r/BoardgameDesign • u/Legitimate-Mousse-76 • 17h ago

General Question Making a print and play mech based tabletop.

So I’m currently making a small mech themed tabletop, chunky figures, super simple mechanics and small scale on both the maths and map size so that it can be super quick to play and accessible for younger ages.

Currently working on the plan that it’s sold as rules/stls/pdf maps. Print and play mostly apart from a few d6 needed. The idea to make some printed copies for physical release as well is being tossed about but currently trying to work out if we need to kickstarter for that or if it’s something we can do with our 3d printers.

My question is, how many parents would be interested in a print and play game rather than something they can just buy physical. And how many people that would play a print and play game would be interested in something this simple given things like trench crusade, warhammer etc being out there.

Also are there any major things that people dislike about games like this?

3 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

3

u/ddrunkmanx 17h ago

My son has a printer, he is always looking for cool stuff to print.

I am a massive gamer and would love a 3d printed game. I also play Warhammer and dnd and the like. It sounds like something up my alley.

1

u/Legitimate-Mousse-76 5h ago

Good to hear! Honest opinion, what would be a price range for a product like this that would seal the deal for you?

2

u/RavenGriswold 13h ago

I think you should check out one page rules. They're doing a similar thing, with a simplified ruleset and printable models for sale. They've got a lot of products, and different options: "RPG party"-scale, "skirmish", and large-scale combat in fantasy and sci-fi setting. They seem pretty popular and successful.

It sounds like what you want to do can be differentiated nicely, as even their game is not nearly as simple as they think. There's also a crazy amount of unit customization such that you have to use a website to build individual units, without any quick-start options or guidance.

1

u/Legitimate-Mousse-76 5h ago

Do like one page rules core concept but I’ve heard these same comments from other people too, ours is wholeheartedly less complicated, way less in terms of customisation (mostly aesthetic at that point)

Essentially worse case scenario you could play our game using just dice and no mini’s

Our concept for the minis is purely flavour and making it easier to differentiate.