Advice on shipping, logistics, and saving money by a warehouse owner (audio)
http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/fulfillment-shipping-and-logistics-with-toby-truman/
Tips & Resources for Board Game Designers
Advice on shipping, logistics, and saving money by a warehouse owner (audio)
http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/fulfillment-shipping-and-logistics-with-toby-truman/
Discussion of highs and lows from Deep Water games and different distribution models (audio)
Step-by-step instructions for getting feedback from playtesters:
https://boardgamedesigncourse.com/getting-good-feedback-and-what-to-do-with-it/
“As a designer play your game a ton. Then have your friends do the same. Then strangers. Take in all the data, iterate and repeat. There is no shortcut, and skimping in this process really shows long term.”
Notes on “perpendicular constraints” in cooperative games, or game systems that pull players from their core mission:
http://www.kindfortress.com/2019/11/29/design-patterns-perpendicular-constraints/
“One of the best things you can do as a designer, beyond simply finding a publisher who likes your idea, is to find one who has an actual opinion about how to improve it and fashion it into the right game for the right market.”
“A great sell sheet is marginally better than a good one. Don’t spend more time on your sell sheet than your game.”
“I think that to be a good boardgame designer, it’s useful if you actively enjoy criticism.
Divorce your self from your actions/creations. You are more.
Have a proper discussion about your failures and mistakes. That way you can learn to be better.”
“After the initial stages of your design, 1 test with strangers is worth a dozen games against your codesigner / with your design team.”
Designers share the questions that they like to ask playtesters, and some that they avoid asking:
Lessons for board game designers from escape rooms:
https://brandonthegamedev.com/6-reasons-escape-rooms-will-make-you-a-better-board-game-designer/
What makes board game box art both beautiful and functional:
https://brandonthegamedev.com/how-to-make-a-beautiful-board-game-box/
Three simple (but not obvious) tips on playtesting:
https://mojo-nation.com/three-simple-not-obvious-tips-playtesting/
Industry figures say what makes a game a 10/10 for them:
“Falling in love with your ideas is about the daftest thing a game inventor can do.”
“Take time to review and synthesize your notes at your notes after playtest sessions, before you make changes. It’s shocking how often my instinct when I get home is to just start changing things without really analyzing the feedback.”
A look at games such as roll-and-writes where all players make use of the same random results:
http://www.kindfortress.com/2019/11/18/design-patterns-random-reactions/
“Don’t defend your #gamedesign, even if players are factually wrong. Capture their experience and reflect on cause.”
Shelves are small: Ways you can decrease the size and component count of your game:
http://www.phantasiogames.net/2019/11/shelves-are-small.html
How to figure out what’s working in your game, and what isn’t:
https://boardgamedesigncourse.com/how-to-figure-out-whats-working-in-your-game-and-whats-not/