“I think maturing as a game designer is when you can recognize that one of your own prototypes is no longer worth pursuing.”

— Byron Collins

Getting started with publishing: doing research, networking, finding art and more:

http://legalmovespodcast.com/2016/04/11/designing-games-as-a-blue-bearded-pirate-with-peter-hayward/

How to maximize your experience at a playtesting event:

http://hyperbolegames.com/2016/04/13/the-54-card-guild-12/

10 more mistakes new designers make:

https://boardgame.business/2016/04/08/top-10-mistakes-new-designers-make-designer-perspective/

Preparing a budget for a board game project:

http://www.jefftidball.com/posts/budget-game-projects-well

Subjects to study to become a better game designer: 

 http://hyperbolegames.com/2016/04/11/my-proposed-design-curriculum/

“Take notes when given gameplay feedback even if you think you’ll remember later. It’s a social cue that you value your tester.”

— Ben Pinchback

“Sometimes you can streamline too much and the soul is gone. It’s OK to just rewind and try something different to tweak your game.”

— Peter Gousis

Sarah Reed on pitching to publishers when you can't attend conventions:

http://breakingintoboardgames.libsyn.com/breaking-into-board-games-episode-15-sarah-reed

Advice for running and participating in playtests:

http://www.buzzsprout.com/3256/369441-the-one-about-playtesting

Australian publisher Rule & Make on collaborating, focusing on the core, Kickstarting a publishing company, communicating with backers, taking backer suggestions, ideal player counts and building relationships:

http://theactionpointspodcast.com/2016/04/02/victory-pointers-010-kickstarting-publishing-with-allen-chang-and-alistair-kearney/

A checklist for game designers:

Full checklist: http://cardboardedison.com/s/Ludology-Game-Design-Checklist.pdf

Part 1: http://ludology.libsyn.com/ludology-epiosde-123-check-up

Part 2: http://ludology.libsyn.com/ludology-episode-124-checking-it-twice

Part 3: http://ludology.libsyn.com/ludology-episode-125-checking-out

Ways to pay attention to accessibility in your game:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/48513/368417-episode-13-accessibility-in-game-design

April 2016 Game Design Showdown

Pitch a pure co-op that regulates the alpha-player problem

Deadline: April 9, 2016

http://www.bgdf.com/forum/game-design/game-design-showdown/gds-april-2016-co-op-more-co-opted

“If your game only improves with every iteration, it’s my opinion that you haven’t iterated enough. Steps backward are necessary.”

— Eric Lang

“The Power Broker”: A Game Design Competition

Adapt Robert Caro's biography of urban planner Robert Moses into a game

Register by April 29, 2016. Submissions due by July 29, 2016.

Prizes: cash

https://medium.com/@timhwang/the-power-broker-a-game-design-competition-5eb4ff1f8146#.m9hk35xq9

The requirement for the April 2016 24 Hour Contest is "Atlantis":

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1552593/24-hour-contest-april-2016

What should be in a sell sheet:

https://oakleafgames.wordpress.com/2016/03/31/sell-sell-sell/

Cardboard Edison's Favorite Tips & Resources - March 2016

This month, our roundup of favorite board game design links includes goals to strive for and mistakes to avoid, real-world playtesting advice, a new interview about a classic game, and more.

featured:

• The Process: Biblios by Steve Finn

• Guest Post: The Basic Elements of Solo Variant Design

theory:

• Unsatisfying victories your design should avoid

• 10 mistakes new designers make

process:

• Designers share their design tenets

• How to handle criticism

• Michael Eskue on games designers should play, getting started, focusing, questions for playtesters, fixing flaws, pitching to publishers and dealing with rejection, writing rulebooks and more

• How to approach reviewers about a Kickstarter board game

• Advantages of co-designing

playtesting:

• How to work within the less-than-ideal, imperfect realities of playtesting

publishing:

• 5 mistakes to avoid when manufacturing in China

licensing:

• Lessons from attending GAMA as a designer: preparation, pitching and more

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Cardboard Edison is supported by our patrons on Patreon.

SENIOR INVENTORS: Steven Cole, John du Bois, Richard Durham, Matthew O’Malley, Isaias Vallejo  

JUNIOR INVENTORS: Ryan Abrams, Luis Lara, Behrooz Shahriari, Aidan Short, Jay Treat

ASSOCIATES: Robert Booth, Doug Levandowski, Aaron Lim, Nathan Miller, Marcel Perro, Matt Wolfe

APPRENTICES: Kevin Brusky, Kiva Fecteau, Scott Gottreu, Michael Gray, JR Honeycutt, Scott Martel Jr., Marcus Ross, Sean Rumble, Diane Sauer

Best (and worst) practices for writing rulebooks:

http://www.wearethechairmen.com/13