“if there’s something in your game design that causes confusion or leads to complicated explanations to justify, try cutting it and seeing if you miss it. you can always add it back in if it winds up necessary, but in most cases it’s probably fine to remove it.”

— Daniel Newman

Pointers for board game graphic design (audio):

http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/board-game-graphic-design-with-james-van-niekerk/

How to become a better game designer—a BoardGameGeek designers forum discussion:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2136559/how-do-you-improve-designer

How to get your prototype played at a smaller convention (audio):

http://theforbiddenlimb.libsyn.com/getting-your-prototype-played-at-smaller-conventions-ep-77

Tips for writing better rules for your game:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2135819/quick-tips-writing-awesome-game-instructions-instr

Nat Levan on the design process, co-designing, making small games, and more (audio):

http://goforthandgame.libsyn.com/a-conversation-with-game-designer-nat-levan

http://goforthandgame.libsyn.com/a-conversation-withgame-designer-nat-levan-part-2

A publisher shares red flags they look for when a designer is pitching:

http://news.thegamecrafter.com/post/182166388077/red-flags-about-game-pitches-from-aeg

A look at pivot points in board game designs:

https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/85492/voluntary-and-forced-pivot-points

4 lessons from Pandemic for aspiring board game designers:

https://brandonthegamedev.com/4-lessons-from-pandemic-for-aspiring-board-game-designers/

How to design deduction games (audio):

http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/designing-deduction-games-with-tim-fowers/

Designing games with non-traditional themes (audio):

http://boardgamersanonymous.com/episode-120-designer-roundtable-games-non-traditional-themes-pt-1/

http://boardgamersanonymous.com/engn-episode-121-designer-roundtable-games-non-traditional-themes-pt-2/

Data and charts on Kickstarter games in 2018:

http://icopartners.com/2019/01/games-and-crowdfunding-in-2018/

“When as a designer you play some form of a game for the better part of four years, you get really good at it. As you get better, the tendency is to add more and more to keep it challenging, not realizing that you’ve outpaced your audience.”

— Ben Pinchback

“Consistency in language is one of those small things that makes games so much easier to play. Refer to the same actions, components, and game sections by the same terms every time in rules, card text, reference materials, etc.”

— John Brieger

Giving players mandatory problems to face and voluntary problems to take on:

https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/8657

Two discussions about designing party games (audio):

http://ludology.libsyn.com/the-life-of-the-party

https://soundcloud.com/user-318456537/episode-68-just-one

A Kickstarter superbacker on what they look for in board game campaigns:

https://tompetgames.wordpress.com/2019/01/14/confessions-of-a-superbacker-with-over-800-backed-kickstarter-projects/

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