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Caroline BlackUnited Kingdom
Braintree
Essex
Tigger playing Agricola. He lost!
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I have a love hate relationship with inserts. I am always sort of disappointed if I get a game and it’s doesn’t have an insert. That said I often end up throwing them out.
I am not really sleever so that is not an issue. The only games I have sleeved are Wingspan because it has white cards and for some strange reason Museum. Having to sleeve all the expansions for Wingspan made me realise it’s not worth it. It adds so much to the cost of the game and it’s only really worth it unless the cards are handled a lot.:strip_icc()/pic5648822.jpg)
Wingspan didn’t have a insert as they are going to offer a big box storage solution later this year. I was more than happy with the plastic boxes. I like storage that does straight from box to table.
I don’t know what it is about publishers but they don’t seem to be able to do them right. Tapestry had a great insert. Although I have only just managed to fit in the expansion content. Most inserts are really badly thought out. I guess from a publishers point of view, the main function of an insert is to get the game to you in a good condition. They are no thinking of future functionality./pic6139792.jpg)
I just got Mercado de Lisboa. This has a plastic insert, with a space you put the tile bag. But it doesn’t really fit with the box lid sitting proud unless you carefully arrange the bag. The coin section is too small and it doesn’t have finger holes to help you get the discs out. It’s another example of an insert that doesn’t quite work.:strip_icc()/pic6119658.jpg)
Now that I have decided not to go all in with Everdell: The Complete Collection I need to invest in a good after market insert for Everdell. Some of the after market inserts are really well thought out with round trackers, dice cups and first player markers. The insert for for Wingspan even has a bird house dice tower.:strip_icc()/pic6050739.jpg)
Game Trayz do great inserts. The one for PARKS was great but now of course we have an expansion. I did manager to cram everything in but I had to leave out twenty original parks cards. It’s not really a problem as you would never get through the deck but it’s annoying.:strip_icc()/pic6139517.jpg)
The insert for Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig was also produced by Game Trayz. Thus works really well and has room in the box for a Game Trayz for the expansion. Even so I bet everyone moaned the box had wasted space./pic6040699.jpg)
Often you have to leave the punch board under the insert to allow you to store the game vertically. This was always my problem with Cacao as the previous owner never left the punchboards in. In the end I bought a Carcassonne for it which allows me to keep the base game and expansions in one box.
I did this with Keyper as well dying a Caverna: The Cave Farmers insert. With bigger games with loads of components an insgerts essential. Still in two minds whether to back Keyper at Sea. I think I am going to use it mainly for the solo option so I am not sure.:strip_icc()/pic6038732.jpg)
I like building after market inserts. I find them quite satisfying but they are costly do I don’t buy them very often now. The Folded Space are cheaper and lighter.
I went through a phase of making my own with foam core. It takes ages designing them (although sometimes there are ones you can copy) and the pinning and gluing them. Foam core seems to have been designed to be difficult to cut neatly, so you have to keep changing your blades so they are really sharp.
The Dyslexic Gamer
A blog about Euro’s with wonderful art and components
Archive for Storage
20
Comments
Thu Apr 29, 2021 1:44 am
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Caroline BlackUnited Kingdom
Braintree
Essex
Tigger playing Agricola. He lost!
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I love after market box inserts but I haven’t bought any for ages. There are a few reasons for this.
Firstly the games I want them for don’t have after market inserts. I think as I become more confident in my gaming tastes, I am buying more and more obscure games. I would really like one for High Rise but unfortunately nobody sells one (Folded Space I hope you are reading this)
Unlike the majority of Kickstarters they didn’t include an insert in the campaign.:strip_icc()/pic5624350.jpg)
The second reason is so many games now include inserts. More and more games are coming with fancy inserts, for example Glen More II: Chronicles and Tapestry More thought seems to be going into them and many now have plastic lids.:strip_icc()/pic5503798.jpg)
I just can’t bring myself to throw away the insert and buy an after market insert for a game like Tapestry although with the expansion the existing insert no longer works well.:strip_icc()/pic5998663.jpg)
It seems such a waste of scarce resources. I am really surprised no one has come up with an environmentally friendly way of making inserts out of Bamboo or something.
I am tempted to get one for Wingspan because at least I could repurpose the plastic containers.:strip_icc()/pic5171695.jpg)
I have made inserts in the past and whist perfectly adequate they are not as visually pleasing as an after market inserts. There is also something strangely pleasing about building them.
My Everdell box badly needs one but I am waiting to see what the new Kickstarter brings.
I still think my best insert was my first. An insert for Carcassonne that lets me keep most of the expansions in the base box. Since I bought mine they have come even more fancy with etching to indicate where thing goes./pic5998689.jpg)
I am actually buying another one to use with Cacao so I can put my expansions in one box. The roundels fit almost exactly. I have never understood why insert makers don’t make generic inserts which can be used for more than one game./pic6000049.jpg)
I use a Caverna: The Cave Farmers for Keyper and it works a treat. I just hope the new expansion fits in. And that’s the risk is my it? Buy an expensive after market insert only for it to become redundant as soon as an expansion is produced.:strip_icc()/pic5998697.jpg)
After market inserts are becoming g more and more fancy and more expensive. I saw one the other day for over €50. It’s big business. It’s weird how they can come up with great inserts but the publishers still produce really naff ones.
In particular I love ones with containers that go from box to table. I am really tempted by a Laserox insert I saw for Queendomino with combines this with Kingdomino.:strip_icc()/pic5359537.jpg)
I like Game Trayz generic trays. But I usually I just get business card boxes.
Sun Feb 21, 2021 4:03 pm
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Caroline BlackUnited Kingdom
Braintree
Essex
Tigger playing Agricola. He lost!
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You have probably guessed by now that I like inserts. I don’t know why I guess it’s a love organising and sorting. My dream job would be creating board game inserts. I must admit a big part of ordering Glen More II: Chronicles was the tuck boxes. Oh and an excuse to own a big green wooden Nessie.
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I really enjoyed punching it out and organising it but it took me an hour and a half and I had to watch a video. I like the plastic top on the insert which keeps everything in place. I bought this in a ding and dent sale at a substantial discount although when it arrived there wasn’t a ding or dent in sight. I think they do this on line just to get rid of a little excess stock. It not the first time this has happened.:strip_icc()/pic5029714.jpg)
I think tuck boxes are an underused storage system. You certainly get the feeling with a game like Glen More II that thought about the insert. Who ever designed it also had a love of sticking stickers on components which is something I don’t like. I think I’ll just leave them in the box as I always stick them on crooked (this is what I hate about being dyslexic, words like crooked always look wrong to me) My occupied token in Everdell: Collector's Edition are testament to this. As is the first player token in the Prêt-à-Porter Kickstarter edition.:strip_icc()/pic5938620.jpg)
Also whist I am on a rant about about Glen More, why did they call it Glen More II. I mean there were so many better names. Glen More More or More Glen More or Even more Glen More. The possibilities are endless.
My group always insist in talking in Scottish accent when we play this.
Despite Glen More II being a highly produced game, there are so many enhanced third party inserts and upgraded components. It’s seems there is just no end to upgrading. The more deluxe a game is, the more upgrades there are. We saw this with Wingspan, another game that had a good storage solution.:strip_icc()/pic5938614.jpg)
I just worry where it will end. It cost of Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Collector's Edition was around where I expected, although I was disappointed that there was VAT on top. However, it seems to me Kickstarts are just getting more and more expensive.
I find myself increasing attracted to smaller games.
PARKS is still my favourite insert with Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig coming a close second. I really like inserts that go from box to table.:strip_icc()/pic5915573.jpg)
I love how creative the BGG community is in creating inserts. Even the very best inserts will be improved upon.
Of course inserts are mainly for the publishers benefit to ship the goods in a good condition rather than the benefit of the end user. I think where inserts require the punch board to be keep that should ship with the punch boards beneath the insert so it’s clear.
When I bought Cacao from ebay I was disappointed that it didn’t have enough coins. I decided to buy one of the many mini expansions there are for Cacao which had extra coins. It was only when I decided to put the punch board underneath the insert that I noticed a bunch of coins.
Did you know that another name for punch boards is sprues?
I am loving Cacao at the moment. I recent succumbed to Cacao: Diamante in the January sales and I am really enjoying playing the tree of life and the Emperor.:strip_icc()/pic5938573.jpg)
I no longer buy inserts now. As I buy and sell games so frequently it’s not worth investing in them. Also more and more games seem to be coming the serviceable inserts. Kickstarters in particular seem to come with inserts or Game Trayz.
Also the after market inserts are becoming more and more expensive. The Tower Rex inserts used to be quite cheap but now are as much as £45. They are very elaborate and beautiful but in some cases cost nearly as much as the game itself.:strip_icc()/pic5942086.jpg)
Folded space used to be my favourite but even they are creeping up in price. £19 for the The Isle of Cats. I think the only tine they are worth it, is if you have lots of expansions. I just have my Isle of Cats in a couple of deck boxes.
I will also give a shout out to the Obsession insert. I do love giving everyone a box of all their components. I like draw string bags as well./pic5942088.jpg)
Mon Jan 25, 2021 8:05 pm
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Caroline BlackUnited Kingdom
Braintree
Essex
Tigger playing Agricola. He lost!
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I am not sure whether I love or loath games in other containers. The problem is that it spoils the look of your shelves. I don’t mind small games being in tins but not bigger games.
I recently acquired Abandon All Artichokes Which is in a small artichoke shaped tin and that it’s fine because it’s quite small. I keep my smaller games in a cupboard anyway./pic5238249.jpg)
A heartless card game ......groan!
Mint Works was actually developed in response to a competition asking designers to develop a game that fitted into a tin. I think it’s charming that the currency is mints.:strip_icc()/pic3075847.png)
Lookout Games is offering a popular game in an Easter Egg format. This year it’s Oh My Goods! which is a cracking game. If you don’t own this you have to pick it up!:strip_icc()/pic5606219.jpg)
Piepmatz had the same treatment.:strip_icc()/pic4805247.jpg)
Sushi Go! and Sushi Go Party! come in tins. I personally think the tin for the later is way too big with lots of wasted space.:strip_icc()/pic5188217.jpg)
Compare this with the first edition of Sushi Go./pic1783937.jpg)
Famously BANG! The Bullet! comes in a large metal bullet.:strip_icc()/pic1198011.jpg)
One container I particularly dislike is the Carcassonne: 10 Year Special Edition. It even has a meeple shaped board. Let’s hope they manage something a bit better for the twentieth anniversary./pic943924.jpg)
The travel version of Carcassonne comes in a bag./pic227627.jpg)
There is a version of Pandemic which comes looking like a first aid kit.:strip_icc()/pic5245633.jpg)
A little game l’ve been interested in is Trailhead which has the theme of surviving in the wilderness. I looks really cool.:strip_icc()/pic3928249.jpg)
But my worse tin is Cat Lady: Premium Edition. I really wish this came in a box. I almost got Cat Lady: Box of Treats just so I could ditch the tin. So much wasted space. My lid has been dropped and doesn’t even fit anymore. One of my favourite games as well.:strip_icc()/pic4827402.jpg)
Sat Dec 19, 2020 5:25 pm
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Caroline BlackUnited Kingdom
Braintree
Essex
Tigger playing Agricola. He lost!
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When I was first into board gaming I really got into storage. My Carcassonne collection had so many tiles I wanted to store it in the base box rather than using the expansion boxes.
I really like box inserts. I like how they are tailor made for the game. Often they are etched with pictures of the components and include room for expansions. I research them carefully buying the best one. This has led me to try most of the brands. Some are much better than others. Some have extras like start player tokens or dice cups.:strip_icc()/pic5819378.jpg)
A decent insert can really speed up set up times, especially it it has compartments that go straight from the box to the table.
Some games come with decent storage but they are few and far between. It sometimes seems much thought doesn’t go into the insert. Rajas of the Ganges is a good one.:strip_icc()/pic3807413.jpg)
The problem is of course when an expansion comes along and then the well thought out insert is pretty useless. This happened with Tapestry although actually I managed to fit everything in. I love Game Trayz. They are the best inserts. The PARKS one is excellent.:strip_icc()/pic5819392.jpg)
The game I would most like an after market insert for is High Rise But I can’t see this happening as it’s not a very popular game. I’ve really enjoyed playing it solo during lockdown and actually managed to play it two player this week.
There are some really great foam core ones for it made by users but they all look a little complex for my level. I have made a few of my own foam core inserts in the past. But actually I find the Folded Space pre-cut inserts the best. They are cheap and light.
Wingspan led me to see the value of plastic boxes and most of my games have these now. I buy geek boxes or business card boxes from ebay. Business card boxes can double as deck boxes as well./pic5819385.jpg)
I’ve made quite a few accessories (from kits) for my games including a Carcassonne tile dispenser and a Wingspan dice tower. They are fun and satisfying to build.:strip_icc()/pic5835024.jpg)
Several designers are providing empty big boxes for their games to store all the expansions in. Stonemaier Games already do one for Scythe and one for Wingspan is planned for the future.
Some games suit little bags especially if the tiles need to be randomised. The Castles of Burgundy is like this. They make set up and tear down som much easier.:strip_icc()/pic3931836.jpg)
I really like smaller cardboard boxes as a storeage solution.:strip_icc()/pic5835023.jpg)
Sun Dec 6, 2020 5:46 am
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Caroline BlackUnited Kingdom
Braintree
Essex
Tigger playing Agricola. He lost!
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Meeplesource
I really wish there was an equivalent in the U.K. I love their upgrade sets for games. Luckily they go to Kickstarter and I bought the upgraded meeples for Viticulture Essential Edition and Wingspan: European Expansion and the larger score board. Meeplesource has game upgrade kits for Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, Grand Austria Hotel and The Castles of Burgundy among many others.:strip_icc()/pic5731594.jpg)
Top shelf gamer
Another wonderful on line retailer for gamers in the US is Top Shelf Gamer which does realistic resources for all sorts of games. My favourite are the Power Grid pylons.:strip_icc()/pic5233898.jpg)
Board Game Extras
The nearest equivalent we have in the U.K. is Board game extras which does do some of the Meeplesource upgrades and some nice metal coins. I bought my upgraded components for Glen More here.:strip_icc()/pic5731596.jpg)
Also in Europe is Spiel Material which is a great resource for making your own games. Also some up grades likes the cubes for Terraforming Mars.
Basically wooden
Does beautiful boxes for games including Carcassonne, Dominion and Ticket to Ride. They also do a wooden castle tile dispenser for Carcassonne as well as scoring markers./pic5748888.jpg)
Etsy
Is a great source of 3D printed components. Box organisers, resource containers, upgraded components and even knitted Wingspan nests. There are some wonderful upgrades for Grand Austria Hotel although this is now getting its own deluxe edition.:strip_icc()/pic5259847.jpg)
My favourite are still the Viticulture wine bottles and the Terraforming Mars tokens although the Power Grid tokens are pretty nice as well.:strip_icc()/pic3859454.jpg)
Tower Rex
Does great low cost, well made wooden inserts for games. I also love their Wingspan dice towers./pic5747203.jpg)
Folded space
Does brilliant lightweight box inserts made from foam core. They have really expanded their range recently and have a good selection of reasonably priced inserts for games. I have the one for Clans of Caledonia and Istanbul./pic5748893.jpg)
Board Game Geek Store
But my favourite after market upgrades come from The BGG Store. I love the Geek Bits for Keyflower. Also the little bags they do for Le Havre and The Castles of Burgundy are great. I ordered my Draftosaurus bag from here and my silverlings for The Castles of Burgundy. They also do a fantastic range of promos.:strip_icc()/pic5340054.jpg)
Fri Oct 30, 2020 8:58 pm
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Caroline BlackUnited Kingdom
Braintree
Essex
Tigger playing Agricola. He lost!
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I just got the Kickstarter Obsession today. I was really impressed by how well the game is organised. I like how each player gets their own box for their family with their family crest on it. It such a cool idea.
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I have always done this anyway. Putting each player’s components in their own baggie. Also I encourage players to put their own components back at the end of the game. With Carcassonne I give each players their own little cloth bag./pic5611613.jpg)
I really like it when publishers think through a storage solution. One of the things that I really like about Wingspan was the plastic storage containers. I know some people are really critical of them as unless you know the knack they are difficult to open. I like the Game Trayz card tray as well. I am actually surprised this game has after market organisers available.
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I know I’ve mentioned it before in this blog but I really like the storage solution for Villagers as well. So simple but elegant. Also the coin chest fits in as well.:strip_icc()/pic5611619.jpg)
I don’t sleeve the majority of my games but I think most manufacturers have cottoned on to sleeving and leave room. It is surprising how much extra room sleeves take up.
On of the first games I bought with a great insert was New York 1901. I like that it’s get that kind of metal work pattern you often see. Having the name on it is a bonus too as I tend to ditch some inserts but like to put them back if I subsequently sell the game. Sometimes the plastic inserts are pretty useless. My edition of Museum with the Kickstarter exclusives is a complete mess. I notice storage solutions are increasing an option on Kickstarters.:strip_icc()/pic4646231.jpg)
I really like games that come with cloth bags. The less plastic the better./pic5611630.jpg)
I am not normally a fan of tins but like the tins that come for each player in Ticket to Ride: 10th Anniversary.:strip_icc()/pic1927860.jpg)
The Kickstarter for The Isle of Cats didn’t come with an insert which was a first a little disappointing although it came with a great large sized draw bag. However, some thought had gone into storage although I keep my cards in a couple of deck boxes.:strip_icc()/pic5611642.jpg)
Cacao has one of those inserts that has been designed to be used with the punch board underneath. Unfortunately as my copy was second hand the punch board had long gone. End result whenever I took this to board game club a complete and utter mess.:strip_icc()/pic5611638.jpg)
But then I got Cacao: Volcanoes and instant solution./pic2727877.jpg)
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PARKS has a great Game Trayz solution and the insert is also excellent. I like storage solutions that go straight from box to table.:strip_icc()/pic5611670.jpg)
Tapestry also has a great insert although it’s a shame the new expansion won’t fit in the box. I might have to buy an after market solution for this now. Just wish they had labelled the insert. It’s like a whole after game playing component tetris putting the buildings back./pic5612528.jpg)
Sat Aug 22, 2020 8:53 pm
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Caroline BlackUnited Kingdom
Braintree
Essex
Tigger playing Agricola. He lost!
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One of the things I really like about games is storage. I like to get a new game and work out how I am going to store everything for ease of set up. So often the insert it comes with is useless.
I originally started off buying wooden inserts. The first one I bought was for Carcassonne. I had fallen down the expansion rabbit hole so it was a great way to store all the expansions and promos in the base box. It was really satisfying to build the insert and it worked beautifully. After a while I even ended up buying a tailor made wooden box to house by Carcassonne expansions with wooden dividers for each expansion and promo./pic5483207.jpg)
Wooden inserts followed for component heavy monsters like Caverna, Keyper and my complete collection of Keyflower./pic5483210.jpg)
I invested in colourful “really useful” boxes for Le havre and even a paint pallet for Fresco./pic5483208.jpg)
I then discovered Folded Space and saw how much lighter foam core is than wood. It was only a matter of time before I invested in a craft knife and some pvc and started making my own inserts.:strip_icc()/pic5483206.jpg)
Nowadays I am much more chilled. Plastic business card boxes and baggies are the order of the day. I am not adverse to a draw bag for randomly selected tiles or chits. I like to give each player a bag of all their bits. (something that going to become even more critical when we get back to face to face gaming)/pic5483211.jpg)
But I’ve been blown away by some of the games with Game Trayz. I think the best ready made storage solution I’ve seen for a game is Parks. Literally everything has a space and the component tray covers mean the components don’t fall about if you store the box vertically. Also the game trays can get taken straight to the table.:strip_icc()/pic5483201.jpg)
I also quite like the Wingspan storage boxes. One of the best ready made solutions I’ve seen is Villagers. Simple but great./pic5483221.jpg)
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