“Don’t ask irrelevant questions – know where you are in your process and tailor questions for your test.”

— John Brieger

“Do not be dismayed when your brand-new unique game mechanism has ‘been done’ already. Look at it as someone doing free research and development for you! You now have a head start. Your game’s true novelty comes from the alchemy of theme, presence, components, AND mechanics.”

— Daniel Solis

“Every time I think of an idea; I try to place it into a game night of the past...Would everyone have had fun – even those who were losing? Who would have complained and what would they have complained about?”

— Kim Vandenbroucke

“Players often suggest fixes that add complexity. Search for the root issues & find fixes that reduce complexity.”

— John Brieger

Notes on games with low levels of competition and interaction:

http://www.kindfortress.com/2019/07/03/design-pattern-winning-and-goals/

Game designers share where they get their inspiration:

http://design100.org/22-influences/

“If you design or publish games and playtesters help you, keeping track of their names and crediting them in the published product is a good way to express your gratitude.”

— Jeff Tidball

U.S. manufacturing, recovering from disaster, and component cost considerations (audio):

http://theforbiddenlimb.libsyn.com/mailbag-on-us-manufacturing-recovering-from-disaster-and-component-cost-considerations-ep-85

How one designer went through the trials and tribulations of board game design and found success along the way (audio):

https://indieboardgamedesigners.com/joshua-j-mills/

Preparing for a pitch meeting with a publisher:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-infographic-27588749

“Game ideas can start as one thing and change drastically when you go to prototype them and that’s OK!”

— Carla Kopp

Ways of treating a wargame where the sides aren’t fairly matched:

https://hollandspiele.com/blogs/hollandazed-thoughts-ideas-and-miscellany/ways-for-losers-to-win

What makes a game “mean”?

https://lestmyopinions.com/2019/06/26/bless-your-heart-on-mean-games-and-such/

“Take notes every time a player forgets a rule. Figure out if it was the #gamedesign or your teaching/instructions.”

— John Brieger

“A seasoned gamer can solve just about any problem in a design by adding rules.

A pro developer needs to solve the same problems while retaining simplicity and identity.

A master developer solves them while simplifying the game, still retaining identity.”

— Eric Lang

“There are a lot of ways to design a real-time game, but my favorite real-time games, and the way I like to design them, is to keep the actions and the amount of thought required for those actions simple. The fun of the game comes from making lots of small decisions under the stress of the time pressure. If there’s too much to keep track of in the game, and you’re under that same stress, the game gets bogged down.”

— Kane Klenko

Rules to keep your game’s icons usable:

http://www.mechanics-and-meeples.com/2019/06/24/a-treatise-on-icons-part-one-the-rules-of-iconography/

Should games allow players to paint themselves into a corner?

https://hollandspiele.com/blogs/hollandazed-thoughts-ideas-and-miscellany/painting-corners

“Being a professional creator means constantly letting discomfort into your life. Learning new tools and techniques, tearing down your creations and building them back up, seeking feedback, pitching, networking - all of these open you up to potential uncomfortable feelings. ”

— Emma Larkins

Game designers share their tips and tricks for writing rules:

http://design100.org/20-rules/