Hey there,
The boxes just arrived.
After months of sketching, testing, revising, and emailing files back and forth at 2 a.m., I finally got to open the prototypes for the both Photo Tour expansions. I say “finally,” but the truth is — it always feels sudden. Like the game went from imaginary to real overnight.
And… they’re stunning.
See the campaign on Kickstarter (launching August 26)
The Wild Ones
The part I was most anxious about was the transparent wild cards in the Alaska & Yukon expansion. We’ve never worked with transparent components before, and I wasn’t sure how the printing would turn out. Would the layers align? Would the cards feel solid? Would it all just… work?
It does. The cards stack cleanly, the images look beautiful, and the mechanism is super satisfying. You roll the dice, collect icons, layer foregrounds, backgrounds, and animals. And suddenly, you’ve got a photo that feels earned.
The wooden dice are chunky and satisfying, printed with retro camera icons: a little nod to my first career in photography. That alone would’ve made me happy. But the whole system turned out even better than I imagined.
Trails, Gear, and Adorable Backpacks
Expeditions came together beautifully too.
The new artwork is hand-drawn, and full of the kind of detail that makes you want to pause and look closer. Some of the trails in the game, like the West Coast Trail, I’ve actually hiked in real life. Seeing them on cards now is surreal.
Mechanically, I love how natural the new Expedition Gear tokens feel. You collect them from the board, slot them into your backpack board, and head off on a side adventure.
Also: the backpack boards are extremely cute. That was not the design goal, but it’s the honest result.
Prototype Blooper:
The factory accidentally made the wooden goal markers for Expeditions about four times larger than needed. They were supposed to be small tokens to mark objectives… but what we got looks more like mini furniture knobs. For demos, we’re using placeholder wooden cubes — and yes, the final version will have the proper size. Just one of those indie publishing moments you learn to laugh at. 😊
A New Kind of Challenge
Both expansions add depth to the game, and I mean that literally.
They take Photo Tour from a light, breezy engine-builder to something more layered. You’ve still got quick turns and simple rules, but now you’re faced with harder choices. Different strategies. Different ways to score.
I only had time to play the All-In setup once, base game + both expansions, but wow. It completely changed how I approached the game. I had to think way harder. In a good way.
And I say this as someone who prefers mid-lightweight games. But that one play made me want to try again, just to see what happens if I lean fully into one strategy. Wild photos. Expeditions. Combo-chaining. It’s all on the table now.
What I love most, though, is how wide the range is. My 70-year-old mom, who has never played anything heavier than Monopoly, picked up the core game and had a blast. A day later, I played with a couple of friends deep into the hobby, and they spent half the evening exploring bonus combo chains. It just works.
The Road Ahead
We’re just four days out from launch. The prototypes are here. The videos are being filmed. The Kickstarter page is in its final stretch. And somehow, it still feels unreal.
I can’t wait to show you everything — the gameplay, the artwork, the transparent cards, the new gear tokens that slide into your backpack like they were always meant to be there. It’s all come together in a way I’m truly proud of.
And now comes the hard part: sharing it with the world.
This campaign means a lot to me. Not just as a publisher, but as a person who’s put everything into making something fun, meaningful, and beautiful. If you’ve enjoyed Photo Tour, or if you just like cheering on small teams trying to do cool things… I hope you’ll be there on launch day.
We go live August 26, early morning PST.
Follow the Photo Tour campaign here
Final Thoughts (and a Small Ask)
If you’ve been following along — thank you. This campaign is a big one for me, and for Timashov Publishing. We’ve invested a lot into making something thoughtful, strategic, and genuinely fun. I really hope it resonates.
So here’s the ask:
If you love what we’re building, please share it. With a friend. A group. A Discord server. Word of mouth really is the best support an indie creator can hope for.
We’re almost there. Four days.
Take care,
— Eugene
Founder, Timashov Publishing
timashov.games
