“You know you’re getting close when people end your game and start discussing strategy and what they wish they’d done differently, not just what’s broken or unfun. You know you’re there when people insist on playing again. Not agree to play again; insist.”

— Peter C. Hayward

Five lessons for building a place for yourself in the board game industry:

http://brandonthegamedev.com/5-massive-mental-shifts-i-made-while-breaking-into-the-board-game-industry/

“The fewer rules that people have to remember, the more time they can spend enjoying your game.”

— Peter C. Hayward

A crash course in board game manufacturing (video)

Deep Water Games Card Game Design Competition

Design a small, thematic card game

Deadline: Feb. 10, 2018

Prize: $100 and possible publication

https://www.deepwatergaming.com/contest/

“Your card text is an extension of your rulebook. Make sure it gets the same amount of TLC in development.”

— Dustin Schwartz

Don Eskridge, designer of The Resistance, on creating a social deduction game (audio):

http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/designing-social-deduction-games-with-don-eskridge/

Seven pieces of advice for attending playtesting events:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1914655/7-lessons-learned-unpub-midwest-game-designer

Some things that make a game un-fun, and how to turn them around:

http://makethemplay.com/index.php/2018/01/08/learning-about-interesting-choices-from-board-games-that-arent-fun/

Five high-level tips for playtesting, including taking notes, receiving feedback, and more:

https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/72469/5-things-i-have-learned-playtesting

“Your first tests don’t have to be dreadful! From the start, focus on the core of your game. Focus on the heart that will make or break your project, the thesis statement of your design. Make sure the core of the game is fun, or has the potential for fun. Make sure that it has something unique, and that the incentives to win are useful and there.”

— Grant Rodiek

“What is the goal of your game? It’s impossible to make decisions in the void, but if you know your audience, your game’s weight, the focus of the decisions, and the tone of your game (your goals), you can use that to hem in your decision.”

— Grant Rodiek

The importance of considering your game's likely audience:

http://bluecubeboardgames.com/2018/01/05/audience/

5 tips for rules writing and layout (video)

Answers to questions about fulfillment for small board game publishers:

http://brandonthegamedev.com/how-board-game-fulfillment-works-at-fulfillrite/

Ways games can avoid a feeling of "sameness" by offering progression (audio):

http://cardboardarchitects.libsyn.com/episode-92-sameness

A good problem to have: What to do when multiple publishers are interested in your game (audio):

http://theforbiddenlimb.libsyn.com/how-to-navigate-multiple-offers-ep-63

Advice for designing, developing, playtesting and publishing a legacy game (audio):

http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/designing-legacy-games-with-jamey-stegmaier/

Exercises to get into a daily game design routine in the new year:

https://medium.com/daily-game-design-practice/daily-game-design-practice-week-of-01-01-2018-2daba60761ed

How to put together a rulebook that’s easy to teach and learn (audio):

http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/how-to-create-an-awesome-rulebook-with-dustin-schwartz/