I am creating a prototype for a board game I have created. I literally had a dream, woke up laughing and realized that the game I dreamed about was 1) really fun to play and 2) had never been invented. Anyways, I have been working on it and I think I am finally ready to start initial play testing. The thing is, I need to make the basic components so the game could be played. I am looking for a place that sells 1 cm wooden cubes (preferably painted in six basic colors for the prototype). Also if they can do customized wooden pieces for me (ones that are 1cm x 1cm x 2cm and 1cm x 1cm x 3cm) to save me from having to glue cubes together to make these different-sized pieces, that would be even better. Also I will need thick card (about 2mm thick) at 2cm x 2cm with a 1cm square cut from the center. I won’t be making a huge order, maybe just 2-3 sets with about 150 1 cm cubes and 60 of the 2 cm height and 30 of the 3 cm height. Thanks in advance. 
Well, I don’t know where you can get cubes like that, but the game sure sounds awesome!
Before you post anything further … trademark or copyright it … don’t show anyone before that …
OK, the wooden pieces … go to your local wood/carpenter, B&Q store, buy the 1x1x200 wooden slats or however you call it in English and ask them if they can be cut up. Or, buy a hand saw and cut them up yourself. Some have very light wood like balsa, you could also try the model RF toy store. You can cut balsa with a cutter knife … oh and buy some grinding paper …
No, the store fka B&Q won’t cut smaller than 30cm. But they have mitre boxes and saws (be sure to try to fit the saw into the mitre box before buying it, as only one or two of their wide-blade, fine-toothed saws fit. (I just bought these for joining molding at corners.) The mitre box with a wide-blade saw will keep the cut perfectly perpendicular, which you need, along with sandpaper (medium and fine).
Cuisenaire rods are 1 cm x 1 cm in lengths from 1 cm to 10 cm, and come in various bright colors. Look on the internet - you should be able to order sets easily. I’ve seen them in Taiwan, but don’t know where the schools bought them.
See info about them here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisenaire_rods
I guess I could use Cuisenaire rods since I know of places to get them around Taipei. I’ve seen similar interlocking plastic building blocks of 1cm (plus the part that attaches to the other cube). I guess I can use those.
Getting 1cm square rods (of which I already have a few from my prior attempt to make my own pieces) is out of the question for me. The task is too difficult and time-consuming. Even just cutting the three basic pieces, then sanding away the rough edges, left me frustrated and overwhelmed at thinking how I would need to do that 237 more times just to make one copy of the game to play-test. 
But yes, I will look into Cuisenaire rods. Never even thought of them.
That’s how prototypes are made … that’s why they are … prototypes … very labor intensive 
Have you asked a wood shop? You’ll see them around, storefronts with stacks of various boards on racks. I can’t imagine they wouldn’t do anything for a price.
Okay, cuisenaire rods only come in sets or huge bulk sets. Besides, they are the wrong color (since each unit - 2 cubes, 3 cubes, etc. has a certain color to make it easier for kids to discern the rod they need). I have looked at pre-painted 1cm cubes and at just gluing them together with strong adhesive as an option but it looks like I’d have to order them from an overseas company. Yikes! I don’t know about these wood shops you are talking about, but it seems like 1 cm cubes are just the thing that would be made in a Taiwanese household “factory”. I’m going to visit the education stores behind the train station (for cuisenaire rods for my kids as well as scope out any possible pieces to make a game prototype), but any leads on where to find the cubes is greatly appreciated.
You could do worse than just buy a shed load of cheap plastic dice and glue them together. it’s a prototype for proof of principle: who cares what it looks like? Who cares if they’re exactly one centimeter in length? If they’re all same-sized cubes, the actual length is unimportant.
Actually, if you knew much about the board gaming industry, slapdashing pieces is the fastest way to get rejected by game publishers. I am looking not only to playtest my game, but to also publish it on a global scale if it works well. Thus the reason I am looking for the materials to make it look nice. I did try making the pieces myself with a handsaw, fine grit sandpaper, etc. and while it was enough for me to see that the pieces would fit together the way I expected, I also didn’t like how sloppy they looked. My gaming friends are currently playtesting two of our members’ games and as true game connoisseurs, “glued-together cheap dice” won’t cut it. Also since most dice are at least 3 cm cubed, it would also require tripling the scale of my game board to accomodate their sizes, making the transportation and placement of the game impractical.
I did find a few companies that do plain and painted wooden cubes using google. A bit expensive for what I can currently afford, especially when considering the cost of shipping from overseas. If anyone has more specific information about places that can or would be will to produce 1 cm cubes (or 1cm x 1 cm x 2 cm blocks, etc.) in Taiwan, please let me know.
Fair enough. That was not clear from your original description: it looked to me like you just wanted to see it roughed in for the first time (ie, prototype).
But a production-quality for pitching the game to potential buyers? different game altogether.
Best of luck.
[quote=“ImaniOU”]Actually, if you knew much about the board gaming industry, slapdashing pieces is the fastest way to get rejected by game publishers. I am looking not only to playtest my game, but to also publish it on a global scale if it works well. Thus the reason I am looking for the materials to make it look nice. I did try making the pieces myself with a handsaw, fine grit sandpaper, etc. and while it was enough for me to see that the pieces would fit together the way I expected, I also didn’t like how sloppy they looked. My gaming friends are currently playtesting two of our members’ games and as true game connoisseurs, “glued-together cheap dice” won’t cut it. Also since most dice are at least 3 cm cubed, it would also require tripling the scale of my game board to accomodate their sizes, making the transportation and placement of the game impractical.
I did find a few companies that do plain and painted wooden cubes using google. A bit expensive for what I can currently afford, especially when considering the cost of shipping from overseas. If anyone has more specific information about places that can or would be will to produce 1 cm cubes (or 1cm x 1 cm x 2 cm blocks, etc.) in Taiwan, please let me know.[/quote]
T,
I will ask my friend Josh where he gets his parts for his game prototypes. He’s gotten three games published now and John and I have helped playtest each of them. He does make his cards himself (and sleeves them because often they are literally hand-drawn); no game companies expect cardstock or thick cardboard cards/pieces for a prototype. I agree with you on having good game cubes though; good components make a subtle difference and seasoned gamers DO notice.
We signed non-disclosure forms (simple ones) for Josh before playtesting. Also, he had filed descriptions of the games, mechanics used, components lists, and rule sets with the copyright office BEFORE he showed it to anyone. That helps protect you if someone tries to rip you off.
HTH,
J
Josh says make your own cards and sleeve 'em, just like I thought… here’s what he suggests for game components. They do have 20 x 20 cardstock squares that you could prepare yourself (with the hole in the middle). http://www.miniongames.com/MNI_Product_Line.pdf If you need a US address yada yada let me know. I am happy to repackage and send them on to you and I’m SURE that would be cheaper than having them ship internationally.
His next game, Oktoberfest, is supposed to be out in June but he says, you know how the game manufacturers are, that means by November. 
It should be fun, in any case; that was probably my favorite of his games in playtesting.
http://www.miniongames.com/accessories/cards-and-tokens.html cubes
http://www.miniongames.com/accessories/boardgame-parts.html cubes and other parts, including those 20 x 20 cards that might work
http://www.greathallgames.com/aacc/atokbags/aOtherParts.htm these guys have timers and play money, among other things