Topics related to balance in game design (video)

How to license intellectual property for a board game (audio):

https://www.buzzsprout.com/4646/503478-ep-276-licensing-intellectual-property-for-your-game-with-space-goat-productions

The Hidden Movement Game Design Challenge

Deadline: Sept. 25, 2017

Prizes: cash and The Game Crafter store credit

https://www.thegamecrafter.com/contests/hidden-movement-challenge

Advice for Kickstarter board game creators from 21 "superbackers":

https://tompetgames.wordpress.com/2017/05/01/what-21-kickstarter-superbackers-want-to-say-to-kickstarter-board-game-creators/

Exploring the boundaries of what games are, and what they can be (audio):

http://ludology.libsyn.com/ludology-episode-151-high-definition

Advice for launching and running a game publishing business (audio):

https://www.buzzsprout.com/4646/503901-ep-273-james-ernest-button-men

What game designers should know about contests such as the Cardboard Edison Award (audio):

https://www.buzzsprout.com/48513/510652-episode-31-the-2017-cardboard-edison-award

How to make your prototype ready for publisher evaluation:

http://www.renegadegamestudios.com/blog/2017/5/9/tips-for-prototyping-guest-blog-by-suzanne-sheldon

Questions to ask yourself before making a game:

https://oakleafgames.wordpress.com/2017/05/08/questions-to-ask-before-making-a-game/

Lessons learned from moving past crowdfunding as a publisher:

https://stonemaiergames.com/lessons-learned-from-quitting-kickstarter-as-a-creator-part-3/

“Try to touch important projects every day, even if just for a moment. Keeps the brain engaged in the background.”

— JR Honeycutt

“Playtesting, feedback. Playtesting, feedback. Long pause. Repeat. This will never cease to be the secret to making a great game.”

— Ben Pinchback

The basics of making a board game Kickstarter video

The requirement for the May 2017 24-hour contest is "gold":

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1774627/24-hour-contest-may-2017

Board game industry figures offer advice for breaking in (audio):

http://breakingintoboardgames.libsyn.com/breaking-into-board-games-episode-42-gathering-of-friends-with-gil

Keeping engagement high at different player counts (audio):

http://thegamecrafter.libsyn.com/player-count-and-engagement-with-the-game-crafter-episode-121

3rd Iludo Board Game Design Competition

Deadline: July 27, 2017 (or until 40 entries have been received)

Prizes: 300 euros for first place, second place 100 euros in vouchers

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1773189/3rd-iludo-board-game-design-competition-2017

Cardboard Edison’s Favorite Tips & Resources - April 2017

This month our list of favorite board game design links includes overviews of some popular game mechanisms, a useful and fun prototyping tool, solid playtesting advice and more.

theory:

• Different ways games can be fun (video)

• All about worker placement (audio). Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

• All about drafting (audio). Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

• A look at the "crescendo" mechanism where something in a game gets progressively more valuable

• Tips for designing microgames

prototyping:

• Icon-creation tool

playtesting:

• Seven ways to improve the quality of your playtest feedback (audio)

• Playtesting like a pro (audio)

industry:

• Design trends, the design process, commissioned IPs, and when to resurrect projects (audio)

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Cardboard Edison is supported by our patrons on Patreon.

ADVISERS: 421 Creations, 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, Doug Levandowski, Aaron Lim, Nathan Miller, Kasper Esven Skovgaard, 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

Lots of game design topics: overcoming roadblocks, how-to-play videos, cutting from a game, sports themes, and more
 

Where game themes come from, and what purposes they serve:

http://blog.nskn.net/where-do-themes-come-from/