Ambassador Program – Stonemaier Games

Ambassador Program

If you love the products and inclusive philosophy of Stonemaier Games, you might be a great fit to be a Stonemaier ambassador. Ambassadors extend our worldwide reach through play, logistics, and/or translations. Thank you for being a part of the Stonemaier Games family!

Roles – The primary roles of Stonemaier ambassadors are to share their perspectives on games, proofread rulebooks, moderate and answer questions on forums, playtest game prototypes, and be a welcoming presence at conventions and events. Ambassadors should read ALL Stonemaier e-newsletters so they can be prepared to answer questions.

Expectations – Across all of the ways ambassadors can contribute to the Stonemaier brand, the consistent idea is that ambassadors find ways to welcome people to the Stonemaier family. That means we communicate with kindness and respect with all types of people, regardless of gender, race, age, religion, culture, nationality, and sexuality. Stonemaier seeks to include, not exclude.

Conventions and Events – Stonemaier Games formally attends very few conventions and events; it’s simply not part of our marketing plan. At conventions, we simply ask for ambassadors to be a welcoming presence for people who are trying out our games. That is, if they see a group playing or learning one of our games, they can check in with the group to see if they have any questions.

Communication – Ambassadors are expected to stay up to date with Stonemaier-related information, including reading the monthly ambassador update. The email usually describes at least one sneak peek and one actionable point. We trust information with Stonemaier ambassadors before it is available for public consumption.

Compensation – Ambassadors are rewarded for their participation in the following ways:

  • T-shirts: Twice a year, we sell Stonemaier t-shirts to ambassadors. If an ambassador sends us a photo of them helping out with our games at a convention/event while wearing the t-shirt, we’ll send them a full reimbursement for the cost of the shirt.
  • Payment: Rules proofreaders and playtesters are compensated for their time and expertise.

Sign Up –If you would like to become a Stonemaier ambassador, please fill out this form. If you are selected, your first communication from us will come in the middle of the month when we send out the ambassador update e-mail.

ambassador photo June 2014

ambassador-photo-august-2016

How to Teach Our Games

If you’re looking to teach one of our games–particularly at a convention, event, or game store–I would recommend highlight a few global concepts (the theme, goal of the game, and the standard arc of play), then dive right into the game as soon as possible, guiding players through their first few turns as you share the rules on a need-to-know basis.

Here are some videos about how I teach our games:

151 Comments on “Ambassador Program

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  1. Very excited to teach Wyrmspan for the first time at one of my local FLGS. First time teaching since becoming an ambassador. Can’t wait to share this great game.

  2. If I am chosen as an Ambassador, when does the ambassador email come out just so I can be on the lookout for it, either way?

  3. Is it a requirement to know all Stonemaier games in order to be an ambassador? If chosen as an ambassador, can I still submit game ideas/prototypes to be published by Stonemaier Games?

    1. Thanks Aaron! We’re looking for enthusiasm, kindness, and inclusivity from our ambassadors, along with a willingness to stay up to date about our products, but you definitely don’t need to know everything about all of our games. And yes, anyone can submit completed game designs to us via our submissions page.

  4. Hi Jamie (and team) – I was approved as an ambassador a year or so ago, however, I haven’t been receiving the emails in some time. Is there a way I can get back on the ambassador email chain? Thank you!

  5. The note in the newsletter about the monthly survey mentioned questions that were not actually in the survey (music, double-sided cards, joining on a video). Was the wrong survey link included or was the wrong note included in the newsletter? Or, did my sleep-deprived self miss something (which is entirely possible!)?

  6. Good morning! Is this the right place to share some feedback/thoughts/questions on something being tested in the Ambassador newsletter?

  7. In the ambassador survey it mentions a top 100 light and heavy games on bgg. Are those official lists? If so, is there any way you could post a link to them? I’m not sure if I am struggling because I am on mobile but I couldn’t really find a top 100 for either.

    Thanks

      1. My apologies, I thought they were separate lists (top 100 heavy and top 100 light board games.) Looking forward to filling out the survey later today.
        Thank you for the clarification!

  8. Hello,
    A couple of weeks ago I subscribed to the Ambassador Program, but unfortunately I haven’t received any response yet.
    I was wondering how can I get an update on it?

    Thanks!

  9. Hello,
    I was wondering if you ever send out playtester surveys again for those of us who are still very interested but have not been selected in the past?
    Thanks!

  10. Just want to thank you for the Flash Sale for Tapestry. We love the Stonemaier product and Tapestry was just a game we were unsure of based on the price point but we’re excited to take the plunge.

  11. Hi,
    How does organising to demo your games work?
    I have just landed a job at my local game store (yeeew!), and I’d love to be able to demo games there before or after a shift soon.

    1. Thanks Kerry! We keep it decentralized and simple: If an ambassador wants to demo a game they own, they can arrange for local people to join them for a demo. (I know there’s always some risk in sharing your components with others, and we’re here with replacement parts if they’re ever needed as a result.)

      1. Easy as! I have no qualms in using my copy because I want it to be played ^_^ .

        For playtesting and proof-reading is there anything extra I need to do to sign up, or are the books on that just full already?

        1. You’re all set, Kerry! We’ll contact you if we have playtesting and proofreading opportunities in the future (though currently we have pretty robust teams for both). I appreciate your willingness to help. :)

  12. Hi there!

    A while back I subscribed to the Ambassador Program, but unfortunately I haven’t received any response yet. I was wondering whether I could still be involved.

    Thanks!

    Best,
    Maarten van Bijnen

    1. Thanks Maarten! If your application is accepted (not all are, based on the answers to the questions in the application), you’ll receive an ambassador email in the middle of the month.

  13. Have the ambassador Tshirts started shipping out yet? I got a shipping email in mid-July with FedEx tracking but the tracking hasn’t updated except for “shipping information sent to FedEx”

    1. Yes, they’ve shipped, so if you haven’t received yours (especially after getting that notification), we’ll need to help you with your order privately, not publicly. I’ll alert Joe to this.

  14. Has anyone had trouble getting past the Captcha on the new Stonemaier Discord Channel during the sign-up process? I am caught in an endless loop of Captchas, and I know I’ve answered most of them correctly but it just keeps asking for more.

      1. It allowed me in once I checked the “already have an account” and signed in that way. Apparently that was the issue. Thanks!

      2. Apparently it was because I’m already on Discord … I went back and tried again, then noticed the “sign in” option for folks who already have an account. I’m in!

  15. We’ve made a video explaining Scythe in Portuguese and I hadn’t seen your video about “how to explain Scythe” but funny enough we follow many of your guidelines for explaining it.

    Unfortunately in videos you can’t really adapt the teach to the players like in person, ultimately everyone likes to learn in a different manner but we try our best to explain it in a way that most players are comfortable with.

  16. Is there a way for new ambassadors to view the newsletters from previous months to get caught up to speed on what’s happening

      1. Thanks, Jamey! I read the normal newsletters, just wanted to see if there was any secret squirrel info that I was missing out on lol.

  17. I’m looking forward to the April Fools video! I added a photo of my brother’s cat in a Viticulture box, but was bummed I couldn’t get either of my dogs in there–they are just too big! I was hoping to get the puppy to sit compactly enough to fit in my Scythe box (he’s a Saint Louis rescue!), but alas at 50 lbs he is still too big! lol What a fun idea though :)

  18. If we’re placing an order for an Ambassador shirt, is there any chance to add it to an existing order (that hasn’t shipped yet)? Or should we just do a new order?

    1. Bronwen: Please just make a new order, as the order you’ve placed is already being processed (and the shirt would delay that order by a month and a half).

    1. Thanks Mark! I’ll formally request them in February or March, though I need a way for people to easily drop files to me (easy for them and easy for me, like a Dropbox-style folder that anyone can put photos in). Any suggestions?

  19. I am just wondering if we signed up to be a play tester from the November update, when should we expect to receive the test mentioned? I just want to make sure I don’t miss out on the opportunity!

      1. Thanks for the response! Will you be sending out any others? I didn’t get one and it’s not in junk, so I may have responded to the survey after you sent the form (but I don’t remember when I responded–it would have been around then).

        1. I’ve emailed you with a link to it–please reply to that email when you’ve filled it out. Thanks!

  20. I really enjoy the bonus questions in the Ambassadors emails/surveys. Often times I get to the surveys a little late bc life. I noticed that the survey responses are sometimes addressed before I have had a chance to respond (that’s of course on me) and I respond anyway. This has led me to wonder if later responses are considered–in general, not just when there is quick follow up or turnaround on the results of a survey. How far out are the surveys reviewed for later input?

    1. I typically review the survey results within 4-6 days of sending them, compiling the results into my notes.

  21. Greetings from sunny South Florida Jamey! Games aside, what really attracts me to Stonemaier Games are your core values. Specifically, I applaud the level of transparency you provide in your videos/ newsletter, and your mission to always include people, rather than exclude them (a trait that is seemingly becoming rarer in an ever-increasing divisive world). I recently submitted my Ambassador application; the possibility of becoming an official playtester and/or proofreader for Stonemaier Games would be a remarkable opportunity. I have prior experience in these areas, as I currently help North Star Games playtest/proofread their upcoming releases.

    Furthermore, as a marine biologist, I thoroughly understand the proofreading/ editing process and recognize the importance of producing error-free work. In developing a project and writing a thesis in graduate school in just under three years, my results were published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal just last year.

    Thank you for continuing to be a role model in the gaming community! I hope to be able to contribute my talents in that regard with you. I am looking forward to the future of Stonemaier Games!

    Alex

    1. Awesome, thanks Alex! I appreciate you sharing these skills and philosophies, and we’re happy to have you as a new ambassador!

  22. Hello, Jamey!

    I applied for the Ambassador position to be a proofreader, playtester, and teacher of games. I’ve been a hobby gamer for years and an author for a decade. Not only have I published close to ten books, I’ve edited many others for my fellow writers and help network as the president of the Midwest Writers Guild.

    I own all the games Stonemaier has put out to date. Love every one of them and would like to help in any way possible in the future. Teaching these games to my family and friends have been a blast.

    Your positivity shines for me every week in game play and your videos and blogs. It is much appreciated.

    Tim

    1. Thank you so much, Tim! I really appreciate you offering your talents to Stonemaier as an ambassador.

  23. After a chat with my wife after playing Scythe for the umpteenth time I decided to apply to the Ambassador program. I have played many of your games and really enjoy them. I applied for Teacher and Tester.

    I worked for one for the 3 biggest Supermarkets in the UK as a company trainer and manger of a variety of departments within the stores. As a trainer I could explain the game using a variety of techniques to adjust to the levels of players I am teaching. I think one of the important things that people miss when teaching a game is to actually get the players to get a feel for the game, I mean the actual feel. Touch the board, fiddle with the components, smell the cards. Some may think this is a silly but if its a physical thing you’re teaching, the pupils need to touch it. You can’t teach someone to bake bread or fillet a fish without getting their hands dirty can you.

    People need to be engaged in what they are learning. Having the game being fiddled with prior to playing will pique interest.

    I always explain a step, ask if they understand, get them to act out/play out that step. Repeat with a few more steps such as a one later in the game so they can quickly see how the game progresses. If a player struggles with how it works, I adjust my teaching.

    I would definitely have fun teaching your games and testing them for you.

    Regards, Chris

    1. Thanks for sharing this, Chris! It sounds like you would be great at sharing our games at conventions when that becomes a possibility in the future.

  24. Hi! I just applied to be an ambassador, and I wanted to leave a couple of brief details:
    – I’m a transactional attorney, so I draft and review contracts constantly. This makes me well equipped to review rules and proofread.
    – I have a regular gaming group here in Idaho that (1) still meets during COVID quarantine because we’re in Idaho, and (2) has experience with all of the Stonemaier games (one member, my brother in law, playtested Scythe).
    Thanks! I hope to hear from you. Keep up the excellent work!

  25. Hello! I applied to be an Ambassador, with my interests being a proofreader (primarily) and teacher at cons (provided I have the time/ability). I’m not new to gaming – having been one as far back as 1982, but only got back into it a few months ago. I have no previous experience as an Ambassador for anyone, but what motivates me to do so for Stonemaier is the way you’ve structured and run the company. Your core philosophies feel personal and unlike any other such company I’ve seen, and I think they’ve made a huge difference in the products you offer vs many of your competitors/peers.

    Regarding my qualifications for proofreading, I’m a 30-year IT professional and have spent countless hours creating documentation in that capacity. I also have created all the documentation for a nonprofit I help run. Please feel free to email me and ask for examples, or the companies for whom I’ve worked. I’m looking forward to helping out as much as I can when my schedule permits. Take care!

    1. Thank you, Kevin! I appreciate you offering to help in this way, and I’m happy to have you on board as an ambassador.

  26. Hello!
    I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for the allowing us to apply to be a part of this program. I have really enjoyed following your YouTube videos and Blogs. I am sure that I am not the only one who appreciates that someone like yourself takes the time to talk AND LISTEN to fans each week. I also appreciate how positive and responsive that you are when answering the same question for what seems like the twentieth time per recording (even when the answer is: “I can’t answer this right now.”) As a nurse and physical therapist, I know what a difference that can make. It would be great to help to spread the positivity and passion for gaming via teaching, playtesting etc. Again, thank you for the opportunity and have a great day.

    1. Thanks Joseph! I’m glad you stressed the “and listen” part–I agree that’s super important! I appreciate the affirmations, and they’re a good reminder for me to continue to do (and improve) at all of those things.

  27. Hello Jamey
    I just applied to be an ambassador. I am a teacher and love to teach people games. I have worked with Mayfair games and currently work with Asmodee demoing the Lookout Games products and anything else they ask me to do. I love medium to heavy euros but my main joy comes from seeing someone else enjoy the game like I do. If you find you need help I would gladly assist. I recently started playing Scythe and instantly fell in love. Thank you for creating and publishing awesome games.

    PS I did not provide a shirt size because I am 3XL.

  28. Just signed up for the program and love the idea. I’m a CPA & much of my time is spent reviewing documents and interpreting rulings. It would be great to do this for board games and not just ASU’s! Signed up a bit late for con season this year, but Shux is right in my backyard and there are some great mini local cons in January/February timeframe.

  29. I just signed up as an Ambassador. After having purchased Wingspan and loving it, I now have 4 of your games. I’m a big fan of all of them. I would love to be of assistance in helping to advance, improve, and promote Stonemaier Games products. I have 12 years of experience as a creator and proofreader of letters, manuals, and training programs for a large department of a corporation. My wife and I have health issues which limit us greatly from attending game conventions. So I likely am not going to be of much help in that regard other than a small local convention we have where we live. On the other hand, I am sure I can be of help with proofreading, play testing and monitoring BGG forums. You probably have plenty of ambassadors already, but I will happily assist if you need me.

    1. Thank you, Vaughn! It would be wonderful to have you as an ambassador–you have a great presence on online forums, and I’ll make a note about your experience creating manuals.

  30. Hey Jamey – I really love the idea behind this program and would like to start a similar program for my game company Games By Ray LLC. Any objection to me using your program outline as a template for mine?

  31. Would love to be on board, already going to most conventions covering for meeplegamers.com and love Scythe. The eloquence of the movements is great.

  32. Already filled out the application and i am looking forward to help at teaching, proofing, playtesting etc. As i already do this professionally for ffg since a couple of years I think I can be a good asset :)

  33. Hi Jamey ! If ambassadors are needed down in Chile, I will gladly sign up and be a part of Stonemaier Games.
    Matt from Holiplay Games

  34. Oooh, Charterstone. Pick me, pick me, pick m….er, I mean I hope I can playtest this, Jamey. My group will be chomping at the bit. :-)

  35. Hi Jamey. I’m really interested in blind playtesting Charterstone but have previously tried to sign up to be an ambassador twice and never heard anything back. I’m in the UK so not sure if that makes a difference but am also happy to do proofreading etc.

      1. Hi Jamey. Thanks so much for your fast response. I’ve checked my email and it took some searching but the e-mails had indeed got buried somewhere in the spam box. My initial search didn’t show them up but hopefully I won’t have any more issues now!

  36. Just filled out the application, but I’m a bit puzzled about the two extensions: First, I’m not planning to go to a con in the next six months, but maybe I would if I would be an Ambassador. I don’t see how this case is covered.
    Second: Is there some input expected in the translators spread sheet? What kind?

    Thanks!

    1. Yes, an ambassador can do any or all of those things. Input is not expected on the translator spreadsheet.

  37. Hello Jamey,

    I applied for your ambassador program a few weeks back.
    I am quite able to, and happy to, help as a Mailer, Tournament Coordinator, Group Buy Coordinator, and Proofreader.

    In regards to Group Buying I have already organised a number of group pledges on Kickstarter.
    This is as I am based in Australia and shipping to here is pricey.
    You can find my most recent groups on BGG under the Queensland Kickstarter Organiser geeklist.
    My BGG and Kickstarter names are; Mad Scientist
    Link to geeklist is: https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/156729/queensland-kickstarter-organiser

    In regards to Tournaments, though I am not uniformly known in local gaming groups I am quite familiar with the local meeting places and schedules. So it would not be difficult to inform people and organise a tournament.

    Finally, though I am not a professional grade grammatical proofreader I do have a keen sense for noticing inconsistent, clashing, ambiguous, and missing rules. Something I have honed from both teaching games at gaming groups and my need to understand every rule before playing a game for the first time :P

    I am sure you will be happy to hear, and this is not brown-nosing, that my gaming groups current game is Euphoria :D
    So let me know if there is any way I can help you, particularly with Scythe as I already plan to pledge when it launches and start a group.

    Kind regards,
    Gab

    1. Thanks Gab! We’re glad to have you. We now ship to Australia from within Australia, so our shipping fees to individual backers there aren’t inexpensive, but I appreciate you offering help as a group buy coordinator.

      That’s great to hear about the tournaments and proofreading as well. I’ll be in touch soon about those things, and I hope your group enjoys Euphoria!

      1. Ok, just let me know when I can help.

        I am training my new group up as they are mostly new to the world of modern gaming.
        They consider Euphoria their most challenging and enjoyable game so far.
        This week will be our third session with it :D

        1. Oh yeah, I forgot to say; I am looking forward to hearing more about the upcoming expansion to Euphoria as the time nears. I believe you may be launching a Kickstarter in 2016. Perhaps as part of a KS campaign might there be a chance that first edition owners could buy an ‘Upgrade Pack’ add-on with wooden authority stars, extra commodity and resource tokens, and a quick-reference guide? That would be great :)

  38. I have just submitted my response to your ambassador program. I am interested in Playtesting, Proofreading, and iPad beta-testing. As others have mentioned, I, too, am a stickler for good grammar, good spelling, and accurate rules. Thanks for the opportunity.

  39. Jamey,

    Do you have an Ambassador covering AVCon this year (July 15-17)? Also your front page is broken. I’ve double checked and we’ve got copies of Euphoria and Viticulture lined up. I’m not there in a work capacity this year, and can spare hours if required. (Also is there a better way to get in touch re:this?)

    1. By broken, I mean on the latest chrome the center image just loads the image in full, rather than redirecting to individual product pages. Worth noting this is a new install, so I might be missing java or flash which might be the cause (Though I think chrome bundles with flash)

      1. Bane: Thanks for the heads up, but the image on the homepage doesn’t link to anything. It’s just an image.

        Sure, there’s nothing official you need to do to teach our games at conventions. Thanks for thinking of that!

        1. Oh! I thought they lead to individual product pages. My bad. No problems. Do you have Ambassadors lined up for PAX Australia later this year? If so I would like to co-ordinate and get to know them if possible.

          1. I checked my spreadsheet, and as of now it looks like you’re the only one signed up for PAX Australia. :)

  40. I just submitted an application for play testing and proofreading. I am a big fan of Euphoria and will soon be a fan of Viticulture and Tuscany once they arrive in the mail next week. I am very interested in your upcoming project Scythe and everything else Stonemaier contributes to the board gaming community.

    I would love the chance to play test your upcoming projects with our gaming group.

  41. Please let me know if you need help playtesting Scythe. I could organize something in my playgroups in Frankfurt and Bucharest.

    1. Thanks Tudor! I’ll announce blind playtesting to the ambassadors when it’s ready for that stage.

  42. This weekend is International Table Top Day. Looking to doing a couple of demos and showing off my treasure chest (and wearing my t-shirt)

  43. Hoping to bring more tabletop games to my highschool other than DnD.
    Got my app in as a writer and playtester if you need me.

  44. I’ve applied to be a Playtester, Group Buyer and also a Proofreader. as I’m honestly fan-crushing on Between Two Cities but also interested to see what else is developed in the future.

    Locally (Brisbane, Australia) I attend a weekly board gaming group that averages around 30 or so people and there are a few people already interested in Between Two Cities. I’ve also organised a few group buys of successful Kickstarters, so would be interested in that as there are quite a large number of game groups dotted around the city.

  45. Hi Jamey
    I have applied as mailer and play tester but I think I may be able to help as a Group Buy Coordinator as I work for Royal Mail in the UK.
    Steve

    1. Thanks Steve! We have a great fulfillment system in the UK (it uses Amazon.co.uk), so we don’t need group buy coordinators there, but I really appreciate the offer.

  46. Hey again Jamie! I don’t know if you remember me but we were in contact some months ago talking a bit about board colors of Euphoria and concerns when it comes to color blindness.

    If you need any input on this in the future I would love to be of assitance. I can also do proofreading, playtesting among other things. I have sent you an application.

    Also, I can be a teacher of your games at the different board game clubs here in Bergen, Norway (There are no big board game conventions coming up in the next six months, but I can keep a look out). There’s both a student board game organisation as well as a regular board game club here. I would LOVE for your games to get some publicity around here. I have brought with me Euphoria to the board game club on one occasion before and they loved it.

    Hope to hear from you.

    1. Hi Chris: Thanks for letting me know! I appreciate you signing up as an ambassador. I would love to improve our outreach to colleges and universities.

  47. Just a couple of weeks ago I helped staff the Tabletop library at http://www.kumoricon.org/ up here in the NW. I had a chance to teach and play Euphoria at the check out table (I came in last again). There were a lot of interests and good comments of Euphoria as people watched us play.

    1. Thanks for letting me know, Larry! I appreciate you teaching Euphoria–it’s only a few months before the second printing hits the US! :)

  48. Count me in for whatever you need — playtesting (and beta testing iPad games), and especially proofreading. I seem to “catch” errors in rules and documents that other people miss. I know how easy it is to overlook errors because the author’s mind “knows” how the wording is supposed to read and often reads it as if it were correct. I’m also a stickler for clarity. Too often I play a game and a question comes up (sometimes a simple one) and it is nowhere in the rules to be found.

  49. “As an ambassador I have a since of pride in teaching both games, but then I feel I have apologize that nether game is not in its greatest state yet.” I have to agree, Lawrence. If you’re play-testing an unfinished game it’s one thing, and players can help by finding glitches & even suggesting improvements. But if you’re presenting a published game, players and buyers expect a finished, balanced game with clear instructions & helpful player reference aids. Not a list of corrections & fixes.

    One thing I’ve done in demo situations is to set up a simplified version of the game & tell players that’s what it is. Take out the problematic bits (cards, etc.) & provide player reference aids (like you’ve done), and focus on the heart of the fun of that game. And I’ll even tell demo players that they can tweak the setup (resources for 5 in a 4-player game) or the game length to suit their taste in stress level. But if I tried to demo a game that needed too much correction, and I ended up having to apologize for a confusing tangle of fixes, I just wouldn’t do it. I’d decide on which version I liked, and just play it with my friends by my own “house rules”.

    I have the 1st edition of Viticulture, and I haven’t tried to keep up with all of the tweaks. I’ve been teaching it as-is except allowing action spaces for +1 player (instead of trying to create Grande worker pieces). People enjoy it & ask for it, but savvy players want to know when the next edition, the next improvement, or the next upgrade will come out.

    It would be a real shame if Viticulture has reached the point where it is no longer presentable without apology. I’ve been looking forward to Tuscany and expecting it to be a fully-developed system to teach with pride & delight.

  50. Lawrence and Jenny: Thanks for your insights! And I’m sorry to hear you’ve both come in last every time you’ve taught Viticulture–I think that might be a symptom of teaching it. Hopefully you’ll have the chance in the near future to play it competitively so you can flex the strategic muscles you’ve been building over the last few months. :)

  51. “Every time I have played Viticulture I have come in last place.” Ha! I’ve experienced that a lot! Especially in a complex worker placement game I keep advising new players to take the action that I want for myself. Then I’m stuck. It makes me look like a poor player, but my long-term strategy is to teach enough newbies so that one day I can just play among them competitively.

    I’ve learned games from skilled players who just want one more person to beat, and it’s no fun. Whenever the teacher wins, newbies feel sneaky suspicions that they haven’t been told everything they need to do well.

    If I’m teaching a large group, I prefer to sit out & just run the game & coach the newbies. The better I manage the process & the more fun they have, the more fun I’ll have playing with them in the future!

  52. Here is some feedback on teaching Viticulture and Euphoria with the updated rules and replacements cards (visitors and recruits). This is only a temporary issue for these two games since the new updates will be received in the near future. As you bring out new games that might need updates, I thought you would like some feedback on how the updated version is received by one of you ambassadors.

    The second printing of the rules are easy to explain and the new rules apply with no problem. Viticulture I only need to explain the Grande worker (one worker’s hat is pained black) and the new version of what “crush grapes” refers too ( make up to 2 wine tokens). Euphoria as far I can tell only needs teaching the ability to place a one time star using the market if one missed the construction.

    In both games I have printed all the new updated cards on a sheet of paper. As I teach the game I show the printed updates and ask the players if they want to bother with adhering to the cards on the updated list. In a group of players that I only have a casual acquaintance, they always agree to the new updated cards. As I show the updated cards I have a small feeling of shame. Both these games are great to share with others and then the hype is deflated when I have to explain that there is 2nd revision. As an ambassador I have a since of pride in teaching both games, but then I feel I have apologize that nether game is not in its greatest state yet. When playing with hard core gamers they have just about played every other game out there, so for them to see a new complex game that needs a 2nd version they can be very opinionated on what they see.

    The updated cards in both games seem to fall in tow categories: Clarifying the understanding of power of the card, or balancing the power (stronger or weaker) of the card. Since the updated card categories are mixed together, I have to print the complete list (respective of each game) on the same paper. When it comes to looking at the list to see if the card has changed power or just new wording, it can be confusing and upset the flow of the game. To do this for Viticulture, it is only a small impact on the continuity of the game because the cards are drawn and discarded. To do this for Euphoria, it can down right annoying because the same recruit cards in the player’s hand are used throughout the whole game.

    Here is my personal solution until the new updates arrive in a few months. When we play Viticulture I am leaving all the original cards in the decks, disregarding the updated cards list for change of power, and only refer to the updated cards list if the wording needs clarification. If any of the gamers have a comment after the game about cards being weak or overpower (OP) then I can explain about the new updated version and when it will be available. When we play Euphoria, I have removed some of the recruit cards that seem to change the recruit’s ability completely. There are a total of 48 cards to deal out up to 30 cards (max 6 player game 24 plus 1 moral dilemma) cards for players to choose from, I justify removing those cards (9 of them) by the chance that they were just shuffled to bottom of the deck anyway. The other updated cards are left in the deck as original, except for the two cards that changed 2x [intelligence] to 1x [Intelligence] I just penciled out the extra [Intelligence].

    The removed cards from Euphoria are: Zong the Astronomer, Playid the Merchant, Geek the Oracle, Jacko the Archivist, Johnathan the Gambler, Julia the Thought Inspector, Yordy the Demotivator, Dr. Nakacawa the Tribute, and Michael the Engineer. No disrespect to these citizens, they are just going have to wait to help us “Build a Better Dystopia”.

    Disclaimer: These are my own personal house rules to deal with the 2nd version, and does not reflect the opinions or policies of Stomemaiergames.

    One a different topic.
    I have taught Viticulture 3 different times and played it 4 times (2 player and 6 player games). Every time I have played Viticulture I have come in last place. Am I just teaching the game too good or am I not getting the strategy? I am fairly new to strategic board games, but on the other hand I have won other similar games against hard core players.
    I received Euphoria last month, taught that game twice (2 player and 5 player games), and both games I have come in last place also.

  53. Hi Jamie, i would be more than happy to help with replacement parts and coordinating group buys in the UK! I used to work as a proofreader for a poetry company so i would also be able to help with any proofreading needs that you have.

    Finally, i am always up for a bit of playtesting!

  54. I teach a class about game mechanics in abstract strategy games: placement, distribution, movement, capture, conversion. It’s an after-school or summer school deal for elementary kids. I want to offer that & other classes for older kids & adults, such as game analysis, introduction to resource management games, or how to modify games for family play. I’d also like to offer tutoring through gameplay, with a curriculum or menu of recommended games for specific skills. I believe that homeschoolers, especially, would appreciate this approach.

    I’m a one-person business in the Seattle area. I’m still struggling to do more marketing to find my audience.

  55. @Jenny, That is so cool, teaching a class on gameplay and game mechanics! Where do i sign up and do you have a San Diego auxiliary campus? What kind of games ? Do the kids get credit for it or just extra curricular? Wish they had that while I was going to school.

  56. I have already taken Viticulture to my own weekly game group and the local Seattle-metro Dragonflight & Sasquatch game conventions to teach it. I am the organizer for a play-test group, too. I teach after-school classes in gameplay and game mechanics. I understand how to set up a short demonstration of mid-game play as well as how to teach & guide a full-length game. I have also demonstrated games in a convention environment. I would love to be a teacher, a regional demo recruiter, and a play-test coordinator for Stonemaier Games.

  57. I am a teacher and run a board game club at school so if you have any games that need testing on a younger audience (9 -13 year olds) I’d be happy to help. I don’t get to many conventions having two young kids myself though :)

  58. Awesome, I really appreciate the interest from all of you. I look forward to going through the applications!

  59. I’ve been coordinating a county-wide tabletop gaming program through the library I manage. Viticulture was a hit and I have Euphoria on pre-order. We generally get 15-25 gamers at our weekily meeting and I am planning on moving from library to library to teach games. Viticulture is on my list and I would be happy to teacher, coordinate or write (dystopian fiction is hugely popular in libraries and, no doubt, a game focusing on it will be as well).

  60. Very interested in helping with teaching, play testing, proof reading, maybe tournaments and most definitely in evangilism (a catalog or information fliers would be helpful for evangilism).

  61. Hey Jamey!

    I would be happy to offer my services in any of the following: Teacher, Writer, Proofreader. I absolutely LOVE *teaching* games, I may not always be able to go to conventions, but I will happily teach it whenever/wherever I can; I actually fancy myself an amateur would-be author, but haven’t really had much opportunity or reason to pursue it…until now!; finally, as a grammar Nazi, I genuinely enjoy going over rules formatting & layout. I try to find the most efficient and effective way to say anything (as you can attest from the Euphoria experience).

  62. I have a great love of grammar and tend to get red in the face and furious when I read errors in print. For example, the back of the Shadow Hunters box has enemies spelled “ennemies.” That just seems so unnecessary to me. I would LOVE to assist as a proofreader and possibly a play tester as well.

  63. would love to be part of this at some point, possibly as a moderator, need to understand how to best do play test/ print and play things

    1. I Would love to do play testing. I have a group of 5-9 people that we get together a couple times a month and play board or card games. New options are always desired and we can’t wait to get Scythe!!!

    2. HI!! As a solo only player, I want to do play testing for the upcoming Charterstone. As a French too, I may help you to translate the rules.

    3. I am very interested in being an ambassador, I have two groups I frequently play games with and both are very interested in anything from Stonemaier Games. I attend a board game convention twice a year and have backed several games on kickstarter. I am also very involved at a nearby university that I will be one of the founding members of a board game club with an emphasis on heavy board games… again a great fit for Stonemaier Games. Thank you for your time and I hope to be selected as an ambassador.

    4. Would love to do proof reading in english or german, organizing game nights at my university / local game store, play testing, am a finicky stickler to rules – thus reading and teaching them shouldn’t be a problem, also mailing of parts. My game group and me love Scythe and Viticulture, we greatly enjoy new games and discussing them.

      Kind regards

    5. Hey Jamey,
      I am a poor Special Ed teacher who would love to add in terms of proofreading and solo playtesting. My current profession has me scrutinize whether a box visually contains all the necessary components and structure to be understood in a purely visual manner. (Visual aids are a must for most with autism.) Also, my wife is a staff writer for a living and editor for fun, so together I think we could help you guys out if you want :)

    6. Signed up, would like to work a shift at gencon with you if you have a need. I worked with nils and Artana two years ago.

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