GameTek’s Geoff Engelstein (@gengelstein) discusses the importance of high points and strong endings in games:

http://ludology.libsyn.com/gametek-74-endings

The Game Design Round Table discusses game phases–early, mid, late–and “pivot” points:

http://thegamedesignroundtable.com/2014/02/17/episode-67-game-phases-pivots/

Things to avoid in pitch letters to publishers:

http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/27117/submitting-103-stuff-you-dont-want-to-get-caught-d

Avoiding player elimination, by Lewis Pulsipher (@lewpuls)

What’s required for a modern train game?

http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/27515/empire-builder-and-the-modern-train-game

SEE ALSO: 

http://www.mechanics-and-meeples.com/tag/railroad-games/

Scoring schemes for small sets:

http://kevingnunn.com/2014/02/14/ties-damn-ties-and-statistics-part-6/

Underused game formats that lie somewhere between competitive and cooperative:

http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/27555/game-format-competitive-cooperative-and-semi-quasi

Runaway leaders, rubber banding and feedback mechanisms:

http://oakleafgames.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/game-theory-runaway-leader-rubber-banding-and-feedback/

“‘I think my game is too simple, and should add more rules.’ - said no good internal monologue, ever.”

— Eric Lang (@eric_lang)

Thoughts on “rhythm” in board games:

http://opinionatedgamers.com/2014/02/05/postcard-from-berlin-i-got-rhythm/

Hard numbers behind a “pay what you want” Kickstarter campaign:

http://crashgamesaz.com/a-peek-behind-the-curtain-of-a-true-pay-what-you-want-kickstarter-campaign/

“If the rule you add to the game you are designing does not add more fun than complexity, this rule is not good.”

— Le Scorpion masqué (@Scorpionmasque)

Free weekly planner to help plan passion projects on nights and weekends:

http://blog.ad7m.com/post/76366555045/ive-been-on-a-search-for-the-perfect-planner-to

Considerations when designing for different player counts, and methods of scaling for them:

http://www.gamesprecipice.com/player-count-scalability/

A quick trick for more effective linking to Kickstarter pages:

http://www.gamesonthebrain.com/blog/advanced-kickstarter-linking-strategies

Game balancing as the act of creating meaningful player decisions:

http://www.mostdangerousgamedesign.com/2014/02/balance-beyond-fairness.html

Robert Burke (@robertburke) and David Chott (@3haresgames) join the Something From Nothing vidcast to discuss Kickstarter, conventions, building a brand and more

The many purposes of playtesting:

http://creationandplay.blogspot.com/2014/02/playtesting-questions.html

“Don’t attend conventions just to sell games. Attend to network and sell yourself. Think long term. Build relationships.”

— Ben Pinchback (@pinchback21)

Designing games to prevent analysis paralysis:

http://www.leagueofgamemakers.com/designing-games-to-prevent-analysis-paralysis-part-2/