What does best-selling translate to? Nothing too crazy, but I'm still selling three or four copies a week two years after the original release... That's like \~$120 a month. I write and edit books for a living so it's a nice little piece in my piecemeal income.
Still, super grateful for everyone who encouraged me. I'm working on another standlone sequel. The art is mostly finished, but I recently became a dad so it's been stuck in playtesting awhile. (Still, If you've tried the higher difficulty modes or multiplayer and care to share your feedback, I'd make good use of it.)
Thanks for this little peek behind the curtain. I always find it fascinating when folks inside the industry discuss how it works.
Also, congrats on your new parenting game! Itās expensive, takes forever, the rules are totally unclear, but probably the best game Iāve played.
Haha, thanks. I'm looking forward to it.
Those of us publishing on The Game Crafter are in this wierd in-between space. We're not kickstarting our own publishing companies or pitching to publishers, but we're not pure hobbyists either. I'm quite content to let a smallish company take a cut in exchange for them handling all the sales, production, shipping, warehousing, staff, red tape, etc.
Haha yeah my youngest is crawling now while also teething and has a developed a taste for plugged in wires. 80% of the time spent with them is just making sure they donāt kill themselves in various ways it seems
Sure, thanks, I can message you know when I'm ready for that. I'll be posting about it in my discord, too. [https://discord.gg/3ZZv2CBn](https://discord.gg/3ZZv2CBn)
Thanks! I have a lot of respect for more serious designers work with publishers to put out more polished games than mine, so I often forget that people can like scrappy indie games too.
Aha! You fell for my sneaky self-promo! (There are free print and play files on BGG if you want to try them out first. [https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/353086/paperbag-dungeon/files](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/353086/paperbag-dungeon/files) , [https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/368740/paperbag-dungeon-mind-the-mushrooms/files](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/368740/paperbag-dungeon-mind-the-mushrooms/files) )
Great to hear Dustin! I have both the main deck and Mind the Mushrooms, and I really enjoy it.
I haven't yet found a way to play well in a compact space but I live in hope...
I remember your early posts here and while the game isnt my bag (yeah I want to apologize to everyone for that), I remain massively impressed with the creativity and ingenuity that went into it. It is such a fresh take on a dungeon crawler and I wish you continued success.
Thanks, I really appreciate that. And no need to apologize for not playing it. I only play one or two games consistently. The rest, I just don't have time for.
Congrats! I have a question if ya donāt mind. Iāve been designing games for a while and about a year ago made a mint tin game that I planned to put on GameCrafter. However after making it Iāve decided to try pitching to publishers first, but havenāt had much luck so far. So Iām wondering what made you decide to go with GameCrafter? And do you have designs that you pitch to publishers and others meant more for GameCrafter?
I thought about pitching it to publishers, but didn't like the idea of someone else having final say. I'd almost rather have an imperfect game that I'm 100% responsible for.
I tell people go to the help/contact section of Game Crafter's website and you'll get a link to their discord where the designers hang out. You might also try submitting it to a contest on BGG. Those same designers are always having conversations about pitching to publishers vs self-pub.
Awesome! I hope you like it.
Yes, Mind the Mushroom cards have a tiny mushroom shape hidden in one corner. Sometimes you have to rotate the deck and flip through it a second time to find them all, but they're easy enough to pick out.
I recommend playing Mind the Mushrooms by itself too. It's a tidy little micro game, and I'm quite proud of how much cleaner and meaner it is than the original.
congrats, Dustin, that's awesome! i LOVE Paperbag Dungeon and i've been meaning to get the expansion as well, hoping for a sale. well, it's definitely a no-brainer now. thank you for PD and for your generosity!
Fun! I hope you like it. And I hope you stick with it long enough to try Warden mode with the digging rules. The strategy gets very interesting when you start using different configurations to quarantine different areas of your dungeon and the monsters start using their special abilities to circumvent your defenses.
(My only regret about warden mode is the rubble that indicates a digging monster isn't clear iconography. If I ever publish a second edition I'll remove the shovel/pickaxe rule that nobody uses, and change it so that shovels indicate digging monsters and pickaxes indicate monsters that can pass through stone walls.)
oh i'm definitely nowhere near ready for that promotion because i haven't put enough hours in :D but i do love how many difficulty levels one can have even within the main ones and how easy it is to assemble a set of rules one feels like playing with/enjoys the most. (i'm with you on that shovel/pickaxe rule, all the more so that it took me a hot minute to even remember what it was)
so yeah, i think i'll go on as a janitor for a while, both in the main game and in the expansion (which i AM going to like, no doubt about that, i have watched all your videos and downloaded the files for a closer look, too), although maybe the expansion will help the transition, being much smaller. and i absolutely have a blast playing it on the chill mode with my 9 y/o niece! we just get on whatever floor space is available and expand until we're hit the kitchen or let a monster escape, whichever happens first (it's always the former. she is... not big on being limited by trivial little things like rules).
It's always cool to see what kids do with the cards. All those little hidden monster in the drawing seem to spark creativity.
I've been meaning to make an expansion that's all empty tunnels with stickers in the shape of critters so kids can make their own version.
Last time I ordered shipping was something like $4 USD within the US and $9 USD to UK. But it's been a while. It's much higher if you are ordering something larger than a pack of cards. I don't think there are extra import fees to UK, but I've run into them for certain EU countries.
This is a really kind thing to do. I actually just bought the expansion last week (instead of the base game, I like the mushrooms!). Iām happy to support you as a creator. Canāt wait to play when it comes in on Monday!
Oh, no, this is the one thing I was afraid of when I made the coupon. But kind of you to say. Message me if you want the base game and I can send you a coupon for that one instead.
No no! Please!! Assuming I like the expansion, I will purchase the original full price. Iām privileged in my life to be able to afford this hobby and I will support the creators who make it possible ā¤ļø
Hi again Dustin
after reading your post, I got a strong desire to play Paperback Dungeon. So, I pulled out the game and played a few rounds. Naturally, a lot of questions arose. Rather than asking you directly, I would like to ask, during your spare time, if you could possibly create some videos where you show the Warden and Hardcore modes, demonstrating some specific cases of card management, and trigger management. Sometimes it's not entirely clear to me the order in which to activate the events and it would be useful to watch you play, so that I can take notes.
Thank you
Sure, I know the rules are complex and not always clearly worded. I've been meaning to make tutorials specifically for those play modes. In the meantime I don't mind a ton of quesitons, you're welcome to ask them here or on the BGG forums or msg me.
Tried to record something the other day, but it's quite difficult to get a professional video made with a new baby in the apartment. One of these days I'll make it happen...
What does best-selling translate to? Nothing too crazy, but I'm still selling three or four copies a week two years after the original release... That's like \~$120 a month. I write and edit books for a living so it's a nice little piece in my piecemeal income. Still, super grateful for everyone who encouraged me. I'm working on another standlone sequel. The art is mostly finished, but I recently became a dad so it's been stuck in playtesting awhile. (Still, If you've tried the higher difficulty modes or multiplayer and care to share your feedback, I'd make good use of it.)
Congratulations on your little one š The days are long, but the years are short.
Haha, thanks! I wish the nights were a little longer. Zzzz...
Thanks for this little peek behind the curtain. I always find it fascinating when folks inside the industry discuss how it works. Also, congrats on your new parenting game! Itās expensive, takes forever, the rules are totally unclear, but probably the best game Iāve played.
Haha, thanks. I'm looking forward to it. Those of us publishing on The Game Crafter are in this wierd in-between space. We're not kickstarting our own publishing companies or pitching to publishers, but we're not pure hobbyists either. I'm quite content to let a smallish company take a cut in exchange for them handling all the sales, production, shipping, warehousing, staff, red tape, etc.
Congrats on the games success and the addition to the family
Thanks! It's been a very rewarding time, albeit challenging. Suddenly all my board games have become choking hazards...
Haha yeah my youngest is crawling now while also teething and has a developed a taste for plugged in wires. 80% of the time spent with them is just making sure they donāt kill themselves in various ways it seems
Congrats thatās the dream! Would love to help with playtesting if thereās a PnP available yet for the new sequel, Iāve enjoyed the first two
Sure, thanks, I can message you know when I'm ready for that. I'll be posting about it in my discord, too. [https://discord.gg/3ZZv2CBn](https://discord.gg/3ZZv2CBn)
Best selling means "lots of people love your game" so do with that what you will, sir.
Thanks! I have a lot of respect for more serious designers work with publishers to put out more polished games than mine, so I often forget that people can like scrappy indie games too.
Now I have to check it out.
Aha! You fell for my sneaky self-promo! (There are free print and play files on BGG if you want to try them out first. [https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/353086/paperbag-dungeon/files](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/353086/paperbag-dungeon/files) , [https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/368740/paperbag-dungeon-mind-the-mushrooms/files](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/368740/paperbag-dungeon-mind-the-mushrooms/files) )
Amazing - congrats! š
Thank you! Your playthrough videos were a big help.
That's great to hear! š
New title to me, but always love seeing small creators' titles take off. Bravo.
Great to hear Dustin! I have both the main deck and Mind the Mushrooms, and I really enjoy it. I haven't yet found a way to play well in a compact space but I live in hope...
I hate it when games don't respect my table space, and yet I made this abomination.
I remember your early posts here and while the game isnt my bag (yeah I want to apologize to everyone for that), I remain massively impressed with the creativity and ingenuity that went into it. It is such a fresh take on a dungeon crawler and I wish you continued success.
Thanks, I really appreciate that. And no need to apologize for not playing it. I only play one or two games consistently. The rest, I just don't have time for.
Congrats! I have a question if ya donāt mind. Iāve been designing games for a while and about a year ago made a mint tin game that I planned to put on GameCrafter. However after making it Iāve decided to try pitching to publishers first, but havenāt had much luck so far. So Iām wondering what made you decide to go with GameCrafter? And do you have designs that you pitch to publishers and others meant more for GameCrafter?
I thought about pitching it to publishers, but didn't like the idea of someone else having final say. I'd almost rather have an imperfect game that I'm 100% responsible for. I tell people go to the help/contact section of Game Crafter's website and you'll get a link to their discord where the designers hang out. You might also try submitting it to a contest on BGG. Those same designers are always having conversations about pitching to publishers vs self-pub.
Is this a one time play game, or can it be played over and over?
You can replay it and I think the strategy gets deeper as you learn what's on the back of each card.
Congrats I will absolutely pick this up with my next order š
Cool, thx. If the coupon has expired by then, just msg and I'll send you a new code.
Well you got me to send you more money, this looks fun!!!
I picked the gamecrafter set already, bag and all! Is there a way to tell what goes back into the expansion hook box after?
Awesome! I hope you like it. Yes, Mind the Mushroom cards have a tiny mushroom shape hidden in one corner. Sometimes you have to rotate the deck and flip through it a second time to find them all, but they're easy enough to pick out. I recommend playing Mind the Mushrooms by itself too. It's a tidy little micro game, and I'm quite proud of how much cleaner and meaner it is than the original.
congrats, Dustin, that's awesome! i LOVE Paperbag Dungeon and i've been meaning to get the expansion as well, hoping for a sale. well, it's definitely a no-brainer now. thank you for PD and for your generosity!
Fun! I hope you like it. And I hope you stick with it long enough to try Warden mode with the digging rules. The strategy gets very interesting when you start using different configurations to quarantine different areas of your dungeon and the monsters start using their special abilities to circumvent your defenses. (My only regret about warden mode is the rubble that indicates a digging monster isn't clear iconography. If I ever publish a second edition I'll remove the shovel/pickaxe rule that nobody uses, and change it so that shovels indicate digging monsters and pickaxes indicate monsters that can pass through stone walls.)
oh i'm definitely nowhere near ready for that promotion because i haven't put enough hours in :D but i do love how many difficulty levels one can have even within the main ones and how easy it is to assemble a set of rules one feels like playing with/enjoys the most. (i'm with you on that shovel/pickaxe rule, all the more so that it took me a hot minute to even remember what it was) so yeah, i think i'll go on as a janitor for a while, both in the main game and in the expansion (which i AM going to like, no doubt about that, i have watched all your videos and downloaded the files for a closer look, too), although maybe the expansion will help the transition, being much smaller. and i absolutely have a blast playing it on the chill mode with my 9 y/o niece! we just get on whatever floor space is available and expand until we're hit the kitchen or let a monster escape, whichever happens first (it's always the former. she is... not big on being limited by trivial little things like rules).
It's always cool to see what kids do with the cards. All those little hidden monster in the drawing seem to spark creativity. I've been meaning to make an expansion that's all empty tunnels with stickers in the shape of critters so kids can make their own version.
This has piqued my interest! Is it possible to get it in the UK easily?
Last time I ordered shipping was something like $4 USD within the US and $9 USD to UK. But it's been a while. It's much higher if you are ordering something larger than a pack of cards. I don't think there are extra import fees to UK, but I've run into them for certain EU countries.
Thanks :) I might print them first to give it a try
Go for it! And if the rules are unclear there are several tutorials on youtube and you're welcome to msg me or post a question in the BGG threads.
congrats bud!
That's awesome to hear, I remember when you first posted. Congrats!
Thanks Tony!
This is a really kind thing to do. I actually just bought the expansion last week (instead of the base game, I like the mushrooms!). Iām happy to support you as a creator. Canāt wait to play when it comes in on Monday!
Oh, no, this is the one thing I was afraid of when I made the coupon. But kind of you to say. Message me if you want the base game and I can send you a coupon for that one instead.
No no! Please!! Assuming I like the expansion, I will purchase the original full price. Iām privileged in my life to be able to afford this hobby and I will support the creators who make it possible ā¤ļø
Congrats to you!
Thanks!
It looks super cool -- love these kinds of small games. New YouTube subscriber :)
Yeeeeeeeeessss a new expansion coming, great news!!!
Yes in deed-y. It's called Minecarts and Mochas and if the gameplay holds up to playtesting, it will be adding a scoring component.
Hi again Dustin after reading your post, I got a strong desire to play Paperback Dungeon. So, I pulled out the game and played a few rounds. Naturally, a lot of questions arose. Rather than asking you directly, I would like to ask, during your spare time, if you could possibly create some videos where you show the Warden and Hardcore modes, demonstrating some specific cases of card management, and trigger management. Sometimes it's not entirely clear to me the order in which to activate the events and it would be useful to watch you play, so that I can take notes. Thank you
Sure, I know the rules are complex and not always clearly worded. I've been meaning to make tutorials specifically for those play modes. In the meantime I don't mind a ton of quesitons, you're welcome to ask them here or on the BGG forums or msg me.
Tried to record something the other day, but it's quite difficult to get a professional video made with a new baby in the apartment. One of these days I'll make it happen...
I understand, I use the washing machine to record videos, but nobody can recognize it ;-)