What is your best source of inspiration? In what setting do you best receive inspiration?

Find those to strengthen your design process, says Grant Rodiek (@HerrohGrant):

http://hyperbolegames.com/2012/03/28/chasing-inspiration/

Jeffrey D. Allers on the importance of designing a satisfying endgame:

“In a saturated boardgame market that encourages one-and-done cult-of-the-new, how a game ends could determine whether or not it will ever get played again.”

http://berlingamedesign.blogspot.com/2012/03/finishing-well.html

Ad math for Kickstarter board game projects, by AJ Quinn:

http://www.scratchtheline.blogspot.com/2012/03/were-all-international-backers-when-it.html

“Never forget the reason you are making the game. The audience? Experimentation? Make something beautiful? Whatever; remember it.”
 
–Darrell Hardy (@HardyTales) quoting Brian Green (@Psychochild)

5--make that 6--tips for new game publishers from Panda Game Manufacturing

@panda_gm:

I’ll be tweeting 5 tips for new game designers/publishers from the #GAMA overseas manufacturing session in case you weren’t there last week. 

#1 Keep your game specs simple for your first release. If you want to do something different, limit it to one unique or special component.

Tip 2: Custom 2d wooden shapes are relatively easy to make & cheaper than plastics (low setup costs). Homesteaders Game is a great example.

Tip 3: Use interlocking cardboard for fancy 3d shapes at a fraction of the cost of plastic / wood. (ie Merchants & Marauders Treasure Chest)

Tip 4: Choose an order quantity that could fill exactly HALF a container. There’s a chance we could combine the shipment with another order.

A note on combining your shipment with another order - this currently only works if you ship to Game Salute or PSI.

Tip 5: Add some buffer time to your release schedule There are many ways a project could get sidetracked. Under promise & over deliver!

Tip 6: We promised 5 tips but we’ve got an extra one coming up!

We can make dice as small as 8mm. This could be used as an alternative to wooden cubes! Price difference depends on order quantity.

http://pandagm.com/

What board game designers can learn from Monopoly–really!

http://hyperbolegames.com/2012/03/25/in-defense-of-monopoly/

by Grant Rodiek (@HerrohGrant/@HyperboleGames)

Spiel des Jahre 17th annual game design scholarship competition

Prize: internships/travel $

Deadline: 5/11/12

http://www.spiel-des-jahres.com/cms/front_content.php?client=1&lang=1&idcat=12&idart=1096&m=&s= (in German)

HT @BoardgameNews

http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/9102/links-settlers-of-catunes-guess-the-spiel-des-jahr  

RT @headspingames: Also applies to boardgames RT @newsyc100: How to explain your game to an asshole:

http://www.pentadact.com/2012-03-17-gdc-talk-how-to-explain-your-game-to-an-asshole/

Making tiles for prototypes. Tips on BGDF:

http://www.bgdf.com/node/872

HT @hakubak

A “Global Board Game Design Jam” is being organized for Sept/Oct:

http://boardgamedesignjam.wordpress.com/

RT @GameDesignFTW: “A completed game that is a failure is so much more valuable than an incomplete game that might be brilliant” - Jay Treat

RT @danctheduck Instead of solving a hard problem, solve a simpler one that meets the same goal:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/105363132599081141035/posts/1WDqVtrXt5S#105363132599081141035/posts/1WDqVtrXt5S

Got a @kickstarter board game project? Here’s a free Excel budgeting and cost/benefit model from @VanRyderGames:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/9112/the-kickstarter-budgeting-and-costbenefit-excel-fi

RT @rdonoghue: When you create and sell something, the world will start thinking of you as a business long before you yourself do.

#FF @GameWhisperer If there’s even the slightest chance you’ll use @kickstarter in the future, start listening to his podcast now.

RT @raphkoster: @ChristopherA found the audio & slides for my old presentation “Core of Fun” and put it on Slideshare:

http://www.slideshare.net/christophera/raph-koster-the-core-of-fun

New Windows/Linux app nanDeck generates prototype playing cards, integrates with @thegamecrafter:

http://news.thegamecrafter.com/post/19731893368/nandeck-includes-direct-uploading-to-the-game-crafter

What makes an RPG successful? @fredhicks interview on @doubleplusfun:

http://www.thoughtcrimegames.net/questions-for-game-designers-fred-hicks/

RT @TheGameAisle: the “Toy and Game Inventors Handbook” by Ron Weingartner & Richard Levy is being updated! Find out more:

http://toydreamers.blogspot.com/2012/03/was-i-missed-in-blogland.html

Card Design Commandments

http://hyperbolegames.com/2012/03/21/card-design-commandments/

by @HerrohGrant on @HyperboleGames