iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

I don't think this works with every playtesting group, but for a group of experienced designers, I got a lot of feedback equity by aligning the specific problem I was currently unhappy with

000

Designers, generally, solve problems before even naming them. This can be tough in playtesting as you get a whole bunch of ideas on how to fix a game but maybe need more of a diagnosis from the playtesters first. "This part felt boring."

100

In this example, I'm creating a dixit style game but want to evoke a journey with these cards. My original conception of this game has players doing this around the table, but it's in steps, and the problem is too much downtime. On the other hand, classic "I hint, yall guess" removed the journey

100

Had a great "aha!" moment in my playtesting yesterday. I was sharing my game with other designers and rather than soliciting open ended feedback, I shared what I was trying to accomplish and what was getting in the way of that.

Nick Henning @phoenicks.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Congrats to the Cardboard Edison winners. Obviously I'm a bit bummed that Catacombes didn't make the splash I had hoped for but I got some great extra feedback that will help me guide the future of the design. It might be a game that's simply too niche for publishers tho, so I'll have to debate fate

Nick Henning @phoenicks.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

7 days into vacation and the compulsion to board game has grown immense

000

Nick Henning @phoenicks.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

A bad rambling video about designing Catacombes de Paris, if you have 40 mins to burn youtu.be/2s6pyABLcKU?...

youtu.be

Blathering about my Cardboard Edison Finalist

YouTube video by Phoenicks

011

If you want to learn more of the nitty gritty, like I said, I'll make a video to share more about it soon!

000

I truly believe Catacombes has a place in boardgaming. Not because it will be popular, but because it will be weird. I think some (small) percent of people are going to really like this game, and honestly, that feels like a better product to me in a flooded market (short of making the next ark nova)

100

Long games also just have more opportunity for frustration in learning the game. This was common feedback from my judges and the next two weeks are going to be full court press on the rulebook. I've done a blind playtest or three, but I've always been immediately available for problems

I'm so eager to see how Catacombes performs when the judges play it. I can see it's the longest game by listed time, which I think often works against you in these kinds of contests (I'm a heavy gamer but I'll admit my fun per minute is probably higher in Challengers than most of my preferred games)

I think this weirdness really helps in design contests. There's something powerfully expressive and evocative about bold ideas that will rise to the top in a format like this one. I've been shopping for a publisher and had a few nibbles of interest, but nothing powerful enough to go anywhere real

100

I actually submitted two games for this contest. Truthfully, the other design may be the "better" one in that I think it has a wider appeal and is more likely to be published. Catacombes is...niche. In theme. In mechanisms. I call it a "pick up and deliver", but honestly it's a bad description.

100

Back then, I remembered thinking that someday I'd have a design good enough to submit it. Not to win. Just to submit. While I've thought about CE for a decade, this was my first time actually putting anything in. And I feel so fortunate to have piqued a few curiosities.

100

Catacombes, specifically, was a theme forward design. I was inspired by a visit, but I waited 4 months to put anything on paper because my ideas were way, way, way too big. And I've made that mistake before in my previous design life.

100

I also played this game with everyone who was marginally interested. My mom played this game probably 50 times. Yes, family are usually not the best playtesters because they want you to succeed so much, but having someone who plays every version of your game is a massive sanity check.

100

And this doesn't come from luck. It comes from a lot of time networking, sharing love of games, being available, and being enthusiastic. We all could be pouring our energy into anything, and choosing board games has to come from a place of passion, it just takes too much time for that not to be true

100

After a big life move, I struggled to find a good playtest community and essentially left design. I can't state how incredibly value having a reliable group of people with a regular playtesting schedule has been in keeping motivated. The group I play with represents 3 of the 20 finalists this year

120

I'm going to make a video soon about Catacombes, but this is the game that got me back into the design hobby. Well, @connievdc.bsky.social is probably a more correct answer, but Catacombes was the first game I designed in 5 years or so.

Cardboard Edison Award — Cardboard Edison

Amazingly, Catacombes de Paris was selected as a finalist for Cardboard Edison's design contest. I'm so thrilled! cardboardedison.com/award

cardboardedison.com

261

Nick Henning @phoenicks.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Won the ring in lost ruins of arnak at #wsbg, proceeded to lose in the grand semifinal for a 3rd time. Mostly exciting news but very mixed journey for me

Nick Henning @phoenicks.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

I stopped applying to jobs a month ago. I'm still receiving rejections 3 times a week.

Nick Henning @phoenicks.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

Excited to share that I started a new job as a business game designer, which means I'll be focusing on serious games in my professional career, and I guess silly games in my hobby time

020

Nick Henning @phoenicks.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

Hired again!!! Thrilled to announce I'll be starting a career as a Business Game Designer soon

000

Nick Henning @phoenicks.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

I got my first publisher bite on Catacombs, which has just made my whole day

000

Nick Henning @phoenicks.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Pretty much finished with my gag game, Whale Baron, and I'll make a video about it someday

000

Nick Henning @phoenicks.bsky.social · 16/06/2025

Inkscape for me. It requires more manual labor but the product is pretty good.

Connie @connievdc.bsky.social · 16/06/2025

Reposted by Nick Henning

Do folks have a good recommendation for simple software to create player boards / player mats? I use nandeck for everything with a repeating template, but (still!) don't have anything I love for larger "one-off" components. Would love your recs! 🎲✂️

12135

Nick Henning @phoenicks.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

My latest live playthru on Lost Ruins of Arnak generated a ton of commentary even though I lost the game. I think the main reason is that it felt like one of those games where you couldn't just execute "the game plan" and the pivoting challenge was very real.

000

Nick Henning @phoenicks.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

Today's playtest was fun for the players and had great critical feedback, the holy grail of test sessions