Midgame of Foosball 74 with pizza and beer at Lonely Oak Brewery in Gilroy CA.
I got to playtest Foosball 74 twice at a brewery after the 2-1 win for the #USWNT ⚽️ over Japan. We started with PK Shootout, which I lost 3-2. But they wanted to see more! First game ended 4-4, and the next was 3-1. Good feedback, including on substitutions, components, and blind testing. #Soccer54
Update to #Soccer54 ⚽️ rules v2.0.0214 and PK Shootout 24 rules v1.3.0215:
I’ve updated both games with the latest mechanics I’m testing in Foosball 74. This includes an advantage suit, filling empty spaces, and a Referee card for PK Shootout.
🎲✂️
Heading to Santa Cruz CA tonight for a playtesting event, my first since early December before "life" got in the way. I've been able to print and sleeve a new deck for Foosball 74, my custom variant of #Soccer54.
But Nick’s 🎲✂️ post is living rent-free in my head.
In the booth (right) for the California Collegiate Athletic Association men’s and women’s tournament.
Tailgating in the traveling supporters section for both the Washington Spirit and Gotham FC. “Goyo” is short for Gregorio.
Second women’s championship final in two weeks!
Made at the supporters groups tailgate, we held up the signs “Trans People Belong” during the 20th minute.
I’ve wrapped up my college broadcast soccer season last week by then getting to attend the NWSL Championship in San Jose. Did I have a copy of #Soccer54 ⚽️ in my bag the whole time? Of course!
View from the touch line of a set up of Foosball 74.
View from the end line of a set up of Foosball 74.
After a furious week of online playtesting, I have printed, sleeved, and made ready the current prototype of Foosball 74 for IRL playtesting.
🎲✂️ #Soccer54
A Shoot 3 Strength Card from Soccer 74, now re-themed to Foosball 74 in the digital prototype I used during Protospiel Online. In the background is the soccer field where the Sea Otters 🦦 of Cal State Monterey Bay play their home games.
Two worlds collided on Sunday. The ⚽️ season opened for my local college team where I am a play-by-play announcer.
And it was @protospielo.bsky.social weekend, where I was still playtesting Foosball 74.
🎲✂️ #Soccer54
I have taken the advice a recent playtester in the pub and will retheme this game to "Foosball 74. Table soccer...on your table!"
The core game remains the same for playtesting this weekend at @protospielo.bsky.social but this should lower the barrier to entry a bit. #Soccer54 🎲✂️
Cutting up poker-size cards made with Mulideck (Mac).
A sleeved card representing the blue shooter with rank three and a spatial awareness advantage.
A quick-think backing using an existing card deck’s back. Makes it look really shiny, and it makes the sleeved card feel firm.
Finished game of a PK shootout where I lost 4-3.
I printed a prototype that uses a custom deck from Soccer 74, the game based on the free print and play version called #Soccer54. I tested the PK shootout using the 32 shooting and saving cards. The digital version is ready to go for @protospielo.bsky.social starting on August 22. 🎲✂️
Setup on PlayingCardsIO of Soccer 74. The blue 12 with a spatial awareness advantage is in the center midfield representing the current location of the ball on the field.
I've been 🎲✂️ building up for the August @protospielo.bsky.social by creating a custom deck of cards based on #Soccer54 that now includes 74 cards, advantage suits, colors, and directions to move the ball after a battle for possession. This eliminates a ton of rules and speeds up play.
The more I playtest #Soccer54 ⚽️ the more people send me recent soccer games they think might be similar. So far, they aren’t, but it’s a big ol’ goofy world of creative 🎲✂️ people with similar passions. Feel free to add your own, but here’s what I’ve found so far:
🧵
I’m not sure if you played #Soccer54 followed by PK Shootout 24 that it could more dramatic than this match.
Starting set-up of Soccer 54 on a playmat that looks like a grass field.
Testing a trick-taking variant of #Soccer54 at the local pub with the designer of @zphotogame.bsky.social. 🎲✂️
Just like a proper game of PK Shootout 24. 💯
Rules: haoleboygames.itch.io/soccer-54
#Soccer54
Update to PK Shootout 24! ⚽️
Version 1.2.0713: After playtesting at the Protospiel event during the East Bay Board Game Convention, I've added a drafting mechanism to give players a better chance of playing with a balanced hand. #Soccer54 #boardgames 🎲✂️
A “Believe” hat from the Ted Lasso television series, and an Oakland Soul soccer jersey.
Let’s go pitch a soccer game ⚽️ in Oakland CA! 🎲✂️
#Soccer54 #boardgames
Wonder how a penalty shootout actually works? Here’s an actual tiebreaker that closely simulates PK Shootout 24! #Soccer54 ⚽️
Scout is very fun!
Our bag always has Sea Salt & Paper, Love Letter, and the River and Stone deck of standard playing cards, so we can either play my variant of Palace or #Soccer54 ⚽️.
Palace variant: boardgamegeek.com/thread/29741...
Soccer 54: haoleboygames.itch.io/soccer-54
When I'm teaching #Soccer54 ⚽️ in a playtest, I usually start with a game of PK Shootout 24, which plays in five minutes. It helps to show them how shooting and saving works. Then I feel like I can teach someone how to move the ball around with the rest of the cards. #boardgames
Updated the playthrough videos for both #Soccer54 and PK Shootout 24 based on recently updated rules.
Biggest change to v 1.8 of Soccer 54? You no longer have to replace the space where the Ball was previously located. This removes a step and speeds up the game! 🎲✂️ #boardgames
Full kit wanker! Here I am in my Ted Lasso hat ("Believe") and local college soccer shirt (Go Sea Otters!) to playtest PK Shootout 24, a spinoff of Soccer 54. Photo by Courtney Laschkewitsch at the June monthly meeting of the Golden Gate Gamemakers at People's Coffee in Santa Cruz CA.
My next chance to playtest prototypes in real life comes on July 8, but last June I had a blast. @oceans4ransom.bsky.social had just proofed my rules for PK Shootout 24, and the Golden Gate Gamemakers monthly meetup in Santa Cruz CA was the perfect place to test them (and cosplay). 🎲✂️ #Soccer54
Final score 4-2 Ronaldo defeats Messi in PK Shootout 24 on PlayingCards.io. Significant rules change is a tie now goes to the shooter, but otherwise I've updated a draft of the rules (v 1.1.0606) after a fantastic proofread by fellow designer Justin Antezana.
I'm heading up to tonight's Golden Gate Gamemakers playtest event in Santa Cruz CA with three prototypes: 1) a version of #Soccer54 with two rules changes, 2) An unguided playthrough of PK Shootout 24 after a rules proofread, and 3) The Bats of Limekiln, which is half done and needs direction. 🎲✂️
Last play of the game. After a goal kick back the center midfield, I could on continue my possession down the right wing. I was able to get a shot off and score at the last minute after having been down 2-1 at halftime.
So far, the game play remains fast and fun, but the choices are interesting. A lot more play on the wings!
Case in point: I had to goal kick back to the center, could only go to the wing, and on the last play of the game was able to score and win 3-2. #Soccer54
How do you refill if your path is blocked? Do you allow for a cross?
If the entire row is emptied, does that force a refill?
To me it’s very soccer to not have players drop back and be available in certain spaces. Kinda simulates a counter arrack. #Soccer54
What if I removed the rule that you replace the newly emptied space previously occupied by the Ball ⚽️ with a face-down card?
Would you be forced to take different paths up and down the field if there isn't a card ahead of you? #Soccer54 🎲✂️
Oooh, this gave me a great idea to remove a step and lessen the rules in #Soccer54 for my next in-person playtest. Thank you!
Update to #Soccer54 ⚽️ rules v 1.7.0530 and PK Shootout 24 rules 1.1.0530:
I changed the conditions for a tie in values between shooter and saver.
I’ve also updated the Solo rules for both games.
🎲✂️
Game end of PK Shootout 24 with Han winning 4-2, including three goals from matching suits.
Been testing alternative Solo powers for either Hope or Han.
In general for #Soccer54, I’m now convinced inside the 18-yard box a tie should go to the shooter. Outside? The saver.
But in PK Shootout 24, I’m giving Solo the advantage of matching color and/or suit. So far, Solo is tough to beat! 🎲✂️
Set up of a game of Soccer 54: Premier on PlayingCards.io, with action cards in the lower left and a "Protospiel Online Tested" logo in the top right.
I didn't spend as much time at the May 2025 @protospielo.bsky.social as I would have liked, but I did get to playtest #Soccer54: Premier at least once before @deckhandgames.bsky.social announces their winner tomorrow. 🎲✂️
Sea Salt & Paper hits the table at the pub these days. 🧜♀️
And I’ll offer up #Soccer54 ⚽️, which only requires a standard deck of playing cards.
Wearing an orange shirt proclaiming “People Make the Playtest.”
A California soccer jersey designed by Lysander Caceres and produced by Olive & York.
Spending the evening in Santa Cruz at a Golden Gate Gamemakers playtest event. 🎲✂️
Last time I repped a @protospielo.bsky.social shirt. Tonight I’ll be wearing a @mustbelys.bsky.social soccer jersey to test #Soccer54 ⚽️
