Inside The Workshop: How We Design Game Accessories Gamers Actually Want

At The Riverside Realm, we're gamers first, makers second. That's why when we design upgrades & accessories, we focus on the details that other manufacturers might overlook. Today, I'm taking you behind the scenes of our workshop to show you exactly how we created our newest release: the Deluxe Yahtzee Travel Case.

The Problem We Want to Solve

If you've played Yahtzee (and who hasn't?), you know the struggle. The scoresheets get crumpled or worse wet. The tiny pencils disappear and the tips break. The dice end up rolling under the hotel bed. And heaven forbid you want to take the game to the park or even the beach? Good luck keeping everything together without the box taking up half your backpack.

After noticing discussing these concerns internally, we began having conversations with our customers as well as scouring gaming forums: We found people love Yahtzee, but the experience of managing the game components (especially on the go) was taking the fun right out of the game.

Our Design Philosophy: Form Follows Function (But Make It Beautiful)

Before we even sketch a concept, we follow a player-first design process that guides every accessory we create:

1. Identify real player pain points - not imagined ones

2. Design solutions that enhance gameplay - never complicate it

3. Test with actual gamers - repeatedly

4. Refine based on feedback - ego has no place in great design

5. Craft with quality materials - because durability matters

Let's see how this played out with our concept for a new Yahtzee case.

Stage 1: Research & Ideation

Our journey began with questions. Lots of them. We surveyed over 200 Yahtzee enthusiasts within the gaming community to understand their current frustrations and future wants when it came to Yahtzee (especially if taking it on the go):

• 83% complained about paper scoresheets

• 66% wanted a better dice rolling solution - Some type of dice tray ideally

• 64% wished for a truly portable option

• 92% were tired of constantly replacing tiny pencils or just plain searching for something to write with

We discovered that most existing solutions addressed just one of these issues, but not all of them. Opportunity spotted!

Taking these results, we sat down to begin ideation concepts that could address most if not all of our survey responses. In the end like most great upgrades we found "Simple is Better". Ultimately, we looked back at some of our best selling travel sets for other card based games for inspiration. "What if we created something that feels like opening a small but nice case, but it's actually a complete Yahtzee command center with a single scoring method, dice storage and rolling tray all in one?"

Stage 2: Prototype to Perfection

With a clear direction, we moved into prototyping. This is where the magic happens—and where many of the early ideas get humbled by reality.

"The first prototype was... quite honestly not so good," laughs our lead designer. "It was too bulky, the lid would not sit flat with the base, and the scorecard storage inside was just not feasible with out making it even more bulky."

But that's exactly why prototyping matters. We went through seven distinct versions before landing on the final design:

• Step 1: Basic photoshop mockup to get a feel for the potential look

• Step 2: Refined layout created in Fusion 360 while deciding on best materials for the project

• Step 3: Test prints to determine size and quantity of magnets for securing the lid to the base

• Step 4: Redesign of base for use as a dice rolling tray or to store the factory provided dice shaker

• Step 5: tested different sizes of dry erase pens for legibility

• Step 6: Finished up CAD Designs to print our first complete setup

• Step 7: Gave finished prototype to several avid players for use and receive user feedback

Stage 3: Testing & Feedback

Each prototype went through rigorous testing with our in-house gaming group, but we didn't stop there. We invited local Yahtzee players to put our design to the test, watching how they interacted with each feature.

"Watch what players do, not just what they say," is one of our design mantras. We observed testers struggling to keep the dice in the tray, which prompted us to redesign the walls to be vertical and to add a felt pad in the bottom to prevent the dice from escaping as easily.

Stage 4: Production - Can it Scale

With the design finalized, we moved to production. Unlike mass-market accessories, we don't outsource to the lowest bidder. Each Yahtzee case is crafted in our workshop using techniques that balance handmade quality with consistent results.

The case is printed from a durable, water-resistant PLA+ material that stands up to travel while providing a nice finish to the case. Inside, we laser cut heavy weight felt for the pocket and sourced the best ultra fine dry erase pen we could to provide with every set.

The score sheet is precisely Sized, Engraved and Laser Cut on premium 2 mm dry erase board for each customer and added to the exterior of the lid. This allows us to customize each set just for the end customer! While we could never produce these by the thousands in house - we have determined that several dozen per week is certainly viable if demand warrants.

The Final Product: What Makes Our Yahtzee Case Special

After months of development, our Deluxe Yahtzee Travel Case hit the market last week. Here's what makes it stand out:

• Compact but complete: At just 8" x 6", it holds everything needed for gameplay without wasting space

• Thoughtful organization: Dedicated compartments for dry erase pen and dice

• Built-in dice rolling area: The base doubles as a rolling tray with vertical edges

• Premium materials: Durable PLA+ construction ensures it will last for years of gaming

• Elegant design: Looks great on a shelf or coffee table when not in use

• Travel-ready: Secure closure keeps components safe during transport

• Personalized: Every customer can have it personalized to make it truly unique

The response has been overwhelming, with early purchasers telling us about their Yahtzee cases in action: from living rooms game nights, to camping trips ending the summer break, to airport lounges on the way out of town - we love to hear how fellow gamers are using their new set!

Beyond Yahtzee: Our Approach to All Gaming Accessories

While this post focuses on our Yahtzee case, the same philosophy guides all our accessory design at The Riverside Realm. Whether we're creating cribbage boards, score trackers, or game storage solutions, we always start with the player experience.

Some key principles we try to instill across all our designs:

• Enhance, don't intrude: Great accessories should make gameplay smoother without calling attention to themselves

• Solve real problems: We design based on actual player needs, not what we simply think might look cool

• Quality matters: Using premium materials means our accessories become treasured parts of a game collection

• Aesthetics count: Functional doesn't have to mean ugly—we believe gaming accessories should look as good as they perform - Afterall who does not want a bit of "Bling".

• Consider the full experience: From unboxing to setup to gameplay to storage, we think about every touchpoint

What's Next in Our Workshop?

As we continue to grow our collection of gaming accessories, we're always looking for the next problem to solve. Currently, we're exploring several products that will be added in the months to come: organizers for popular complex games with many components, Portable leather cribbage boards that fit in a players pocket, cool game resources to improve the QoL on your gaming nights... The list goes on and on :)

We'd love to hear what gaming accessories you wish existed! Drop us a line at our contact page or join the conversation on our social channels.

And if you're curious about our Yahtzee case or any of our other handcrafted gaming accessories, visit our shop to see our complete collection.

From all of us at The Riverside Realm, happy gaming!

Want to see more behind-the-scenes content about how we create our gaming accessories? Check out our blog for more posts about our design process, gaming culture, and upcoming products.

As Brad, our Game Creator & Designer puts it: "The best game accessories should feel invisible – they should solve problems so effectively that players don't remember the issues ever existed"