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by Mischief Maker 08/12/2025, 7:17pm PDT |
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There's a company out of Madison WI called The Game Crafter that offers an interesting service. If you have a good idea for a game, but can't secure the funding for a big factory print run, you can send the specs to them and they will sell your game to customers in a print-on-demand manner. The downsides include a much higher price, long wait times for the game to arrive (took me about 3 1/2 weeks for this one) and tokens all have a thin layer of soot around the edges from their laser printer and retain a smokey smell long after you wipe the soot away.
The upside is fantastic games that otherwise never would have seen the light of day can be purchased, like Spacers!
It's an open world board game in a randomly generated space system where the players are all freelance space pilots taking on missions, trading, mining, fighting, exploring space anomalies, all with the goal to go from nobodies to the top of the fame chart. Events are constantly happening and changing the shape of the star system, and there are two NPC ships that are surprisingly quick and easy to manage constantly messing with everyone's goals.
The interesting thing is how in every game you don't know how it's going to go. My last game I geared up to be a big guns pilot and cleared my first combat mission no problem. But events and random mission card draws then made it in my best interests to retool for mining and I ended up finishing the game by becoming a master asteroid prospector.
At $90 before shipping it's pretty fucking expensive, but it's a unique and visually attractive experience that's great with groups or solo. Recommended only if you're delighted by the prospect of playing Elite in board game form. |
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I'm designating this the boardgaming forum by Mischief Maker 02/03/2025, 4:34pm PST 
Ticket to Ride by Mischief Maker 02/03/2025, 4:36pm PST
Mysterium Park by Mischief Maker 02/03/2025, 4:41pm PST
Codenames Duet by Mischief Maker 02/03/2025, 4:44pm PST
I HATE regular Codenames by fuk that 02/19/2025, 10:08pm PST
Ended up trading this one. by Mischief Maker 04/08/2025, 7:03am PDT
Lost Cities by Mischief Maker 02/03/2025, 5:10pm PST
This is why I got kicked out of law school, I guess. by Mysteriobama 02/04/2025, 7:09pm PST
Is my explanation confusing, or did you get overwhelmed trying it before? by Mischief Maker 02/04/2025, 8:18pm PST
Re: Is my explanation confusing, or did you get overwhelmed trying it before? by Mysteriobama 02/06/2025, 5:47pm PST
Onitama by Mischief Maker 02/04/2025, 7:57pm PST
Azul by Mischief Maker 02/04/2025, 9:12pm PST
If you like Azul, Art Society is a variant on it with different strategy by Fullofkittens 02/05/2025, 11:40am PST
Thanks for the suggestion! NT by MM 02/05/2025, 2:31pm PST
Re: Azul by Mysterio 02/07/2025, 7:23pm PST
Patchwork by Mischief Maker 02/06/2025, 9:00pm PST
Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle Earth by Mischief Maker 02/07/2025, 6:05pm PST
Dune: Imperium by Mysterio 02/07/2025, 7:39pm PST
Once you go Ix or Uprising by you never go back 02/08/2025, 10:13am PST
Wholehearted agree NT by Mysterio 02/08/2025, 1:53pm PST
Forbidden Desert by Mischief Maker 02/15/2025, 8:22pm PST
The Quest for El Dorado by Mischief Maker 02/19/2025, 4:38pm PST
Under Falling Skies by Mischief Maker 02/25/2025, 6:11pm PST
Compile by Mischief Maker 03/16/2025, 1:52pm PDT
Lost Ruins of Arnak by Mischief Maker 03/27/2025, 6:44pm PDT
Dominion by Mischief Maker 04/10/2025, 8:18pm PDT
Dominion always felt like playing a magic eye painting by Lord of the Dongs 04/11/2025, 6:58pm PDT
Nix to Dune. Nerdy and/or violent games have been preemptively vetoed here. by Mischief Maker 04/11/2025, 8:27pm PDT
Come on, MM. Get the Dune app and we'll play asynchronously. by A sane, decent poster 04/12/2025, 8:23am PDT
Dominion is THE most aspie game I can think of besides MTG by Lord of the Dongs 04/13/2025, 12:19am PDT
I'm not playing tournament-level. We're just a pair of newbs having fun. NT by Mischief Maker 04/13/2025, 7:04am PDT
So you're saying the problem is a fixed market instead of a shifting random one? NT by Mischief Maker 04/13/2025, 8:01am PDT
You're right, pal! by Game recommendation 04/13/2025, 9:31am PDT
Ooh! I'll take a look at that one. NT by Mischief Maker 04/13/2025, 2:08pm PDT
I am! by a pal 04/20/2025, 12:32am PDT
Canvas by Game recommendation 04/12/2025, 8:56am PDT
Thanks, I'll check it out! NT by Mischief Maker 04/12/2025, 12:27pm PDT
I love this thread. That is all NT by Ice Cream Jonsey 04/12/2025, 1:41pm PDT
Love is all this thread needs. NT by Mischief Maker 05/30/2025, 3:42pm PDT
Spirit Island by Mischief Maker 04/21/2025, 8:42pm PDT
"Final Girl" is the shittiest, most overhyped game in all of boardgaming. by Mischief Maker 05/30/2025, 3:41pm PDT
Root & Terraforming Mars by Feris is a crying twat 05/30/2025, 8:30pm PDT
"Hardback" is Star Realms meets Scrabble. It's better than both. by Mischief Maker 06/11/2025, 2:40pm PDT
The Castles of Burgundy by Mischief Maker 07/26/2025, 4:29pm PDT
How long are the games? NT by Blackwater 08/08/2025, 8:05pm PDT
An hour, hour and a half, give or take. NT by Mischief Maker 08/08/2025, 8:36pm PDT
"Unstoppable" is my 2025 GOTY so far. by Mischief Maker 08/09/2025, 7:46pm PDT
"Spacers" -an indie open world "Elite" clone board game by Mischief Maker 08/12/2025, 7:17pm PDT
"soot from their laser CUTTER," oops. NT by MM 08/12/2025, 8:00pm PDT
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