The Something From Nothing vidcast discusses playtest groups, the design process, contests and more

How different tabletop games have implemented an “artificial intelligence”:

http://www.reddit.com/r/tabletopgamedesign/comments/2hg284/you_get_ai_in_tabletop_games/

SEE ALSO: http://cardboardedison.tumblr.com/post/96619717581/meaningful-decisions-matt-leacock

How to boost the perceived popularity of your game–and hopefully its actual popularity as a result:

http://stonemaiergames.com/kickstarter-lesson-119-release-with-a-boom-not-a-whimper/

“During the creation and development process, don’t hesitate to change it if it is for the best, and refine it the number of times you feel it needs. Talk to people about it, and change it until it clicks. It will, don’t worry. You will know when it does.”

— Vital Lacerda (@vitallacerda)

“Just love your project, put all your passion into it. Work a lot, breathe and dream with your design and believe in it, really believe in it. There is nothing worse than a design which is not loved by its creator.”

— Vital Lacerda (@vitallacerda)

Uncertain Kickstarter campaigns: quit, cancel or see it through?

http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/34195/article-3-should-you-quit-cancel-or-see-it-through

“If you’re part of a design group, do yourselves a huge favour and set up a retreat. A day, a whole weekend, a whole week. You’ll thank yourselves for doing it. You’ll be refreshed, have new directions and new ideas, and your colleagues will be more vested in your success as they’ll have a chance to have a hand in shaping your design.”

— Sen-Foong Lim (@SenFoongLim)

A look at the trick-taking genre of games:

http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/34227/investigation-trick-taking

To Be Designed Convention

A card and board game design and prototype convention

Nov. 17-18, 2014, in Plano, Texas

http://tbdcon.com/

Designing for brilliant players and for… not-so-brilliant players:

http://nskngames.blogspot.com/2014/09/perfect-to-fault.html

If you want to see your game become a real product, keep these production considerations in mind:

http://www.leagueofgamemakers.com/game-idea-vs-game-product/

“If you’re looking for specific feedback, you need to ask specific questions. Develop them before each session.”

— Sen-Foong Lim (@SenFoongLim)

The Building the Game podcast (@PodcastBTG) discusses ways of using different types of end-game conditions:

http://www.buildingthegamepodcast.com/2014/09/21/episode-121-happy-endings-and-turning-tricks/

Bruno Faidutti on board games and the exoticism of other cultures and other times:

http://faidutti.com/blog/?p=3780

The three Kickstarter funding scenarios you must plan for:

http://stonemaiergames.com/kickstarter-lesson-117-the-3-funding-scenarios-you-must-plan-for/

“Design your first 10 games really quickly, so that you can learn how to do it. Don’t expect that the first one is going to be any good or get published.”

—

Jeremiah Lee (@jeremiah042)

“Be open to criticism. If you want to just make a game because you want to make a game, you can ignore criticism. If you want it to be published, then you have to listen to it.”

— Emmanuel Aquin (@Amiral_Aquin)

The Meeple Syrup vidcast discusses how to join the print-and-play community

A guide to demoing your prototype at a convention:

http://whoseturnisitanyway.com/article-game-design-demoing-prototypes/

What you can expect to get out of designing games–and what you can’t