Joseph Z Chen 🔜 OrcaCon
@fanfactories.bsky.social
Seattle board game designer/dev. Posts about game design, playtesting, art, and crowdfunding.
Credits: Fantastic Factories & Honeypot. Flatout Games CoLab dev for Knitting Circle, Propolis, Cascadia: Alpine Lakes & more.
https://www.josephzchen.me/
Credits: Fantastic Factories & Honeypot. Flatout Games CoLab dev for Knitting Circle, Propolis, Cascadia: Alpine Lakes & more.
https://www.josephzchen.me/
Overall great year at PAX Unplugged. Each year gets busier and busier, but the experience grows more and more fulfilling. 🎲❤️
What were your highlights at PAX Unplugged?
What were your highlights at PAX Unplugged?
November 26, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Overall great year at PAX Unplugged. Each year gets busier and busier, but the experience grows more and more fulfilling. 🎲❤️
What were your highlights at PAX Unplugged?
What were your highlights at PAX Unplugged?
Also seeing old friends & making new ones. Got to meet people like Chris & Suzanne, the amazing folks behind @cardboardedison.com providing invaluable resources to game designers around the world.
They also sold at the market and told me how they painstakingly hand cut each sleeve for their game.
They also sold at the market and told me how they painstakingly hand cut each sleeve for their game.
November 26, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Also seeing old friends & making new ones. Got to meet people like Chris & Suzanne, the amazing folks behind @cardboardedison.com providing invaluable resources to game designers around the world.
They also sold at the market and told me how they painstakingly hand cut each sleeve for their game.
They also sold at the market and told me how they painstakingly hand cut each sleeve for their game.
On Sunday, Shawn ran a marathon in just ~4 hours and then probably the biggest flex I've ever seen, came back to the Flatout Games booth while wearing his marathon medal. This guy has infinite energy.
November 26, 2025 at 12:11 AM
On Sunday, Shawn ran a marathon in just ~4 hours and then probably the biggest flex I've ever seen, came back to the Flatout Games booth while wearing his marathon medal. This guy has infinite energy.
Another great highlight was the Indie Games Night Market put together by @dnlnwmn.bsky.social. People were very excited about Flip Stack Burger Shack, and I sold out within 1 hour despite bringing 50 copies.
A publisher even stopped by and expressed interest!
A publisher even stopped by and expressed interest!
November 26, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Another great highlight was the Indie Games Night Market put together by @dnlnwmn.bsky.social. People were very excited about Flip Stack Burger Shack, and I sold out within 1 hour despite bringing 50 copies.
A publisher even stopped by and expressed interest!
A publisher even stopped by and expressed interest!
A few folks even recognized my name & told me how much they love Fantastic Factories. I'm amazed that even after ~8 years people are still enjoying the game. I walked around on Saturday I even found two groups playing it in the freeplay area! It always makes me happy to see it.
November 26, 2025 at 12:11 AM
A few folks even recognized my name & told me how much they love Fantastic Factories. I'm amazed that even after ~8 years people are still enjoying the game. I walked around on Saturday I even found two groups playing it in the freeplay area! It always makes me happy to see it.
First off Honeypot was finally announced by @flatoutgames.bsky.social and was featured at their booth. I got to tell people about my game!
The gorgeous art is by @kwanchai.bsky.social. He did an amazing job, and it's been a dream seeing my game illustrated by him.
The gorgeous art is by @kwanchai.bsky.social. He did an amazing job, and it's been a dream seeing my game illustrated by him.
November 26, 2025 at 12:11 AM
First off Honeypot was finally announced by @flatoutgames.bsky.social and was featured at their booth. I got to tell people about my game!
The gorgeous art is by @kwanchai.bsky.social. He did an amazing job, and it's been a dream seeing my game illustrated by him.
The gorgeous art is by @kwanchai.bsky.social. He did an amazing job, and it's been a dream seeing my game illustrated by him.
PAX Unplugged recap thread! It was an amazing con as it is every year. Got to see some familiar faces, met some new friends, worked at the Flatout booth, sold games at the Indie Games Night Market, pitched to publishers, and got to tell everyone about my new game, HONEYPOT!
November 26, 2025 at 12:11 AM
PAX Unplugged recap thread! It was an amazing con as it is every year. Got to see some familiar faces, met some new friends, worked at the Flatout booth, sold games at the Indie Games Night Market, pitched to publishers, and got to tell everyone about my new game, HONEYPOT!
One of the most exciting things for me is when I get to see my game being played out in the wild! It never gets old, and I'm so happy I was able to stumble across these two while walking through the freeplay area at PAX Unplugged!
November 22, 2025 at 5:29 PM
One of the most exciting things for me is when I get to see my game being played out in the wild! It never gets old, and I'm so happy I was able to stumble across these two while walking through the freeplay area at PAX Unplugged!
Got inspired and finally got around to taking a "glamor" photo for Flip Stack Burger Shack, which will be available at the Indie Games Night Market @ PAX Unplugged this Saturday!!
November 17, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Got inspired and finally got around to taking a "glamor" photo for Flip Stack Burger Shack, which will be available at the Indie Games Night Market @ PAX Unplugged this Saturday!!
Not sure how we ended up here but by the end of an evening of playtesting games this is what we found ourselves doing.
November 13, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Not sure how we ended up here but by the end of an evening of playtesting games this is what we found ourselves doing.
Today's prototyping aftermath. Sometimes there's beauty in the scraps.
November 12, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Today's prototyping aftermath. Sometimes there's beauty in the scraps.
Last night I ventured out to the Eastside to attend the game designer meetup at Uncle's Games. It was great to see such a lively community over there as well!
October 30, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Last night I ventured out to the Eastside to attend the game designer meetup at Uncle's Games. It was great to see such a lively community over there as well!
Another great night of playtesting at Mox Boarding House! There were 3 tables of games going. Lot of great stuff happening every week. So lucky to be a part of such an active community if game designers. ♥️
October 23, 2025 at 6:07 AM
Another great night of playtesting at Mox Boarding House! There were 3 tables of games going. Lot of great stuff happening every week. So lucky to be a part of such an active community if game designers. ♥️
Last month I dropped off a few copies of Grunt Work at my LGS but it didn't sell as quickly as I would have liked. So I'm reimagining the game for retail and what the packaging might look like.
Cover says what the game is about. Back basically teaches you the game.
Let me know what people think!
Cover says what the game is about. Back basically teaches you the game.
Let me know what people think!
October 20, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Last month I dropped off a few copies of Grunt Work at my LGS but it didn't sell as quickly as I would have liked. So I'm reimagining the game for retail and what the packaging might look like.
Cover says what the game is about. Back basically teaches you the game.
Let me know what people think!
Cover says what the game is about. Back basically teaches you the game.
Let me know what people think!
I managed to fit all the games into my luggage but it turns out it's 15 pounds overweight for checkin. 🥵 Will have to come up with some creative solutions...
October 15, 2025 at 8:59 PM
I managed to fit all the games into my luggage but it turns out it's 15 pounds overweight for checkin. 🥵 Will have to come up with some creative solutions...
I can attest this is a lot of fun and at $10 it's a steal! Just check out the sketch I got a few years ago.
October 15, 2025 at 8:51 PM
I can attest this is a lot of fun and at $10 it's a steal! Just check out the sketch I got a few years ago.
Here it is in all its glory. 50 copies of Flip Stack Burger Shack ready for the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged! Let's see if they all fit in the suitcase...
October 14, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Here it is in all its glory. 50 copies of Flip Stack Burger Shack ready for the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged! Let's see if they all fit in the suitcase...
The aftermath.
October 13, 2025 at 7:18 PM
The aftermath.
Almost ready to assemble 50 copies of Flip Stack Burger Shack for the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged!
October 13, 2025 at 5:07 AM
Almost ready to assemble 50 copies of Flip Stack Burger Shack for the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged!
I put the game on a shelf with other games I've worked on. I also have framed art from the game with the card component. I don't know that I would call it a ritual though.
October 6, 2025 at 9:58 PM
I put the game on a shelf with other games I've worked on. I also have framed art from the game with the card component. I don't know that I would call it a ritual though.
All right, who wore it better? Me or this tent at the state fair?
October 6, 2025 at 8:17 PM
All right, who wore it better? Me or this tent at the state fair?
Presenting the new bag for Flip Stack Burger Shack! This version will be what's available at the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged.
October 1, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Presenting the new bag for Flip Stack Burger Shack! This version will be what's available at the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged.
There are two types of players...
September 25, 2025 at 5:51 AM
There are two types of players...
I've been cutting cards...
September 23, 2025 at 10:09 PM
I've been cutting cards...