My Print-and-Play May

May was kind of a blowout month for me as far as print-and-play was concerned. I spent more time crafting games than I did actually playing any games, PnP or otherwise. I have a feeling that May will be my craftiest month of the year. 

Okay, I made Lady or the Tiger, The Council Of Colbridge, Ambagibus: doodle art version, I am Lynx/9 card version (twice in fact, because I did a bad job laminating the cards the first time), Spring (both decks, partially colored by our son for Mother’s Day), Akur-Gal/ light art, Galaxy Conquest, Iuni, Dyna Mice, Nuclear Solitaire, I Am Lynx/18 card version, YXZ, Spheres of Influence, Dodgeball Derby, Orchard, Until the Candle Burns Out, Scuttle, Tiniest Show on Earth, Hotel Escape, Bottom of the Ninth, and Laser Battlefield.

The fact that I started looking at this year’s Nine Card PnP contest and past contests in May has a lot to do with how many games I crafted. It also means plenty of them were smaller builds. (You know, nine cards and all) At the same time, I made some projects that were larger, at least by my standards, Iuni and Scuttle in particular. Those are both ‘regular’ sized decks of cards.

Actually, I just learned or relearned that Jellybean Games has a very nice download page, which is where I got both Scuttle and Lady or the Tiger. I’m currently working on a copy of Village Pillage. I’ll probably end up making all the games on their download page. They fill a nice, funny beer-and-pretzels niche I’ve been wanting to craft.

For me, there is a definitely dichotomy between crafting games that are either published or trying to be published (and, yes, I’ll spend money on files) and games that are put out there by generous PnP designers. I love both sides but they have different pluses. (Probably more polished and play-tested versus more experimental and innovative) Of course, sometimes games make the jump from hobby PnP to published :D

I have also been reading about more advanced crafting techniques. At some point, I know I should branch out past heat laminating copy paper to make cards, tiles and boards. However, I have also realized that the cost of crafting will go up by a good percentage when I do that since we already have the tools for my current method. More than that, my current method lets me make sturdy components that make for good beater copies. I have a feeling that I’ll still use my current method for first copies and games will have to earn better materials.

I know that the summer is inevitably going to see a serious slowdown of my crafting. Particularly when we do any traveling. That said, I am hoping to switch gears and actually try getting more of the games I’ve crafted played. At the very least, some of the solitaire games.