“Math is only one tool in a boardgame developer’s toolbox, and not the most important one. If you aren’t a big math person, don’t despair. You definitely don’t need to be good at math to make great games.”

— John Brieger

How to import game components into Tabletop Simulator (video)

Escape room puzzle design workshop (video)

How to manage a board game’s community on Kickstarter:

https://brandonthegamedev.com/how-to-manage-your-board-game-kickstarter-community/

One designer’s experience pitching to publishers over Zoom and Tabletop Simulator:

https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/104060/tabletop-simulator-zoom-game-design-and-pitching-p

The importance of having an established audience before you launch your Kickstarter campaign (audio):

https://indieboardgamedesigners.com/malachi-ray-rempen/

“Wargames aren’t really about ‘recreating’ history, but about engaging with it; not about what happened when and in what order, but why and how it happened, and why and how it could have happened differently.”

— Tom Russell

“Watch for how players interact with the physical components of the prototype. Identifying the tactile experiences people find rewarding or engaging can help inspire new component designs.”

— John Brieger

Board Game Brothas on creating a brand, networking and community-building, working in board games, and more:

https://www.backerkit.com/blog/rap-godz-omari-akil-interview

Richard Breese on designing worker placement games, co-designing, playtesting, and more:

https://www.diagonalmove.com/interview-richard-breese-key-series-creator-and-founder-of-rd-games/

Wood vs. plastic: comparing the price, consistency, flexibility, and environmental impact of different board game token materials:

https://stonemaiergames.com/wood-vs-plastic-the-facts-about-custom-tokens/

“The most important skill for boardgame developers is communication — more important than design chops, math, research, or games knowledge. None of those matter if you can’t tell the publishers and designer WHY a change is necessary or align on product vision.”

— John Brieger

How simultaneous decision-making and bluffing give players the illusion of control:

http://www.phantomknightgames.com/news/the-illusion-of-control-part-1-the-ellen-degeneres-slot-machine/

Storytelling mechanics: how various games incentivize players to tell stories:

https://twitter.com/emmalarkins/status/1282790983353069568

“By far the best playtesting advice I’ve ever learned is to make your 1st priority creating a safe space for your testers. No one’s going to test your game or give you honest feedback if they don’t feel safe & welcome. Make sure they know their voices matter & that you value them.”

— Sara Perry

Essential board game pieces for use in Tabletop Simulator:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2163372496

4 lessons from the Exit games for aspiring board game designers:

https://brandonthegamedev.com/4-lessons-from-exit-games-for-aspiring-board-game-designers/

Designer and publisher Carla Kopp on making games during a pandemic, working with other creatives, online playtesting, and more (video)

Eric Slauson on designing party games, colorblindness considerations, working with publishers, and more (video)

When and how to pursue a new direction with a game design:

https://brandonthegamedev.com/how-to-know-when-to-pivot-on-your-board-game-design/