The Game Crafter Steampunk Design Challenge

Deadline: Aug. 31, 2012

Prizes: Game Crafter points and store credit

http://news.thegamecrafter.com/post/26404680048/steampunk-design-challenge

“Failed designs are part of the process, so don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t work! Just remember why the design didn’t work for you and try not to repeat those same mistakes.”

— Chevee Dodd (@cheveedodd)

“Look at the games you like, and see what works, and what doesn’t work. Sharp analytical skills are a game designer’s best tool.”

— D. Brad Talton Jr., Level 99 Games (@Level99Games)

Lots of good stuff in this wide-ranging interview with Richard Garfield, designer of Magic: The Gathering and other titles:

I usually encourage beginning designers to self publish, not with the eye to making an ongoing business, but to understand the market as a whole, and get a publisher to take you seriously.

Play games you aren’t naturally drawn toward, and find out why they are loved by their fans.

Play critically, but don’t lose your sense of fun.

Pay attention to the parts of a game people complain about – can the games be changed to make those people happy without taking the soul out?

http://opinionatedgamers.com/2012/07/02/the-art-of-design-interviews-to-game-designers-20-richard-garfield/

The 24-hour game design contest for July 2012 has a dragon theme:

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/823009/24-hour-contest-july-2012

“Gamers gonna game, and your game can’t break when they do.”

— Jay Treat (@jtreat3)

What makes some games highly social and others competitive? The Ludology podcast discusses:

http://ludology.libsyn.com/ludology-episode-35-the-social-milieu

Lessons learned in board game design: The BoardGameGeek designers forums share:

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/821451/lessons-learned-in-board-game-design

Companies that do laser cutting for game pieces: some recommendations from the BoardGameGeek designer forum:

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/821179/company-that-does-laser-cutting-for-game-pieces

“Playtesting. LOTS of playtesting. Think you’re done? Wrong. Keep playtesting.”

— Phil Kilcrease (@krinklechip)

Trim your game, yes, but how to decide what to keep and what to toss?

Jay Treat (@jtreat3) has some tips:

http://hyperbolegames.com/2012/06/27/assault-on-khyber-station/

“As a game designer, it is your job to create systems that are intriguing to master without being completely baffling.”

— Daniel Cook (@danctheduck)

“Designing games is not easy, but promoting games is hard as hell.”

— Sam Liberty (@SA_Liberty)

“Games become the most fun as the players become emotionally involved.”

— HoopCAT Games (@HoopCATGames)

Tips for creating board games with zero text–and the pros and cons of doing it:
 
http://www.suntzugames.com/1/post/2012/06/not-saying-a-word-the-language-neutral-board-game.html

Techniques for designing learnable systems, by Daniel Cook: 

“As a game designer, it is your job to create systems that are intriguing to master without being completely baffling.”

https://plus.google.com/app/plus/mp/103/#~loop:view=activity&aid=z13mydywbwvdipse222szp0bcpzpy3q3x

On complexity vs. depth in board games:
 
http://hyperbolegames.com/2012/06/25/blood-from-the-turnip/

Richard Launius (Arkham Horror) discusses his process for creating cooperative games in this interview from 2010:

http://www.mechanics-and-meeples.com/2010/11/25/co-op-interviews-richard-launius-arkham-horror/

“Any game that claims to get better with repeated plays needs to be fun enough that players want to get to that point.”

— UndeadViking, as quoted by Games & Grub (@GamesAndGrub)

“People who wish to design games should play games. Lots of them.”

— Richard Garfield, in The Kobold Guide to Board Game Design, quoted by Brett Myers (@brettspiel)