How to design an area control game (audio):
http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/designing-area-control-games-with-steven-aramini/
4 lessons from Santorini for aspiring board game designers:
https://brandonthegamedev.com/4-lessons-from-santorini-for-aspiring-board-game-designers/
Reasons why a retailer might pass on carrying a game:
http://blackdiamondgames.blogspot.com/2019/01/10-11-reasons-why-i-might-skip-product.html
Advice for how to design a negotiation game (audio):
http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/designing-a-negotiation-game-with-fabian-zimmermann/
2019 Two-Player PnP Game Design Contest
Deadline: Feb. 14, 2019
Prizes: GeekGold
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2126987/2019-two-player-pnp-game-design-contest
How to design a deck-building game (audio):
http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/designing-a-deck-building-game-with-darwin-kastle/
5 lessons from Catan for aspiring board game designers:
https://brandonthegamedev.com/5-lessons-from-catan-for-aspiring-board-game-designers/
2019 9 Card Game Print and Play Design Contest
Deadline: March 3, 2019
Prizes: GeekGold
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2126346/2019-9-card-game-print-and-play-design-contest
How to design a good puzzle game (audio):
http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/designing-puzzle-games-with-rita-orlov/
Tips for becoming a better designer and pitcher to publishers and contest judges:
https://oakleafgames.wordpress.com/2019/01/04/breaking-the-wallet-game-code-part-3/
Cardboard Edison’s new podcast, Immersed, takes listeners deep inside the world of a different game each episode
A discussion about games where playing to win and playing in the spirit of the game aren’t the same thing (audio):
http://www.buildingthegamepodcast.com/2018/12/23/episode-343-smudge-the-magic-circle/
The requirement for the January 2019 24-hour contest is “pitchfork”:
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2124406/24-hour-contest-january-2019
Cardboard Edison’s Favorite Tips & Resources of 2018
/Our huge annual roundup of great board game design links and quotes is here!
featured:
Meaningful Decisions: J. Alex Kevern on Design Choices in World’s Fair 1893
Meaningful Decisions: Benoit Turpin on Design Choices in Welcome To...
Meaningful Decisions: Bruno Cathala on Design Choices in Kingdomino
theory:
A board game critic’s view of what makes a game memorable (video)
A discussion of “soft” and “hard” incentives in game design (audio)
A discussion about the assumptions we make about games—and how to design games that challenge them (audio): Part 1, Part 2
“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
process:
Ideas aren't worthless: the important role they play in making a game
A thread offering ways to foster ideas and innovation in your designs
Tips for researching games that might be similar to your design (audio)
“Who are you designing your game for? You? Go wild with weird mechanics. Friends? Listen & tune the game to suit them. A publisher? Learn to pitch a product to a business - you’re B2B. The world? It’s a product in the market that you will need to sell.” - Emma Larkins
“The more I create, the more I develop the skill of persistence. I see people ‘give up’ so easily, convinced that a problem is unsolvable, resigning themselves to a flaw in their work that they see as unavoidable. With very rare exceptions, there’s ALWAYS a solution. Find it.” - Peter C. Hayward
rules:
Rulebooks that nail it—a BoardGameGeek designers forum discussion
“Don’t blame the reader for misreading the rule book. Ask how you can improve the rule book.” - Dr. Wictz
prototyping:
playtesting:
Ways to get people to playtest your prototype: from designer groups to print-and-plays to conventions and more (audio)
licensing:
The essential elements of pitching your design to a publisher (audio)
Questions you should ask yourself before submitting a game to a contest or publisher
Charlie Hoopes on the design process, finding a publisher, recovering from disappointment, replayability, playtesting early and often, and more
“If I ask ‘What makes your game different from other games of the same theme and weight?’ and you can’t answer me? don’t make the game.” - Avonelle Wing
publishing:
Board game fulfillment logistics, and companies that do the work
A Kickstarter "launch sequence": the steps to take immediately after launching a project
How to make a budget for a Kickstarter board game project (video)
contests:
industry:
Cardboard Edison is supported by our patrons on Patreon.
ADVISERS: Rob Greanias, Peter C. Hayward
SENIOR INVENTORS: Steven Cole (Escape Velocity Games), John du Bois, Chris and Kathy Keane (The Drs. Keane), Joshua J. Mills, Marcel Perro, Behrooz "Bez" Shahriari, Shoot Again Games
JUNIOR INVENTORS: Ryan Abrams, Joshua Buergel, Luis Lara, Neil Roberts, Jay Treat
ASSOCIATES: Dark Forest Project, Stephen B. Davies, Marcus Howell, Thiago Jabuonski, Doug Levandowski, Nathan Miller, Mike Sette, Matt Wolfe