Why it’s important to ask: “Does my game really need that rule?”

by Ignacy Trzewiczek (@trzewik)

http://boardgamesthattellstories.blogspot.com/2012/07/you-have-to-have-guts-to-ask-this.html

Some recommendations for dice manufacturers in the U.S.:

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/826682/dice-question

Michael Coe and Patrick Nickell of Crash Games discuss their development process, the value of a professional prototype, handling playtesters’ feedback, and achieving balance:  

http://goforthandgame.com/2012/07/11/a-conversation-with-crash-games-michael-coe-and-patrick-nickell

A Discourse on Gaming: Random Elements: Dice vs. Cards→

adiscourseongaming:

I’ve been kicking around a board game idea for a while which uses both cards and dice as elements of randomness. I recently had the idea to remove dice entirely and only use cards, which has gotten me thinking about how each affects the random elements of a game.

Every game requires some lack of…

Pros and cons of cards as a game component:

http://hyperbolegames.com/2012/07/09/handful-of-fun/

Cardboard Edison’s Favorite Tips & Resources – June 2012

Every month, we revisit the board game design tips and resources we’ve found, and we pick out the best, most useful ones to spotlight. Here are our choices for June 2012:

#process:

• “There’s a lot of information out there, but the best advice that tends to get repeated over and over is this: Design a game you’d like to play.”
• “Got a practical problem with your board game? Don’t add more stuff. First, try using what you already *have* in a new way.”
• Richard Launius discusses his process for creating cooperative games

#rules:

• “Your game is always more difficult and complicated than you think. Always.”

#theory:

• Things to avoid in game design. Thou shalt not…
• “Don’t confuse depth with complexity.”

#playtesting:

• How to effectively playtest and iterate your board game design
• “Gamers gonna game, and your game can’t break when they do.”

#industry:

• “Spend some time creating games just for the fun of it before you decide it’s the right choice to make it into a business venture.”
• Every BoardGameGeek Designer Diary

#prototyping:

• “Make the prototype quickly from anything you can find. Once you have a game, improve the prototype enough to interest playtesters. Once you get a finely-tuned game, make it shine.”

How to prevent one player from dominating a co-op game? Some ideas from Richard Garfield:
 
http://www.threedonkeys.com/blog/archives/748

Unpublished-games fest Unpub 3 by Cartrunk Entertainment (@CartrunkEnt) is shaping up for Jan. 18-20 in Delaware:
 
http://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=555654fce7a68d736c015d4ec&id=be97f17954

“Making games is like sports or music, you have to practice and you really need to beware of what’s been done already if you want to be the best.”

— Matt Nuccio (@MattNuccio)

The Paper Money podcast reveals “All About Boxes.” It’s not the most interesting stuff, but it’s essential knowledge if you’re going into publishing:
 
http://www.purplepawn.com/2012/06/papermoney-64-all-about-boxes/

Half Plug Games has launched a new marketplace where designers can offer print-and-play versions of their games:

http://www.halfplug.com

Making a living vs. supplemental income: What’s a realistic goal for making money in the board game industry?

http://boardgamegeek.com/article/9532509

“If you are really interested in games, nothing will stretch you more than reading smart stuff outside of your own interest.”

— Rob Donoghue (@rdonoghue)

Guiding game principles, the elements of great games, interpreting playtest feedback, collaborating effectively and more: an interview with Sam Liberty (@SA_Liberty) and Kevin Spak (@CaptainSpak) of Spoiled Flush Games:
 
 http://bellwethergames.com/bellwether-resources/featureddesigners/187-sam-liberty-a-kevin-spak-interview.html

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)