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'Custom' Dice

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blackjon
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Joined: 10/25/2010

Hello all. I need to put together some 'custom' dice for a game prototype and thought I'd ask the experts for some advice. I'd like to assemble 3 to 4 prototypes and each copy will include 18 dice in 3 different colors (red, yellow, white) for a total of 54 dice / copy. The dice can be 8mm or 12mm 6 siders with an equal distribution of 1-3 (1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3).

I've looked at some custom dice manufacturers (eg, Chessex) and it looks like each die will cost $0.60 - $1.00 ea (USD). That's more than I'd like to spend since I'll be buying 162 or 216 dice total for 3-4 prototypes. So, finally, here's the question. Do I have to buy custom dice? This seems like a fairly common die for gaming, although admittedly I can't think of any games offhand that use them. Does anyone know where I can buy these stock?

I realize that there are other options (eg, buying blank dice and adding stickers), but I'd prefer to avoid crafting them myself if possible.

I should add that I don't care if the dice have pips or numbers on them.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

questccg
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Joined: 04/16/2011
54 dice per copy is TOO MUCH

I know you REALLY want to make a game with 54 dice... but there are alternatives.

LAMINATION of a SCORECARD could be a way of reducing your dice to ONLY three (3) (Red, Yellow, and White).

Amaz (another Designer on this site) shows some LAMINATED scorecards in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6t4zZ5pSoQ

The source for this video is his post at: http://www.bgdf.com/node/13081

This is the 2nd time, in only a couple days, I have found that a *Laminated Scorecard* could prove to be useful. He uses some kind of marker that is erasable. I would ask him via a Private Message (PM) more info about the lamination and markers...

If it can save you 51 dice... might be worthwhile!

blackjon
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Joined: 10/25/2010
Thanks Quest. I considered

Thanks Quest. I considered that, but I can't make it work well with the key mechanic.

The theme is essentially mining and set collection. It's beneficial to collect dice of the same numerical value and color. On your turn you roll 4 randomly selected dice and may load any or all on your cart. Your cart size is limited to 6 dice however, so you must choose which dice to load and which to leave in front of you. The dice left in front of you are 'exposed ore' and, although they may not benefit you, they may benefit another player's set and that other player may choose to mine your 'exposed ore' in lieu of his own. The key is deciding if you want to load less useful dice on your cart or leave them exposed for an opponent.

The game currently supports 2-5 players. I could reduce the number of players to 4 and reduce the number of dice, but there's still going to be a lot of dice I'm afraid.

questccg
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Joined: 04/16/2011
GAME MAT instead...

blackjon wrote:

The theme is essentially mining and set collection. It's beneficial to collect dice of the same numerical value and color. On your turn you roll 4 randomly selected dice and may load any or all on your cart. Your cart size is limited to 6 dice however, so you must choose which dice to load and which to leave in front of you. The dice left in front of you are 'exposed ore' and, although they may not benefit you, they may benefit another player's set and that other player may choose to mine your 'exposed ore' in lieu of his own. The key is deciding if you want to load less useful dice on your cart or leave them exposed for an opponent.

The game currently supports 2-5 players. I could reduce the number of players to 4 and reduce the number of dice, but there's still going to be a lot of dice I'm afraid.

Personally I still think you can CREATE a MAT on which you could MARK the dice rolls. Like '3Y' = (3 Yellow) or '1W' = (1 White).

Picture a HEX Grid (with 1 inch hexes). You mark the rolls in that fashion ('3Y', '1W', '2R', etc.) You CAN still use a GAME MAT (instead of a scorecard). You just need to be *open* to the alternative.

When a player uses an 'exposed ore', you just erase that hex. I said 1 inch, because you want them to be big enough so you can ERASE one at a time!

You can have a hex grid like in this image:
http://www.bgdf.com/node/13123

Or an even bigger one (with more hexagons):
http://www.bgdf.com/node/13124

Traz
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Joined: 04/06/2009
dice? I gotcha...

Blackjon-
If you're doing the prototype, you want it to be as sharp as you can. If you ABSOLUTELY convinced that your game works as-is and is ready for the box, then by all means get the cool proto and pay the freight. Worst case scenario? You'll never convince a publisher to pick it up and you'll have the only cool set around.

I have a rule of thumb - I never create a game I don't enjoy playing.

If it turns out you can make the pitch, or, perhaps all the feedback you get is universally awesome, you can call the folks in China/Europe about getting molds made. Budget it all out and go KICKSTARTER with it. At that point, the KS will pay for the molds and your cost per die will be low enough to make the game reasonably affordable.

In the meantime, if you really want the sweetest lasercut dice around, give Steve Jones at BLUE PANTHER a phone call. He did my train logo dice for EXPRESS LINE - the absolute prettiest dice in any board game ever [even if I do say so myself - and I can say that because he cut them, I didn't].

All I ask is that you wait till next week because he's cutting my next prototype this week... ;-)

blackjon
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Joined: 10/25/2010
Demo not Proto

Thanks again Quest and Traz.

Sorry, but I'm really not open to a grid since that's not what I'd want to play with a finished product. I already have a functioning prototype (Using normal 6 sided dice that the players have to adjust) that's been fairly well play tested. Perhaps I should have said demo copies instead of prototypes (and maybe put this under the Publishing forum). I also have some access to publishers as well as friends who have successfully kickstarted games. I agree that the demo should look as professional as possible and money isn't really a barrier, but I'd still rather not pay custom prices for something that doesn't seem to be all that custom (unlike the Express Line dice I just checked out on BGG - very nice).

I'll definitely check out Blue Panther.

So, anyone have any ideas for stock 1-3 d6s?

truekid games
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Joined: 10/29/2008
how important is the

how important is the size?
http://www.chessex.com/Dice/Specialty%20Dice/3_sided.htm

http://www.thediceshoponline.com/dice-search/d3

and I think Koplow and Crystal Caste make them as well, but I couldn't find a place to buy them in bulk in the couple of minutes I looked. Your local game shop probably has catalogs.

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