Hi! It’s been a couple months!! A couple months of BUSY ‘round here. But, enough about the very successful rerelease of We’re Doomed! And, fresh release of a brand new Meritocracy expansion - or the more recent introduction of the new small box version of Letter Tycoon with all the same great components and game play. Oh, not to mention the re-release of Mixtape, and adding some fun shine to the new printing of Rise of Tribes that is delivering soon. You, yes you, are here for Dwellings of Eldervale news! And, news we have!! So, let’s bring it up to the surface.
Fan pics!! Lily is an amazing photographer that has 20 (twenty) amazing posts about Dwellings of Eldervale. Check out the Play it Solo channel and find ‘em all!
MOAR in the Making
With the 4th (English) printing already under way, we are actively preparing for the 5th printing. Our distribution partners are clamoring for more and more product and we wish to accommodate.
We do not have solid delivery dates for the 4th printing order items yet since estimates made before cargo containers are packed and crossing oceans are notoriously devilish. But, let’s say we strongly believe it will not be 2 months before the next newsletter which will contain more details on availability - including the small percentage of the 4th printing items we will have on pre-order.
Um… Did we mention that Lily has posted some amazing Dwellings of Eldervale shots on the Play it Solo channel? This wizard is going to bring the party to your next game night!
Expansion Much?
Given that the Mother of Dragons (with Dragons Den tile) and Frost Giant (with Bifrost Bridge tile) are in the Standard base game along with Tactics tokens and multiple variant game play mode rules in the rule book the answer is already a resounding, “YES!”, before we even start this conversation. The real question is have you played Adventure Without Doorways? Drafted Magic cards? Played Partners using 2v2 Mode?
Ok. Let’s pretend you have played all that and checked every box the base game has to offer. And, you have the Legendary Monsters, both Mercenaries, and are mocking up the Oracle tile because they are hard to get. If that’s you, we have good news!
Elemental Shards and Castles
First introduced by Luke Laurie for play testing in the BGG forums, Elemental Shards and Castles are in their final stress testing. New mercenaries are also headed in this direction! These are small expansions component wise and will fit in the main gamebox. Further down the road we’ll offer pictures of our suggested storage spots down the road when we have production samples. But, for now you should give them a pre-production try...
Want to run some play tests? Pick up the info you need here for Elemental Shards and here for Castles and (AFTER you have played!!) post your feedback on those BGG discussion threads.
Best Dwellings of Eldervale Prank Ever!
Heather FitzSimmons reached out and got a second Mother of Dragons, proceeded to give her a serious makeover - then swapped her for the one in her boyfriend’s game box!! Big thanks to Heather for sharing pics last month in the Facebook Dwellings of Eldervale Fan Club and on BGG as well. Give the Fan Club a scroll if you have not been by lately!
Spring Time Dwelling
From all of us here at Breaking Games we wish you the best Spring Season as we work to grow the Dwellings of Eldervale game play options - and general availability!!
2024 has kicked off with a busy few months. We will be back MUCH SOONER with the next batch of newsy goodness as the delivery of the 4th Printing draws closer.
Thanks for choosing Breaking Games! Enjoy all your play.
- The Breaking Games Team
]]>Hello, Dwellers of Eldervale
Hello, hello! We hope you all are looking forward to the holiday season and have plenty of family and friends gaming time planned!
Delivery Complete!
Happy to report that delivery of the 3rd printing copies of Dwellings of Eldervale is complete!
Pre-orders: All 3rd printing orders have been fulfilled. If you ordered direct from Breaking Games, your order has been shipped. Now is the time to let us know if you have any issues that need resolving.
Retail distribution: The large majority of the 3rd printing has been shipped to regional distributors. Needless to say, sales have been brisk! A few remaining order items are still in the hands of one or two regional distributors, but most are sold out. More of the order items are available in local and online stores. There are many local game stores that do not do online sales, so it is worth visiting your local game stores.
Of course, the majority of the 3rd printing order items are already in your hands and getting played. Enjoy!!
Customer Service
Now is the time to follow up if you have any questions to resolve regarding a 3rd printing order, or discover a lasting issue when you open your game. Please fill out the Customer Service form at BreakingGames.com and we will work to resolve your questions.
All Remaining Inventory Available November 30th
All Remaining 3rd printing order item inventory we have available here at Breaking Games will be sold on breakinggames.com, we will be releasing this stock on November 30 at 2pm Pacific.
We do not guarantee that any one order item will be available. These are small quantities that will likely go fast. Apologies for any inconvenience or frustration should you not be able to purchase what you are looking for. We are making more!
4th Printing Status
The 4th printing files are submitted to the plant!
More Second Edition copies of ALL Dwellings of Eldervale order items (see our pre-order store for the full list) will be made available again when the 4th printing items are available. This includes the special upgrade items needed if you have a First/Kickstarter Standard or Deluxe Edition. We hope they will be available as soon as January, but are not yet announcing an official release date.
Additional Language Versions: Work is being done with partner publishers to make Dwellings of Eldervale available in more languages, but these new versions will not be fully bundled with English language printings to avoid the horrific delays we all lived thru in 2023. We will have more news when these versions have a release date set. Distribution, sales, and customer service for all non-English language versions is in the hands of our partner publishers.
Monstrous Edits
While the 4th printing of Dwellings of Eldervale will be nearly identical to all previous Second Edition printings - and no errata has ever been released for Dwellings of Eldervale - we are always looking to get past any confusion the rulebook language can spark. Sharp eyes will catch many small tweaks to language, fixing of typos, and graphics updates with each printing.
Picture by Mark Dandridge
Mark Dandridge is one of the most active members of the Dwellings of Eldervale Fan Club on Facebook. He recently celebrated 200 plays of Dwellings of Eldervale!!! Mark we salute you and thank you for all the fun you bring to the fan group!
NOTE: Ever since Mark was helped by another group member in his search to purchase Dwellings of Eldervale extras he has been paying it forward and sharing posts when he comes across available items. We all thank you Mark!!!
Think you are a bigger fan than Mark? You have some work ahead of you to prove it. We are always excited to see what fans are sharing about their plays of Dwellings of Eldervale.
Almost Top 100
Dwellings of Eldervale is ranked 118 on BGG. We were at 125 a month ago.
Will we be in the Top 100 before the end of the year?
Holiday Time Dwelling
From all of us here at Breaking Games we wish you the best holiday season!!
We are very excited for what is to come in 2024 and will be back here to share more of that news before you know it!
Thanks for choosing Breaking Games! Enjoy the play
- The Breaking Games Team
Dragon Date: 9/11/2023
Hello, Dwellers of Eldervale!
Great news! You are the best - oh wait, you already knew that. Did you know that our wait here at our US warehouse is over - and your wait is nearly over? Now you do! It goes a bit beyond words to express how thrilled we are to share this news with you. News that is years in the making!
The dragons guiding the boats did their job well! And, now our awesome fulfillment team has taken over. And, fulfillment teams in other regions of the world have also been busy! Items in the boxes you see in these pictures will soon dwell in your homes, as well as take up temporary residence in many, many stores!
Here you see members of the Blackbox/Breaking Games (all hands on deck!) fulfillment team unloading the US containers, doing the initial sort, and getting all the boxes on pallets. The containers were “floor loaded” to not waste any space. So many people are excited to get their own copy of Dwellings of Eldervale and/or get their bling! Pictures taken by Eddie Rodriguez.
OK! On to opening these boxes and packing your order! Capturing the sheer volume of the shipment is difficult, but the contents of all these boxes will not dwell here long. They will ship very soon! Picture taken by Eddie Rodriguez.
Pre-Order Fulfillment is Starting!
All pre-orders placed directly with Breaking Games will ship from the US. These orders will be shipped in 4 waves over the next 2 to 3 weeks. If you have not received a shipping notification email from Blackbox/Breaking Games by October 1, please fill out a Customer Service form at BreakingGames.com.
The EU/UK+ shipments: We have UK fans posting on BGG that their Deluxe Upgrade Kit is available to pick up at two different UK stores!
The Chinese, Czech, and Korean versions: THANK YOU to the Dwellings of Eldervale fans that have posted pictures and videos of these language versions!!
Chinese version picture posted on BGG by jiangyh. Czech version getting a play (right) picture posted on BGG by Petr Pospíšil. Also, thank you also to Tomas Lehrl for posting a picture of the Czech box cover on BGG.
Gen Con Plays!
SO. MANY. GAMES! The Dwellings of Eldervale demo tables were buzzing all 4 days at Gen Con. As were sold out sessions for all our other games: Letter Tycoon, Mansplaining, Sparkle*Kitty, Sparkle*Kitty Nights, and We’re Doomed! We are super grateful for the demo team Envoy helped put together and the level of organization Envoy brings to Gen Con. Big THANKS to Elizabeth, Eric, and Patryk for joining Mike in demoing Dwellings of Eldervale.
Gen Con 2023 pictures taken by Mike Vander Veen, except that’s not a selfie Mike is in (upper left) and we did not document the kind person that took his picture with Eric and Elizabeth. Patryk’s fine beard can be seen in the lower left picture (3rd from right)!
Where to Dwell Next?
Building dwellings takes ongoing effort. We love to dwell - and we have more realms to dwell in! In upcoming newsletters we will share news regarding any remaining 3rd printing order items and when they will be sold on BreakingGames.com, news about the 4th printing timing, news about more language versions, and more! Stay tuned to this dragon channel!
Thanks for choosing Breaking Games! Enjoy the play
- The Breaking Games Team
Hello, Dwellers of Eldervale!
Your patience is paying off! We have held off on sending a newsletter until we had solid progress on the 3rd printing copies of ALL the Dwellings of Eldervale order items. We know this makes some of you nervous and we have heard from many of you in recent weeks. You are always welcome to contact us to follow up on your pre-order. We are alway happy to hear from you. That said, there are just as many (more?) that do not wish to hear from us unless we have progress to report. We respect your time and choose to lean in this direction. Thank you again for your patience.
We imagine all the dragons helping guide the boats along with a worthy crew!
Dragons. On. Boats!
After serious delays that came without warning, all Dwellings of Eldervale order items are now in containers on boats on their way to multiple ports!
All US bound items were picked up on 7/24. If all goes smooth, then orders will start delivering the last week of August. But, if there are port or customs delays that may push to September.
The EU/UK+ bound items are ahead of the US items. Multiple boats are taking games to multiple ports. Order fulfillment and retail availability is estimated to begin before the end of August. We do not have as direct a connection to these ships since they were booked by regional distributors.
The Chinese, Czech, and Korean versions of Dwellings of Eldervale are also on the move, so keep an eye out for availability and bug your local game stores and online retailers, if these versions are on your wish list!
FAQ Page on WWW.DwellingsofEldervaleShop.com
We have updated the FAQ page on the pre-order webstore.
Can’t find an answer to your question? Checking the FAQ page before sending an email will get you an answer faster and enables our staff to get fast responses to customers needing our support. We appreciate you and want to help as needed. Email hello@breakinggames.com and we will get you an answer.
4th English Printing Files Good To Go!
More progress! We keep polishing and fixing small typos and improving messaging to help new players get past the most common questions that come up. As always, zero rules changes or errata to announce. Solid game design, solid rule set, entrancing art, thrilling play.
The Elves took the win in this demo play of Dwellings of Eldervale! (photo by Mike Vander Veen)
San Diego ComicCon Confirmed
We had a great time sharing Dwellings of Eldervale and Mansplaining in room 15AB at Table 27. Goes without saying that Comic-Con has plenty going on. But, multiple plays started with, “I just want to take a few sample turns.” And, ended with the Realm Stack depleted! They couldn’t stop.
Peter Vaughan (right) stopped by to wish demo players well! (photo by Mike Vander Veen)
Gen Con is What’s Next!
Tickets for the Dwellings of Eldervale demo plays at Gen Con were snapped quickly. That makes us feel great! Letter Tycoon, Mansplaining, We’re Doomed!, Sparkle*Kitty, and Sparkle*Kitty Nights are there too!
3rd Printing on the Move, 4th Printing in Prep!
It feels great to have the 3rd printing of Dwellings of Eldervale items on the way to fulfillment centers - and ultimately to thousands of game tables. But, we are not resting! The 4th printing set up is nearly final. More language version are coming, too! We will have more info in future newsletters as we make progress and have solid facts to report.
Thanks for choosing Breaking Games! Enjoy the play.
- The Breaking Games Team
Hello, Dwellers of Eldervale!
Thank you for your patience. It has been more than a month since you have received an update and the latest Dwellings of Eldervale news. We held back sending this newsletter until we had concrete progress to share regarding the 3rd printing. We’re here and putting in the work every day to make it happen.
Hundreds of you have pre-ordered using the new Dwellings of Eldervale pre-order webstore! Thank you! Judging by the emails and social posts we have responded to over the past month, the Buying Guides we set up worked as intended and you all were able to find and order items that fit your interests and needs. Huzzah!
FAQ Page on WWW.DwellingsofEldervaleShop.com
Of course, there are still plenty of questions. And, we want you to have easy access to answers!! We have added an FAQ page to the webstore that we will work to keep up to date based on the latest information we receive from our manufacturing, delivery, and distribution partners that are helping us fulfill pre-orders and get games to local and online game stores.
Can’t find an answer to your question? Checking the FAQ page before sending an email will get you an answer faster and enables our staff to get fast responses to customers needing our support. We appreciate you and want to help as needed. Email hello@breakinggames.com and we will get you an answer.
Production Sample in the House
Progress!!! We recently received production samples from our manufacturing partners for the English language version and are very happy to share that all was looking good and we have given the green light to get the games packed up and ready to ship!! We had paused sending this newsletter until this sample was received and assessed. It is a great relief to be able to give approval and move forward.
Frost Giant is thinking the Air tile looks glacial #beautifulgamebits - photo by Aaron Demark
3rd Printing Delivery Update - Current Estimate: July
Giving permission for the packing team to get fired up! - photo by Aaron DeMark
San Diego ComicCon Confirmed
This just in!! The board game organizers at SDCC are looking for hot games to happen at the show. And, we are happy to oblige! Going to be at SDCC? Find us running plays of Dwellings of Eldervale and Mansplaining up in the Mezzanine. And, also check out our sister company Print & Play Admagic (booth 533 - prototype printing and more) down in the hall.
Making Games Happen
As stated up top we are putting in the work everyday and committed to delivering more copies of Dwellings of Eldervale to all the fans. We very much appreciate all who are sharing out about the fun Dwellings of Eldervale brings to their game . We are still excited to get copies available in additional languages even though it has caused delay and plenty of stress for us and you. Thanks again for hanging in there with us and supporting this great game!
You get the special treat of an EARLY LOOK at a new game coming this summer!
Luck is a rousing game of fortunes rising and falling, based on the new movie by Apple+ and Skydance Animation!d Players start the game with a fist full of cash and push their luck bidding cash to claim spaces in a race to to be the first to claim four in a row.
Pre-Order Now! Shipping on the 20th!
Conventions
Going to be a Gen Con? Make sure to come say Hi at Booth #2329! We are also going to be showing Asking for Trobils, and the new expansions, at San Diego Comic-Con.
Game Submissions
Have a game idea? Check out our Game Submissions page at breakinggames.com.
Thanks for reading!
Our next newsletter will be around late July. We hope to be sharing some good news regarding the Dwellings of Eldervale 2nd printing!.
Happy gaming,
The Breaking Games Team
]]>We've just released Infinite Jonathans! The game is available in our online store now via the big green button below, as well as at Barnes & Noble!
Grab Your Copy Of Infinite Jonathans!
One day I was sitting at my desk, working on one of the many Breaking Games titles that were on my plate to finish -you know, minding my own business- when I got a call from Shari: "Ian, come into my office, I need to talk about something with you."
GREAT. I'M IN TROUBLE ...AGAIN.
(Don't you hate that when your boss says "something" and then doesn't say what that something is??)
Little did I know I WAS in trouble... I was formally introduced to Kurt Bieg.
I had sort of met Kurt just in passing at NY Toy Fair one year, when he showed us the initial stages of the Infinite Jonathans mobile app. The concept was cool, a crowd-vote-your-adventure through the life of Jonathan, and at the time I didn't think anything of it, because A) it wasn't done yet, and B) Breaking Games makes boardgames. Well, turns out Kurt and his crew over at Simple Machine were working on this app non-stop! Art, Copy, Coding, the works.
This meeting in Shari's office was a little bit different though. The mobile app was in Beta test, and cards from a previous voting game Kurt had were strewn all over the table in the center of the room. "We're looking to turn Infinite Jonathans into a card game." Shari said from her corner of the table.
I questioned, "Is this a re-skin of this voting card game where voting is in the spotlight, or are we going to let the story of Jonathan be the lead actor?" Both Kurt and Shari looked at me with a puzzled look, and while Shari got one of her dozens of distracting phone calls, Kurt and I chatted.
The decision was made (unbeknownst to Shari, haha) to not do a re-skin, but a new game entirely from scratch. A process that, over the course of a year, resulted in a great game, and a great friendship.
The first work meeting Kurt and I had was simply tossing around ideas to get to the basic framework of something playable. We wanted to make a game that echoed the mobile app, so a few things were listed as "must haves":
An iteration of the game was built where players voted thumbs up or down for 2 moment cards that were presented, one of which being added to Jonathan's Timeline.
We spent many design sessions together after this, which I always loved, because I also knew that meant a trip to Bubbakoo's Burritos (I love that place, tater tots inside of a quesadilla ...umm yes!)
BUT, many designers (even me!) have a tendency to do something: Putting the cART before the horse, which was an even easier trap to fall into, because the art for the app was almost complete, so we had a library of images.
People putting their thumbs in the air to vote... Major Win!! But the game we had at the moment?? ...sigh... a little bit of slog. We had spent too much time making it pretty. I mean, the passer-bys were right, it was super beautiful. We spent a lot of time on that aspect. But, yeah, definitely needed some tweaking.
What did we do to improve the gameplay? We chatted a while about that. Some things had to be replaced or cut entirely. The most important part was maintaining the energy at the table. We wanted to make sure that the decision processes in-game were as colorful as the game itself, and in a voting game, the voting process IS the game.
Edits were made, but overall we didn't want to start over entirely... (foreshadowing)
Kurt and I worked through the game, snagging people from the Ad Magic office every now and again to try it out. We got our game to a point where we thought we were good, but we needed a real test. We needed to put Infinite Jonathans the Card Game in front of people who would readily say whether or not our game is good or bad. We needed strangers, and we needed a lot of them. Time for a convention, so off to PAX Unplugged we go!
Day 1 of the show: We set our game out on the table and asked people to participate, and they happily obliged. They RIPPED into it.
(This sounds bad, but those of you who have read this far, this is one of the most important things you can do for a designer. We want real. legit. data.)
Remember the "start over" foreshadowing? Yeah, it's about to happen right now.
Day 2: We decided to try out a new mechanic entirely. However, this would result in us running to Staples for a ton of blank business cards.
I asked Kurt, "Hey, since i'm not tremendously versed in the Infinite Jonathans universe as much as you are, can we make our rapid-prototype with fantasy tropes like dragons and traps and stuff? Since we both know fantasy stuff, we'll able to see the holes better." Kurt agreed and we set out making a completely new game right then and there!
The new game that we came up with had four things to vote for instead of only two, and was an ever-changing game of prisoners dilemma.
Day 3: We played our new game (rough though it may be). We asked some more show attendees to play, and again they obliged! Gamers are the best! Before playing the new iteration, one person looked at how rough we were and said, "So how long have you been working on this game?" We replied "Since yesterday". "Oh..." they hesitantly answered back. Now sitting at a full table, it was our time to shine, and we were pleasantly surprised at the outcome!
THE ENERGY WAS GREAT! The wheeling and dealing being done by players to make sure they picked what you wanted them to pick, followed up with betrayals and stealing! This is the wild energy of the Infinite Jonathans universe.
We had a GAME that was FUN. YESSSS *FIST PUMP*!
Thing to note: When working with an Intellectual Property, sometimes it's better to capture that property's energy, rather than just copy what that property is already doing.
Even with the iteration we brought to PAX being scrapped, we returned to the dev table proud of what came out of PAX Unplugged. One of the things that was involved with the fantasy tropes were health points. You could lose all your health points and die in this game. We had effectively created an eliminatory game of prisoners dilemma. While the urgency of elimination causes excitement, it can also cause disappointment, and we wanted to make sure to avoid those feelings and keep the energy at the table!
I asked, "What if dying was just a "Flat Tire" like in Milles Borne?"
"Then what?" asked Kurt.
"I don't know, I guess you're a ghost and get revenge on everyone?" I said.
"OOH we have a cool ghost image we can use!" replied Kurt.
We then spent the rest of the Development converting our fantasy business card version into the Infinite Jonathan Universe. I made a version to play at friends' houses, and Kurt did the same. Our friends loved it, and minus a few tweaks, we were done with the Game design!
We looked back at our "must have" list:
Lessons to be learned: We had a situation of putting the cart before the horse, working far into a given design, only to have that design be scrapped and started over. We then stayed ONLY in the mental space of sharpie markers until it was fun, before moving into art.
Those of you who are in art school, your thumbnails and rough drawings are important to arrive at a final you'd be proud of, and that applies to game design too!
We applied the Infinite Jonathans art to the game, and it turned out as beautiful as the earlier iteration, so it was really great to match the excitement of the game with the excitement of the art.
Some of the objects we had to brand into the Infinite Jonathans Universe, like "Jonergy" being the energy tokens, and "Jono-scopes" being the spinners you vote with.
Kurt and I put a lot of work into Infinite Jonathans the Card Game. The lessons we learned, and the struggles we endured together made us better individually, as well as gave us new ideas on things to work on together.
...And I very much plan on doing that.
-Ian Reed (co-designer of Infinite Jonathans)
]]>In this day and age, board gaming is having a huge upswing in popularity. With that comes the usual traits associated with increasing the fandom; lots more people, lots more games, lots more fun. With more and more people picking out board games every day, it becomes harder and harder to know which ones would suit you as a good start. Would you like to win the most victory points and beat your friends? Join your friends in a rag tag team against an evil ruler? Fly across space? In this new world of board gaming, you can pretty much do all of those things, and sometimes even at the same time. Some gamers tend to lean towards a more aesthetic approach. Which game can you play that incorporates design, looks fun and interesting, and you still have fun with your friends? Stripes by Maxine Ekl is the perfect answer to that question.
Stripes is a fun strategic competitive game for 2-6 players where the goal is to create a single line across all of your cards of one color or pattern before your other competitors. Players navigate choosing different actions to perform in order to shift around their tableau of striped cards on the way to achieving the game’s goal. The game is incredibly unique. Ekl has mastered the combination of strategy, intrigue, and aesthetic fun while keeping the game incredibly accessible to lots of different people as well as lots of different types of gamers.
Q: First, tell me a little about your background in game design! What got you to design games?
I played a lot of cards growing up. My parents had a canasta group that played regularly so there’s that influence of games being a great way to socialize. Then in my second career as a stay at home mom, Randy (my husband) and I developed the concept for Dual Value Playing Cards. It’s basically two decks of cards merged into one deck. We took a couple of classic card games and updated the rules to work with our new cards. The result was “Think Ahead” and “High And Low Poker”.
We jumped right in and self published, then came to the unfortunate realization that we’re not very good at marketing or advertising. I even wrote an app for our poker game figuring that if people liked it, they may want to buy a physical copy.There’s a couple of problems there. First, we’re back to our original advertising problem — it’s crazy hard to get your app noticed. Second, we discovered that ours is not the typical family which plays both physical and electronic games. There wasn’t ever going to be a big crossover from the app to a physical sale.
Self publishing can be a huge hurdle to jump over. What led you to make Stripes? What was the inspiration for it? Can you explain your goals for designing the game and were those goals reached?
Stripes was the direct result of a quick comment from Scott Brown (Marbles, The Brain Store). I tried pitching our games to him at the ChiTag Inventor Conference and he said they “looked too much like cards.” They really do. I never thought to make them otherwise. But his comment, that he probably doesn’t even remember making, is what got me started trying to make a card game that didn’t look like cards! I’d say "Yes! My goal was reached."
Stripes is unique in that it has a myriad of strategic angles that are all equally fun to play. What’s your favorite aspect of the game?
I love that you’re working on your own little puzzle but that you also have to keep an eye on what other players are doing. Sometimes you need to decide if you’re going to advance your own tableau or slow someone else down. It’s not always an easy decision.
How easy is it to learn the game? How easy is it to add the game to your regular board game hobby line up?
Stripes is incredibly easy to learn. It has the simple goal of lining up seven cards in your tableau to make a single color stripe all the way across. You do that by choosing an available action which will either reposition an existing card or swap a new card into your tableau. Easy-Peasy! Stripes is a great family game or a good filler for more serious gamers.
When playing the game, the ability to catch on quickly is clear. It has amazing aesthetics and simple game mechanics which juggle well with just enough strategy to keep everyone at the table invested in the race. One of the best things about the game is its commitment to accessibility. In an industry that is pulling more and more people into it every day, it’s imperative that we keep the industry accessible to all types of gamers and not pigeon hole anyone into only playing certain games because of disabilities. The cards in the game are color blind accessible, which is fantastic. Did you intentionally design the game with accessibility in mind?
Absolutely. On my journey as a game designer, I discovered Protospiel. It’s an incredible community of game designers who get together at weekend conventions to play each other’s prototypes and offer feedback. Protospielers were the ones to offer the suggestion to make Stripes color blind friendly. Now it’s second nature to me in all my game designs. I’ll also add that I found this community to be so helpful and welcoming that I now organize a Protospiel event in the Chicagoland area in September.
As the board game community increases, so does the diversity of its players and developers. Although the majority of game developers are male, there are more female game makers out there making new games and keeping inclusion as a priority in the game playing experience. Maxine is a fantastic example of that. There are so many games out there that are great for your family or a fun game night with friends. Stripes stands out in the crowd as a champion of accessibility while also being a fun way to start a great new hobby. Pick up a copy from Breaking Games and challenge your friends; earn your Stripes today!
]]>A message from our CEO, Shari Spiro:
As we continue to keep a close eye on the news surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19) and its growing impact, our parent company Ad Magic and its collective companies and brands are taking steps to ensure the safety of our team members while maintaining the level of service you are accustomed to receiving.
> Read Ad Magic's Official Letter
Tabletop games have come a long way. Creativity has paved the way for all sorts of new ways to play. "Solo Play" and "Online Play" have been happy additions to our hobby's vocabulary. Likewise, "Low Player Count" games have basically become their own genre.
Because of the difficulty many people are having during quarantine, this new vocabulary has often become "filters" when searching for what's new, or at least, new to them. Hey, we hear you! That's why we created an easy to navigate list of Breaking Games things, and how you can take advantage of FOUR different ways to play our games while practicing safe social distancing!
Anyone up for a little arts and crafts? Here are a few ways to enhance play, right out of your own printer:
The Vul'keth are invading! Warlords are seizing and pillaging the land! With each Warlord added from the Warlord Board, they become more ferocious adding new powers. When it's the Vul'Keth's turn, they flip cards adding dice to the Action board, adding challenges for even the most seasoned village elder! There are also new events that really add to the excitement of rolling.
The Vul'Keth can also be a playable tribe! Just flip the Warlord Board over, and it becomes a player board to be used in the standard game.
*You need a copy of Rise of Tribes to take advantage of this Solo-Play expansion.Get The Rise of Tribes Base Game
This Solo Play of Rise of Tribes is available through Backerkit.
Get it here!
Dig your markers out! Another GREAT addition to the Sparkle*Kitty Universe is Sparkle*Kingdom, a completely new "Flip & Write" game! This version was created to allow families and friends to enjoy a silly spell slinging game whether you are trapped together in towers or spread apart in different kingdoms.
Players use a Sparkle*Kitty deck (or the online Spell Book) to reveal two cards, and fill in colors and words in the towers and doors on their Play Mat. Towers and doors are worth different amounts of points, and the player with the highest score wins.
Download Sparkle*Kingdom Rules
Download the Sparkle*Kingdom Play Mat
Author's Note: DON'T miss out on this one! It's super rad!
Also, this one is 100% FREE when you use the online Spell Book. The rules, video, Spell Book, and the printable PDF play mat can also be found at www.sparklekingdom.com
One of the more important areas of interest during quarantine has been a focus on sanitization. Door knobs, ATM's, shopping carts, etc. have all been good places to wipe down before you use them. Here are a few good games that can survive a wipe or two with a slightly damp cloth:
Can't Catch Harry is a game by the massively popular YouTube'er Odd 1's Out! A lightning fast game to be the first to grab that famous moth "Harry"! Pass cards until you have 4 of a kind, and grab a moth as fast as you can, but look out for the bug zapper!
Moths and Bug zapper are made of a soft plastic, so they can be cleaned with soap and water.
Looking for something to play with your kids? This is a great variation on spoons, where nobody is eliminated from play!
The magnetic tabletop soccer game is an instant classic. A handle underneath the board controls the movement of your pawn on the field. Try to get the ball into the other players goal, but don't bump into the white pegs, or its a goal for your opponent!
The plastic pieces, and the finish on the wood, makes this a really easy game to clean!
Author's Note: I had sometimes talked about this being a good game to have out during a party. If we spilled food or drink, it was an easy clean up. So when things go back to normal post-quarantine, you will have had plenty of time to practice!
Most Breaking Games start at 2 players, and you really can't go wrong with any of them. However, here are a few that were designed specifically for two players:
Take the addicting play of Tetris, and the accessibility of Connect 4 and you get Convert. In this clever game, use spacial reasoning to place chunky wooden blocks for points. Every row will score points, combined with the added bonus of territory points at the end!
Authors Note: The finish on the wood allows for this game to also fit under the "Things you can clean" category. Also, there are a few Solo-Play puzzles you can do with the blocks towards the back of the rulebook!
The stars are out, and players take turns spotting their color stars in the sky by playing constellation cards to the map. Once the sky is full of stars, they start to twinkle, or flip to the reverse color. When the same color stars create a line across the night sky, they shoot and disappear! The first stargazer to catch 5 shooting stars is the winner!
Author's note: The drawstring bag also allows this to be a great game you can take to the park, on those days that are TOO beautiful to miss! It easily fits in my pocket, though admittedly when I did that, I bent the telescope hangtag on my copy.
Sharing your screen has recently become one of the most popular ways friends have been able to game together. Sometimes it can be a bit tricky to get the hang of whichever virtual meeting area you wish to use, as none of those systems are perfect. Users will also have different experiences based on internet speeds, as well as joining via desktop or mobile devices, but HEY we're having fun running Sparkle*Kingdom for the public!
We've outlined a few basic guidelines that really help you figure out the best tabletop games to choose when your only option is through the web. A game doesn't need to have ALL of these items, but they are good things to consider.
Authors Note: I use a variety of platforms for this: Zoom, Whereby, Google hangouts, etc. when I have my weekly RPG with friends. If you have a favorite one, go with that!
We have a few games of our own that really take advantage of screen sharing. These games utilize web-based card flippers that can easily be shared.
We're mentioning this game again, because it's REALLY FUN, and because we want to play it with you!
Breaking Games runs an official game weekly, and we'd love for you to join! We post invitations and links on Facebook. Send us a like/follow to be in the know!
Breaking Games on facebook
Sparkle*Kitty Universe on facebook
Our Fake News site has a card generator that is really fun to have a contest with your friends to see who can make the best headline using the same set of cards. The moderator can even type the winner's headline to have it run across the ticker!
You might have to "House Rule" earning points to have a "winner", but this game is such a laugh that really everyone wins!
Game of Phones' online card flipper is great! The plus side: other than the need for a moderator, the experience isn't too far off from the real thing...
... but we can't wait to see our friends again!
Remember Mail? There's a level of personability that comes with physically writing something, and likewise a feeling of joy when you receive "real mail" from your friends. You can also stay safely in your house when you exchange postcards!
Now, we realize these aren't a game, but WOW they are Hilarious!
Grab A Box
Thank you for looking at all the different ways you can stay safe, happy and healthy out there! Maybe we'll see you in our online Sparkle*Kingdom play room!
]]>Blaise Sewell is a game designer who lives in sunny San Diego, California. He has designed games for years with his son, Emery Sewell. In 2014, they set out to create a simple game together, one that would be fun and uncomplicated, and created POOP: The Game.
NEWS! He also has new Breaking Games in the works! Snack n Stack, a push your luck dexterity game, scheduled for 2021.
Manny Vega is a game designing dad living in Los Angeles, CA. He has worked on many video games you probably never played and a few tabletop games you should. Together with his daughter Violet Vega, these two introverts came up with a game intended to get people comfortable with being silly in front of each other. This game became the Ultra Giggle Monster known as Sparkle*Kitty.
NEWS! He recently released a FREE new "Flip'n'Write" Sparkle*Kingdom that is worth checking out! He ALSO has new Breaking Games in the works! Shadow*Kitty, and we can't wait to get our hands on more of the Sparkle*Kitty Universe!
From sharing a laugh, to being a guiding light, one of the things that comes with being a dad is an endless source of inspiration.
Where did the ideas for your games come from?
Blaise: POOP: The Game started as a joke idea that quickly got out of control. As soon as we figured out that we could clog the toilet and flush the toilet, we knew we had something magical. But mostly, I wanted to make a game my son, Emery, would enjoy. We both liked poop jokes so this was an “engine for poop jokes” more than anything.
Manny: My daughter Violet was having a hard time fitting in at school. She loved dressing like a rainbow, but also playing rough and tough with the boys. The problem was that the boys kept saying that she couldn't play with them because she was a girl, and the girls said she was too rough. My wife always pointed out that they were intimidated by her because she was fearless and adorable. I remember her coming home one day completely upset because her guy friends were playing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and they said she had to be April. She insisted that she was Michelangelo, and well, things got heated.
Being the geek that I am, I had her google Venus de Milo, and there she was, a badass female turtle. We printed out the picture and the story, and she took it to school. In the end, she told them they were wrong, and she insisted on being Michelangelo anyways, because that is Violet. After that, I was inspired to make a game that incorporated her silliness & creativity, and I had some ideas for characters (one of which being Princess Violet herself) that would break the mold like she has always done.
Being a father to a kid like Violet, I had an idea about a game that involved yelling out gibberish printed on the cards and being the first to slap the pile. It was pure chaos and fun for the kids, but it needed some refinement. The real breakthrough came when I added two cards into the discard pile and then things started to click. Snuggle*Panda, Giggle*Chickn', Tickle*Monster, Sparkle*Kitty...
When designing games, it is important to listen to your audience. When it's your own kids, they are more than players, they help shape the game. Who better to collaborate with than your pint-sized peers?
What contributions did Emery and Violet add to your designs?
Emery actually introduced the Wild cards to the game which is now my favorite part of POOP: The Game! I noticed he'd make a fart sound when he played cards and flushing sounds when the toilet flushed and I had an “aha moment” and knew that had to be included.
Aside from being the inspiration, Violet playtested with me all the time. It was pretty great to have her enthusiasm to keep me going. She really helped me figure out what was too complicated, and was never afraid to tell me when something was not fun. The Dark Magic cards were mostly her idea, she insisted that three words would be funnier, but I couldn't figure out exactly how to make it work. She persisted, and eventually we figured it out :)
So the next time you hear a "Perfect Trumpet Fart",
you have Violet and Emery to thank!
As kids grow, so does the skill of the "dadsigner". The lessons learned along the way enrich both the dad/kid relationship, as well as future game designs.
How has being a dad made you a better game designer?
Being a dad put me in the unique position to design games for kids! Not only were my kids the first playtesters but they contributed so much to the inspiration of my games. I have another game coming out next year inspired by my daughter's love of restaurants. (Snack n Stack)
Making games for families, or just simplifying games for beginners, has become one of my goals as a game designer. I grew up with ridiculously drawn out games like Axis & Allies or Diplomacy that took days to truly finish. People with kids will tell you, you have to be clever with your time, or you will never complete anything. I think my brain is just hard wired to seek out the simplest most elegant solution to a problem, and if that means I can entertain the kids for 30 minutes while the pizza is being delivered, all the better!
And a great time to be a dad is certainly Father's Day!
Around this time of year, you both must get pretty introspective. What is your favorite Father's Day moment?
My favorite Father's Day moment is probably from about 5 years ago. We had all the dads, grandparents, and kids play one big game of Wiffle ball. It was a blast even if it left a few of the old dudes sore the next day.
My wife and the kids always make it special, and there have been some amazing cards. More recently though both Violet and Oliver have really gotten into baking together, and I have become the eater of said baked treats, which is pretty freakin' great. It's just nice to have us all hanging out together and eating all the stuff made with love... and tons of sprinkles.
Hey we love our dadsigners too, and want to wish them a happy and safe Father's Day!
POOP: The Game and Sparkle*Kitty are just two of our "5 Perfect Gift Ideas For Father's Day"! Save 20% on all games until Father's Day is over, plus enjoy free shipping on orders $20 or more. Use the discount code DAD2020BG.
Breaking Games Official external links:
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Get 20% off our entire store using the code DAD2020BG at checkout,
AND get FREE SHIPPING on orders of $20 US or more.
If we could, we’d celebrate twice this year. Thanks to all the Dads and Caregivers acting as human jungle gyms during video calls. We salute the father struggling to cook the 537th meal that their kids will actually eat. Accolades to the parent setting up a fort or tent in the living room as a last resort to keep their kids happy. To the father figure willing to play the same matching game for a millionth time, we’ve got you covered.
...Or was that "caricatures"? Well, either way... What kind of dad do you have?
This Dad has five favorite jokes, and has told them thousands upon thousands of times since you’ve been born. “Who stepped on a duck?” or “Have you heard a barking spider before?” are common questions from him. The moment he’s home from work he changes into sweatpants and his college hoodie, regardless of the time of year.
We recommend: POOP: The Game
(Starts at $10)
Take turns pooping but don't clog the toilet! POOP is a game where the first player to run out of cards wins! Some cards make players perform funny acts, like making fart noises. Created by kids and adults for kids and adults.
Always with a pinkie raised, he’s the perfect tea party guest. This Dad has taken dress-up and make believe very seriously, and most likely has more costumes than dress shirts in his closet. He has his own online gamer tag, and his retro games have been passed down from child to child.
We recommend: Sparkle*Kitty
(Base game: $20 / Expansions: $5 - $8)
Once upon a time, a group of powerful princesses were captured and locked away in Cursed "No Cursing" towers by the evil queen Sparkle*Kitty! All their words and magic spells vanished and became sugar & spice... almost everything nice.
Those pants that zip off into shorts are the greatest invention of our time, and this Dad owns 5 pairs of them. Puns and building character are what this Dad is all about. Socks and sport-sandals are his goto footwear, especially when out in public.
We recommend: The Stars Align
($15)
The stars are out, and players take turns spotting their color stars in the sky by playing constellation cards to the map. Once the sky is full of stars, they start to twinkle, or flip to the reverse color. When the same color stars create a line across the night sky, they shoot and disappear! The first stargazer to catch 5 shooting stars is the winner!
You might have this Dad if he comments on your social media posts and also signs them “Love, Dad”. He has a smartphone and knows how to use it, for the most part. Said phone is also on a belt holster for easy access, and so everyone can hear his “Who Let The Dogs Out” ringtone. This dad also has work khakis, and weekend khakis.
We recommend: Game of Phones
(Base game: $20, Offline pack: $10)
Game of Phones is a card game where all you need is your smartphone to take on creative and unexpected challenges. It’s the ultimate digital scavenger hunt!
*Does not need any app support to play
The treehouse Dad built when you were a little kid is still standing. When you’re trying to sleep in during the weekend, he’s up mowing the lawn at 7 A.M. The “Dad Zone” sign hanging above the garage door was made by him, and he’s happy to tell you exactly how many coats of wood stain he used. There’s a family rumor that the grass stained white sneakers he owns are older than you.
We recommend: Convert
($30)
Get ready to get vertical! Take the addicting play of Tetris, and the accessibility of Connect 4 and you get Convert. In this clever game, use spacial reasoning to place chunky wooden blocks for points. Every row will score points, combined with the added bonus of territory points at the end!
If you’re celebrating Father’s Day this year, we’d like to help. If you plan on forgiving his wearing socks with sandals, or the MANY groans his jokes create, please use coupon code DAD2020BG and receive 20% OFF, as well as our "Stay Home Play Games" deal of free shipping on orders of $20 USD or more.
Thank you for everything and Happy Father’s Day.
]]>We are here to listen and learn, as well as continue the conversation and work that we’ve started. We recognize there’s more to be done.
Breaking Games is making a donation to the NAACP to help eliminate race-based discrimination. As we have always worked directly with game designers to bring their vision to life, we will also continue with this commitment to BIPOC game designers to ensure their voices are heard, as we help their games get developed and distributed. This is the beginning of our promise to be better and do better.
]]>A few members of our team stopped by the Gen Con Studio this year at Gen Con to talk about We're Doomed!
]]>Grab a copy of one of our hottest games of the year.
]]>Missed out on the Kickstarter? Don't worry, Dwellings of Eldervale will be coming to the masses in 2020. Join the mailing list now to be the first to get the details.
Giant elemental monsters roam while dragons, wizards and warriors battle for dominance over 8 elemental realm in Dwellings of Eldervale from Breaking Games!
Long ago, there was a thriving kingdom of sprawling cities, breathtaking landscapes, and unparalleled magic, known as Eldervale. It was a place of great wealth and diversity, powered by mystical orbs and elemental energy. At the height of its power, Eldervale was destroyed by a cataclysm of magical energy. Left in ruins, the Realms of Eldervale were forgotten.
In Dwellings of Eldervale, you control a faction of mythical beings returning to Eldervale to rediscover its treasures, harness its powers, and ultimately build Dwellings. It won't be easy, other factions have the same intentions, and powerful monsters still lurk in these forgotten lands.
For 1-5 players ages 13 and up, Dwellings of Eldervale is a worker-placement, tableau engine-building, area-control game that features dice driven battles, unique factions with special powers, highly interactive gameplay and absolutely stunning art throughout. Each time you play, the game will be different. Points are scored in a variety of ways, but are primarily earned by constructing Dwellings, acquiring tableau cards, completing prophecies, and gaining elemental power.
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> Read Full Article
> Buy Trellis
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The article comes out in the February 2018 issue of the magazine, but as dedicated followers of Breaking Games, you can read it here first!
]]>Used already on some of the world’s most popular games, now you can protect your game with a Breaking Games proprietary Izon® 3D photopolymer authentication label, the strongest overt 3D protection solution currently available in the world from Breaking Games.
- Dual Logo, 3D Transition Effect -
- Red Security Color with 3D Background Pattern -
- Turns Off When Rotated 180 Degrees -
Call us at 973-448-1766 or email us at sales@breakinggames.com to find out more.
]]>Here's a sneak peak of what things looked like before the doors opened...
Read the full press release at the links here:
]]>NETCONG, NEW JERSEY (June 7, 2016) – Breaking Games, an award-winning game publisher and manufacturer, announced that the highly anticipated 4 The Birds is now available nationwide.
“Breaking Games is always looking to publish games that are entertaining while providing a unique board game experience, and we found that with 4 The Birds,” said Shari Spiro, CEO of Breaking Games. “While the game is one that the entire family can enjoy, the more you play it, the more you realize how strategy plays a deep and integral part. 4 The Birds is a must-have for anyone who enjoys board game night.”
4 The Birds is available now at Breaking Games for an MSRP of $40.00. The game plays from two to six players, ages eight and up. 4 The Birds was a Tabletop Deathmatch season-one finalist. Tabletop Deathmatch is an independent game design contest and web series by Cards Against Humanity. More than 500 game designers from all over the country submitted their games for consideration; 4 The Birds was a finalist and featured on a full episode of the series.
“I initially created 4 The Birds so my son and his friends could play it together, but as I was developing the game, the whole family was enjoying it. I realized that this was something adult gamers could get into as well,” said the game’s inventor, Steve Ewoldt. “Although it’s easy to learn and play for kids, there are also different layers of tactics and strategy that evolve the more you play it. I can’t think of a better partner than Breaking Games to bring it to families and friends across the nation.”
4 The Birds Game Play Details:
> Want to Buy This Game? Order Online Now!