to be an attempt at a best-seller. I'm also super excited to see how the board game design space is expanding in recent years thanks to things like the Indie Game Night Market.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
It’s been a minute since I played Everdell. It’s still one of my most admired game productions I used to be turned off by games with random markets, but my heart has been softened to their more easy going vibe It still feels bad to be waiting on a card you know exists and not receive it though 😅
Everdell set up on a table towards the end of the game. Both players have many buildings played in front of them
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
I don't have it in me to just be solely negative about something on the internet, so I'm doing a little compliment sandwich: - No Thanks! is one of my favorite pub games - The Magenta Edition of No Thanks! is a legibility nightmare - I love these little guys
The tokens from the magenta edition of No Thanks!; each token has a little unique smiley face on it
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
Super bummed we couldn’t go this year! Definitely one of the most beautiful places to have a convention
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
Super excited for the Future of Games expo in Olympia next weekend! Can't wait to meet more folks in the WA tabletop industry and check out some of the panels. Having the manufactured PPC of Overgrown to share while I'm there is definitely a bonus. Let me know if you're going to be there!
Close up of player board in Overgrown with element and landscape tiles, as well as wildlife pieces placed on it.Contents of Overgrown laid out on a table, include wildlife pieces, player boards, landscape tiles, element tiles, wildlife cards, and drafting board.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
On the pop/electronic side Magdalena Bay had some killer singles last year. On the rock side I loved The Heavy Pet’s Mighty Fire from last year. Blue Fungus Brew has been inactive for years, but they are definitely my most hidden gem. A Garden in the Snow is my favorite album from them.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you’ve been to: Way too hard to pick a top 5, but… Ben Folds (both Five and solo) Anamanaguchi The Family Crest Polyphia Phish Also Happy Thanksgiving!
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
I loved going through Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective with my friends/family. Really depends on if you’re in the mood for cooperatively playing through a choose your own adventure book
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
Your video on Control convinced me to play it, and I loved it so much I went and dove back through the rest of Remedy’s catalogue, but I haven’t finished Alan Wake 2 yet. Now I really need to prioritize it!
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
+1 for chrysanthemum. It has such a unique earthy flavor
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Always Awake Games (Connor) 🔜 PaxU @connor.alwaysawake.games · 03/11/2025
Just 24 hours to go and we only need 6 more backers to cross the finish line!
Progress tracker for the ks. $4280/4500 funded
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
Definitely. I found this essay on this subject revelatory when it came out. While it’s essentially a longer version of what you’ve written concisely, the term “disinterpretation” is such a useful word for this online behavior zeeshanaleem.substack.com/p/twitter-ba...
zeeshanaleem.substack.com
The things we do and do not say
Notes on the impossibility of talking online and rise of disinterpretation.
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 02/10/2025
I’m incredibly grateful to the employees at Kickstarter for creating and maintaining a platform that has allowed so many great games (including Overgrown!) to exist. It’s always disappointing to hear when a company starts taking its employees for granted.
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Amanda Panda 🔜 BGG Con, PaxU @panda8ngel.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
🔴Live now! Come meet Bryan, @goodtimehat.bsky.social, to talk about Overgrown, currently on KS! It's fully funded! 📺 www.twitch.tv/panda8... 📺 www.youtube.com/@Pan... www.kickstarter.com/...
Overgrown KS preview w/ Bryan Bell
Monday, Sept. 22, 2025
12 PM PST / 3 PM EST / 8 PM UTC
Twitch.tv/Panda8ngel
Youtube.com/@Panda8ngel
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
Table the Game just posted a wonderful preview of Overgrown! It's awesome to hear that someone's favorite aspects of your game are exactly the things you're most proud of 💚 www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYf0...
youtube.com
Overgrown Kickstarter Preview: Help the Earth rebuild a better ecosystem
YouTube video by Table The Game
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
There was half a decade of my life where I rewatched this show every year. I absolutely love Mandy Patinkin in it
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Board Game Addict UK @boardgameaddictuk.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
Overgrown is LIVE! This is a tile laying game with a different as you try to attract wildlife to your city and avoiding pollution. A couple of unique twists and a fun drafting mechanic make this a must play! www.kickstarter.com/projects/goo... #kickstarter #boardgame
kickstarter.com
Overgrown: A Tricky Tile-Laying Game of Nature Reclamation
Combine sunlight, water, and earth to help nature overtake an abandoned city!
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
Back the Kickstarter here! www.kickstarter.com/projects/goo...
kickstarter.com
Overgrown: A Tricky Tile-Laying Game of Nature Reclamation
Combine sunlight, water, and earth to help nature overtake an abandoned city!
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
Thanks for all the playtesting feedback over this long journey! Also thanks for the reminder that I should have included the Kickstarter link in my original post 😂
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
🌿Overgrown🌿 is LIVE and already funded! Not only that, but we've hit our first stretch goal! I couldn't be happier with the response we've seen so far and I can't wait to get Overgrown into people's hands 🎉
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
I managed to get our group together for a session of 7th Citadel. At this rate we'll finish in 2035, which is a shame because I end every session freshly impressed with how good of a storytelling game it is, and how well it incorporates the exploration and survival mechanics into the narrative 😲
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Good Time Hat @goodtimehat.bsky.social · 21/08/2025
Apple seems to have largely moved away from lashing out at their competitors in their advertising. So seeing this UI artifact of a windows machine being represented by a blue-screening breadbox was almost nostalgic 😂
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