“It’s easy to forget how much simpler your game will be from your perspective. Everyone else will likely find it more complicated than you.”

— Behrooz "Bez" Shahriari

What makes a game "fun"--a Reddit board game design forum discussion:

https://www.reddit.com/r/tabletopgamedesign/comments/8u1avi/what_makes_a_game_fun/

“Show up at a playtest event also being willing to test other desigers’ games. Don’t be that designer who sits at your table, expecting others to fill your empty seats, while you remain unwilling to fill theirs.”

— Charlie Hoopes

On dealing with criticism as a board game designer:

https://twitter.com/KevinWilson42/status/1011002400411406336

Things to keep in mind when designing a city-building game (audio):

http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/city-building-games-with-ted-alspach/

A wide-ranging discussion at Origins 2018 about pitching, playtesting, industry trends, the design process and more (audio):

http://www.buildingthegamepodcast.com/2018/06/17/episode-316-live-at-origins-2018/

Gaming Rules! Board Game Design Competition

Deadline: Aug. 9, 2018

Prizes: Board Game Creative Kit and pitch meeting

Must be able to attend HandyCon in Maidenhead, U.K., on Aug. 12, 2018

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2012983/handycon-gaming-rules-design-contest

Graphic design references for tabletop game cards:

https://www.pinterest.com/danielsolis/card-design-reference/

A discussion about art direction in board games (audio):

http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/art-direction-in-games-with-nolan-nasser/

Board game mechanisms 101: worker placement and deck building (audio):

http://thegamecrafter.libsyn.com/mechanics-101-worker-placement-and-deck-building-with-the-game-crafter-episode-177

Designing games about counterintelligence operation (audio):

http://ludology.libsyn.com/ludology-episode-178-coin-operated

2018 Solitaire Print and Play Contest

Deadline: Aug. 26, 2018

Prizes: GeekGold

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2011569/2018-solitaire-print-and-play-contest

Design lessons from comparing board games to other forms of entertainment:

http://makethemplay.com/index.php/2018/06/18/design-lessons-from-comparing-board-games-to-other-forms-of-entertainment/

“While an understanding of logic, personal motivation, incentives, and information management is important in design, all of it dies without being able to understand how something makes somebody else feel. Empathy >>>>> Intelligence.”

— JR Honeycutt

"Sometimes the best player feedback is in their faces: what do they smile at, what do they frown at, where do they spend lots of time looking, what seems to confuse them, what components do they ignore, mix up, or forget about?" - Jon Moffat 

"It doesn’t matter how many contests you win, or games you sign to publish, or even games you design. If you design a game, you are a game designer. Go have fun and enjoy your game." - Cassie Friedman

Brief outline for how to start a local designer playtest group: 

https://twitter.com/emmalarkins/status/1007437829251612672?s=21

"Faster you get your game design to the table the faster you can identify the problems that any first design iteration will inevitably have. Don't spend too much time building the first prototype or you risk becoming too attached to what you've built and unwilling to tear it down." - Joseph Z Chen

Visualizing various tiebreaker mechanisms: 

https://twitter.com/danielsolis/status/1005084307554291715?s=21

Small things that make a difference in a manufactured game's quality: 

https://stonemaiergames.com/a-few-manufacturing-secrets/