🔥 Flames of the Forge LXVI: an RSE mirror that goes the distance, a Divergence League finale, and Bumble vs. infinite reanimation in the Creature Chaos Finals.

youtu.be/9qxtfUoJwFI

#SolForgeFusion #FlamesOfTheForge @SolforgeFusion

⚖️ Balance Pass begins: every Alloyin Forgeborn ability, reviewed at C2, C3 and C4. 25 buffs, 1 nerf, 1 rework. My proposals, not official.

youtu.be/oRfxGLuKOLo

#SolForgeFusion #RallyingTheForge #BalancePass @SolforgeFusion

🔥 Flames of the Forge LXV: 14 matches, a 6-8 record, and misplays I'd like back. Divergence League, Bronze Crucible, Immortal's Draw & Bem Bolado.

youtu.be/NYwi2mcZpVQ

#SolForgeFusion #FlamesOfTheForge @SolforgeFusion

🚨 LIVE NOW 🚨 Creature Chaos Finals — Round 4! Solymr vs. l8134k! Every round matters at this point. Come watch and see who gets the win! twitch.tv/solymrthewitch… #SolForgeFusion @SolforgeFusion

⚖️ Balance Pass #2: every Nekrium Forgeborn ability, 16 changes proposed (15 buffs, 1 nerf). My proposals, not official.

youtu.be/ym_442ac1uI

#SolForgeFusion #RallyingTheForge #BalancePass @SolforgeFusion

🔴 LIVE: Casual stream tonight. Relaxing, building some decks, maybe a few internal testing matches. Pack openings? Should I? Come hang out and let me know! twitch.tv/solymrthewitch… #SolForgeFusion @SolforgeFusion

Want to become a better game designer? Remember C.O.R.E.:
🔎 Curiosity
🔥 Obsession
💪 Resilience
🤝 Empathy
Explore, keep creating, learn from failure, and always design for your players.
#GameDesign

Mechanics or theme—which matters more?

Neither matters as much as the player experience. Start with what you want players to feel. Then build mechanics that bring that experience to life.

Design memorable moments, not just clever systems.

So true. Years later nobody remembers the final score, but everyone remembers the comeback and the laugh that took over the whole table.

We're not just making games. We're creating memories. Our conversation with Scott Morris explored why the best games do more than deliver mechanics: they bring people together.

A design question worth asking: What do you want players to remember after the game ends?

Can board games change how we see the world?

Amabel Holland and @Justin_Gary explore games as political art, creative risk-taking, and how print-on-demand can protect a designer’s creative freedom.

Great design can challenge how we think.

#GameDesign

Listen to the episode here: justingarydesign.substack.com/p/amabel-holla…

The number 3 is all you need to live a productive life.

3 hours of deep focus without distraction
3 core priorities to focus on that move the needle
3 keystone habits to support your ability to focus (exercise, meditation, reading, etc,)

Do the above at least 3 days a week for 3 months and you will be amazed what you can accomplish.

What's a game-night moment you still talk about?

I agree that the new set of tools reduces the burden of making nice prototypes which can help make the experience better. Just be careful not to fall in love with the thing you made too early. Sometimes ugly is an advantage because you have less resistance to changing it.

Think about your favorite game night. Chances are, you remember more than the rules or who won.

You remember the ridiculous comeback, the unexpected alliance, the moment everyone burst out laughing.

That's the magic game designers are trying to create.

Your first game prototype should be ugly.

Index cards. A marker. Borrowed dice. Paper tokens.

The goal isn't to impress anyone. It's to answer one question: Is this idea fun when someone actually plays it?

Build the smallest version. Test it. Learn. Repeat.

What makes a great game designer?
Not just knowing the rules or balancing the numbers.
It takes C.O.R.E.:
🔎 Curiosity
🔥 Obsession
💪 Resilience
🤝 Empathy
Explore widely. Keep iterating. Learn from failure. Design for real people.
Which one matters most?
#GameDesign

What does it really take to become a game designer? After 20+ years in the industry, I believe it comes down to four core attributes: C.O.R.E.

Read it here👇
justingarydesign.substack.com/p/3-keys-to-be…

Which C.O.R.E. attribute do you think matters most?

#GameDesign #GameDevelopment

Art isn’t decoration added after game design. Color, shape, layout, and iconography can teach players how the game works before they read a rule. #GameDesign