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Cardboard Edison

Game design & bright ideas for game designers

Bright Ideas

Tips & Resources for Board Game Designers

Cardboard Edison
  • Cardboard Edison/
  • Our Games/
    • Houdini's Last Act
    • Quad Squad
    • Cobras
    • Retail Rejects
    • More Games
    • Prototypes
  • Free Resources/
    • Blog
    • Industry Reports
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    • Virtual Tabletops
    • Contests
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    • Game Design Checklist
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  • Award/
featured
theory
playtesting
prototyping
process
rules
licensing
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May 31, 2019 May 31, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

Stonemaier Games’ rulebook style guide:

https://stonemaiergames.com/the-stonemaier-games-style-guide/

May 31, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
rules

Cardboard Edison

May 31, 2019 May 31, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“You are testing your current iteration – don’t waste time explaining what’s changed from previous versions.”
— John Brieger
May 31, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

May 28, 2019 May 28, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“When you hear the same thing again and again from playtesters, there’s a reason.”
— Peter McPherson
May 28, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

May 28, 2019 May 28, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

Recommended games that designers should play to learn something about board game design:

http://design100.org/17-research/

May 28, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
process

Cardboard Edison

May 28, 2019 May 28, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“Play other designers’ prototypes. It exposes you to new design techniques and to new playtesting methods!”
— John Brieger
May 28, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

May 24, 2019 May 24, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

A tutorial for using the Card-a-mon card prototyping tool:

https://blog.ffff.lt/posts/cardamon-tutorial-01/

May 24, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
prototyping

Cardboard Edison

May 24, 2019 May 24, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“Why are you waiting to make that game idea that is in your head? Get that brain crack out and onto the table. Create something awesome, and then refine it.”
— Jon Gilmour
May 24, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
process

Cardboard Edison

May 24, 2019 May 24, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

A roadmap for designers navigating the process of submitting a game to a midsize publisher:

https://www.alderac.com/2019/05/24/the-realities-of-timesizeand-the-hierarchy-of-creativity-at-aeg/

May 24, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
licensing

Cardboard Edison

May 24, 2019 May 24, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

What is a reasonable goal for a first-time board game designer? A BoardGameGeek designers’ forum discussion:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2208240/novice-what-am-i-trying-accomplish-designing-game

May 24, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
process

Cardboard Edison

May 21, 2019 May 21, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“Note what parts of your game initially confuse players, even if they understand them at the end.”
— John Brieger
May 21, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

May 21, 2019 May 21, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

Templates to help with the layout of your sell sheets:

https://mrbossdesign.blogspot.com/2019/05/sell-sheet-templates.html

May 21, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
licensing

Cardboard Edison

May 20, 2019 May 20, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

Game designers share the advice they wish they had received when they were starting out:

http://design100.org/16-advice/#

May 20, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
process, theory, playtesting

Cardboard Edison

May 18, 2019 May 18, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“Want to get better at #gamedesign? Put together a regular playtest group. Weekly, fortnightly, monthly - whatever you can commit to doing on a regular basis. You’ll grow better together, improving as a group, and most importantly - you’ll get your game to the table more.”
— Peter C. Hayward
May 18, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

May 18, 2019 May 18, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

The importance accessibility and diversity in games (audio):

https://playability.fireside.fm/20

May 18, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
podcasts, industry, publishing, process

Cardboard Edison

May 18, 2019 May 18, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

What one designer learned from his failed Kickstarter campaign (audio):

https://www.buzzsprout.com/4646/1052106

May 18, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
podcasts, industry

Cardboard Edison

May 17, 2019 May 17, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“Sometimes you just have to “take your medicine” and work on that bad design. Sometimes you have to show people a broken prototype with issues you can’t quite put into words. Sometimes working through a design challenge isn’t pretty.”
— Emma Larkins
May 17, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

May 17, 2019 May 17, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“When you make large changes, you need to re-test your game at all of its player counts.”
— John Brieger
May 17, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

May 15, 2019 May 15, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

A small publisher’s advice for running a Kickstarter campaign and attending conventions:

https://giantbrain.co.uk/2019/05/15/meeting-of-minds-janice-turner-wren-games/

May 15, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
publishing

Cardboard Edison

May 14, 2019 May 14, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

Thoughts on narrative in board games:

https://lestmyopinions.com/2019/05/13/waiter-theres-a-narrative-in-my-board-game/

May 14, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

May 13, 2019 May 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“If you love designing: participate in contests. If you want to network: participate in contests. A whole spectrum of opportunities become available when you’re able to set aside self-doubt and embrace the fact that you’re a designer capable of greatness. You can do it!”
— Corry Damey
May 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
industry

Cardboard Edison

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