An overview of how to refine your game: playtesting, blind testing, events and more:

http://www.leagueofgamemakers.com/refining-your-game/

Haggis designer Sean Ross discusses climbing games:

http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/29585/sean-ross-and-the-haggis-memoirs

“Fail often. We learn so much more from our failures than we do our successes. It’s hard to know why something works, it’s easy to spot why it’s flawed.”

— Chevee Dodd (@cheveedodd)

Chevee Dodd (@cheveedodd) on open-source design, trying and failing, preparing for a Kickstarter and more:

http://boardsandbarley.com/2014/05/01/im-pulling-for-him-an-interview-with-chevee-dodd/

“Make time for family and friends. Easy to get over-run, or over-excited about a project.”

— @MVPBoardgames

“Releasing a game is like having a baby, except there’s no taboo on folks saying your baby is hideously ugly. ;-) “My! What an ugly baby!””

— Daniel Cook (@danctheduck)

“Rulebook Layout Tip: You can usually combine your components overview and setup example into one diagram to save room.”

— Daniel Solis (@DanielSolis)

“Consume knowledge and experience as though starving. Then, go by your gut.”

— Eric Lang (@eric_lang)

Game design exercises that aren’t designing games:

http://hyperbolegames.com/2014/05/04/design-exercise/

“Design tip: do whatever works because people will bitch one way or the other!”

— Adam McIver (@ad7m)

A guide to playtesting events like Protospiel:

http://www.leagueofgamemakers.com/do-you-protospiel/

“Icons are fine for shorthand, but long-form rules text should have words with icons in parentheses. We read and speak words, not pictures.”

— Daniel Solis (@DanielSolis)

The Cardboard Jungle (@CBJPodcast) discusses what–and what not–to do with your rulebook (discussion begins 58 minutes in):

http://thecardboardjungle.libsyn.com/ep35-breaking-the-rules

Cardboard Edison's Favorite Tips & Resources - April 2014

This week’s roundup of useful links for board game designers features tips for being a good playtester, a look at classic games from the present day, an entire hour of discussion about board game design, and more…

#featured:

• The 5 W’s and 1 H of Good Playtesters

#process:

• Advice to those dreaming of designing a game: You will fail.

#industry:

• A recent #BoardGameHour was all about game design—lots of knowledge was shared
• “So You Wanna Be A Game Designer”: Ben Rosset (@BenRosset) on getting started as a board game designer and how to get published

#theory:

• Glossary of common board game terms
• What can modern designers learn from the mechanics of classic board games?

#prototyping:

• When to make ugly prototypes and when to make pretty prototypes

“Game design is a skill like any other and practice hones that skill and keeps it sharp.”

— Chevee Dodd (@cheveedodd)

Board Game Design Forum’s May 2014 Game Design Showdown

Challenge: Design a game with religion as your theme

Restrictions: 18 cards and dice

Deadline: May 8, 2014

http://www.bgdf.com/forum/game-design/game-design-showdown/gds-may-2014-i-believe

Detailed stats from the Tuscany Kickstarter:

http://stonemaiergames.com/statistics-from-the-tuscany-kickstarter-project/

The theme for May 2014’s 24-Hour Contest is “cyborg”:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/15654920

The Boardroomers discuss Kickstarter timelines

Four tips for in-person beta-testing:

http://ryanmacklin.com/2014/04/4-tips-inperson-beta/