7d ago

Websites where you can print your own boardgame?

Have you tried any? Do you recommend or discourage any of them? Thanks in advance for any feedback!

9 comments

https://www.makeplayingcards.com/ has lots of options and they have a secondary website dedicated to board games elements https://www.boardgamesmaker.com/
I suggest looking for a local business first, though

Do you want to print and play other people's games, or find a site that will manufacture your board game? Your question is really unclear.
For the former, you'll want to search for "print & play board games," and for the latter, you'll want to search for "board games print on demand." The Game Crafter is a popular option.
- I'm searching for a service for eventually print my creations, so cardboard stuff and high quality cards.
  The Game Crafter
  This seems realy good! Do you know if it ship in Europe?
  
  Do you know if it ship in Europe?
  I mean, they have a shipping page.
  https://help.thegamecrafter.com/article/134-do-you-ship-outside-of-the-us
  Do you ship outside of the US?
  Yes, we ship throughout the world via USPS and UPS.
  If you're in Europe, especially if you're going to make a bunch of sets of these, you might take a look at shipping costs and whether there's some comparable service in Europe that might cost less after shipping. I'd expect that shipping from the US is going to add cost.
  EDIT: I'd also add -- and this is from an American, albeit not one who plays a lot of board games -- that my impression is that Europe has a stronger boardgame tradition than the US. I'd think that the people making them probably have some kind of domestic industry.
  EDIT2: I have no familiarity with any of these companies, but if you just want names and not familiarity, they're out there:
  https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2479559/print-on-demand-prototypes-europe
  I do read a lot about the usual print on demand companies in the USA but I don't really know some in Europe.
  I have heard good things about Ivory in the UK:
  https://www.ivory.co.uk/gamemaker/
  In Sweden we have gameprototyper which is a smaller company (but growing) with very good service.
  https://gameprototyper.com/
  I've also seen on the net that there is Yoda Games in Germany, but haven't heard anything about them.
  https://www.yodagames.de/spieleproduktion/
  
  Look for print shops near you. Things will definitely go smoother if you can actually sit down and talk to someone.

I'm not sure what you're asking for.
An online service to let you create a virtually-playable board game, sorta like Tabletop Simulator on Steam is?
A service that will let you create models of parts and printed material and then manufacture them for you?
Software that will let you create those parts and printed material, but for you to manufacture yourself, via printing or 3D printing or whatever?
- I meant phisically print, I'll edit the title

I've had this list of print-and-play games from Randomskill (containing games that are not of Randomskill as well) bookmarked for a while, and haven't actually tried any of them...because I don't have a printer. I have played a few of these games in their commercial versions though, but not the free ones.
https://randomskill.games/a-comprehensive-list-of-free-print-and-play-games/
Maybe you would like to give it a try?

9 comments