Circles of playtesting: how a game evolves through various stages of testing in terms of the idea, the prototype, and how the designer feels about it

10 types of board game designers—and how to discover what motivates your own design efforts (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xPHJaCYJyg

When you want to get a publisher’s attention, your game will have to pass through several “gates” or filters—here’s how it (usually) works:

https://bsky.app/profile/weheart.games/post/3lbpfwl7ylk2n

A short thread on the margins involved in publishing a board game, and how they change when using crowdfunding or direct-to-customer sales:

https://bsky.app/profile/425suzanne.bsky.social/post/3lbuhae2rnc2f

Lots of bite-size advice for making a board game, especially playtesting, pitching to publishers, and what to expect if it’s released:

https://bsky.app/profile/connievdc.bsky.social/post/3lbycjga5522q

Board games where the box is integral to gameplay:

https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/11/26/box-clever-board-games-where-the-box-is-integral-topic-discussion/

Useful for designers making a game for kids: developmental milestones for game play:

https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8517750/black-canyon

The art of creating effective sell sheets for board games (video):

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

Board game designers share their game design theories in less than 300 characters:

https://bsky.app/profile/ross-esmond.bsky.social/post/3lbhlcbjdsk2m

When to launch a crowdfunding campaign: the best days, months, and even hours:

https://updates.kickstarter.com/best-time-to-launch/

Building a strong community around your crowdfunded game through effective communication:

https://updates.kickstarter.com/essential-tips-for-building-a-strong-community/

What attributes make for an outstanding co-op board game? A Bluesky board game designers discussion:

https://bsky.app/profile/jeffgrisenthwaite.bsky.social/post/3lba375gkcs2q

When a game enables analysis paralysis, how do you streamline it without destroying the fun of the game? A Bluesky board game designers discussion:

https://bsky.app/profile/fertessa.bsky.social/post/3lb6jx5nisk2f

How granular are the numbers in your game, and how granular do they need to be? A discussion about games’ “fidelity” and ways of cutting down on the math players have to do (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye5xFH6K0vQ

Tips for working with co-designers:

https://www.thedarkimp.com/blog/2024/11/14/working-with-co-designers/

The benefits of offering a $1 pledge level on your crowdfunding campaign:

https://updates.kickstarter.com/the-1-reward-strategy/

Recommended printers for board game prototyping—a Bluesky game designers discussion:

https://bsky.app/profile/marcelineleiman.bsky.social/post/3la5ehbo54z24

Some good reminders about the process of growing in your skills as a game designer:

https://bsky.app/profile/ehronlime.bsky.social/post/3laih22vyrl25

Board game fulfillment: pointers for—and pitfalls of—finding and working with a fulfillment partner to get your game to customers (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5dxPlbJcck

A look at various pricing psychology tactics and how you can use them to set your crowdfunding campaign’s pledge levels:

https://updates.kickstarter.com/the-psychology-of-pricing-your-rewards-7-strategies-every-creator-should-know/