Producing a print-and-play version at home to play with can be easy as you will only need to print and cut out the game elements. You can play the games fully using just the paper, however, all these come with the problems that paper inheritly carries. If you have time and simple DIY-materials from any general store you can make a prototype that is sturdier, better to handle and looks nicer in general.
Click to open any block to view the requirements and preferred method of creation. Merry crafting!
“`htmlPlaying Cards
You can play with paper cards, but they’re easy to blow away, see-through, and annoying to handle. For this, we have a different approach to create robust playing cards, perfect for print-and-play prototypes.
Required tools and components:
- Any standard-sized card sleeves
- Paper cutter (or scissors)
- Standard-sized playing cards (cheapest you can find)
Steps to create your sturdy playing cards:
- Cut out the cards from the card sheets according to the game design.
- Collect one front and one corresponding back for each card.
- Insert a standard playing card into the card sleeve to act as a backing.
- Slide the paper card into the sleeve alongside the standard playing card.
- Now your card is robust, making it much easier to handle during gameplay: better for playing, shuffling, and picking up or placing the cards.
Tiles
Paper tiles are the bad to handle. There’s enough thick cardboard to go around to create a little fixer-upper.
Required tools and components:
- Box cutter (or scissors)
- Cardboard
- Glue stick
Steps to strengthen your tiles:
- For the neatest results glue the paper tile graphics onto the cardboard before cutting
- Cover one side of the cardboard with glue and place the paper graphic on it
- Press down to ensure a smooth and even adhesion.
- Let it dry completely before cutting.
- Cut out the desired token size from the cardboard.
- You now have sturdier tokens that can actually be used as game tiles
Tokens
Paper tokens are the worst to handle. There’s enough thick cardboard to go around to create a little fixer-upper.
Method A: Cardboard
Required tools and components:
- Box cutter (or scissors)
- Cardboard
- Glue stick
Steps to strengthen your tokens:
- For the neatest results glue the paper token graphics onto the cardboard before cutting
- Cover one side of the cardboard with glue and place the paper graphic on it
- Press down to ensure a smooth and even adhesion.
- Let it dry completely before cutting.
- Cut out the desired token size from the cardboard.
- You now have sturdier tokens that can actually be used as tokens
Method B: Furniture floor protection
Buy protective felt covers for the bottom of your chairs. These usually have the correct size for the print-and-play tokens by default. They come with a prepared sticky side which is easy to stick to the paper.
Required tools and components:
- Paper token design
- Scizzors
- Felt floor protectors
Steps to repurpose the floorprotectors:
- Place the paper with the inked side down.
- Take the floorprotectors and stick them onto the graphic within the lines.
- Press them firmly into the paper.
- Cut out the tokens around the black line with the protector on it.
- You now have a easy-to-use print-and-play token! Enjoy!
Game board
You can play with a simple printed version of the game board. It will, however, be weak and prone to tears and accidental displacement. Here are two simple alternatives. The first uses cardboard, the second a secondhand gameboard.
Method A: Cardboard
Required tools and components:
- Box cutter (or scissors)
- Cardboard
- Glue stick
Steps to strengthen your game board:
- Cut out the required aspect ratio from the cardboard.
- Cover the backside of the printed gameboard with glue.
- Carefully position the paper gameboard onto the cardboard.
- Press down to ensure a smooth and even adhesion.
- Let it dry completely before use. Now you have a sturdier game board!
Method B: Used Gameboard
You can use an old game board as a sturdy base for your game. However, if the game board has a design you don’t need, you can repaint it for a fresh look. This method is a great way to reuse materials while improving the durability of your game board.
Required tools and components:
- Any old game board (e.g., from a secondhand store)
- Thick marker
- White spray paint
Steps to repurpose the old game board:
- Use spray paint to cover the board’s graphical side with a solid layer of white paint. Make sure it’s completely covered.
- Allow the paint to dry thoroughly before handling.
- Once dry, use the thick marker to draw the outlines or graphics you need for your game.
- Replicate any print-and-play version designs to match the required layout.
- This board can now be folded and stored in its original box, making it more portable and easier to shelf.
Specific elements
Method A: 3D-printer
Specific elements will be required in some games. The easiest way to craft them is to own a 3D printer. These versatile machines have come a long way and can help you create custom pieces with ease.
Required tools and components:
- 3D printer
- 3D modeling software (e.g., Tinkercad, Blender)
- Printing material (e.g., PLA filament)
Here’s a simple breakdown of how to use a 3D printer:
- Create or download a 3D model of the element you need.
- Load the model into your 3D printer software.
- Print the model using your 3D printer.
- Once printed, let it cool and remove it carefully.
- If necessary, clean up any excess material or rough edges.
Method B: Used Game Pieces
Used game pieces from other games you own can be another option to use. Either use them temporarily or find elements at a goodwill store and repurpose them for your game. You can switch out elements like meeples, small blocks, or tokens for coins, figurines, or any other piece that fits.
Required tools and components:
- Used game pieces (e.g., from old board games, thrift stores)
- Scissors or a small knife (for modifying pieces, if necessary)
- Glue or paint (to customize pieces, if desired)
Here’s a simple guide on how to use these pieces:
- Look through your collection of old games or visit a second-hand store.
- Select pieces that fit the role you need (tokens, blocks, figurines, etc.).
- If necessary, modify the pieces by cutting, painting, or gluing them into the desired shape.
- Incorporate these pieces into your game, swapping them out for the missing elements.
Dice can be bought from any dice store online. Some game stores sell loose dice. Some games will have both normal-dice (normal six-sided dice with eyes) and special-dice versions.
Card sleeves can be bought from any game store. Ultra-pro are my go to, but any brand would work.
Tokens can be bought. Use mass-produced cheap bingo-tokens as substitution.
In next versions .stl files will be added for unique game elements. These can be used to print the elements with any FTM 3d-printer.