Welcome to our free-to-join tabletop game design challenge with no contest, judging, prizes, awards, or deadlines! Similar to the goal at our triannual online playtesting conventions, the focus of this challenge is connecting with other designers and gamers, trading feedback on design problems, and having fun!
We invite all participants to bring your challenge-inspired prototypes to our next online playtesting convention coming soon:
Event Starts: Fri, May 3, 2024, 12:00pm EDT
Event Ends: Sun, May 5, 2024, 11:59pm EDT
Whether you want to encourage a friend to try something new or get a burst of inspiration with a side of community support for yourself, this design challenge is for you!
Option 1: Give a Challenge
Pick out a bits set made up of 20 game bits either from your own bits stash, a Game Crafter- sponsored parts table at any in-person Protospiel Network or UNPUB event, or start with one of our 20-piece bits sets for sale through The Game Crafter.
Each Game Crafter bits set includes a challenge booklet with blanks on the cover for the mechanism and theme to be paired with the bits set for the recipient’s unique challenge. You can also download the ‘print and play’ file at the bottom of this page and cut and fold it to include in any custom bits pack you create for your friend(s).
Whether you assemble a bits set yourself or get it from The Game Crafter, if you have it in hand before gifting, fill out the challenge booklet cover before handing it off. If you ship the bits set directly from the online shop, tell the recipient in a separate message which mechanism and theme you’re challenging them to so they can fill out the blanks themselves.
The booklet also includes instructions for joining the challenge in the Protospiel Online Discord server, complete with a designer diary thread for each unique challenge. Keeping a semi-public designer diary is a great way let others help get a designer un-stuck and motivated to get a prototype assembled and start the playtesting process.
And, don’t forget to join Protospiel Online Discord server yourself (if you’re not already there) and be commenter #1 when your friend launches the designer diary thread for the game you helped inspire!
Get a Challenge
To join the challenge for yourself, choose your own bits set to start with. Then, pick a friend or a group chat in your favorite online community to ask for a mechanism and theme to pair with it. If you want your challenge from the Protospiel Online crew, you can join our free Discord community here, then post your request in our #clubhouse channel.
Here’s a request you can copy/paste and adjust to fit your needs:
I have decided to take the Protospiel Online design challenge! Help me get started by giving me a mechanism and theme I can pair with the 20 bits I got from [BIT SET SOURCE HERE].
We also recommend posting a picture of your bits or a link to the bit set you purchased from The Game Crafter to help inspire other’s ideas for themes and mechanisms to challenge you to.
Create Your Challenge-Inspired Game
Use one or both of the mechanism and theme and at least 10 bits from your 20 bit set to create a new game.
When you sign up for the challenge, we’ll automatically create a design diary thread for your game in the Protospiel Online Discord server’s free-to-join community space. Use your designer diary to share notes on your design progress and ask for feedback if you’d like it.
Ready to Join?
Click the button that describes you to get started.