The Ludology podcast discusses the use of heuristics–mental shortcuts–in board games:

http://ludology.libsyn.com/ludology-episode-97-rules-of-thumb

“Make your prototypes look as finished as your game is.”

— Daniel Solis (@DanielSolis)

The Kickstarter Effect: Signing a Game in the Age of Crowdfunding (full-resolution version)

What to do if you receive a cease-and-desist letter about your Kickstarter:

http://stonemaiergames.com/kickstarter-lesson-136-what-to-do-if-you-receive-a-cease-desist-letter-concerning-your-kickstarter/

What to do when your design efforts hit a wall? A BoardGameGeek designers forum discussion:

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1314410/how-get-past-brainstorming

Lessons learned from a failed Kickstarter campaign: the importance of reviews, marketing, engagement and more:

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1314899/lessonsobservations-my-failed-kickstarter-crop-cyc

Lessons about variable player powers learned from other games:

http://www.leagueofgamemakers.com/variable-player-powers/

Michael Keller (@vhgames) discusses modeling economics and markets in games:

http://hyperbolegames.com/2015/02/04/interview-with-michael-keller/

“Get your ideas on the table. Do it every chance you get. Make new chances and test it then too.”

— Kevin G. Nunn (@kgnunn)

Answers to common questions about public playtesting events:

http://kevingnunn.com/2015/02/04/getting-ready-for-protospiel-2015-part-2/

Different ways that games have handled character death without player elimination:

http://www.reddit.com/r/tabletopgamedesign/comments/2umpmw/games_that_handle_death_interestingly/

The theme for the February 2015 24-hour contest is “fairy”:

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1313781/24-hour-contest-february-2015

Pros vs. Newbs: Experience Counts When Signing a Game (full-resolution version)

The Meeple Syrup vidcast (@MeepleSyrup) discusses scaling games for different player numbers

Two videos on promoting a game:

The Impressions vidcast on building a network: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgjsS-t8soU

The Forbidden Limb on promoting a Kickstarter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr7sg75O0a0

gamedesigngraphically:

Designing for the colourblind?

Avoid picking two colours on the same line. 

more wonderful graphics at the owner’s site:

http://www.color-blindness.com/2009/01/19/colorblind-colors-of-confusion/

Welcome To The Rodney's!→

tgcnews:

What are the Rodneys? Great question. They are the name for our just launched Gamehole Con game design award. If you look at any of our annual logos, you will see an armored fellow squaring off against some foe. At Gamehole Con command central, we have always called that guy, Sir Rodney….

Cardboard Edison’s Favorite Tips & Resources - January 2015

This month’s roundup of board game design links features data on Kickstarter trends, advice for finding a publisher and a reminder about loving your designs. Plus, the first installments in our series of reports on licensing contracts and our new series of publisher interviews.

featured:

• Signing a Game: Board Game Licensing Contracts - Part 1: Pre-Publication Terms
• Signing a Game: Board Game Licensing Contracts - Part 2: Post-Publication Terms
• The Publishers: Q&A With Chris Kirkman of Dice Hate Me Games

licensing:

• The Meeple Syrup vidcast discusses licensing contract terms with David Short and Cardboard Edison
• Tips for building relationships with publishers and getting published through the back door
• Adventures in pitching—lessons learned from a year of shopping a design to potential publishers

publishing:

• Data on daily and monthly trends in Kickstarter success

theory:

• Thoughts on player control in games

process:

• “If your own designs aren’t among your very favorite games, then you might need to work harder to design games you like.” - Alf Seegert

playtesting:

• “The goal of playtesting is to make it suck a little less each time.” - Ben Begeal

Cardboard Edison Omnibus is supported by our patrons on Patreon.

• SENIOR INVENTORS: Steven Cole, Richard Durham, Jeff Johnston, Matthew O’Malley, Isaias Vallejo
• JUNIOR INVENTORS: Stephen B Davies, Luis Lara, Behrooz Shahriari, Aidan Short, Jay Treat
• ASSOCIATES: Zachery Cook, Doug Levandowski, Nathan Miller, Marcel Perro
• APPRENTICE: Brad Price

“Finish your designs. It’s fun to keep starting new projects, but only finished games are the best they can be.”

— Andrew Federspiel (@KnapsackGames)

“Sometimes feedback from weeks or months ago can suddenly resonate. Don’t discard feedback just because it doesn’t make sense at the time.”

— Ed Marriott (@EdPMarriott)