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Cardboard Edison

Game design & bright ideas for game designers

Bright Ideas

Tips & Resources for Board Game Designers

Cardboard Edison
  • About Us/
  • Our Games/
    • Houdini's Last Act
    • Quad Squad
    • Cobras
    • Retail Rejects
    • More Games
    • Prototypes
  • Free Resources/
    • Blog
    • Industry Reports
    • Tariffs Report
    • Playtest Groups
    • Virtual Tabletops
    • Contests
    • Podcast
    • Interviews
    • Game Design Checklist
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theory
playtesting
prototyping
process
rules
licensing
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October 23, 2017 October 23, 2017/ Cardboard Edison

A look at the Euro and American styles of board game design (audio):

Part 1: https://www.snakesandlattes.com/podcast/287/Euro-vs.-Amerithrash,-Part-1-__-What-is-a-Euro-game_ques_/

Part 2: https://www.snakesandlattes.com/podcast/288/Euro-vs.-Amerithrash,-Part-2-__-Defining-Amerithrash-(or-American__style-games)/

Part 3: https://www.snakesandlattes.com/podcast/289/Euro-vs.-Amerithrash,-Part-3-__-The-differences,-and-coming-together/

October 23, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
theory, podcasts

Cardboard Edison

October 23, 2017 October 23, 2017/ Cardboard Edison
“Even if you work alone, you *really* need blind playtesters who don’t care about your feelings. That’s how good games get made.”
— Brandon Rollins
October 23, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

October 20, 2017 October 20, 2017/ Cardboard Edison

Ways to use asymmetry and variable player powers (audio):

https://www.buzzsprout.com/48513/581555-episode-36-asymmetry-and-variable-player-powers

October 20, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
theory, podcasts

Cardboard Edison

October 20, 2017 October 20, 2017/ Cardboard Edison
“Instead of: ‘That question’s answered in the rules.’ Think – ‘Can I prevent anyone needing to ask the question?’”
— John Brieger
October 20, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
theory, rules, playtesting

Cardboard Edison

October 20, 2017 October 20, 2017/ Cardboard Edison

What to do after getting negative playtest feedback on your design:

http://brandonthegamedev.com/how-to-turn-negative-play-test-feedback-into-a-brilliant-game/

October 20, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

October 20, 2017 October 20, 2017/ Cardboard Edison
“As a designer, you go deep into the mechanisms and begin to form strong opinions as you work through the game in your mind’s eye. You begin to know all the details by heart. Nevertheless, it is extremely important to test every detail, and patiently make notes for improvements because conflicts arise when a change clashes with other existing rules.”
— Max Wikström
October 20, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

October 20, 2017 October 20, 2017/ Cardboard Edison

2017 Children's Game Print and Play Design Contest

Deadline: Nov. 26, 2017

Prizes: GeekGold

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1867573/2017-childrens-game-print-and-play-design-contest

October 20, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
contests

Cardboard Edison

October 17, 2017 October 17, 2017/ Cardboard Edison

A look at "forcing lines," where players exert control over their opponents' options:

http://www.kindfortress.com/2017/10/17/design-pattern-may-the-force-be-with-you/

October 17, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

October 16, 2017 October 16, 2017/ Cardboard Edison

How to make a game that stands out in the crowd:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/peterchayward/the-lady-and-the-tiger-a-2-player-bluffing-game/posts/2016006

October 16, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
licensing, industry

Cardboard Edison

October 13, 2017 October 13, 2017/ Cardboard Edison

Evan Derrick on designing thematic games (audio):

http://www.buildingthegamepodcast.com/2017/10/08/episode-280-evan-derrick-and-thematic-detectives/

http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/theme-and-how-to-bring-it-out-with-evan-derrick/

October 13, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
theory, podcasts

Cardboard Edison

October 13, 2017 October 13, 2017/ Cardboard Edison

Ways to define the audience for your game:

http://brandonthegamedev.com/the-one-thing-that-can-sink-sales-for-board-games/

October 13, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
publishing, industry

Cardboard Edison

October 12, 2017 October 12, 2017/ Cardboard Edison

Questions to ask in the middle of your Kickstarter campaign:

http://www.theindiegamereport.com/cardboarding-with-carla-mid-campaign-kickstarter-retrospectives/

October 12, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
publishing

Cardboard Edison

October 10, 2017 October 10, 2017/ Cardboard Edison
“Mediocre but not terrible games tend to generate less discussion – try prompting with specific moments from play.”
— John Brieger
October 10, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

October 10, 2017 October 10, 2017/ Cardboard Edison

Ways games can use some elements as different resources:

http://www.kindfortress.com/2017/10/09/design-patterns-you-can-also-use-it-as-a-resource/

October 10, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

October 10, 2017 October 10, 2017/ Cardboard Edison

The most important elements of your Kickstarter campaign page:

https://tompetgames.wordpress.com/2017/10/09/what-27-superbackers-think-is-the-most-important-element-on-your-kickstarter-page/

October 10, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
publishing

Cardboard Edison

October 10, 2017 October 10, 2017/ Cardboard Edison

How to get a publisher's attention--a BoardGameGeek designers forum discussion:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1861972/how-get-game-published

October 10, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
licensing

Cardboard Edison

October 06, 2017 October 06, 2017/ Cardboard Edison
“Record extra gamestate data at the end of tied games, so later, you can see how different tiebreakers would work.”
— John Brieger
October 06, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

October 06, 2017 October 06, 2017/ Cardboard Edison

Lessons learned from a first-time designer/publisher:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1859790/lessons-new-self-publishing-games-maker

October 06, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
publishing

Cardboard Edison

October 06, 2017 October 06, 2017/ Cardboard Edison

A discussion about playesting for broken strategies, running blind tests and other topics for designers (audio):

https://www.buzzsprout.com/7928/574659-181-listener-questions-with-david-and-dirk

October 06, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting, podcasts

Cardboard Edison

October 04, 2017 October 04, 2017/ Cardboard Edison
“Not all prototype games are worth finishing – it’s OK to shelve a project after playtesting a few times.”
— John Brieger
October 04, 2017/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting, process

Cardboard Edison

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