Tips & Resources for Board Game Designers
The Bamboozle Brothers (@bamboozlebros) have kept a journal of their journey as board game designers for several years at Inspiration to Publication. They discuss many of the most important steps along the way in a series of posts catalogued here:
http://inspirationtopublication.wordpress.com/the-steps-for-board-games
Using positive and negative feedback loops in board game designs, by Jesse Catron (@ktronod)
http://hyperbolegames.com/2012/05/11/game-design-gone-loopy/
Tips for young board game inventors on creating and pitching a game:
http://www.thegameaisle.com/young-inventor-challeng-advice-mike-hirtle/
“Much like buying a car, in design you get what you pay for. Spend time to experiment, think deeply, and test all variations.”
How should a game begin?
Thoughts on game arc and starting conditions:
http://paintedwoodencubes.com/2012/05/09/begin-the-begin-how-should-a-game-start/
“I’ve always believed the best game designers were great observers – people who really looked at the world around them and asked, “what if…”.”
“I think the methods and tricks for designing a card or board game are very similar to those used by novel writers, the main difference being that we game designers skip the hardest part, the actual writing.”
2012 Solitaire Print and Play Contest
Deadline: 7/31/12
Prize: BGG geekgold
http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/798184/2012-solitaire-print-and-play-contest
“The more I look at game design deeply, the more I realize math class actually had some value.”
No-fuss card game layout, using InDesign
Video tutorials gathered by Daniel Solis (@DanielSolis)
http://danielsolisblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/variable-data-in-card-game-design.html
Stack Exchange has a solid Q&A forum for board games:
http://boardgames.stackexchange.com/
Use the tag “game-design”:
http://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/game-design
“Pursue that misguided attempt at creating a cool apocalyptic, dinosaur-themed, super-hero disaster of a game! Roll dice and move on a map. Stay up late and drink Monster energy drinks and ruminate on how cool your game is looking in Photoshop. You’ll need the experience, so that you’re ready when that good game idea comes along later.”
Brenda Brathwaite: Gaming for understanding
Matt Leacock discusses his process designing Pandemic, in this talk from 2008
Best Advice - Game Design & Design Process Principles
A broad collection of advice for new board game inventors. A great starting point:
“Make sure your game has a solid central tension in its core mechanics. The best tension tends to involve other players.”
“Empathy is one of the game designer’s most important assets. Can you read the fun in a room?”
Ten Exciting Designers Doing Exciting Things
http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/10013/ten-exciting-designers-doing-exciting-things-on-i
Andrea Chiarvesio (designer of Kingsburg) on the risks and rewards of playing others’ designs, why less is more, artisans vs. artists, games as cars, and why he’s Robert Zemekis:
