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“Don’t start with what players do, but rather what you want players to think about. Then focus the mechanics from there.”
— J. Alex Kevern (@AlexWithIdeas)
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“Don’t add something to your game just because it should be there. Add it because it can’t be left out.”
— Nat Levan (@OakleafGames)
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“If you want your game to be published, consider the publisher part of the audience.”
— Steven Cole (@steveongames)
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“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)
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“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)
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“Listen intently to your playtesters, but rarely do what they say. You must filter the info to deduce the real problem.”
— David Short (@dshortdesign)
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“There are types of gamers, know which type you are designing for and remember, it’s not always you.”
— Luke Peterschmidt (@LPeterschmidt)
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“Test your Minimum Viable Game. Don’t work on a broken game longer than you need to.”
— @AndHeGames
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“Note which rule or mechanic players always get wrong the same way. Try to make it actually work that way.”
— Darrell Hardy (@HardyTales)
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““Perfect” is the enemy of improvement. Stop searching for the perfect mechanism and focus on making your design better.”
— Matt Wolfe (@mattwolfe)
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“Playtest playtest playtest - when you think you’re done, do it more. Blind tests are even better.”
— JR Honeycutt (@JayAhre)
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“Get a prototype on the table ASAP. One minute of table time is worth an hour of solitary noodling.”
— Daniel Solis (@DanielSolis)
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“Determine your target audience early, and tailor your design choices with them in mind.”
— Seth Jaffee (@sedjtroll)
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“Consider removing rules that take too long to explain for what they add to your game.”
— Meeple Syrup (@MeepleSyrup)
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Tips for playtesting late-stage design tweaks

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The Meeple Syrup Show (@MeepleSyrup) on working with–and as–a publisher