The Dark Imp Blog
Using traditional games to inspire new ones
It is commonly said that no new game is truly new. Almost all new games just take pieces of old games and put them together in a new way. Designers use mechanics from other games all the time - they are building blocks from which we create something different. Board...
Family Games and Complexity
Games designed for families are usually less complex than games designed for hobby game players. That will surprise nobody. But the reason for this may not be what you think. The general assumption is that family games need to be easier so that children can understand...
Snakey Path
Here’s a new game for you to try… Snakey Path. It plays in a similar way to the classic game, Boxes, but the object is different. In Snakey Path, your aim is to get the longest path in your colour.Like Boxes, you start by creating a grid of dots. You can choose the...
How to Get Ideas
In my search for interesting ways to encourage inspiration to strike, I’ve recently read How to Get Ideas by Jack Foster. Though it was written in 1996 (revised in 2007), it’s a largely timeless book, other than this one section: “If you have not yet learned how to...
Designing games that impact lives
I’ve long been interested in the benefits of playing games. Initially I was interested in the impact tabletop games can have on educational outcomes. I’ve written about that in my article: Why board games are educational. I’ve also focused on the benefits of playing...
Shooting Stars
Here’s a fabulous 2-player game that I’ve only just discovered - Shooting Stars. I found it in The Lost Art of Having Fun by Gyles and Saethryd Brandreth. All you need is a piece of paper and two pens. Start by dividing the paper into three equal sections. You can...
Dark Imp News: King Arthur’s Mojo
It’s been a (long) while since I’ve posted a proper news update. So let’s get on with it. I’ve got my Mojo Following the North American release of my game Spare Strike Steal (published by Ginger Fox), I was interviewed by Deej Johnson from Mojo Nation. Mojo Nation run...
8 Reasons to Keep Games on Show
This is a clip from The Board Game Family by Ellie Dix.Your games don’t all need to be hidden away in a cupboard. Out of sight really can be out of mind. You may not want the bulk out on display, but having a few games and puzzles easily accessible and in full view...
Fear The Knock
There’s a card game that I play with my Dad whenever I see him. It’s special because it is ‘our game’. We’ve got a rhythm, some in-jokes and a regular patter of banter. It’s also special because everyone else refuses to play it.The game is Brigadier. It’s a 2-player...
Prolific Beats Perfect
I have a dirty secret. I love reading business books. There’s always a gem or two to pull out from the pages. Even from the unsexiest topic and from the most mediocre writers. But now and then a business book comes along that’s truly great. These books have messages...
Development of Watch Me!
This is a post about the development of one particular game - from inspiration to final (prototype) form. Inspiration for a recent game design came from watching my son Bertie perform various tricks and stunts while jumping into a swimming pool on holiday. He’s now 15...
Real Time Game Design Challenge
Each episode of The Game School (my show on Teacher Hug Radio), contains a game design challenge. Here's a recent challenge for you to tackle. In these mini game design challenges, the idea is that we make decisions quickly - we want to have the outline of a game in...