What makes a good social deduction game? Two podcasts discuss:

http://thegamecrafter.libsyn.com/social-deduction-games-with-the-game-crafter-episode-101

http://www.buildingthegamepodcast.com/2016/12/04/episode-236-play-the-player-and-solo-spying/

Universal Basic Income Design Contest

Deadline: Feb. 1, 2017

Prizes: cash

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1689058/universal-basic-income-design-contest

Designing games for non-gamers:

http://jtreat.tumblr.com/post/154392186452/game-design-for-non-gamers

36th game design contest of Boulogne-Billancourt

Entries open Jan. 4, 2017. The first 100 will be accepted.

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1688590/game-design-contest-boulogne-billancourt

"Evaluate mechanisms to see if you can achieve the same end result in a way that is easier to learn and more satisfying." - Grant Rodiek

"Stop asking if your project is 'done'. Start asking if it’s great." - Peter C. Hayward

Board game legal questions answered: 

https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/5h0beu/im_zachary_strebeck_board_game_lawyer_ama/

The Game Crafter Trick Taker Challenge

Deadline: March 6, 2017

Prizes: store credit and more

https://www.thegamecrafter.com/contests/trick-taker-challenge

"Even done right, playtesting can be frustrating. In essence, it's experiencing failure repeatedly. For this reason, maintaining the decorum and respecting the craft and the social norms are especially important." - Luke Laurie (via @GalvanizedGames)

The Game Crafter Big Box Challenge

Deadline: June 5, 2017

Prizes: shop credit and more

https://www.thegamecrafter.com/contests/big-box-challenge

Tips for getting serious about making your game: 

https://www.reddit.com/r/tabletopgamedesign/comments/5gnn7f/im_finding_it_a_bit_hard_to_actually_work/

December 2016 Game Design Showdown

Pitch a game that is the epitome of a "publishable" game

Deadline: Dec. 10, 2016

http://www.bgdf.com/forum/game-design/game-design-showdown/gds-december-2016-publish

The 2017 Cardboard Edison Award

Deadline: Jan. 31, 2017

http://cardboardedison.com/award/

The requirement for the December 2016 24-hour contest is "charcoal":

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1682701/24-hour-contest-december-2016

Some reasons why you might not want to enter the board game industry (audio):

https://boardgame.business/2016/11/30/reasons-to-not-enter-the-board-game-industry/

Cardboard Edison's Favorite Tips & Resources - November 2016

This month's list of excellent board game design links features advice for getting started, explanations of how the industry works, reminders about what to focus on, and more.

featured:

• The Compendium, a directory of more than 140 board game publishers: who's accepting submissions, what they're looking for, and how to contact them

process:

• Intro to board game design and development: basic principles (audio)

• 17 ways to start a game design

publishing:

• How to get your game into distribution

industry:

• Practical advice for moving into full-time board game work (audio)

theory:

• 10 designers offer advice for creating a card game

• On legacy game design (video)

• Real-time games: What design techniques work for this mechanism? What does it do to the player experience? (audio)

• “Whatever the players do the most in your game should be the most fun. Don’t relegate the best part to 5% of game time. Weave it throughout.” - Kevin Wilson

• “Designers, challenge yourself to streamline. Simplicity is harder than kitchen sink.” - Byron Collins

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Cardboard Edison is supported by our patrons on Patreon.

ADVISERS: Peter C. Hayward, Aaron Vanderbeek

SENIOR INVENTORS: Steven Cole, John du Bois, Richard Durham, Koen Hendrix, Chris and Kathy Keane (The Drs. Keane), Marcel Perro, Behrooz Shahriari

JUNIOR INVENTORS: Ryan Abrams, Joshua Buergel, Luis Lara, Aidan Short, Jay Treat

ASSOCIATES: Robert Booth, Stephen B Davies, Danica E., Doug Levandowski, Aaron Lim, Nathan Miller, Isaias Vallejo, Matt Wolfe

APPRENTICES: Kiva Fecteau, Scott Gottreu, JR Honeycutt, Knight Works, Scott Martel Jr., David J. Mortimer, Mike Mullins, Marcus Ross, Sean Rumble, Diane Sauer

“Designing for publication and designing to play with your friends are two completely different disciplines that require almost opposite mindsets. Start there, and your life/work choices will become abundantly clear.”

— Eric Lang

“Love what you do. Nothing else matters. If you’re not in love with your game, start something else. When you love your game enough, you’ll weather the pain of development and iteration because you KNOW you have to get it out there.”

— Eric Lang

“Build your design process around play testing. Everything else is theorycraft.”

— Eric Lang

“We’re all influenced by other games. The newer and hotter your influence, the more likely you’re parallel developing with hundreds worldwide.”

— Eric Lang