How This Guide Works
This guide walks you through three milestones in your first week. Each milestone shows you a core part of Boardssey and why it matters.
You don't have to complete these in order. If you want to jump straight to using tools, do that. If you want to start with rules, that's fine too. This guide just shows you what to explore.
You don't have to do everything in one day. Some people move through this in an evening. Others take a week. Both are fine.
Milestone 1: Create Your First Game (Days 1-2)
What You'll Accomplish
You'll create a game in Boardssey and give it basic information. This takes about 15 minutes. By the end, you'll have a real game stored in Boardssey instead of just an idea in your head.
Step 1: Go to Games
What to do: Look at the left menu of Boardssey.
Find: Games (it has a game controller icon)
Click on it.
Step 2: Create a Game
Look for: A blue button that says Create Game or + New Game
Click it.
A form appears asking for your game's name.
Step 3: Name Your Game
What to do: Type your game's name in the text box.
Example: "Dobro" or "Escape the Tower" or "My First Game"
Don't worry: You can change this name later.
Click: The Create button.
Congratulations. Your game now exists in Boardssey.
Step 4: Fill In Basic Information
You're now in your game's Game Center. You see several tabs across the top.
Find: The Game Info tab.
Click it (it's probably already selected).
Fill in these fields:
Field | What to Write | Why It Matters |
Elevator Pitch | One sentence: "What's your game about?" | This sentence explains your game instantly |
Mechanics | Examples: "Ladder Climbing" or "Deck Building" | This tells people what players actually do |
Number of Players | Example: "2-4 players" | This shows who can play it |
Play Duration | Example: "20-30 minutes" | This helps people decide if it fits their schedule |
Don't fill in every field right now. You're just giving your game a basic identity. You'll add more later.
Step 5: Upload an Image
Find: The Media tab.
Click it.
Look for: A button saying Upload or Add Image.
Click it.
Choose an image from your computer. This could be:
A box render
A photo of your prototype
A sketch
Anything visual that represents your game
The image uploads and appears on screen.
Step 6: See Your Game Take Shape
Click back to the Game Info tab.
You see your game now has:
A name
A description
An image
Basic info
It's starting to feel real.
This is Milestone 1. You've created a game in Boardssey. Instead of just having an idea, you have an organized entry for your game. Everything about this game can now live in this one place.
Milestone 2: Use a Creator Tool (Days 2-3)
What You'll Accomplish
You'll use one of Boardssey's built-in tools. This takes about 10-15 minutes. By the end, you'll realize you don't have to leave Boardssey to do design work.
Choose Your Tool
You don't need to use all 15+ tools. Pick the one that matches what you're actually working on right now.
Pick A if: You have card images and want to print them for playtesting.
→ Go to Step A: Using P&P Cards Layout
Pick B if: You want to see your game rendered in 3D.
→ Go to Step B: Using Digital Mockups
Pick C if: You want to check if your game is accessible to colorblind players.
→ Go to Step C: Using Color Blindness Simulator
Pick D if: You're playtesting online using Tabletop Simulator.
→ Go to Step D: Using TTS Deck Editor
Step A: Using P&P Cards Layout
You need: Card image files ready on your computer.
Step 1: Click Tools in the left menu.
Step 2: Find P&P Cards Layout.
Click it.
Step 3: A form appears asking:
How many cards do you have? (Type the number)
What size are they? (Standard is 55mm x 85mm—usually already selected)
Step 4: Click Upload Cards and choose your card image files.
Step 5: Wait a few seconds. The tool arranges your cards on a standard letter page in a grid pattern.
Step 6: Click Download to save the PDF.
What you got: A PDF ready to print. Cut out the cards and playtest. No need for design software.
Step B: Using Digital Mockups
You need: Your box artwork and card images ready.
Step 1: Click Tools in the left menu.
Step 2: Find Digital Mockups.
Click it.
Step 3: Upload your box artwork image.
Step 4: Select what you want to see (3D box, card stack, game board, etc.).
Step 5: The tool renders your image in 3D.
Step 6: You can rotate and view from different angles.
What you got: A professional-looking 3D render of your game to show people or share on social media. No professional rendering software needed.
Step C: Using Color Blindness Simulator
You need: An image of a card or board section.
Step 1: Click Tools in the left menu.
Step 2: Find Color Blindness Simulator.
Click it.
Step 3: Upload an image of your game.
Step 4: Select the type of color blindness to simulate (red-green is most common).
Step 5: You see your image as someone with color blindness would see it.
Ask yourself: Can I still tell everything apart? Are colors distinct enough?
What you got: Confidence that your game works for all players, not just those with standard color vision.
Step D: Using TTS Deck Editor
You need: Card images ready.
Step 1: Click Tools in the left menu.
Step 2: Find TTS Deck Editor.
Click it.
Step 3: Upload your card images.
Step 4: The tool exports them in Tabletop Simulator format.
Step 5: Download the file.
Step 6: Upload into Tabletop Simulator (TTS instructions on their site).
What you got: Your game ready to playtest online before printing physical copies.
After Using Your Tool
This is Milestone 2.
You just did something in Boardssey that you thought required a different app. You didn't open Canva or Excel or design software. You stayed in Boardssey and got work done.
This is the realization: Boardssey isn't just where you store information. It's where you actually work.
Milestone 3: Invite a Team Member (Days 4-5)
What You'll Accomplish
You'll invite one person to your game. This takes about 5 minutes. By the end, you'll see how easy collaboration is.
Step 1: Open Your Game
Find your game in the Games section.
Click it to open Game Center.
Step 2: Access Permissions
Look at the right side of your screen.
Find: A button labeled Permissions or a settings icon.
Click it.
A panel appears with team options.
Step 3: Invite Someone
Look for: An Invite button or Add Member option.
Click it.
A text box appears asking for an email address.
Step 4: Enter Their Email
Type: The email of the person you want to invite.
Example: [email protected] or [email protected]
Click: Send Invitation or Invite.
They receive an email with a link.
Step 5: They Click and Join
They click the link in the email.
They're now in your game and can see everything you see.
Why This Matters
This is Milestone 3.
Notice what just happened: you invited a person to your game. No per-seat fee. No extra cost. They can view, comment, and edit your game. If you invite three more people, the cost stays exactly the same.
Compare this to tools like Asana where each new person costs money. On Boardssey, your team grows at no extra cost.
This is how teamwork should work. More hands, same price.
After the Three Milestones
You've now experienced:
Games live in one organized place. No more searching. No more confusion.
You can do design work in Boardssey. You don't have to leave and use other apps.
Collaboration is free. Invite your whole team at no extra cost.
These three experiences show you why Boardssey replaces the tool stack that most game designers piece together.
What to Do Next (Pick Based on Your Game)
If You Want Feedback from Players
Go to Playtests in the left menu.
Create a playtest session.
Invite playtesters to answer specific questions about your game.
See what they think about your specific version.
Read: "Setting Up Your First Playtest" (in help docs)
If You Want to Write Official Rules
Go to Rules in your Game Center.
Write your how-to-play guide.
Export in PDF, HTML, or BGG format.
Share with playtesters or publishers.
Read: "Writing Rules" (in help docs)
If You Want to Publish Your Game Publicly
Go to Catalog in the left menu.
Your game appears in your public portfolio.
Share the link with publishers or social media.
The catalog updates automatically as you change game info.
Read: "Creating Your Public Catalog" (in help docs)
If You Want to Generate Publisher Pitch Materials
Go to Sell Sheets in your Game Center (Pathfinder or Oracle plans only).
Select a template.
Download a professional one-page pitch document.
Print and bring to conventions or email to publishers.
Read: "Using Sell Sheets" (in help docs)
If You're Not Sure What to Do
That's fine. You've hit the three milestones. You understand what Boardssey does.
Just start using it. Whatever is most important for your game right now, do that. Boardssey will grow with you.
Common Questions
Q: Do I have to do these three milestones?
A: No. They're just three entry points. If you want to jump straight to playtesting, do that. If you want to write rules first, go ahead. These are suggestions, not requirements.
Q: Can I go back and change things?
A: Yes. Change your game's title anytime. Update images. Rewrite rules. Nothing is locked in. Boardssey is designed for iteration.
Q: What if I get stuck?
A: Click Help in the top right, or check the knowledge base for specific task guides.
Q: Do I have to pay right now?
A: No. You get full access to Adventurer plan (5 games, all tools) with no credit card. Try it for free. Pay only if you love it.
Q: What if I want to invite more people?
A: Invite as many as you want. There's no limit and no extra cost regardless of plan.
One Last Thing
You don't have to master Boardssey before you start using it.
You don't have to use all the features.
You don't have to move fast.
Just create a game. Add some info. Invite a collaborator. Use a tool. See what's possible.
That's the whole point. Boardssey is designed for you to learn as you go.
Welcome to the platform. You've got this.