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Cardboard Edison

Game design & bright ideas for game designers

Bright Ideas

Tips & Resources for Board Game Designers

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February 21, 2023 February 21, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

Breaking down some of the factors that contribute to a board game’s complexity:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1627048630854242304

February 21, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

February 21, 2023 February 21, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

How to use Google Drawings to prototype board games (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D_7Hu8k3nc

February 21, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
prototyping

Cardboard Edison

February 15, 2023 February 15, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

Notes on complexity: different ways games can be complex, and what they mean for how different kinds of players view them:

https://shippboardgames.blogspot.com/2023/02/an-approach-to-complexity.html

February 15, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

February 11, 2023 February 11, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

A discussion about writing board game rulebooks: their purpose, structuring them, giving them personality, and more (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7IytZKxCN0

February 11, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
rules

Cardboard Edison

February 11, 2023 February 11, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

What goes into making a game replayable?

https://giantbrain.co.uk/2023/02/11/the-variability-of-replayability/

February 11, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

February 06, 2023 February 06, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

Reprinting a game: how the process works:

https://stonemaiergames.com/reprinting-a-game-how-the-process-works/

February 06, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
publishing

Cardboard Edison

February 04, 2023 February 04, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

Tips for laying out your rulebook’s component and setup diagrams (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfr6HnXXw_c

February 04, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
rules

Cardboard Edison

February 04, 2023 February 04, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

Co-designing board games: how to navigate division of labor, disagreements, and more (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEogThgH1GU

February 04, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
process

Cardboard Edison

February 04, 2023 February 04, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

How do you know when a game idea has the potential to turn into a finished game? A Twitter board game designers discussion:

https://twitter.com/trollsnrerolls/status/1621488927868592130

February 04, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
process

Cardboard Edison

February 02, 2023 February 02, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

What makes a great engine-building game? A Reddit board game design forum discussion:

https://www.reddit.com/r/BoardgameDesign/comments/10raor5/what_makes_a_great_engine_builder/

February 02, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

February 02, 2023 February 02, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

Beginner mistakes that new game designers often make—a Twitter game design discussion:

https://twitter.com/gamesbymondo/status/1620222969229488128

February 02, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
process

Cardboard Edison

January 31, 2023 January 31, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

10 tips for “not” getting a publisher to sign your game (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMcZ5za9B2A

January 31, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
licensing

Cardboard Edison

January 28, 2023 January 28, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

Games where the theme and mechanics are particularly well-connected—a Twitter board game community discussion:

https://twitter.com/brigetteidesign/status/1617354408052002816

January 28, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

January 28, 2023 January 28, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

Tips for co-designing a board game with another designer—a Twitter board game designers discussion:

https://twitter.com/PhilSchwarzmann/status/1618104401754984449

January 28, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
process

Cardboard Edison

January 28, 2023 January 28, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

Tips for setting up a playtest night where designers may come with games of different lengths—a Twitter board game designers discussion:

https://twitter.com/PhilSchwarzmann/status/1619083003027951616

January 28, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

January 28, 2023 January 28, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

English auctions: why more board games don’t use them, what they feel like during play, issues that can come with them, and more (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgXWfaQn6BE

January 28, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

January 28, 2023 January 28, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

Quick tips for using various social-media outlets to market your board game:

https://www.blondeunicornmarketing.com/post/how-to-utilize-social-media-video-tips

January 28, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
industry

Cardboard Edison

January 28, 2023 January 28, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

One way of coming up with new game mechanics: starting with the mechanic’s name:

https://www.thedarkimp.com/blog/2023/01/25/game-design-inspiration-mechanic-creation/

January 28, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
process

Cardboard Edison

January 24, 2023 January 24, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

Designing a board game with rounds? Here are a bunch of tools you can use to create interesting decisions and experiences for players (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFtbeE1oWhM

January 24, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

January 24, 2023 January 24, 2023/ Cardboard Edison

One way of getting players invested in your game's theme: aligning their character's motivation with gameplay actions:

https://shippboardgames.blogspot.com/2023/01/player-investment-through-thematic.html

January 24, 2023/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

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