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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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prototyping
process
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July 24, 2019 July 24, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

A discussion on the psychology of cheating in board games (audio):

https://boardgamersanonymous.com/engn-episode-146/

July 24, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
podcasts, theory, rules

Cardboard Edison

July 23, 2019 July 23, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“As a game’s inventor, I’m the LEAST qualified to have final approval on its rulebook. Always get multiple eyes on it before going to press, especially if it’s a small rulebook.”
— Daniel Solis
July 23, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
rules

Cardboard Edison

July 23, 2019 July 23, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“Pay attention to the whining of your testers. Even if they are objectively wrong, their emotional human response is a prophecy to the emotional human responses of your future customers.”
— Grant Rodiek
July 23, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

July 19, 2019 July 19, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“There’s a difference between providing players advice and taking their moves for them / telling them what to do.”
— John Brieger
July 19, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

July 19, 2019 July 19, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

How do retailers feel about Kickstarter?

https://stonemaiergames.com/the-current-state-of-retailers-and-kickstarter-2019/

July 19, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
publishing, industry

Cardboard Edison

July 18, 2019 July 18, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

Some tips on attending and starting local game design guilds and how those groups help designers (audio):

https://www.buzzsprout.com/7928/1330495

July 18, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
podcasts, playtesting, industry

Cardboard Edison

July 18, 2019 July 18, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

Tips on making a worker-placement game (audio):

http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/designing-worker-placement-games-with-luke-laurie/

July 18, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
podcasts, process, theory

Cardboard Edison

July 18, 2019 July 18, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

Dr. Lauren Woolsey, host of the Playability Podcast and professor of astronomy joins the Breaking Into Board Games Cast and offers tips on pitching, contests and playtesting (audio):

http://breakingintoboardgames.libsyn.com/breaking-into-board-games-episode-96-dr-lauren-woolsey

July 18, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
podcasts, industry, contests

Cardboard Edison

July 18, 2019 July 18, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

Rules can make or break a game. Here are some tips for including rules on your components for ease of play (audio):

http://thegamecrafter.libsyn.com/rules-on-components-with-the-game-crafter-episode-196

July 18, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
podcasts, prototyping, rules

Cardboard Edison

July 17, 2019 July 17, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“It’s natural for players to want have discussions or make comments midgame as issues emerge. Develop a sense as a moderator for when to cut off those conversations and refocus players back to gameplay.”
— John Brieger
July 17, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

July 15, 2019 July 15, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

A look at competitive games that feature collective challenges that players must jointly overcome:

http://www.kindfortress.com/2019/07/15/design-patterns-this-is-bigger-than-all-of-us/

July 15, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

July 15, 2019 July 15, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

How to incorporate feedback into a design, even after receiving conflicting opinions:

http://design100.org/24-feedback/

July 15, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

July 13, 2019 July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

Takeaways from a large survey of tabletop gamers and their preferences:

https://www.manchestergamestudies.org/blog/2019/7/9/the-games-we-play

July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
industry

Cardboard Edison

July 13, 2019 July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“If you’ve never signed a board game publisher contract before, before you do, show it to someone who has. Blur the names, whatever, but don’t get screwed over and lose your idea because you’re a novice.”
— Grant Rodiek
July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
licensing

Cardboard Edison

July 13, 2019 July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

Motivating players by setting up goals for them to achieve:

https://twitter.com/KevinWilson42/status/1148392478564847616

July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

July 13, 2019 July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison
“Playtesters sometimes suggest changes because they want to contribute, not because you need to change anything.”
— John Brieger
July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

July 13, 2019 July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

How to make an AI player’s difficulty level feel satisfying:

https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/92303/how-make-ai-difficulty-levels-feel-satisfying

July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

July 13, 2019 July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

How to improve your odds of impressing a publisher at a speed-pitching event:

https://boardgamedesigncourse.com/how-to-win-over-publishers-at-a-speed-dating-event/

July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
licensing

Cardboard Edison

July 13, 2019 July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

Why educational games aren’t more fun, and how that might be changing:

https://mavengames.co.uk/why-are-educational-games-so-bad/

July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

July 13, 2019 July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison

Designers discuss various types of player interaction and how to encourage it:

http://design100.org/23-interaction/

July 13, 2019/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

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