2016 Mint Tin Design Contest

Deadline: Dec. 12, 2016

Prizes: GeekGold

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1637125/2016-mint-tin-design-contest

“If you’re not prototyping your idea because you’re worried it won’t be fun enough, remember that games are more fun than game ideas.”

— Jay Treat

Hasbro Gaming Lab's Fall 2016 Challenge

Deadline: Oct. 23, 2016

Prizes: $25,000, working with Hasbro, and more

https://hasbrogaminglab.com/f16/

Three rules for designing tiebreakers:

http://www.leagueofgamemakers.com/how-to-design-tie-breakers/

What to do while waiting to hear back from a publisher (audio):

http://www.buildingthegamepodcast.com/2016/09/11/episode-224-waiting-and-estating/

Basics of location, orientation and movement in board games:

http://makethemplay.com/index.php/2016/09/08/the-use-of-space-in-board-games/

Controlling how long your game feels for the experience it offers: game length vs. perceived length, down time, turn structures, and more:

http://coalitiongames.com/wordpress/2016/09/08/six-pillars-of-game-design-time-index/

Answers to game designers' legal questions: NDAs, IP protection, art contracts and lots more (audio):

Part 1: https://www.buzzsprout.com/46339/418084-gen-con-legal-q-a-part-1-with-justin-jacobson-of-lawcraft

Part 2: https://www.buzzsprout.com/46339/418085-gen-con-legal-q-a-part-2-with-justin-jacobson-of-lawcraft

Daryl Andrews on co-designing, pitching to publishers, development and more (audio):

http://breakingintoboardgames.libsyn.com/breaking-into-board-games-episode-26-daryl-andrews

“It’s way better to have a game that a smallish group really likes than a game that everyone kind of only sort of likes.”

— Sandy Petersen

Considerations for international publishing: translation, localization, co-production and more:

http://stonemaiergames.com/kickstarter-lesson-198-translation-localization-and-language-independence/

Preparing a Kickstarter campaign: timelines, necessary features, do's and don'ts, and more:

http://pixygamesuk.blogspot.com/2016/09/preparing-your-kickstarter-campaign.html

“Don’t separate what you like as a player and what you’re making. Bring your robust personal tastes into your design to guide you.”

— Grant Rodiek

The requirement for the September 2016 24-hour contest is "divorce":

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1631567/24-hour-contest-september-2016

5 early steps for a new board game designer:

http://spielpro.com/blog/5-things-every-board-game-designer-should-know/

Considerations when choosing metaphors, such as theme, in your game:

http://makethemplay.com/index.php/2016/09/01/board-game-theme-and-other-metaphors/

“Get to that first playtest. You may have a great idea, but there is a monumental gap between an idea and an actual game.”

— Jamey Stegmaier

Cardboard Edison’s Favorite Tips & Resources - August 2016

This month's roundup of our favorite board game design links includes advice for new small publishers, ways of creating the experience you want in your game, tips for finding a publisher, important things to keep in mind as you design, and more.

featured:

• The Publishers: Q&A With Stephen Buonocore of Stronghold Games

theory:

• 10 ways to deal with runaway leaders (video)

• Emotional arcs in board games--and room for design exploration

• Using incentives to guide player behavior

playtesting:

• Applying the scientific method to playtesting

publishing:

• Nearly two hours of detailed advice for new Kickstarter project creators (video)

• Starting out as a new publisher: pitfalls to avoid, common mistakes, basic but non-obvious steps, and more (audio)

licensing:

• How to find a publisher for your designs (audio)

• “Design pitch tip: “I’ve spent X years developing this game” is a red flag sentence for many reasons. It doesn’t help your pitch.” - Nate Murray

process:

• Ways to cope with being overwhelmed or blocked in the game design process (audio)

• “You’ll make a game and think you’ve nailed it the first time you write the rules. Then comes the real work, which can be exhausting, discouraging, confusing. But if you believe in your game, don’t be dismayed. Get it in front of people. Playtest it. Toss out what isn’t working, explore new ideas. Make something you love playing, and then enjoy what follows.” - David Somerville

• “Remind yourself, always: Your game is not as simple as you think. It is not as elegant as you think. It is not as intuitive as you think.” - Eric Lang

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Cardboard Edison is supported by our patrons on Patreon.

ADVISERS: Peter C. Hayward, RetroIn Games, Aaron Vanderbeek

SENIOR INVENTORS: Steven Cole, John du Bois, Richard Durham, Koen Hendrix, 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, Danica E., Doug Levandowski, Aaron Lim, Nathan Miller, Isaias Vallejo, Matt Wolfe

APPRENTICES: Kevin Brusky, Kiva Fecteau, Scott Gottreu, JR Honeycutt, Knight Works, Scott Martel Jr., Mike Mullins, Marcus Ross, Sean Rumble, Diane Sauer, Smarter Backer

September 2016 Game Design Showdown

Pitch a game with a historical theme that uses marbles

Deadline: Sept. 9, 2016

http://www.bgdf.com/node/18521

“When designing, start by aiming for perfect balance, but tastefully depart from it. Concede ground to benefit the game’s core experience.”

— Coalition Game Studios