Boda Games Manufacturing

June 12, 2024 In Tutorial

Spot UV file preparation

This time we will discuss the preparation required to elevate your print materials using techniques such as spot UV and hot foil stamping. Spot UV and hot foil stamping are great ways to make a board game box look nice and appealing and many of our customers are interested in that. But when they prepare the files for us to print their board game, some of them are not quite sure how to prepare for these techniques. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help prepare your artwork files for printing. The below guide is written with Spot UV as an example, but the file preparation for hot foil stamping follows the exact same format.

For our small card sample box, we wanted to highlight our logos with Spot UV

Spot UV printing

First you’re going to prepare the artwork, for which you can use our handy template generator.The first step is to create a new layer in your file and name it “Spot UV.” This layer should only contain the elements you want to highlight with the UV coating.

Use a distinctive color to mark the areas.

The easiest way to show us the areas you want to use for spot UV coating is to mark them with a distinctive color, for example by marking them with 100% magenta (M) or another color. Avoid any shades, gradients, or tints. This ensures the UV areas are clearly defined and will print correctly.

Vector-Based Elements

Ensure all elements designated for spot UV are vector-based. This guarantees crisp, sharp edges and the highest quality finish. Avoid using raster images or bitmap graphics for these areas.

Exporting the files

Our pdf file for the Spot UV only includes the four vector shapes

We recommend exporting the “Spot UV” layer as a PDF file on its own that can be named accordingly. Save your final design file as a PDF/X-1a. This is a print industry standard that ensures your file is properly formatted for high-quality printing.
This way, the printing files and the spot UV files are 2 separate files that are easy to keep apart. Alternatively, they can be sent together in 1 file if the layers are clearly named and defined.

Final checks

Double-check that all elements align perfectly with your main design. Misalignment can lead to printing issues and degrade the overall quality. Pay special attention to the registration of spot UV and foil layers with the underlying artwork.

June 12, 2024 In Boda Games, Conventions

Origins 2024 – Boda Games Manufacturing

It's that time of the year again for the gaming community to gather in Columbus, Ohio, for Origins 2024. And of course your favorite manufacturer, Boda Games, is also joining this year! Visit Our Booth, 813 Join us at booth 813. Discover our manufacturing capabilities, production methods, and a range of components that can elevate your gaming experience. Our team will be there with samples (we've got a new sample box!), brochures, and examples for you to explore. Discuss New Projects Publishers and game designers, we want to hear from you! Whether you have a groundbreaking game concept or need expert advice on production techniques, we’re eager to discuss new projects and collaboration opportunities. Boda Games is here to help bring your game to life. Set Up a Meeting For a more focused discussion, set up a meeting with our team. Reach out before the convention to reserve a time slot and discuss your ideas, manufacturing needs, and more. You can click here to schedule one directly with our booking software. Or send an email to marketing@bodagames.com and we will quickly confirm a day and time for you. The Boda Games Difference Choose Boda Games for our top-notch quality, attention to detail, and unparalleled customer service. With years...

September 22, 2023 In Boda Games, Design

Printing on wooden components

Wooden components are a staple of board games for as long as they have been around. They fit together perfectly with paper cards and punchboard game boards to create the classic board game experience. Everyone knows the piles of wooden cubes, discs and rectangles that are so common euro style games. However, you can do a lot of things with wooden components, both in terms of size and shape as well as printing. The three most commonly used methods for printing artwork, numbers and symbols on wooden components are silk screen printing, heat transfer printing and UV printing. Even though they overlap in certain areas, each of these printing methods has their own advantages. Picking the right one for the components in your board game will elevate the experience. We will explain the process, the advantages and the limitations for each of them. Silk Screen Printing Silk screen printing is done by pushing the ink through a stencil or screen. The screen is made of a fine mesh material that is stretched across a frame. In the screen, the areas where the ink should flow through are left open, and the other areas are blocked. Then, ink will be applied to the...

September 15, 2023 In Boda Games, Conventions

Boda Games @ Essen Spiel 2023

Essen Spiel 2023 is only a few weeks away and we can't wait! The biggest board game convention in Europe, Essen Spiel the event every fall that everyone in the industry looks forward to. Whether you're looking to play some board games with like minded people and pick up the latest and hottest releases. Or looking to pitch your newest game design to both world famous and small indie publishers alike. Or connecting with a board game manufacturer like Boda Games, who can help bring your game to life. With more than a 1000 exhibitors in 6 halls, this is the event you don't want to miss. Here is what you can expect according to Spiel's website: THE WHOLE GAMING WORLD GETS TOGETHER AT SPIEL ESSEN - BE THERE! We are the world's largest public fair for board games and bring together passionate game fans with national and international exhibitors in Germany in the heart of the Ruhr area. Here you can discover new titles from all over the world, enjoy the company of other gamers and above all play as much as you want. Because playing is in the heart of SPIEL.Thousands of new releases, which will be shown and sold for...

September 13, 2023 In Boda Games, Design

Adding a Finish part 1: Spot UV & Hot Foil Stamping

In this series we will take a closer look at the types of finish you can add to board game components. They are commonly used on the game boxes in order to help the artwork stand out. But can also be applied to other paper components such as punchboards, game boards, cards and more. The first two that we will discuss are the ones most commonly found when you look around at a board game store. These are spot UV and hot foil stamping. What do these terms mean exactly? And what kind of effect do they add to your components. And more importantly: how does the manufacturing process work? One of the nice things about being a board game manufacturer is that we apply a lot of different techniques that are normally only used in specific parts of the printing industry. As board game publishers and designers continue to seek out new ways to make their game. We keep on expanding our portfolio of technologies. As a result, our board game manufacturing capabilities include a lot of specialized printing techniques. The two that we will discuss today are printing techniques that aim to enhance the visual appeal of printed materials....

July 24, 2023 In Boda Games, Conventions

Gencon 2023 – Boda Games booth 2603 + First Exposure Hall

With excitement in the air and dice rolling, the biggest board game convention in America, Gencon, is just around the corner. We are thrilled to announce that Boda Games will be exhibiting at Gencon, taking place August 3 to 6. With not one, but two booths, we are all set to make a big splash and connect with the thriving board game community! Our presence at Gencon is not just about showcasing our manufacturing services and products; it's about fostering creativity, forging new partnerships, and bringing innovative board game ideas to life. With booths in the main hall (booth 2603) and the First Exposure hall, we have a fantastic opportunity to engage with publishers, designers, and fellow gamers alike. For those who are unfamiliar with Boda Games, we take pride in being a leading name in the board game manufacturing industry. With years of experience and a passion for crafting high-quality games, we have had the honor of bringing numerous successful board games to life. Our dedication to excellence and attention to detail have earned us the trust of game creators worldwide. Boda Games' booths at Gencon In the main hall, you'll find us at booth 2603, where we will be showcasing some of...

July 14, 2023 In Boda Games, Pre Production

Artwork guides – white lines when exporting to PDF

White lines that appear in exported PDF's are a common question we get from customers. In the process of preparing all the artwork for their board game, artwork files are commonly exported as PDF's. These PDF's are sent to Boda Games and we check whether they are ok for manufacturing. Quite often we get concerned messages from customers who cannot understand why their exported PDF is showing white lines. And more importantly, whether these white lines will show up when we start printing the paper components. We will explain why the white lines appear when exporting to a PDF and how to prevent that from happening. In this guide, we are using InDesign from Adobe. [caption id="attachment_25530" align="aligncenter" width="486"] Another example of artifacts appearing in a PDF file[/caption] Why white lines are visible First of all, in general the white lines that are visible will not show when printing on a high resolution device, even if they are visible on low resolution devices such as monitors. The reason these appear is due to image flattening in combination with anti-aliasing and the existence of transparency effects in the file. When you flatten on export, the page gets cut up into pieces. The way the...

June 15, 2023 In Conventions

Origins 2023 – Boda Games booth 1030

It's that time of year again when the gaming community converges upon Columbus, Ohio for one of the most exciting events in the industry – Origins 2023. As proud members of the vibrant board game community, we at Boda Games are thrilled to announce our participation in this great convention. With our booth number 1030, we extend a warm invitation to all publishers and game designers to join us for an unforgettable experience. Boda Games recognizes the immense potential and value that comes from sharing ideas and insights, and we are eager to engage with publishers and game designers who are passionate about their craft. Visit Our Booth: Our booth, located at number 1030, will be a hub of excitement and inspiration. We invite everyone to drop by and explore the world of Boda Games. Our team of experts will be on hand to showcase our manufacturing capabilities, discuss various production methods, and present a wide range of components that can elevate the gaming experience to new heights. We're bringing all our different samples boxes, brochures and many examples of components for you to see, touch and bring home. Discuss New Projects: Are you a publisher with a groundbreaking game concept that needs the...

June 15, 2023 In Boda Games, Conventions

Origins 2023 Game of the Year nominations

We are thrilled to announce that four outstanding board games, developed by our esteemed customers, have been nominated for the prestigious Origins Game of the Year Awards 2023. To Adam's Apple Games, Smirk & Dagger and Fireside Games, we would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the talented teams behind these exceptional games, whose creativity and innovation have captured the attention of the gaming industry. Their nominations for the Origins Game of the Year Awards serve as a testament to their unwavering commitment to crafting immersive and engaging experiences for players around the globe. As a manufacturing company, we are honored to have played a small part in their remarkable achievements. Once again, congratulations to the deserving teams behind these remarkable board games! Your passion, talent, and dedication have earned you well-deserved recognition in the gaming industry. We eagerly await the announcement of the winners and will be cheering for you every step of the way. Below are each of the nominated games. Boop - Smirk & Dagger Games Boop: A deceptively cute, deceivingly challenging abstract strategy game for two players. Every time you place a kitten on the bed, it goes “boop.” Which is to say that it pushes every other kitten on the...

May 25, 2023 In Boda Games, Conventions

UKGE 2023 – Boda Games

UK Games Expo 2023 - June 2nd until June 4th! The biggest board game convention in the United Kingdom is back for another year. And with more exhibitors, more events and bigger than ever before. Once again held in the amazing NEC Convention Center and Hilton Hotel in Birmingham, the UK Games Expo 2022 promises to be 3 days of non stop fun for all board game fans out there. What can we expect at the UK Games Expo this year? From their UKGE : “UK Games Expo (UKGE) is the largest Tabletop Games Convention in the UK – where all aspects of the tabletop gaming hobby are represented under one roof. The next UKGE will be from Friday 3rd June to Sunday 5th June 2022 at the NEC, Birmingham and Hilton Metropole Hotel. At UKGE there are two huge halls full of exhibitors who want to show you their games. You can see them, you can try them out, and if you like them you can buy them. We also have a huge library of games to borrow and play on hundreds of tables of open gaming – open for anyone to play anything in. You can also meet costumed groups dressed as your...