Diggity Design

The game I'm initially trying to publish is my card game, Diggity (see Diggity on the main Plankton Games site). Here's the design process.

First Prototype:

I made the game on some half-size index cards (A8 paper size, about 2"x3") I could get in Germany, where I was living for the second half of 2009. Nothing fancy - just ballpoint pen on tiny little cards. The game was fun - I played it with the family on some of our train trips, and then we tested it some more in our apartment. I changed some of the rules and added new ones, and together we got it into playable shape.

Design Prototype:

For the next phase, I made up computer art for the cards and got the game printed up through TheGameCrafter.com, a print-on-demand (POD) service that's been really helpful for me in getting nice-looking versions of my games printed up for not too much money. More on POD and TheGameCrafter.com later. I ordered a copy for myself and was able to get it brought to me in Germany thanks to a visit from my mother-in-law. It was really neat to see it in print. The cards were poker-size, which initially seemed very big compared to the half-index cards, but they are also a more traditional size and feel like real cards.

Playtesting and Refining:

I played the game with whomever was willing, and I sent copies to some friends. This was really useful - each group came up with different questions about the rules, and I don't think any of them got everything correct. I used their problems and suggestions to refine the rules to be more thorough, including more examples and pictures. I haven't had a chance to do much blind playtesting yet, and none with people who aren't my friends or at least acquaintances. The Yachting Club at Guilford College has been very helpful - they've been willing to play a number of my games.

Initial Release:

I released Diggity on TheGameCrafter.com (it's listed here) after getting back from Germany. I sold a copy almost immediately; I still don't know who bought it, since TGC fulfills the orders. A few days later, I sold another copy, and I think this one was bought by one of the GameCrafter employees, since he reviewed it (see the complete Diggity Review). So, my first completely independent blind playtest by somebody I didn't know was actually by one of my first two customers, which isn't ideal. However, I'd done enough testing with different groups by that point that I was comfortable releasing it, and the positive review indicates it was probably OK to have done so.

Future Plans:

I haven't sold any more copies in the couple of months since the release, although some of my friends have expressed a willingness to buy copies if I had any to sell. TheGameCrafter is a great service with quality products, but it's expensive (as you'd expect from a print-on-demand shop). I've set the price for the game low enough that I only make a dollar or two per game, and the shipping is expensive. I've tried to get some more copies printed through SuperiorPOD.com, which would be a little cheaper, but so far, that's been a black hole - I made the art to their specs, submitted the art and my payment, and have heard nothing for three weeks, despite e-mailing and calling repeatedly.


I've also been looking into actually publishing the game, either by submitting it to an established game company or by self-publishing. That journey I'll describe in more detail later.