Cardboard Edison's Favorite Tips & Resources - June 2016

This month, our roundup of favorite board game design links includes lots of lessons from a veteran of the industry, discussions about legal issues, scheduling and software for game makers, notes on life as a game designer, and more.

theory:

• Lessons from 20 years of game design. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

• How positive and negative feedback loops work in board games

• Ways a board game can be broken (audio)

rules:

• How to write a board game rulebook: writing down notes early, structuring a rulebook, do's and don'ts and more

industry:

• An overview of legal topics of interest to game makers (audio)

prototyping:

• 9 sources of images and artwork for prototypes

• A rundown of the many image-software options available to board game designers (audio)

process:

• Looking at the cost--in time and money--of designing a board game

playtesting:

• Body language to look for in playtesters

licensing:

• Advice for demoing your game for publishers (audio)

publishing:

• Creating a production schedule for publishing a board game (audio)

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Cardboard Edison is supported by our patrons on Patreon.

ADVISER: Aaron Vanderbeek

SENIOR INVENTORS: Steven Cole, John du Bois, Richard Durham, Peter C. Hayward, Chris and Kathy Keane (The Drs. Keane), Matthew O’Malley, Marcel Perro

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

ASSOCIATES: Robert Booth, Doug Levandowski, Aaron Lim, Nathan Miller, Isaias Vallejo, Matt Wolfe

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

Legal and ethical considerations when recycling game mechanisms (audio):

http://www.genesisoflegend.com/2016/07/episode85/

Discussion of topics relevant to life as a game designer: making money, making art, making prototypes and more (audio):

http://thegamedesignroundtable.com/2016/06/28/episode-148-more-listener-mail/

A look at "push your luck" in games:

https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/55666/push-your-luck-games

What makes games fiddly and what to do about it (audio):

http://www.buildingthegamepodcast.com/2016/06/26/episode-213-fiddly-bits-and-breakfast-clubbing/

An overview of the economic concept of scarcity in board games:

http://makethemplay.com/index.php/2016/06/30/in-game-economics-scarcity/

July 2016 Game Design Showdown

Pitch a game that uses a timer in a creative way

Deadline: July 9, 2016

http://www.bgdf.com/forum/game-design/game-design-showdown/gds-july-2016-times

The requirement for the July 2016 24-hour contest is "lunar landing":

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1599307/24-hour-contest-july-2016

A look at the core characteristics of the "pool builder" genre--deck builders, dice builders, etc.:

http://www.gamesprecipice.com/pool-builders/

Pros and cons of player elimination and elimination of resources:

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

How to behave during a playtest:

http://www.dancinggiantgames.com/blog/leading-a-playtest-tips-and-tricks

An overview of legal topics of interest to game makers:

http://www.thecompanybard.com/tgc-061-zachary-strebeck-gaming-attorney-law/

Handling criticism after your game is released (at 30:00, with adult language):

https://infoperfected.com/2016/06/20/perfect-information-podcast-episode-19-stories-we-play/

Creating a production schedule for publishing a board game:

https://boardgame.business/2016/06/16/production-schedules/

What to know before signing your first licensing contract:

http://boardgamesinsider.com/2016/06/episode-30-lawsuits-contracts-and-conventions/

See also: http://cardboardedison.com/reports/

Considerations when making a board game into a marketable product:

https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/55363/business-side-design

Ways of becoming--and staying--inspired in board game design:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/48513/390756-episode-17-inspiration

Six ways to improve your print-and-play files:

http://www.dancinggiantgames.com/blog/6-ways-to-improve-your-print-and-play

“If you feel in your gut something is there even with the smallest of idea, don’t stop pushing on it. Eventually the stars will align and it will come together.”

— Joshua J. Mills

How positive and negative feedback loops work in board games:

http://makethemplay.com/index.php/2016/05/25/in-game-economics-feedback-loops/