If you want your game to be published, consider the publisher part of the audience.
— Steven Cole (@steveongames)
Designing a game is an exploration. Guess to start. Seek to learn. No decision is final that isn’t informed by play.
— Jay Treat (@jtreat3)
The ending of a game should feel consistent with the rest. Once the middle is fun, try different ways to end it.
— Randy Hoyt (@randyhoyt)
Listen intently to your playtesters, but rarely do what they say. You must filter the info to deduce the real problem.
— David Short (@dshortdesign)
There are types of gamers, know which type you are designing for and remember, it’s not always you.
— Luke Peterschmidt (@LPeterschmidt)
Test your Minimum Viable Game. Don’t work on a broken game longer than you need to.
— @AndHeGames
Note which rule or mechanic players always get wrong the same way. Try to make it actually work that way.
— Darrell Hardy (@HardyTales)
“Perfect” is the enemy of improvement. Stop searching for the perfect mechanism and focus on making your design better.
— Matt Wolfe (@mattwolfe)
Playtest playtest playtest - when you think you’re done, do it more. Blind tests are even better.
— JR Honeycutt (@JayAhre)
Get a prototype on the table ASAP. One minute of table time is worth an hour of solitary noodling.
— Daniel Solis (@DanielSolis)
Determine your target audience early, and tailor your design choices with them in mind.
— Seth Jaffee (@sedjtroll)
Consider removing rules that take too long to explain for what they add to your game.
— Meeple Syrup (@MeepleSyrup)
Find fulfillment in the design process, and seek out others who are engaged in game design in order to avoid traveling down that path alone.
— Yves Tourigny (@yvestourigny)