Reverse engineering gaming mechanisms:

http://hyperbolegames.com/2014/02/05/reverse-engineering/

How your scoring system distributes points, and how it encourages player behavior:

http://kevingnunn.com/2014/02/05/ties-damn-ties-and-statistics-part-3/

Examining depth and emergent gameplay–finding the ideal ratio of depth to complexity:

http://www.gamesprecipice.com/complexity-emergent-gameplay/

The Something From Nothing vidcast discusses designing big vs. small games, interaction, player helplessness and more

Geoff Engelstein (@gengelstein) joins the Game Design Round Table to discuss real-time games, designing with family, learning to play new games, and more:

http://www.buzzsprout.com/7928/147758-65-real-time-with-geoff-engelstein

February 2014’s Board Game Design Showdown: “From nothing, something”

Design a game with exactly one type of component

Deadline: Feb. 8, 2014

http://www.bgdf.com/node/13968

Grammatical pitfalls in rulebook writing:

http://www.diceonfire.com/2014/02/writing-instruction-manuals-part-2.html

The theme for February 2014’s 24-hour game design contest is commercialism:

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1115277/24-hour-contest-february-2014

What expansions can do to alter the base game:

http://www.mechanics-and-meeples.com/2014/01/27/a-second-look-at-expansions-or-the-expansion-expansion/

Don’t waste the publisher’s time: creating a salable product and getting right to the point:

http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/26977/submitting-your-game-101-dont-waste-the-publishers

David Chott (@3haresgames) on preparing for a Kickstarter campaign, talking with playtesters one-on-one and more:

http://hyperbolegames.com/2014/01/31/interview-with-david-chott/

Scott Almes (@Scott_Almes) on getting started in design, balancing factions, cutting mechanics, finding a publisher and more:

http://www.gamesprecipice.com/scott-almes/

Cardboard Edison's Favorite Tips & Resources - January 2014

The new year is off to a great start. In addition to a pair of guest posts on the Cardboard Edison blog, we found a bunch of useful tips and resources for board game designers all over the web:

#featured:

• The Matthew Effect—It’s Like the Runaway-Leader Problem, Only Worse
• A Game Designer’s Guide to Gaming Conventions

#theory:

• Finding and serving your game’s core engagement: What do players do in this game?
• A reminder about not overwhelming players with too many new concepts
• What makes a good expansion

#playtesting:

• Lessons from Unpub 4
• Tips for a great playtesting event

#process:

• “All early designs are awful. Resist the urge to shelve it forever. Also listen to where the game wants to go.”–Rob Daviau (@robdaviaugamer)

#publishing:

• Dan Yarrington of Game Salute (@GameSalute) on getting a game ready to publish, manufacturing, Kickstarting, publication and distribution
• Ten lessons learned from other Kickstarter projects in 2013

Major categories of tiebreakers:

http://kevingnunn.com/2014/01/31/ties-damn-ties-and-statistics-part-2/

Different ways of making prototype cards, with pros and cons for each:

http://stonemaiergames.com/kickstarter-lesson-77-creating-card-prototypes-for-third-party-reviewers/

“If you want to create things, there is no substitute for practice. Don’t just read about games; don’t just play them. You have to make a lot of games.”

— James Ernest (@cheapassjames)

Jeffrey D. Allers on personal discipline when designing, skills designers need, “beautiful dilemmas,” the “Vitruvian triangle” of board games, learning by copying and more:

http://opinionatedgamers.com/2014/01/29/the-art-of-design-interviews-to-game-designers-24-jeffrey-d-allers/

Ten things a Kickstarter project should have if you want to attract as many backers as possible:

http://stonemaiergames.com/kickstarter-lesson-77-the-10-reasons-ill-back-a-kickstarter-project/

The Game Design Round Table discusses conflict and its role in games:

http://www.buzzsprout.com/7928/145932-64-conflict

On positional balance–the relative position among players–and addressing the runaway leader problem and implementing catch-up mechanics:

http://www.gamesprecipice.com/positional-balance/