Getting Results
Working out the full universe of challenge cards has been one of the most unexpectedly satisfying parts of building Random Rounds.
What started as a handful of ideas quickly became a much bigger exercise in pattern spotting, grouping, and restraint. I needed to understand not just what made a good challenge, but how many types of challenges existed, how they interacted, and how far the system could stretch before it stopped feeling tight. That process was essential for answering a very practical question. How many expansion packs can this game realistically support without losing its identity?
As I mapped everything out, clear structures began to appear. Difficulty levels emerged, showing a natural progression from gentle, confidence building challenges through to more demanding ones. Variations revealed themselves, small twists on familiar ideas that kept play feeling fresh without adding complexity. Themes also started to take shape, giving certain groups of challenges a shared flavour and purpose. Seeing everything laid out like that made it obvious that Random Rounds is not short on ideas. The real work is curation, not invention.
Somewhere in the middle of that process, I had a genuine brain wave about how to build excitement for the kids version of the game. It was one of those moments where several loose threads suddenly snapped into place. Rather than treating the kids game as a simplified afterthought, it became clear that it needed its own sense of progression and reward, built specifically for younger players.
Around the same time, I also had a proper lightbulb moment about how the word version of Random Rounds would work at the table. Not just mechanically, but emotionally. How it could remain fast, forgiving, and playful without turning into a spelling test. That insight unlocked a new level of confidence in the system and made the challenge expansion planning feel much more grounded.
Right now, my focus is on finalising the artwork for the test decks. Getting that right matters. Once those are locked and out in the world being played, I will turn my attention back to the kids version.
The kids cards artwork is already finished, which is a huge milestone. We have played it with a number of kids so far, and the response has been genuinely encouraging. They enjoy it. They laugh. They want to keep playing. What it needs now is a clearer, more visual way to declare a winner, something immediate and celebratory that helps keep kids engaged and gives them a satisfying sense of completion.
Each of these steps, the mapping, the realisations, the moments of clarity, are reminders that this process is not linear. It loops, overlaps, and occasionally surprises you. And that is exactly what makes building Random Rounds feel so rewarding.
