Board Game Lab in ChatGPT

Until Board Game Lab is listed in ChatGPT, you add it yourself, once, with Developer mode. It takes about two minutes in a web browser at chatgpt.com.

Before you start

1. Turn on Developer mode

  1. Click your name at the bottom left of ChatGPT and choose Settings.
  2. Choose Security and login and scroll down to Developer mode.
  3. Turn Developer mode on. ChatGPT marks it “Elevated risk” because it lets you add apps it hasn't reviewed.
ChatGPT settings, Security and login, with the Developer mode switch turned on

2. Add Board Game Lab

  1. Open Plugins in the left sidebar.
  2. Press the + next to Search plugins and choose Create custom MCP server.
    The + menu: Create plugin, Upload plugin, Create custom MCP server
  3. In the New Plugin window, press Create MCP App.
    The New Plugin window with the Create MCP App button
  4. Fill in the form. Only Name and the address are required:
    • Icon optional Skip it, or save the Board Game Lab icon to your computer, press the + next to Icon and choose it. It only changes how Board Game Lab looks in ChatGPT's menus.
    • Name: Board Game Lab
    • Description optional Leave it empty, or use: Design and playtest board games in my Board Game Lab tab.
    • Connection: keep Server URL and paste this address: https://mcp.boardgamelab.com/chatgpt
    • Authentication: keep OAuth. Leave everything else as it is, including Advanced OAuth settings: ChatGPT finds the sign-in settings by itself.
  5. Tick I understand and want to continue and press Create.
    The filled-in New Plugin form: the optional icon, name Board Game Lab, the optional description, the server URL, OAuth, the box ticked, the Create button

3. Sign in to Board Game Lab

  1. ChatGPT shows Add Board Game Lab to ChatGPT. Press Sign in with Board Game Lab.
    The Add Board Game Lab to ChatGPT window with the Sign in with Board Game Lab button
  2. A Board Game Lab window opens. Sign in there if you aren't signed in yet, and approve. If you have approved ChatGPT before, this happens by itself. ChatGPT never sees your password.
  3. Back in ChatGPT, Board Game Lab's page shows your connected account. Its Tools section may still say “No app tools available yet”: press Refresh on that page, and ChatGPT confirms “Tools refreshed”.
    The Tools section saying No app tools available yet, and the Refresh button

The access lasts up to 12 hours. After that, ChatGPT asks you to sign in again.

4. Use it in a conversation

  1. Start a new chat, press the + next to the message box and choose Board Game Lab (or type @ and pick it).
    The + menu of the message box, with Board Game Lab in the list
  2. Say “Connect to my Board Game Lab.” If Board Game Lab is already open and signed in to the same account, ChatGPT pairs with that tab and you can skip to the last step.
  3. Otherwise ChatGPT gives you a Connect Board Game Lab link.
    ChatGPT's answer with the Connect Board Game Lab link
    Click it and confirm with Open link. On the page that opens, choose Open in the browser (or the Board Game Lab app). The link works once, for 10 minutes, and only for your account.
    The Open Board Game Lab page with the Open in the browser and Open in the Board Game Lab app buttons
    Board Game Lab opens already paired with ChatGPT (what it shows).
  4. Back in ChatGPT, ask for what you want, for example “I opened it. Which Board Game Lab projects do I have?”, “Open my Hearts project and add a standard 52-card deck” or “Here is my rulebook, build a playable prototype of it.”

With ChatGPT's default permission (“Allow low-risk tools”), actions that only read run without asking; ChatGPT may ask you to confirm actions that change something. You can change that under Permissions on Board Game Lab's page in Settings → Plugins.

If something doesn't work

I can't find Developer mode
On a work account, a workspace administrator can turn it off. Ask them, or use a personal account.
Create stays greyed out
Tick I understand and want to continue. Changing the address un-ticks it.
ChatGPT says no Board Game Lab tab is paired
Open Board Game Lab in the same browser, signed in to the same account, and say “Pair with my Board Game Lab tab.”
ChatGPT asks me to sign in again
The 12-hour access has ended. Sign in again in the window it opens.
The tools are missing or out of date
Open Settings → Plugins → Board Game Lab, press Refresh, then start a new chat.
I want to start over
See Remove Board Game Lab from ChatGPT, then follow this page again from step 2.

Stay in control

Board Game Lab shows whether ChatGPT is paired with your tab and lets you disconnect it (how); removing Board Game Lab in Settings → Plugins ends its access to your account. More about staying in control.

Remove Board Game Lab from ChatGPT

To put ChatGPT back the way it was before step 1:

  1. Delete the app. Click your name at the bottom left, choose Settings → Plugins and open Board Game Lab.
    Settings, Plugins: Board Game Lab in the list of installed plugins
    Press the ⋯ at the top right of its page and choose Delete. ChatGPT doesn't ask again; after a few seconds Board Game Lab is gone from the list, and with it ChatGPT's access to your Board Game Lab account.
    The ⋯ menu of Board Game Lab's page: View plugin detail, Edit name, Edit description, Reconnect, Disconnect, Delete

    To keep the app but sign it out of your account, choose Disconnect in the same menu instead.

  2. Turn Developer mode off. In Settings → Security and login, scroll down to Developer mode and turn the switch off. Skip this if you use other apps that need Developer mode.
    Settings, Security and login, with the Developer mode switch turned off
  3. In Board Game Lab nothing needs removing. If a tab is still paired, just close it, or disconnect it (how).