Grant Rodiek (@HerrohGrant) on setting design goals, improving your game, randomness, preparing to become a publisher and more:

http://hyperbolegames.com/2013/05/23/2104/

“A design, without testing, is just a hypothesis. Playtesting for me is the scientific aspect that refines the art and creative stuff.”

— Grant Rodiek (@HerrohGrant)

Down-to-earth advice for setting up meetings with publishers, from Chevee Dodd (@cheveedodd):

“Forget about the pitch. Seriously. Just stop. Your number one goal should be to just get to know them, not shove a game in their face.”

http://www.cheveedodd.com/thoughts-networking-earns-pitches.html

Hundreds of links to board game design and publishing resources:

http://spotlightongames.com/list/design.html

Two pieces of advice from Matt Worden (@MattWordenGames): (1) Talk with Folks, and (2) Finish Something:

http://hyperbolegames.com/2013/05/22/freestarter-interviews-matt-worden/

At what point does a good idea become a bad idea? BGDF users discuss how to prevent yourself from injecting too many ideas into a game:

http://www.bgdf.com/node/12430

The Ludology podcast discusses designing licensed games:

http://ludology.libsyn.com/ludology-episode-56

SEE ALSO: The Plaid Hat Podcast on licensed games:

http://www.plaidhatgames.com/podcast/83

Ten (or so) things every game designer needs to know about people:

http://nothingsacredgames.com/?p=930

The Game Design Round Table podcast discusses the pros and cons of using victory points in a design:

http://www.buzzsprout.com/7928/93479-28-scoring-victory

“My most given piece of advice is to start small and get something playable. Make the simplest form of your game playable and try it.”

— Chevee Dodd (@cheveedodd)

A broad look at the state of indie board games and how small publishers and designers are taking advantage of changes in the industry:

http://www.indiecardboard.com/index.php/features/56-breaking-indie-a-tabletop-view-of-independent-game-design-part-1

Four States of Play: infographic and analysis of play states, by Daniel Solis (@DanielSolis):

http://danielsolisblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/four-states-of-play-hone-learn-watch.html

Reddit users can list their game for playtesting or sign up to be a playtester on this new wiki:

http://www.reddit.com/r/tabletopgamedesign/wiki/play_testers

AJ Porfirio of Van Ryder Games (@VanRyderGames) discusses the goal of games, learning how to design and more:

http://hyperbolegames.com/2013/05/20/freestarter-interviews-aj-porfirio/

Thinking about competition in games: direct vs. indirect and implicit vs. explicit:

http://www.mostdangerousgamedesign.com/2013/05/competition-in-games.html

“SLOW DOWN. When you have that first idea you think “Gosh I am brilliant! This is going to be easy. I will be a millionaire sensation!” Don’t feel like you have to get a game out the door in a month.”

— AJ Porfirio (@VanRyderGames)

What can designers do to discourage certain bad player behaviors?

http://3dtotalgames.com/behaviour-at-the-table/

Martin Wallace joins the Game Design Round Table podcast to discuss the design process, working with licenses, making a living as a designer and publisher, and more:

http://www.buzzsprout.com/7928/92750-27-board-game-design-with-martin-wallace

“The simpler your design, the fewer decisions you give players, and the more weight each of those decisions needs to carry. It’s challenging.”

— Grant Rodiek (@HerrohGrant)

Three ways to figure out how many games to print:

http://gameofmarketing.blogspot.com/2013/05/sales-forecast-stormy-cloudy-or-sunny.html