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The Aurora Borealis - Fan Expansion for Spirits of the Wild

Welcome to the voyage,

I want to share my observations on the design process thus far for The Aurora Borealis Fan Expansion.

I recently posted my (first ever) fan expansion design for Spirits of the Wild on BGG here: https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/187778/aurora-borealis-fan-expansion-...
This is in the "blind-playtesting" stages of the design process, version 1. Please let me know what you think!

I began the design process on 06-06-19 and posted version 1 on 09-06-19.

Here are some simple failures I made so far:
I did not keep a strong design journal or changelog. Instead, I disposed of notes as I went along with changes, which was a huge problem in hindsight.
I forced myself to restrict the rules to 1 page, which was tough considering I used Google Slides for the components and rules.
I did not create any player aids to assist with the scoring or new mechanism, which I later learned would be extremely helpful for blind playtesting.
I exceeded a basic time table by 1 week, due to life events and other urgent situations, so this really was not a "failure" per say.
I did not conduct any blind playtesting yet before posting it to BGG. I playtested the fan expansion at least 37 times with myself, family, friends and a few other gamers.
I do realize this version is being blind playtested now by anyone who downloads it to play and provide insight.

Now here are some winning design choices I made so far:
I officially posted my very first design, even though it is a fan expansion.
I found that intentionally playtesting certain moments or scenarios of the design helped me craft every possible outcome. I even accidentally found the fun on the way!
I was able to recognize when a design trail I was heading down was leading me away from my design goals, even if it was an interesting journey.
I streamlined a few design elements, which greatly enhanced the experience and the design process as I continued.
I also contacted the Base Game's Designer and learned that I accurately themed and designed the mechanisms and components to accent the Base Game "feel & flow".
I learned many invaluable lessons from this process so far and am excited to continue fleshing out the expansion until I get the best version possible.

I would like to learn how I can improve so if you notice anything throughout this design process, please let me know!
Stay tuned for further development of this expansion.

Much love,
Oceans

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blog | by Dr. Radut