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Are lane battlers actually area control games?
Exploring lane battlers and area control via the example of Air, Land, & Sea. How far can we modify a lane battler by adding thematic elements before it…
Feb 10
16
14
3
Moon rings, missing fingers, and teaching game design
Exploring how Moon Rings takes a simple card-grid and turns it into a journaling game about a witch hunting for rings in a dangerous labyrinth. And how…
Feb 3
23
20
3
January 2026
Grid-based pattern and activation systems in the world of Rauha
Exploring how Rauha uses a tight 3x3 grid and tile-laying to create tough decisions and an interesting puzzle. How can we use similar grid-based…
Jan 27
20
10
2
The dice game inside Before the Bog God
Exploring how Before the Bog God by Infinite Citadel uses a two-player dice game as a framework for telling a story about wishes and old gods.
Jan 20
25
11
3
Charging your social battery in A Place for All My Books
Exploring how A Place for All My Books (2025) uses both personal and shared player boards to create a cycle of actions in both your apartment and in the…
Jan 13
20
14
2
SCM Annual Review 2025
Looking back at the third year of writing Skeleton Code Machine every week. More subscribers, consistent feedback, and interest in Tumulus. Here's…
Jan 6
21
2
December 2025
Tracking ammunition in CY_BORG and other TTRPG systems
Exploring the different ways tabletop games can track ammo spent during combat whether it's an arrow or a bullet, using CY_BORG's ammo check roll as an…
Dec 30, 2025
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31
1
Commodity speculation in Soda Jerk
Exploring how Soda Jerk by Chris Yi uses hidden information, stock manipulation, and influence vs. control in a game about combining soda flavors. Also…
Dec 23, 2025
14
6
Circus Flohcati: a push your luck card market
Exploring how Reiner Knizia's Circus Flohcati makes an open draft card market feel dynamic without the usual incentives and discard mechanisms. Also…
Dec 16, 2025
10
10
Let me know what you think! SCM Reader Survey 2025
The third annual Skeleton Code Machine Reader Survey starts now! Let me know what you want to see more (or less) of, which game you loved this year, and…
Dec 15, 2025
11
Tumulus 05. "Step into the fairy ring." 🍄
The latest issue of Tumulus is shipping now, packed with game design inspiration and exercises. Fairies, soup, dark forests, fey contract law, somatic…
Dec 10, 2025
14
5
2
Make your own TTRPG bookmark
Exploring the different types of games that can fit on a bookmark, and how books can be used as part of tabletop mechanisms. Also, three new bookmark…
Dec 9, 2025
50
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12
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