“Just as with sport, the drama in a good board game is not created by focusing on the “referee”–or rules–of the game, but can only really happen when the rules take a back seat to the gameplay.”

— Jeffrey D. Allers

Examples of cards with awesome graphic design:

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/853365/examples-of-cards-with-awesome-graphic-design

“Call all the local game stores in your town and find out which ones have a “board game night” and then go to it. Having a community of game-lovers at the ready that gather on a regular basis makes playtesting with a wider range of individuals a whole lot easier.”

— Ian Steadman, G.U. Games

“Consider submitting to a publisher if only to hear their feedback and consider it. The publisher’s feedback is more often valid than not.”

— Richard Garfield

“Go the extra mile and really get a diverse set of independent playtesters. Be aware that even feedback from people you don’t view as being in the target market can positively influence your game.”

— Richard Garfield

Galen Ciscell, designer of Atlantis Rising, shares some lessons learned about working with a publisher on his game’s artwork and components:

If you find yourself doing the art direction for your game, know what you want ahead of time, communicate that clearly to your artist both verbally and, if possible, visually, and work with your artists from the beginning to realize your vision.

Be willing to adapt and experiment with new ideas you hadn’t considered. Publishers and artists know the business and know what is doable and what could be improved!

http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/12580/designer-diary-atlantis-rising-or-how-atlantis-ros

Free Webinar: Mastering Kickstarter and Crowdfunding

Sept. 18, 2012, at 9:00 AM PDT

http://www.thegamewhisperer.com/2012/09/mastering-kickstarter-and-crowdfunding-webinar.html

Answering the question: “What will a player do on his or her turn?”

Pros and cons for the different options:

Part 1: http://hyperbolegames.com/2012/09/06/disorderly-conduct/

Part 2: http://hyperbolegames.com/2012/09/06/disorderly-conduct-part-2/

“My advice to creators who want to develop their talent is to spend a lot of time making games. Invent game, throw away, repeat.”

— James Earnest (@cheapassjames)

Some semi-serious advice from Aaron Weissblum, co-designer of San Marco and other games:

Make sure you have lots of friends that really like you and are willing to spend many hours testing crappy games.

Play lots of games! When you love a game ask yourself why. When you almost love a game ask yourself what’s missing.

Quit your day job. Recent research indicates that fewer than half of people with day jobs are successful game designers.

http://www.otb-games.com/inventor-of-the-month-aaron-weissblum/

Some panels at Escapist Expo that might interest board game designers: 

http://danielsolisblog.blogspot.com/2012/09/ill-be-at-escapist-expo.html

Top 6 tips for inventors on presenting a toy or game

Some unexpected pitch advice from a veteran of Fisher-Price, Tyco and Hasbro:

http://www.tandgcon.com/_blog/The_Business_of_Play/post/Top_6_tips_for_inventors_on_presenting_a_toy_or_game/

What should be on the box?
 
http://www.bgdf.com/node/7021

Board Game Design Forum’s September 2012 Game Design Showdown - “I Spy”
 
http://www.bgdf.com/node/7026

“Get the game on the table. You can tweak the rules forever, but it’s meaningless unless you print the game and play it.”

— Benjamin Rosset (@BenjaminRosset), designer of Mars Needs Mechanics

The Game Crafter’s Co-Op Design Challenge

Design an original co-op game

Deadline: Nov. 15, 2012

Prizes: Game Crafter points and store credit

http://news.thegamecrafter.com/post/30873081565/announcing-the-co-op-design-challenge

The Ludology podcast discusses the much-maligned roll-and-move mechanic, including its history and whether it has a place in modern strategy games:

http://ludology.libsyn.com/webpage/ludology-episode-39-roll-and-move

Brittania designer Lewis Pulsipher (@lewpuls) gave a wide-ranging two-hour talk at the recent World Boardgaming Championships, covering topics including:

• the way the industry is set up and how it’s changing
• the working processes of board game designers
• what makes a good game
• variety vs. replayability
• licensing contracts
• intellectual-property law

http://pulsiphergames.com/teaching1.htm

Direct link to mp3: http://pulsiphergames.com/presentation/Lew%20Talk%20at%20WBC%202012.mp3

Cardboard Edison’s Favorite Tips & Resources – August 2012

Every month, we round up our favorite tips and resources for aspiring board game designers to create a monthly best-of list.

Here are our picks for August 2012:

#industry:

• “How Do I Get a Game Published?” in 17 tweets, by John Kovalic
• Uwe Rosenberg discusses self-publishing, making good game expansions, the worker-placement mechanism and more
• Wolfgang Kramer on changes in the board game industry, originality in game design and more

#process:

• “Focus is the key to move from someone with a great game idea to a game designer with a great game.” – Jesse Catron
• “Have dreams. Have courage to follow these dreams. Do your games. You don’t need to have big budget. You don’t need to have 20 people crew. You don’t need anything except passion and will to fight. Fight for your success. It is at your fingertips.” – Ignacy Trzewiczek

#theory:

• What makes a great game?
• What are the eight most important parts of a game?

#playtesting:

• Questions you should ask playtesters

#rules:

• Do’s and don’ts for creating modern rule books

#publishing:

• A roundup of Kickstarter advice

Most important cautions for novice game designers, by Lewis Pulsipher:

http://pulsiphergamedesign.blogspot.com/2012/09/seven-years-and-million-dollars.html