Nick Ferris
@nickferris.bsky.social
I make boardgames, take photos, and grow things in dirt. Tall, but not too tall. Favorite food: sandwiches. Connecticutie. he/him
https://nickferris.carrd.co/
“It is possible to commit no errors and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.”
https://nickferris.carrd.co/
“It is possible to commit no errors and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.”
Step 8: You've made an art, and it looks great, no matter how much you might tell yourself otherwise. In the absence of real talent, I've found that keeping things simple and clean can go a long way--hence no face details or hefty backdrops on the Wizardologist cards.
November 24, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Step 8: You've made an art, and it looks great, no matter how much you might tell yourself otherwise. In the absence of real talent, I've found that keeping things simple and clean can go a long way--hence no face details or hefty backdrops on the Wizardologist cards.
Step 7: Pretend to be a graphic designer. Look at other good game cards. Paint.NET was great for making layers, but you might prefer an actual layout program like Illustrator or Affinity's Designer; I did not use those. Look for royalty-free non-AI assets for backgrounds and icons.
November 24, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Step 7: Pretend to be a graphic designer. Look at other good game cards. Paint.NET was great for making layers, but you might prefer an actual layout program like Illustrator or Affinity's Designer; I did not use those. Look for royalty-free non-AI assets for backgrounds and icons.
Step 6: Vectorize. This feels like a secret miracle. Take your raster (pixelized) images and run them through something like Inkscape's Trace Bitmap to make smooth vector images you can bend and twist and easily recolor into final shape at any resolution.
November 24, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Step 6: Vectorize. This feels like a secret miracle. Take your raster (pixelized) images and run them through something like Inkscape's Trace Bitmap to make smooth vector images you can bend and twist and easily recolor into final shape at any resolution.
Step 5: Used tools and filters to clean up and normalize the doodles. I stabbed my photo editor (I use Affinity Photo) until it made these look better. Median Blur was godly. The GMIC Cutout filter helped refine the shape-y look.
November 24, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Step 5: Used tools and filters to clean up and normalize the doodles. I stabbed my photo editor (I use Affinity Photo) until it made these look better. Median Blur was godly. The GMIC Cutout filter helped refine the shape-y look.
A little practice went a long way for me. I drew the Wizardologist first and never went back to revise him. I did the Disapprenticant last. Not shown: my reference photo of me covered in gray towels.
November 24, 2025 at 11:14 PM
A little practice went a long way for me. I drew the Wizardologist first and never went back to revise him. I did the Disapprenticant last. Not shown: my reference photo of me covered in gray towels.
Step 4: Painted over the figure. Paint.NET is great for this. Free and easy to use. Just take a brush and start coloring over the figure. Add more layers on top. Use photos of real people and objects as references, particularly for lighting, shadows, and fabric folds.
November 24, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Step 4: Painted over the figure. Paint.NET is great for this. Free and easy to use. Just take a brush and start coloring over the figure. Add more layers on top. Use photos of real people and objects as references, particularly for lighting, shadows, and fabric folds.
Step 3: Created basic shapes and figures. As a basis for each, I used a combination of figure reference books I have from photography, and I dabbled in some free figure posing software. JustSketchMe and DesignDoll are a couple good ones I tried.
November 24, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Step 3: Created basic shapes and figures. As a basis for each, I used a combination of figure reference books I have from photography, and I dabbled in some free figure posing software. JustSketchMe and DesignDoll are a couple good ones I tried.
Step 2 was figuring out a basic card layout. I quickly ruled out half-card images (like most MTG cards) because people are tall, and I knew I wanted the art to show full bodies and outfits. I opted for full-size art with translucent text boxes.
November 24, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Step 2 was figuring out a basic card layout. I quickly ruled out half-card images (like most MTG cards) because people are tall, and I knew I wanted the art to show full bodies and outfits. I opted for full-size art with translucent text boxes.
One of the biggest surprises for me when showing Wizardologist at #PAXU were the amazing compliments on the art. I am not an artist or graphic designer at all. At best, I'm a photographer with some experience working with images and clip art. No AI was used.
November 24, 2025 at 11:12 PM
One of the biggest surprises for me when showing Wizardologist at #PAXU were the amazing compliments on the art. I am not an artist or graphic designer at all. At best, I'm a photographer with some experience working with images and clip art. No AI was used.
Officially sold 102 copies of Wizardologist at PAX Unplugged's Indie Games Night Market. With extra contributions from especially generous gamers, that makes a grand total of $1085 raised for the Trans Youth Emergency Project at @southernequality.bsky.social .
Thank you all for supporting TYEP!
Thank you all for supporting TYEP!
November 24, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Officially sold 102 copies of Wizardologist at PAX Unplugged's Indie Games Night Market. With extra contributions from especially generous gamers, that makes a grand total of $1085 raised for the Trans Youth Emergency Project at @southernequality.bsky.social .
Thank you all for supporting TYEP!
Thank you all for supporting TYEP!
Back home but a quick recap: Indie Games Night Market at #PAXU was a wild success, particularly for A Wizardologist Most Hexasperated which sold out all 100 copies I brought! I'm still tallying sales and extra contributions, but look for a follow-up post later today with the grand charity total.
November 23, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Back home but a quick recap: Indie Games Night Market at #PAXU was a wild success, particularly for A Wizardologist Most Hexasperated which sold out all 100 copies I brought! I'm still tallying sales and extra contributions, but look for a follow-up post later today with the grand charity total.
Breakfast at an old favorite before hopping on the train down to Philly and #PAXU.
Indie Games Night Market tonight at 7pm! Let's see if I remember how to do a game convention...
Indie Games Night Market tonight at 7pm! Let's see if I remember how to do a game convention...
November 22, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Breakfast at an old favorite before hopping on the train down to Philly and #PAXU.
Indie Games Night Market tonight at 7pm! Let's see if I remember how to do a game convention...
Indie Games Night Market tonight at 7pm! Let's see if I remember how to do a game convention...
I'll be releasing a small run of A Wizardologist Most Hexasperated, a 5-minute social deduction game for 3-18 players, at the Indie Games Night Market this Saturday night at PAX Unplugged. 100% of the price of each copy sold will go to the Trans Youth Emergency Project. (1/3) #IGNM #PAXUnplugged
November 18, 2025 at 5:44 PM
I'll be releasing a small run of A Wizardologist Most Hexasperated, a 5-minute social deduction game for 3-18 players, at the Indie Games Night Market this Saturday night at PAX Unplugged. 100% of the price of each copy sold will go to the Trans Youth Emergency Project. (1/3) #IGNM #PAXUnplugged
I heard we're sharing photos of our assembly lines. Mine is more of a pile, but at least the cards are here and everything is printed! #IGNM #PAXUnplugged #boardgames #AWizardologistMostHexasperated
November 12, 2025 at 11:26 PM
I heard we're sharing photos of our assembly lines. Mine is more of a pile, but at least the cards are here and everything is printed! #IGNM #PAXUnplugged #boardgames #AWizardologistMostHexasperated
Post an image from the last episode of Star Trek you watched.
October 5, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Post an image from the last episode of Star Trek you watched.
I am once again asking for you to move to my town and vote for me.
September 26, 2025 at 1:20 PM
I am once again asking for you to move to my town and vote for me.
🎲✂️I've just printed a big stack of cards on cardstock. Due to thermodynamics, the printer spits out the paper all curvy.
What are some solutions for straightening these quick instead of waiting hours for weight and gravity to work?
Assume I have access to a forge or air fryer but NOT a microwave.
What are some solutions for straightening these quick instead of waiting hours for weight and gravity to work?
Assume I have access to a forge or air fryer but NOT a microwave.
September 23, 2025 at 8:02 PM
🎲✂️I've just printed a big stack of cards on cardstock. Due to thermodynamics, the printer spits out the paper all curvy.
What are some solutions for straightening these quick instead of waiting hours for weight and gravity to work?
Assume I have access to a forge or air fryer but NOT a microwave.
What are some solutions for straightening these quick instead of waiting hours for weight and gravity to work?
Assume I have access to a forge or air fryer but NOT a microwave.
I've been excitedly watching progress from folks vending at the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged 2025, but now I can share some of my own: actual printed cards! They turned out super crisp and colorful, and the stock itself is sturdy and shuffles well. 🎲✂️
September 6, 2025 at 10:58 PM
I've been excitedly watching progress from folks vending at the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged 2025, but now I can share some of my own: actual printed cards! They turned out super crisp and colorful, and the stock itself is sturdy and shuffles well. 🎲✂️
"Look! Look! I finally found a strange new world!"
September 5, 2025 at 1:38 AM
"Look! Look! I finally found a strange new world!"
Played Maracaibo today. Summary: go in a circle four times, workers aren't really workers, build cards, ignore combat. I took the book burning strategy, apparently.
August 30, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Played Maracaibo today. Summary: go in a circle four times, workers aren't really workers, build cards, ignore combat. I took the book burning strategy, apparently.
Here's a small preview of my upcoming super-quick social deduction game, A Wizardologist Most Hexasperated, debuting at the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged 2025! 🎲✂️
August 28, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Here's a small preview of my upcoming super-quick social deduction game, A Wizardologist Most Hexasperated, debuting at the Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged 2025! 🎲✂️
Someone left this treasure trove in our town's transfer station swap shed: dozens of VHS episodes of Star Trek: Voyager, mostly mid-to-late series. #startrek
August 13, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Someone left this treasure trove in our town's transfer station swap shed: dozens of VHS episodes of Star Trek: Voyager, mostly mid-to-late series. #startrek
🎲✂️ 51st: A Wizardologist Most Hexasperated (2025). A 3-to-many-player 3-minute pure social deduction game. Some players hide or bluff, others interrogate or seek. Every player acts and wins uniquely, multiple winners likely. Some history 🧵...
August 10, 2025 at 12:16 AM
🎲✂️ 51st: A Wizardologist Most Hexasperated (2025). A 3-to-many-player 3-minute pure social deduction game. Some players hide or bluff, others interrogate or seek. Every player acts and wins uniquely, multiple winners likely. Some history 🧵...
🎲✂️ 50th: They Who Whisper in Threads Not Yet Woven (2025). A secret role/faction, shifting alliance game for 4-20 players manipulating an abstract galactic timeline. I was shocked at how well this played on the first test--so shocked I put it on the shelf, lol. Another to revisit soon.
August 7, 2025 at 10:00 PM
🎲✂️ 50th: They Who Whisper in Threads Not Yet Woven (2025). A secret role/faction, shifting alliance game for 4-20 players manipulating an abstract galactic timeline. I was shocked at how well this played on the first test--so shocked I put it on the shelf, lol. Another to revisit soon.
🎲✂️ 45th: Untitled Santas Game (2023). Another 18-carder featuring Santa-like entities from around the world. Cards give scoring goals or icons; line up icons across cards for pattern/quantity scoring. Another perfectly cromulent design, but I trashed it in favor of a different Santa theme.
August 5, 2025 at 1:29 PM
🎲✂️ 45th: Untitled Santas Game (2023). Another 18-carder featuring Santa-like entities from around the world. Cards give scoring goals or icons; line up icons across cards for pattern/quantity scoring. Another perfectly cromulent design, but I trashed it in favor of a different Santa theme.