Cardboard Edison
  • Cardboard Edison
  • Quad Squad Cobras Retail Rejects More Games Prototypes
  • Blog Industry Reports Tariffs Report Playtest Groups Virtual Tabletops Contests Podcast Interviews Game Design Checklist
  • Houdini's Last Act
  • Publisher Directory
  • Newsletter
  • Award
Cardboard Edison
  • Cardboard Edison/
  • Our Games/
    • Quad Squad
    • Cobras
    • Retail Rejects
    • More Games
    • Prototypes
  • Free Resources/
    • Blog
    • Industry Reports
    • Tariffs Report
    • Playtest Groups
    • Virtual Tabletops
    • Contests
    • Podcast
    • Interviews
    • Game Design Checklist
  • Houdini's Last Act/
  • Publisher Directory/
  • Newsletter/
  • Award/
board+game+bits.jpg
Cardboard Edison

Game design & bright ideas for game designers

Bright Ideas

Tips & Resources for Board Game Designers

Cardboard Edison
  • Cardboard Edison/
  • Our Games/
    • Quad Squad
    • Cobras
    • Retail Rejects
    • More Games
    • Prototypes
  • Free Resources/
    • Blog
    • Industry Reports
    • Tariffs Report
    • Playtest Groups
    • Virtual Tabletops
    • Contests
    • Podcast
    • Interviews
    • Game Design Checklist
  • Houdini's Last Act/
  • Publisher Directory/
  • Newsletter/
  • Award/
featured
theory
playtesting
prototyping
process
rules
licensing
publishing
industry
Bright Ideas RSS

Receive exclusive board game design tips and resources in your inbox by subscribing to our weekly Omnibus newsletter


June 04, 2019 June 04, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

Reasons publishers give to reject a game—a Twitter designers discussion:

https://twitter.com/rf_seattle/status/1135951975831429121

June 04, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
licensing

Cardboard Edison

June 03, 2019 June 03, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“Even if your #gamedesign was perfect (it isn’t), playtesters would still tell you to change things.”
— John Brieger
June 03, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

June 03, 2019 June 03, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

Tips for making the most of your time (and money) as a game designer at a convention:

https://boardgamedesigncourse.com/going-to-cons-without-going-broke/

June 03, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
industry

Cardboard Edison

June 03, 2019 June 03, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

A tool for creating hex grids with colors:

https://hex.wtf-games.fr/

Sample use case:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2209522/tool-board-game-prototype

June 03, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
prototyping

Cardboard Edison

June 01, 2019 June 01, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

The big three questions you should answer about your game when pitching it: Who are the players? What are they doing? How do they win? (audio)

http://thegamecrafter.libsyn.com/the-big-3-questions-for-pitching-with-the-game-crafter-episode-194

June 01, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
licensing

Cardboard Edison

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

  • Previous
  • Next

2026 Cardboard Edison Supporters:

Alley Cat Games
Back Office by Naylor Games