“The quality of the components is part of the game experience. People aren’t wrong to enjoy games more when they have great components.”

— Peter C. Hayward

Tips for writing your first email to a publisher who you'd like to pitch:

https://twitter.com/WeirdGiraffes/status/1016315380690800640

How developers have to walk a fine line between publisher needs and designer desires (audio):

http://breakingintoboardgames.libsyn.com/breaking-into-board-games-episode-71-levi-mote-daily-magic-games

How to find the right scoring mechanism for a game design (audio):

https://www.buzzsprout.com/48513/741552

Cardboard Edison’s Favorite Tips & Resources - June 2018

In this month's roundup of excellent board game design links and quotes, we have discussions about some fundamental questions in game design, references for making your game look good, playtesting advice worth remembering, and more.

theory:

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

process:

• Tips for researching games that might be similar to your design (audio)

prototyping:

• Graphic design references for tabletop game cards

playtesting:

• Brief outline for how to start a local designer playtest group
• "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
• “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

publishing:

• How to start out as a publisher with $1,000
• How to work effectively with artists: communication, contracts, timelines, costs, and more (audio)

industry:

• On dealing with criticism as a board game designer

---

Cardboard Edison is supported by our patrons on Patreon.

ADVISERS: Rob Greanias, Aaron Vanderbeek

SENIOR INVENTORS: Steven Cole, John du Bois, Chris and Kathy Keane (The Drs. Keane), Joshua J. Mills, Marcel Perro, Behrooz Shahriari, Shoot Again Games

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

ASSOCIATES: Stephen B Davies, Adrienne Ezell, Marcus Howell, Thiago Jabuonski, Samuel Lees, Doug Levandowski, Nathan Miller, Neil Roberts, Mike Sette, Matt Wolfe

APPRENTICES: Cardboard Fortress Games, Kiva Fecteau, Guz Forster, Scott Gottreu, Aaron Lim, Scott Martel Jr., James Meyers, Tony Miller, The Nerd Nighters, Matthew Nguyen, Marcus Ross, Rosco Schock, VickieGames, Lock Watson, White Wizard Games

Six forms of variable setup:

http://makethemplay.com/index.php/2018/07/02/6-forms-of-variable-setup-you-can-use-when-designing-a-board-game/

What kind of response can you expect from unsolicited game pitches?

http://hoopcatgames.com/blog/no-no-no-no-yes-part-2

The requirement for the July 2018 24-hour contest is "heat":

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2018822/24-hour-contest-july-2018

Guidelines for preparing card art for manufacturing:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/16KQ5UzvcO6rbg9kVhsghkIOgPiV-PX0HndeJYa8qEH4/edit

What to expect when reaching out to a publisher with whom you don't already have a relationship:

http://hoopcatgames.com/blog/no-no-no-no-yes

How to work effectively with artists: communication, contracts, timelines, costs, and more (audio):

http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/how-to-work-with-artists-with-adrienne-ezell/

“Board game ideas are not actual games or prototypes. Before approaching a publisher, have a game, not just an idea!”

— Brittanie Boe

“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/