The difference between a good game and a great game—a BoardGameGeek designers forum discussion:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2151837/what-difference-between-good-and-great-game

“Every step of the way, you just have to keep thinking about how things relate back to the theme. Who are players in the game? Do the things they do in the game give them an experience consistent with the theme?”

— Elizabeth Hargrave

Board game designers answer the question: “What common game design saying or piece of advice do you most disagree with, and why?”

http://design100.org/3-sayings/

Roll & Write Game Design Contest

Deadline: June 1, 2019

Prizes: GeekGold

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2153371/roll-write-game-design-contest

“Take time to practice teaching your game and your playtest facilitation script. Your explanation and framing have huge impacts on test results.”

— John Brieger

More than 200 artists and graphic designers, with links to their portfolios and notes on style:

https://stonemaiergames.com/200-artists-and-graphic-designers-whose-work-i-love/

How to stay motivated during quiet periods—a Twitter board game designers discussion:

https://twitter.com/pa8ted/status/1093951178520444930

Tabletop game designers on what drives them to create:

http://design100.org/2-drive/

“Test early, test often! Players will expose problems with your design faster and more reliably than you can. If you design for months before seeking feedback, you run the risk of designing content/mechanics you’ll end up scrapping anyway.”

— Phoenix Covenant

“Playtest feedback is best analyzed and acted upon in aggregate.”

— John Brieger

Notes on identifying your game’s complexity:

https://twitter.com/emmalarkins/status/1096184394153308160

First steps for new designers: what to do with your board game idea:

https://bigpotato.com/gb/blog/what-to-do-with-your-brilliant-board-game

8 kinds of fun:

https://goblinartisans.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-8-kinds-of-fun.html

4 lessons from Ticket to Ride for aspiring board game designers:

https://brandonthegamedev.com/4-lessons-from-ticket-to-ride-for-aspiring-board-game-designers/

The requirement for the February 2019 24-hour contest is “bureaucracy”:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2146802/24-hour-contest-february-2019

Thoughts on adding extra game modes to your design, such as for expanded player counts and solo versions:

https://twitter.com/DasBrieger/status/1093666711088201728

Why you should make a prototype and get your idea to the table as soon as possible:

https://boardgamedesigncourse.com/your_game_idea/

4 lessons from Terraforming Mars for aspiring board game designers:

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

Cardboard Edison’s Favorite Tips & Resources - January 2019

This month, our list of favorite board game design links and quotes includes lots of advice for playtesting, pitching, and entering contests, in-depth discussions about various kinds of games, industry trend data, and more.

featured:

• Cardboard Edison’s new podcast, Immersed, takes listeners deep inside the world of a different game each episode

contests:

• 5 benefits from participating in board game design contests

theory:

• Designing games with non-traditional themes (audio): Part 1, Part 2

• Two discussions about designing party games: Ludology, CoOp Cast (audio)

• A discussion about good design for tabletop escape-room games (audio)

playtesting:

• Lots of pointers for how to iterate your design through playtesting

process:

• Tips for becoming a better designer and pitcher to publishers and contest judges

rules:

• “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

licensing:

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

publishing:

• Reasons why a retailer might pass on carrying a game

industry:

• Data and charts on Kickstarter games in 2018

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Cardboard Edison is supported by our patrons on Patreon.

ADVISERS: Rob Greanias, Peter C. Hayward, Robin Kay, Andrew Young

SENIOR INVENTORS: Steven Cole (Escape Velocity Games), Calvin Johns, Chris and Kathy Keane (The Drs. Keane), Joshua J. Mills, Marcel Perro, Behrooz "Bez" Shahriari, Shoot Again Games, Nick Thacker

JUNIOR INVENTORS: Ryan Abrams, Luis Lara, Neil Roberts, Jay Treat

ASSOCIATES: Dark Forest Project, Stephen B. Davies, Thiago Jabuonski, Doug Levandowski, Nathan Miller, Matt Wolfe

“If you want a good game, get used to feedback. Listen to play testers. Make changes. Revise, test, revise again. If you’re so enamored with what you’ve created that you can’t do this, you’re not making something for an audience of more than one.”

— AnnaMaria Jackson-Phelps