Author Archives: jeffinberlin

About jeffinberlin

Jeffrey D. Allers lives in Berlin and has worked there as an architect and youth pastor. He is a published game designer and has been writing "Postcards From Berlin" since 2005 on GameWire, BoardgameNews and now, the Opinionated Gamers. He enjoys writing about game design and his experiences as an American expatriate living in the midst of German boardgame culture.

Essen Hidden Gems: Pact & Evidence

Posted on October 21, 2019

There are so many games being released these days, it’s getting easier to miss some real gems. The quality of a game’s design isn’t enough to sell it anymore—even in Essen, where Indie game designers have been bringing their wares … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | 4 Comments

Postcard From Berlin: Games That Tell Refugees’ Stories

Posted on December 20, 2016

By Jeffrey D. Allers The current refugee crisis is not a game. There are no clear rules, the information is often untrackable, there are hidden variables that lead to utter chaos, and there is no endgame in site. And yet, … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | 7 Comments

POSTCARD FROM BERLIN #61: I Got Rhythm

Posted on February 5, 2014

The author enjoys creating rhythms with instruments such as the cajón and also with board games. Music has always been an important part of my life, especially when it has a strong rhythm that quite literally moves me. Chill-out tunes … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | 3 Comments

POSTCARD FROM BERLIN #60: Game Design for Grade School

Posted on June 14, 2013

“Maybe you might be interested in offering a workshop for our Project Week at the end of the year,“ the principal of my boys’ school told me. We were meeting  for the first time to talk about various things, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | 7 Comments

The Journey is the Destination: A Review of Wunderland

Posted on May 26, 2013

By Jeffrey D. Allers Publisher: Pegasus Spiele GmbH http://www.pegasus-spiele.de Designer: Dirk Hillebrecht Illustrations: Jarek Nocon Graphic Designer: Jarek Nocon, Hans-Georg Schneider Players: 2-4, ages 8 and up Playing Time: 45 Minutes Rules Language: English, German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Polish … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | 5 Comments

POSTCARD FROM BERLIN #59: Games for the Visually Impaired

Posted on February 9, 2013

By Jeffrey D. Allers Online game forums and reviews often mention color blindness and how that should affect the graphic design of a particular game, but not much has been written about designing games that can also be played by … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | 2 Comments

POSTCARD FROM BERLIN #58: A New Year

Posted on January 17, 2013

By Jeffrey D. Allers Honestly, I’ve always found it difficult to get excited about New Year’s Eve. Perhaps it was because I grew up in Iowa, where privately-owned fireworks were illegal. But even if people there could buy their own, … Continue reading →

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A Christmas Card From Berlin

Posted on December 24, 2012

By Jeffrey D. Allers “Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas …perhaps…means a little bit more” -How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss. The season of giving is upon us again, and so it was … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | 7 Comments

POSTCARD FROM BERLIN #57: The Two Sides of Essen

Posted on November 3, 2012

„Most of the public doesn’t know the other side of Essen,“ reflected Michael as he, Bernd and I compared our own conversations with those we’d had with other fair attendees.  Bernd was managing his Irongames booth again, content to sell … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | 6 Comments

POSTCARD FROM BERLIN #56: Lecturing on Game Design at the Technical University

Posted on July 20, 2012

“You were predestined for this, Jeff,” Hartmut wrote in a reply to an email sent out to several Berlin game designers. It was a request from Berlin’s Technical University. Their first-year architecture students were beginning the semester with a project … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | 5 Comments