Simple Elegance Contest

Design a game with simple rules, but that doesn’t lack planning or strategy

Deadline: June 17, 2019

Prizes: The Game Crafter shop credit and more

https://www.thegamecrafter.com/contests/simple-elegance-contest

“If you send out a request to meet with a publisher, include some info on your game. Sell sheet, rules, link to information. You know, something to make your game look like it’s worth meeting about. There’s not infinite time to do all the things!”

— Carla Kopp

“When testing family / mass market games, keep in mind hobby gamers’ kids have atypical exposure to hobby gaming.”

— John Brieger

Working within design limitations:

http://design100.org/7-limitations/

The Board Game Workshop Design Contest 2019

Deadline: April 21, 2019

https://theboardgameworkshop.com/design-contest-2019/

Tips for finding and making maps for your prototype:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2167787/where-best-place-get-maps

Designing a game with a serious or sensitive theme—a BoardGameGeek designers forum discussion:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2167154/question-theme

Tips for getting past the conceptual stage of game design and into actually designing the game:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2167091/getting-past-conceptual-stage-game-design

“A question I ask routinely in early tests: ‘Is there anything you wanted to do in this game that you couldn’t?’”

— John Brieger

2019 BostonFIG Tabletop Showcase

Deadline: April 15, 2019

https://www.bostonfig.com/festival/tabletop-games/

Answers to a young game designer’s questions:

https://streamlinedgaming.com/3-questions-from-a-young-aspiring-game-designer/

How incentives can change player behavior:

https://remptongames.com/2019/03/09/game-design-in-real-life-playing-with-incentives/

“Don’t sit on one game for too long. Try to design a lot of games early on. Figure out what sort of games you like to play and design. It’s very rare that your first game will be a breakout hit.”

— Shem Phillips

Notes on building a business making board games:

https://brandonthegamedev.com/dont-just-build-a-board-game-build-a-business/

A co-creator of Exploding Kittens discusses fostering a community on Kickstarter:

https://tompetgames.wordpress.com/2019/03/11/elan-lee-the-co-creator-of-throw-throw-burrito-and-exploding-kittens/

A list of board game design advice you should never follow:

https://twitter.com/kasper_lapp/status/1104053766901428224

Board game designers discuss the various places where they get inspiration:

http://design100.org/6-inspiration/

“Playtesters are people, not just a data input to your #gamedesign. Recognize that and treat them well.”

— John Brieger

“Remember to take breaks from your concepts/prototypes so that you can approach them with fresh eyes. Time to detox lets you take on your work as a new(ish) player would, versus someone that just designed that rule/mechanic. Perspective is everything.”

— Phoenix Covenant

“Build a crowd BEFORE you launch. You and your game are the cultivator, best practices are the converter. Don’t get that backwards.”

— Daniel Zayas