Secrets of the OLFA ninja (aka game preparation tips)

Ian Mackey

(dotburn)

Canada
Kitchener
Ontario

Recommend

Long have I been using an exacto knife to deshrink new games immediately upon returning home from my FLGS or upon P-DAY (parcel day or christmas for BGG'ers), but recently I put my weapon of choice (Olfa design series) to a new use to which has solved a pet peeve of mine on Columbia Games, and has previously stopped me from adding more to my collection. See the first entry on my list. This was the inspiration for this list.

This list is not meant to be restricted to uses of an exacto, utility knife, etc, but as a collection point for tips on what people do to their games to improve their organization, prepare for play and so forth.

Please add your own....

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Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 3:36 pm

1. Board Game: Liberty: The American Revolution 1775-83 [Average Rating:7.32 Overall Rank:816]

Ian Mackey

(dotburn)

Canada
Kitchener
Ontario

Columbia Games titles have long provided me aggravation in applying the stickers to the wooden blocks; not the application, but in the removal of the stickers from the sheet. I find that trying to remove a sticker would consistently separate the top of the sticker from the adhesive backing. Simply using the dull side of the exacto blade to slip between the backing sheet and the sticker and whamo, problem is solved. I don't know why I never tried this before.

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Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:45 pm

Tim Taylor

(Herr Niemand)

United States
Port Townsend
Washington

Actually, any flat tool will work nicely. I've used rulers, bone folders, paper clips, even the edge of my wickedly long fingernails!

You're right though. This procedure is absolutely essential in stickering blocks from any manufacturer.

Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 4:45 pm
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The "Jeff" part is completely true

(ExcitingJeff)

I had an issue with removing the stickers for Hammer of the Scots, until my girlfriend astutely noticed that the back said "crack & peel." Despite my desperate pleas not to bend my game components, she went ahead and bent the sticker sheet along the perforations, and sure enough, the stickers came right off, no Exacto required.

Of course, all my blocks still look they were stickered by a paste-eating toddler, because I did them, but you can't win them all.

Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:08 pm
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Ian Mackey

(dotburn)

Canada
Kitchener
Ontario

I don't recall my copy of HoS having that - but perhaps the newer versions do. I just recently purchased Liberty and can attest it does not have the crack and peeel version. I never had any trouble using manual fingers, fingernails with any of the Command and Colour Series, but almost every fingernail on a Columbia USED TO cause me grief.

Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:30 pm
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2. Board Game: 7 Ages [Average Rating:7.07 Overall Rank:650]

Ian Mackey

(dotburn)

Canada
Kitchener
Ontario

Die Cuts that don't live up to the task. This game was the worst offender in my experience. Finishing all of the chits on this one was a 12-15 hour investment.

0 comments

Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:46 pm

3. Board Game: Pandemic [Average Rating:7.63 Overall Rank:38]

Ian Mackey

(dotburn)

Canada
Kitchener
Ontario

With the increased amount of manufacturing taking place in China. We have seen more games with cards shipped in super shrunk plastic that is impossible to remove manually without some sort of sharp edge. OLFA to the rescue.

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Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 3:05 pm

4. Board Game: Unpublished Prototype [Average Rating:7.07 Overall Rank:1050]

Ian Mackey

(dotburn)

Canada
Kitchener
Ontario

An exacto and a cutting mat are essential to any aspiring designer that needs to create their own tiles or chits. Works great for illustration board or foam core boards alike

0 comments

Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 3:12 pm

5. Board Game: Merchant of Venus [Average Rating:7.22 Overall Rank:269]

Ian Mackey

(dotburn)

Canada
Kitchener
Ontario

Baggies - have a plentiful mix of sizes is pretty standard fare for most gamers in order to reduce the set-up time as well as to allow game storage on the spines of the game box without contents spilling asunder. Storage on the spine is quite useful in increasing the storage density on book shelves without placing undue pressure causing boxes to become concave in the centre of the face.

0 comments

Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 3:16 pm

6. Board Game: Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization [Average Rating:8.30 Overall Rank:4]

Ian Mackey

(dotburn)

Canada
Kitchener
Ontario

Card Protectors - can be useful for games where through overuse, or manufacturer quality require protection in order to retain usability. Certainly useful on german imports as well where you don't want to physically affix the paste-ups to the original cards with text you can make heads or tails of.

0 comments

Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 3:19 pm

7. Board Game: WildLife [Average Rating:6.74 Overall Rank:709]

Ian Mackey

(dotburn)

Canada
Kitchener
Ontario

Inserts - do you really need it? This is of course a personal decision, but on game night, do I really want to spend that extra 10 minutes trying to do the 3d jigsaw puzzle to attempt to get all the components back in the box? Especially if I have bagged the cards

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Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 3:21 pm

Rick Holzgrafe

(rholzgrafe)

United States
San Jose
California

"the understandably frightening and chimeric semicolon" -- HiveGod

Don't bag cards; make tuckboxes! Tuckboxes for Wildlife

Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:53 pm
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Ian Mackey

(dotburn)

Canada
Kitchener
Ontario

Nice tuck box.

That would have been a good idea if the tuck box was available when I purchased the game and was making the decision about the insert. Sigh.

Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 6:19 pm
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8. Board Game: Heroscape Master Set: Rise of the Valkyrie [Average Rating:7.38 Overall Rank:146]

Ian Mackey

(dotburn)

Canada
Kitchener
Ontario

Through the collection of multiple expansions, at some point you hit the point where you forgo the use of the original box and use something else to keep the game in. I keep my heroscape in two main types of container, larger clear bins for the terrain, and multiple black and decker hardware storage boxes for the minis. These are the types of boxes that have 25-30 individual compartments with a locking lid that ensure that none of the squads co-mingle during transport, etc.

0 comments

Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 3:27 pm

9. Board Game: Railroad Tycoon [Average Rating:7.69 Overall Rank:45]

Ian Mackey

(dotburn)

Canada
Kitchener
Ontario

Heavy weights. Some game boards either come warped or warp over time. Using large flat weights does the trick sometimes. My weight of choice... bankers boxes filled with university texts that I never got rid, yet don't have the heart to throw away. Yes I am a pack rat.

0 comments

Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 3:29 pm

10. Board Game: Roads & Boats [Average Rating:7.70 Overall Rank:117]

Ian Mackey

(dotburn)

Canada
Kitchener
Ontario

This is one of those games where having players aids helps the new player through the game. If it is a game that I enjoy playing, I will even go the extra mile to laminate colour-laser printed players aids. Some very sharp players aids exist for this game that look even better than some of the original content as shipped.

0 comments

Posted Wed Feb 27, 2008 3:33 pm

11. Board Game: Twilight Imperium (third edition) [Average Rating:7.83 Overall Rank:25]

Ian Mackey

(dotburn)

Canada
Kitchener
Ontario

De-Spruing. When I opened this box, I was taken back to my youth of hours of carefully removing plastic model tanks before putting this together with cement applied with a toothpick. So much flash to remove, that this was my first use of an exacto for a hobby.

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Posted Fri Feb 29, 2008 8:35 pm

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