Dustin's Designer Den

Board Game Design Tools
Online Play Testing

Build and test your game online.

Build your game, deal in your friends, and watch it work (or not) in real time. No installs, and your testers never sign up. Try it out for free.

Start your table, free

Free to start. No credit card. Your testers never sign up.

Real-time table Private hands Dice, decks & tokens Nothing to install
Dustin
Dustin
designer & the dev

Hey, I'm Dustin. I design board games, and I built this Designer Den! It's a hub for board game designers all over to playtest, iterate, get feedback, and improve their games.

The digital tools we've been using were built for playing games, not developing them. None of them fit how I actually iterate. So I built the table I kept wishing existed: design focused UX, browser based, no tester accounts or downloads, single click joining and playtest analytics built in.

This place will always be designer focused, from the UX, the pricing, the features to the support. If you design board games, I think you'll feel that :).

How it works

A workshop and a table, in one place

You build the actual components, deal your friends in with a link, and watch what they really do with them. It's for designers at any stage: the deck of index cards you scribbled last night, or the boxed game you're pitching next month.

Testers just click
No account, no download
Set the table once
Reload the whole arrangement in a click
Nothing to script
No Lua, no modding, no build step
A turn at this table
I

Bring your game

Start from a blank table, upload a CSV or JSON, or pull the whole thing in from The Game Crafter, Dextrous or Tabletop Simulator. Drop in a PDF and it becomes a rulebook you can flip through at the table.

II

Deal your testers in

Send one link. They land at the table with their own private hand and nothing to install. No account to make, no tool to learn, no evening lost to setup.

III

Watch what really happens

Every move syncs live, and the log catches what got drawn, played and rolled. You get to host the game instead of scribbling notes about it.

IV

Change it, deal again

Retune a number, swap a card, reload the setup and run it again while everyone is still here. Pro adds analytics, replays and snapshots for going back to the exact moment it went sideways.

Then deal again. Good games come from loops.
Why this one

The other virtual tabletops are built for playing games that are already finished. They're good at it. This one is built for the messy middle, when the game changes between sessions and sometimes between turns.

Your game is components, not a mod

Cards, tokens, dice and decks live here as editable pieces with real fields. Changing a cost is a form, not a rebuild, and the next time you deal it out the change is already there.

The friction lands on you, not your testers

You do the setup once. They click a link in a browser and start playing. That's the difference between six friends who said yes and two who actually showed up.

It's built by someone who tests here too

Every feature exists because a playtest needed it: the dice roll distributions, the private hands, the saved setups, the rulebook you can actually read mid-game.

Features

Built to playtest, not just to play

A virtual table is the easy part. These are the tools that actually move your design forward.

Import your real game

Pull it straight from The Game Crafter, Dextrous, Tabletop Simulator, or a spreadsheet. No rebuilding it piece by piece.

Testers just click in

Share one link and they're seated. No accounts, no installs, ever, so people actually show up.

Playtest analytics Pro

See how a session really played: what got used, where it stalled, what to fix before the next round.

Session replay Pro

Rewatch any playtest move by move, even the sessions you weren't in the room for.

Feedback at the table

Testers leave notes right from the table and they land with the session, not lost in a group chat.

Iterate on the spot

Change a value, swap a card, rerun immediately. Your game evolves between rounds, not between exports.

Three ways I actually test a game

Pick whichever fits where your game is right now. I lean on all three on my own designs.

Live, together

Around the table

Your whole group in one room. Share a link, they click, they're seated. Every move syncs the instant it happens.

  • Real-time sync, private hands
  • Live cursors and action log
  • No account, no download for testers
Hands-off

Hand it off

Make a setup public and step away. Players run your game cold, no designer in the room, and the data comes back to you.

  • Honest, unguided first impressions
  • Feedback forms and analytics Pro
  • Watch the session back, move by move Pro
Always open Pro

Leave it running

Save a setup as a permanent public demo. Publishers, conventions, and backers play on their own schedule. No appointment, no you.

  • Permanent share link, always on
  • Every session starts from your layout
  • Every session logged for you to review
House rules

The rules I design by

Rulebook page 1
  • 1

    Your first draft is wrong, and that's the whole point. The faster you find out exactly how it's wrong, the faster it gets good.

  • 2

    Iterating should cost minutes, not an evening of setup. If testing a change is expensive, you'll do it less, and the game suffers.

  • 3

    The table has to feel real, or testers won't behave real. The way you and your testers interact with the table counts, a lot. Fudge the feel and you fudge the feedback.

  • 4

    Your testers' time is a gift. Spending it should be one click, never a download, an account, and a tutorial.

  • 5

    It's your game. No AI is ever trained on your designs, and with Pro, you can export and re-import everything you put in, whenever you want.

I don't just build it. I live in it.

I'm not just the person who built this. I design and test my own games on the same tools you would. Here's one of them.

Don't Let It Die

Don't Let It Die

A 1 to 4 player co-op strategy game. Lead your tribe and keep them from going extinct.

Play
For Publishers

Play the pitch before you sign it

Designers pitch their games straight to you on the Den. Read the pitch, sit down at the actual table, and talk it through, all in one place. No printing, no shipping prototypes, no endless email threads.

Your inbox, curated

Pitches, not a slush pile

List your profile in the publisher directory and set the questions every designer has to answer. Submissions land in one organized inbox, and you move each through reviewing, accepted, or passed with a click.

  • Custom pitch questions you control
  • One inbox with clear statuses
  • Flip open or closed to new pitches
Play before you commit

Sit down at the real table

A pitch can carry a ready-to-play setup. Launch it in a private room and actually play the game, on your own or with your team, before you decide. No prototype in the mail.

  • Launch the designer's setup in one click
  • A private room, just your team
  • The real components, not a slideshow
Keep it all together

Feedback and follow-ups in one thread

Reply to the designer, leave feedback, and keep every message tied to the pitch. The whole conversation lives with the game, not scattered across your email.

  • Two-way messaging per pitch
  • Every reply stays with the game
  • Verified publisher badge for trust
Become a publisher

Designing a game? You can pitch it to any listed publisher straight from your project, free.

How It Compares

Built for Designers, Not Just Players

I've used all of these, and they're genuinely great for playing games. But none were built around what I actually need as a designer: prototype fast, playtest online, iterate quickly, gather real feedback in one place. So I built that part.

Designer Den
free to start
 Tabletop Simulator
$19.99 / person on Steam
 Tabletopia
free account required
 Screentop.gg
free
Getting Started
Runs in browser, no download or install Yes Steam app required Yes Yes
Testers join via link, no account, no sign-up Yes Steam account + $19.99 purchase Yes Yes
Playable on mobile & tablet browser (touch controls, pinch zoom, multi-select) Yes Limited Limited
Upload a CSV or JSON file to populate components instantly Yes Via JS bulk update
Tabletop Capabilities
Physical mm-accurate component sizing (renders to real dimensions) Yes
Named zones with built-in behaviors (hidden, hand, randomize), no scripting required Yes Yes Limited Seat-hidden only
Snap points with tag-based component matching (enforce placement rules without code) Yes Yes Container-type filter only
Timestamped session action log (every draw, roll, move recorded) Yes
Designer Workflow
Built-in playtest feedback form (ratings, notes, per-component feedback) Yes
Playtest analytics, dice distributions, draw counts, component interaction heatmap Pro
Session Replay, watch back any session at full or 2× speed with a scrubbing timeline (up to 25 per setup) Pro
The Game Crafter sync (components, images & pricing in one click) Pro
Booster packs with rarity tiers & the odds you set (no scripting) Pro
Print & Play PDF export (cut lines, bleed, auto-packed pages) Pro
Automatic board & hand snapshots every few minutes of a recorded session, reload any captured moment onto the table Pro

Comparison reflects each platform's documented public feature set as of early 2026. Tabletop Simulator offers 3D physics and deep Lua scripting, a powerful sandbox, but with a steep setup curve for non-developers. Tabletopia and Screentop.gg both excel as lightweight play platforms. Other platforms worth knowing: Vassal (free, Java-based, XML modules, powerful but very technical), Board Game Arena (great for finished published titles, no prototype workflow), and Roll20 (TTRPG-focused virtual tabletop, occasionally repurposed for card games).

Priced like a board game designer set it (because one did)

Start free and build real games on it. Upgrade only when you want the deeper designer tools, more storage space or unlimited projects! No trial countdown, no credit card required, just testing the basics, FOR FREE.

Free

Free Forever
$0 / forever

Everything you need to start designing and playtesting your first game.

  • 2 projects
  • Live playtest tabletop Up to 6 players per room
  • 100+ built-in game pieces
  • Dice & card probability calculators
  • Dextrous import
  • Built-in voice chat
  • 100 MB image storage
  • Upgrade to Pro for unlimited projects, The Game Crafter import, analytics, replays, exports & more.
Get Started Free
Most Popular

Pro Monthly

Pro
$7.50 / month

Unlimited projects, deeper analytics, and priority support.

  • Everything in Free, plus:
  • Unlimited projects
  • Up to 10 players per room
  • The Game Crafter import Components, images & pricing
  • Tabletop Simulator import Mods become components & a table setup
  • Booster packs Rarity tiers with the odds you set
  • Playtest analytics & session replay
  • Print & Play Maker, plus PDF & CSV exports
  • Persistent rooms, 50 saved setups & public share links
  • 1 GB image storage
  • Priority support
Get Started

Pro Yearly

Pro
$75 / year

$6.25 / month billed annually

Best value — same Pro features, two months free.

  • Everything in Free, plus:
  • Unlimited projects
  • Up to 10 players per room
  • The Game Crafter import Components, images & pricing
  • Tabletop Simulator import Mods become components & a table setup
  • Booster packs Rarity tiers with the odds you set
  • Playtest analytics & session replay
  • Print & Play Maker, plus PDF & CSV exports
  • Persistent rooms, 50 saved setups & public share links
  • 1 GB image storage
  • Priority support
Get Started

Need More Storage?

Extra space for any plan, billed separately, cancel anytime. Tiers stack if you need even more.

+5 GB Storage

Add-on
$2.50 / month

5 GB of extra space for artwork, exports, and print files, on top of whatever your plan includes.

  • 5 GB added to your storage limit instantly
  • Works with Free or Pro
  • Cancel anytime Your files stay through a 14-day grace period. How it works

+10 GB Storage

Add-on
$5.00 / month

10 GB of extra space for artwork, exports, and print files, on top of whatever your plan includes.

  • 10 GB added to your storage limit instantly
  • Works with Free or Pro
  • Cancel anytime Your files stay through a 14-day grace period. How it works
Best Value

+20 GB Storage

Add-on
$7.50 / month

20 GB of extra space for artwork, exports, and print files, on top of whatever your plan includes.

  • 20 GB added to your storage limit instantly
  • Works with Free or Pro
  • Cancel anytime Your files stay through a 14-day grace period. How it works

Jump in

Play a game right now

Got a room code from a host? Drop it in. Or browse the public tables and open games below. No account needed to join as a player.

Dustin's Designer Den

Join a Playtest Room

Enter the room code from the host

1 open room live now
Browse them in the Open Rooms tab →

Want to host? Sign in or register, then launch a room from a project.

No account required to join as a player

Community Setups

Shared table layouts from the community — click any to play instantly

These games are shared by designers who are actively looking for feedback and playtesters. No account needed — jump in and play for free. If you enjoy a session, please take a moment to leave your thoughts using the in-room feedback button. Every piece of feedback helps a designer make their game the best it can be, so be honest, be kind, and play with intention.

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Open Public Rooms

Live tables hosted by the community — click any to join instantly

These rooms are hosted by players or designers who are actively looking for more players. No account needed — jump in and play for free. If you play, please take a moment to leave your thoughts using the in-room feedback button. Every piece of feedback helps a designer make their game the best it can be, so be honest, be kind, and play with intention.

No rooms match your filters.

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A Note on AI in This Project

Dustin's Designer Den is designed, built, and maintained by a single software engineer with over 20 years of professional experience, a background in commercial video game development, and a personal passion for board game design and self-publishing. This is a serious, long-term project built with real domain knowledge and genuine care for the tabletop design community.

Parts of this site (including some placeholder articles, help text, and marketing copy) were drafted with the assistance of large language models (specifically Claude Sonnet by Anthropic) as part of my development workflow. These sections are clearly placeholders and will be progressively replaced with hand-written, personally authored content over time.

LLMs are used strictly as a development tool. No AI model has access to your data, your projects, your game designs, or anything you store in this application. AI is not a product feature here; it is used solely to accelerate my solo development workflow, the same way I'd use any other productivity tool.

Attention artists: I'm actively looking to commission a new logo for Dustin's Designer Den. If you're an illustrator or graphic designer whose style fits the tabletop / board game space, I'd love to see your work! Get in touch.