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Cardboard Edison

Game design & bright ideas for game designers

Bright Ideas

Tips & Resources for Board Game Designers

Cardboard Edison
  • About Us/
  • Our Games/
    • Houdini's Last Act
    • Quad Squad
    • Cobras
    • Retail Rejects
    • More Games
    • Prototypes
  • Free Resources/
    • Blog
    • Industry Reports
    • Tariffs Report
    • Playtest Groups
    • Virtual Tabletops
    • Contests
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    • Game Design Checklist
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theory
playtesting
prototyping
process
rules
licensing
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January 27, 2016 January 27, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

Geoff Engelstein on breaking into the industry, co-designing, podcasts and more:

http://breakingintoboardgames.libsyn.com/breaking-into-board-games-episode-10

January 27, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
industry, podcasts

Cardboard Edison

January 27, 2016 January 27, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

How various games have addressed the "runaway leader" problem:

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/204332/compendium-solutions-rich-gets-richer-runaway-lead

January 27, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

January 27, 2016 January 27, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

An overview of the game design process, from prototype to production

January 27, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
process, rules, playtesting, prototyping

Cardboard Edison

January 26, 2016 January 26, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

Catchup mechanics: 

 http://www.justingary.com/come-back-mechanics/

January 26, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

January 26, 2016 January 26, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

Ways of generating gameplay that's engaging in the abstract but that also build interesting narratives:

http://www.3dtotalgames.com/story-vs-mechanics/

January 26, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

January 25, 2016 January 25, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

Picking components for your game: cost, quality, perceived value, boxes and more:

http://nothingsacredgames.com/component-considerations/

January 25, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
publishing

Cardboard Edison

January 25, 2016 January 25, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

Mark Rosewater on the difference between choices and options, and the decisions that game designers set up for players to make:

http://podbay.fm/show/580709168/e/1453479600

January 25, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
theory, podcasts

Cardboard Edison

January 25, 2016 January 25, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

Blunt advice for entering game design contests:

http://www.buildingthegamepodcast.com/2016/01/24/episode-191-contest-woes-and-drafting-drafters/

January 25, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
contests, podcasts

Cardboard Edison

January 24, 2016 January 24, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

What makes a game high- or low-ranked on BoardGameGeek: 

http://meeplezone.com/2016/01/21/what-makes-a-high-ranked-game-data-mining-bgg/ 

January 24, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

January 21, 2016 January 21, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

Things that drive player behavior during a game: rewards and punishments, scarcity, pivot points and more:

http://www.gamesprecipice.com/ecology/

January 21, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

January 21, 2016 January 21, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

What game mechanisms have the biggest effect on BoardGameGeek ratings?

http://www.ludometrica.org/highly-rated-mechanics-and-other-determinants-of-rating/

January 21, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

January 21, 2016 January 21, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

The Meeple Syrup show on painful playtests--and why they're necessary

January 21, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

January 20, 2016 January 20, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

T.C. Petty III on "How to Get Published"

January 20, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
licensing, process

Cardboard Edison

January 20, 2016 January 20, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

Transparency and opacity: what makes a game mechanism transparent or opaque, how they work (or fail) in existing games, and how to use them to incentivize players to make interesting plays:

http://www.genesisoflegend.com/2016/01/episode73/

January 20, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
theory, podcasts

Cardboard Edison

January 20, 2016 January 20, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

Pointers for working with a publisher during the publication process (starting at 51:30):

https://perfectinformationpodcast.wordpress.com/2016/01/20/perfect-information-episode-10-no-good-deed-goes-unpublished/

January 20, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
licensing, podcasts

Cardboard Edison

January 20, 2016 January 20, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

Advice for board game designers in Malaysia:

http://theactionpointspodcast.com/2016/01/17/victory-pointers-006-designing-board-games-in-malaysia-at-kotakcon-mini/

January 20, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
industry, podcasts

Cardboard Edison

January 19, 2016 January 19, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

Korea Boardgames Design Contest

Deadline: April 1, 2016

Prizes: cash and publication

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1509434/kbg-design-contest-2016

January 19, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
contests

Cardboard Edison

January 19, 2016 January 19, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

Ways to increase a game's depth:

http://www.justingary.com/depth/

January 19, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

January 18, 2016 January 18, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

Resources: what they are, their role in games, and how designers can use them:

http://www.leagueofgamemakers.com/game-elements-resources/

January 18, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

January 18, 2016 January 18, 2016/ Cardboard Edison

Why you should ask playtesters, "How did the game make you feel?"

http://www.wiltgren.com/2016/01/18/a-simple-way-to-get-great-playtesting-feedback/

January 18, 2016/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

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