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Cardboard Edison

Game design & bright ideas for game designers

Bright Ideas

Tips & Resources for Board Game Designers

Cardboard Edison
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    • Quad Squad
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    • Retail Rejects
    • More Games
    • Prototypes
  • Free Resources/
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February 24, 2024 February 24, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Insights into the judging process for the Cardboard Edison Award and making a pitch video that conveys what’s cool about your game:

https://bsky.app/profile/xopherchan.bsky.social/post/3klu3w7pibz24

February 24, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
contests

Cardboard Edison

February 24, 2024 February 24, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Various ways of making board games more usable and accessible, both in terms of game design and production—and reasons to break those heuristics:

https://www.nngroup.com/articles/usability-heuristics-board-games/

February 24, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
publishing, theory

Cardboard Edison

February 24, 2024 February 24, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Tips for receiving playtest feedback with grace—even when it’s hard to (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yJi8IXpgRc

February 24, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

February 24, 2024 February 24, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Pitch or publish? These “job descriptions” show the skills required and basic duties comparing independent game designers and self-publishers:

https://www.thedarkimp.com/blog/2024/02/21/pitch-or-publish/

February 24, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
licensing, publishing

Cardboard Edison

February 20, 2024 February 20, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Three principles of card graphic design: visibility, hierarchy, brevity:

https://danielsolisblog.blogspot.com/2024/02/three-principles-of-card-design.html

February 20, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
prototyping, publishing

Cardboard Edison

February 19, 2024 February 19, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Pointers for your submission video to the Cardboard Edison Award: What needs to be in it—and what doesn’t:

https://davethegame.tumblr.com/post/742779793458757632/some-tips-about-the-cardboard-edison-awards

February 19, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
contests

Cardboard Edison

February 18, 2024 February 18, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Cardboard Edison Award judge Pam Walls offers insights into the judging process and tips for what to do before submitting your game (video):

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

February 18, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
contests

Cardboard Edison

February 17, 2024 February 17, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Lots of things publishers can do to make players’ lives easier: player aids, rulebook organization, FAQs, and more (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4lc7jOFySA

February 17, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
rules, publishing

Cardboard Edison

February 17, 2024 February 17, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Giving and receiving playtest feedback with kindness (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNqf5NtTxyA

February 17, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

February 17, 2024 February 17, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Some ways board games have used a “follow” mechanic where everyone follows the current player’s action:

https://medium.com/@zipo13/fabulous-says-1d76b21285dc

February 17, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

February 17, 2024 February 17, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Prototyping methods that allow for rapid iteration—a BoardGameGeek designers forum discussion:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3245733/whats-best-way-iterate-prototypes

February 17, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
prototyping

Cardboard Edison

February 17, 2024 February 17, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Starting and maintaining a playtesting community (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqIct19BIOI

February 17, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

February 10, 2024 February 10, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Best practices for taking notes during a playtest (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_mEqtv129k

February 10, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

February 08, 2024 February 08, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Tips for iterating on your board game idea to improve it over time (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bomd3kPGj0U

February 08, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting, process

Cardboard Edison

February 07, 2024 February 07, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

A board game design essential: the playtesting and development cycle and how it works:

https://www.thedarkimp.com/blog/2024/02/07/testing-and-development/

February 07, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

February 05, 2024 February 05, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Graphic design tips for improving your board game prototype’s layout and user experience (video):

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

February 05, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
prototyping

Cardboard Edison

February 02, 2024 February 02, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Lots of pointers for getting the most out of a playtesting event (video):

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

February 02, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

February 02, 2024 February 02, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Use this one-page playtest log to keep track of feedback and ideas from your game’s playtesting sessions:

https://www.breakmygame.com/_files/ugd/d065b6_c82436ebef3f444689906224099709a9.pdf

February 02, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

January 29, 2024 January 29, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

Lessons learned from working in board games: the game design process, knowing your values and priorities, co-designing, attending conventions, and more (video):

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

January 29, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
process, industry, licensing, playtesting

Cardboard Edison

January 27, 2024 January 27, 2024/ Cardboard Edison

A simple way of creating custom dice for a board game prototype:

https://bsky.app/profile/scottalmes.bsky.social/post/3kjlvzs6u452p

January 27, 2024/ Cardboard Edison/
prototyping

Cardboard Edison

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